Brevard-Online.com Everything Brevard County Florida, All Day, Every Day
WordPress database error: [Unknown column 'cat_par' in 'field list']SELECT `id`, `cat`, `cat_loc`, `cat_par` FROM `wp_adrotate_groups` WHERE `cat_loc` > 0 AND `cat_loc` < 5;
By Carl Kotala // March 23, 2014
Masteller THROWS four touchdown passes
ABOVE VIDEO: Florida Tech football coach Steve Englehart talks with SpaceCoastDaily.com’s Matt O’Hern about the Panther’s performance during the spring game on Saturday evening.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Justin Arcune wasn’t just happy with the way his defense played in Saturday night’s Florida Tech Spring Game.
The linebacker was also happy to see how far the offense has come since the end of last season.
Justin Arcune
“I think that’s probably the No. 1 thing that impressed me,” Arcune said. “We were able to get it down the field throwing the ball.”
Quarterback Dan Masteller certainly took advantage of that, throwing for four touchdown passes – including a 67-yard scoring pass to Xavier Milton as the Panthers beat Florida Tech 28-17 in the intrasquad scrimmage.
“We’re really getting to know the system now,” Masteller said. “Everything’s clicking and everything’s flowing. I think we’re showing that.”
Florida Tech head coach Steve Englehart was pleased with what he saw on both sides of the ball. Arcune and Vince Perry each had an interception, and the two defenses combined for eight sacks and six forced fumbles, four of which the defense recovered.
Steve Englehart
“We saw a lot of good things from a lot of people,” Englehart said. “I thought the defense caused a lot of great pressure on our offense and really put pressure on the quarterback, which caused some turnovers and caused some sloppy play … and that’s exactly what I wanted to see.
“I wanted to see our defense get some turnovers, and that’s what they did. I think the quarterbacks will learn from that type of pressure.”
Masteller made a nice play near the end of the game, recognizing a defensive blitz and getting the ball to running back Trevor Sand, who turned the play into a 33-yard gain that set up a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Bass.
Dan Masteller threw for four touchdowns and 345 passing yards in Florida Tech’s Spring Game on Saturday.
Masteller’s other touchdowns went to Colby Lynch (8 yards) and Terrance Bynum (5 yards). Running back Jomo Daniels had a one-yard touchdown run and Brion Ashley added a 35-yard field goal.
Masteller, who saw playing time for both the Panthers and Florida Tech squads, was a combined 23-for-31 for 345 yards with four TDs and an interception. Mark Cato was a combined 15-for-22 for 213 yards. Steven Hughes completed a combined 9-of-15 passes for 103 yards.
Sand led the running backs with 69 yards on nine carries.
One thing that was clear, the Panthers are much more comfortable with the systems they are running.
“We’re still playing some young guys and today you saw a lot of guys out there that didn’t play last year,” Englehart said. “But the guys who have been in our system had pretty good days.
“I think Colby Lynch had a nice day. Chris Stapleton, whose been in our system for a while, had a great day. I think (Trai) Cadore had a pretty nice day. Obviously Justin (Arcune) and Trevor Sand and Dan Masteller … those guys that have been in our system for two years had really nice days.”
While practice doesn’t resume until August, the players know there is still plenty of work that can be done between now and when they all hit the field together again.
“The number one thing that needs to be done is strength and size,” Arcune said. “I think that’s the biggest gap. I’ve always said since last year, we have the talent to win in this (Gulf South) conference. I’ve seen the other teams, I’ve played against the other teams and I still stand by that.
“I think honestly, we have the talent to win in this conference. It’s the size, the age and the awareness. I think this offseason, everyone needs to get a lot stronger, bigger. That will be our main focus.”
That dedication isn’t just talk from Arcune. He has moved from California to Melbourne so he can be here all summer.
“I did that as a commitment so I could lead and show other guys that’s what you need to do if you want to be at the top,” he said.
CLICK HERE FOR A BOX SCORE OF THE GAME
Published at Sun, 23 Mar 2014 04:57:29 +0000
