NATCHITOCHES – The first spring scrimmage for the Northwestern State football team had just about everything a head coach could want.
 
The Demon offense was stellar in the red zone portion of Thursday night's 91-play scrimmage while the defense responded by allowing only one field goal while playing in traditional settings.
 
"The best part of this, (getting) 91 snaps with officials live to go on film," said head coach Brad Laird, who begins his sixth season at the helm of his alma mater. "We hadn't been able to do that in the first seven practices. To get this fairly clean scrimmage done – I think we ended up with seven penalties – there were learning opportunities within the seven penalties. We had an interception called back off of one penalty.
 
"Early on, the offense got going with a field goal. We scored three touchdowns and kicked a field goal in the red zone situation. Then the defense came to life in the open-field segment. A lot of good on both sides of the ball to get on film."
 
After the sides split the first two drives of the open-field segment – the defense stood tall on the first before the offense drove down for a 22-yard Evan Kern field goal on the second – the NSU offense scored on four straight possessions in red zone situations.
 
Kolbe Burrell tallied the first score, capping a three-play, 20-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown run before freshman quarterback JT Fayard connected with tight end Travon Jones on a first-play, 20-yard score in the next session.
 
Jones added another 20-yard scoring grab, this one from Chance Newman, sandwiching his scores around Kern's 18-yard field goal. Jones' second scoring catch marked the last time the NSU offense put up any points on the evening.
 
"You want to see guys compete, and I think that's what you saw," Laird said. "I've said that since Day 1. You don't have to kick these guys in the butt to get them going. The thing we have to continue to do is to do the right thing, pay attention to detail play in and play out with the same type of energy and effort."
 
The Purple Swarm defense answered the offense's salvo by forcing 10 punts in the open-field segments of the scrimmage, which lasted approximately 80 minutes under the Turpin Stadium lights.
 
The lone turnover of the game – an interception near the goal line -- was negated by a substitution penalty. However, the defense responded by picking up one of its eight sacks to stifle the drive.
 
"That's real mature," said defensive end Trevion Sneed, an SMU transfer and mid-year enrollee. "Most teams when they get scored on three times in a row, they give up. They won't try any more. We didn't give up. We got what we needed to fixed and got it taken care of."
 
While the defense delivered as a whole, there were individual performances on both sides that stood out, including one from converted running back Duce Hart.
 
A redshirt freshman, Hart moved from wide receiver to the backfield to fill a team need and finished with 49 yards on eight carries, including a long run of 14 yards.
 
"Running back is my favorite position," Hart said. "Once I got my feet wet, I knew I'd be able to do it all the way through. I feel like I'm an athlete. Wherever coach needs me, I'll be there and make the play for him."
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Evan Kern 22 field goal
Kolbe Burrell 11 run (Kern kick)
Travon Jones 20 pass from JT Fayard (kick failed)
Kern 18 field goal
Jones 20 pass from Chance Newman (Kern kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing (54-143, 1 TD): Burrell 12-50, TD; Duce Hart 8-49; Scooter Adams 4-26; Kennieth Lacy 11-19; Kareame Cotton Jr. 6-5; Tyler Vander Waal 5-2; Fayard 4-1; Newman 4-(-7).
Passing (17-37-0, 175, 2 TDs): Tyler Vander Waal 5-15-0 71; Newman 4-9-0 55, TD; Fayard 5-7-0 36, TD; Kareame Cotton Jr. 3-6-0 13
Receiving: Dane Wallace 4-23; Stanley King 2-42; Jones 2-40, 2 TDs; Hart 2-12; Hogan Wasson 2-11; Jaheim Walters 1-36; Myles Kitt-Denton 1-6; Sylvester Campbell III 1-4; Christian Thomas 1-3; Adams 1-(-2)
Defense
Jared Pedraza 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL; Jacob Washington 5 tackles; Trevion Sneed 4 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL; William White II 4 tackles; Kwame Sarkodie 3 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 PBU; Maurice Campbell 3 tackles; Ara Rauls III 3 tackles; Dez Williams 3 tackles; Jordan Banks 2 tackles, 0.5 TFL; Donovan Green 2 Tackles, QB hurry; Cadillac Rhone 2 tackles, PBU; Daniel Dufour 2 tackles; Ray Gibson 1 tackle, 1 sack; Tyron Hall 2 tackles; Isaiah Robinson 2 tackles; Nazir Sy 2 tackles, TFL; Dante Thomas 2 tackles; Jaeden Ward 2 tackles; DJ Johnson 1 tackle, 0.5 TFL, PBU; Jeremiah Bodwin 1 tackle; Ronnie Caldwell 1 tackle; Kevin Davis Jr. 1 tackle; Ty Ely 1 sack; Antwon Fegans 1 tackle; Chad Gooden Jr. 1 tackle; Kendal Harmon 1 sack; JaQuon Lott 1 tackle; Ja'Quel Mack 1 tackle; Johnny Mitchell 1 sack; Danny Sears 1 tackle.