SPRINGFIELD – Behind an efficient aerial attack that piled up 333 passing yards, the Missouri State offense posted an impressive opening preseason intrasquad scrimmage Saturday morning at Robert W. Plaster Stadium. The Bears’ quarterback tandem of Peyton Huslig and Anthony Monken combined to complete 17 of their first 18 passes and hooked up with three different tight ends for scoring strikes in the 90-play scrimmage.
Huslig, a sophomore junior college transfer, opened the scoring with a 49-yard scramble for a touchdown, then connected with Erik Furmanek on a six-yard pass to cap a 65-yard drive. Furmanek teamed up with fellow tight ends Jordan Frazier, Adam St. Peter and Scotty Schaffner for 14 of MSU’s 31 receptions for a total of 122 yards. Frazier hauled in an eight-yard TD toss from Huslig, after Brett Geisz found St. Peter in the end zone for a two-yard scoring play.
Frazier led the Bears with eight catches, while a total of six different MSU receivers grabbed at least three passes on the day. Perhaps the biggest catch belonged to freshman Lorenzo Thomas, who turned in a leaping 34-yard scoring catch from Monken late in the scrimmage.
Jalen Esters also logged a key series, out-maneuvering a defender to haul in a 46-yard pass from Huslig, before converting a 20-yard touchdown run on an end-around.
The MSU defense turned in its share of highlights as well, forcing three turnovers, two of which came from linebacker Brock Hughes. The redshirt freshman picked off a pass early in the scrimmage, then fell on a loose ball for the second of the Bears’ two fumble recoveries. Senior co-captain Colby Isbell disrupted the offense with a pair of sacks to close out the morning.
Zach Drake showed consistency in the kicking game throughout the morning, converting all four of his field goal tries and each of his three PAT attempts.
The Bears will engage in their second intrasquad scrimmage next Saturday (Aug. 19) at 8:15 a.m., before beginning final preparations for the 2017 season opener at Mizzou (Sept. 2).
