Nicholls football holds first scrimmage of fall practice

Practice No. 9 put the Nicholls State University football team’s offense and defense against each other in the first scrimmage of fall camp Saturday morning at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.
In a controlled format, the team conducted around 100 plays in the 90-minute scrimmage. The scenarios included regular drives, third-down situations and red zone plays.
The defense allowed 10 points and had four sacks and an interception.
OFFENSIVE NOTABLES
—One touchdown was scored in the scrimmage by the offense, coming on a 5-yard rush by Tahj Smith. Starting on their own 40, freshman Julien Gums rumbled for 27 yards on the first carry, breaking tackles and dragging defenders. Following eight yards on two carries by Mason Bou-dreaux, Smith got outside and pushed through for a touchdown.
—The team focused on getting carries for the newcomers in the backfield, with freshmen Gums, Brennan Rogers and Central Catholic alum Bailey Badeaux contributing to the team’s 250 yards on the ground. Gums and Badeaux added 13-yard runs, Central Catholic alum Stefano Guarisco had a 14-yard carry and Boudreaux plowed up the middle for a 17-yard gain.
—Quarterbacks Chase Fourcade, Nick Conley and Charles Brooks combined to go 9 of 20 passing for 75 yards and one interception.
—Redshirt freshmen Dontaze Costly caught a 23-yard pass on the opening drive from Fourcade and then had a 19-yard catch to put the offense at the 3-yard line in the red zone drill. But the defense held, limiting the offense to a 19-yard field goal by Lorran Fonseca.
—Miguel Harris added a 10-yard grab from Conley.
DEFENSIVE NOTABLES
—The first-team defense surrendered three points, which came after a goal-line stand. Following Costly’s catch that moved the ball inside the 5, the defense stuffed three straight runs up the middle to keep the offense from scoring a touchdown.
—Moroni Pointer was credited with a sack on third down in the red zone session.
—Kenny Dotson had a sack and stripped a pass attempt for an incompletion.
—Korey Louis picked up a sack on a first-down pass.
—Khristian Mims snagged a deep ball down the sideline and kept his foot inbounds for an interception.
—Charles Brooks found Christian Booker in the back of the end zone for a potential 29-yard touchdown, but Anfernee Poindexter knocked the ball loose on the jump ball.
—Evan Veron ended the scrimmage with a sack.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTABLES
—Fonseca converted his lone field goal attempt during live play for 19 yards. In the field goal session, he made field goals from 39, 41 and 47 yards, went wide left on a 32-yard attempt and a 47-yard try and was short two 52-yard tries.
—Bray Dusenbery had a 31-yard field goal attempt in live play blocked by Austin Dickerson. He then converted on two 32-yard attempts and missed on a 37-yarder.
—Matthew Alfonso had a 32-yard attempt blocked by Patrick Riley and was low on a 37-yard try.
—Punter/holder Winston Jones rushed around the edge and made it near the goal line on a fake 32-yard field goal attempt.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For updates and coverage of fall camp, follow the team on Twitter @Nicholls_FB.
SEASON TICKETS
Nicholls football season tickets are available by visiting geauxcolonels.com or calling the Nicholls Ticket Office at 985-448-4790. The home opener is scheduled for Sept. 22 against Sam Houston State.