April 24, 2005

Charleston, SC - Wide receiver Rontreal Tyler caught seven passes and ran the ball twice during The Citadel's spring game Saturday at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

If you get the idea that new coach Kevin Higgins' spread option offense asks a lot of the receivers, you are correct.

"It's different for me, but I love it," said Tyler, the 5-11, 185-pound sophomore from Wagner. "Whatever I can do to help the team, that's what I want to do."

Tyler gained 44 yards on his seven catches and scored the only touchdown of the scrimmage on a 4-yard pass from quarterback Duran Lawson. He also gained 16 yards on his two carries, going in motion from his receiver spot and taking the option pitch from Lawson.

With those duties in mind, Higgins said improving the receiving corps will be a major priority over the summer.

"The one thing I noticed when I arrived here is we are just behind as far as eye-hand coordination," said Higgins, the former Lehigh head coach who spent three years as an offensive assistant in the NFL. "We haven't caught enough balls and we haven't thrown enough balls. So this summer is going to be all about throwing and catching and executing as a team."

Lawson, a rising sophomore who started the final six games last year, completed 15 of 28 passes for 106 yards in Saturday's scrimmage, with one interception and the TD to Tyler. Freshman receiver Ta'Mar Jernigan caught three passes for 31 yards and sophomore Gary Domanski caught one ball for nine yards.

Tyler, Jernigan, Domanski and junior Justin Woodberry are the only receivers who caught passes last year. Senior running back Chris Gibbs, who redshirted last year with a broken ankle, ran with the No. 1 offense Saturday and gained 19 yards on nine carries. Sophomore running back Nuru Goodrum, playing with the second-team offense, had the play of the day with a 71-yard run from scrimmage.

NOTES

-- Backup quarterback Justin Knox did not play Saturday while taking care of "academic issues", Higgins said ... Defensive tackle Jacob Bryant suffered a strained right knee in Saturday's scrimmage, and linebacker Andrew Rowell (fractured hand) did not play ... Linebacker Chris Murray, starting for Rowell, intercepted a Lawson pass and returned in 16 yards ... Cornerback Dwight House also intercepted a pass, from backup QB Steven Tumbleston.

-- First team offense -- TE Aaron Kelly, T Cliff Conant, G Adam Peterson, C Dusty Benefield, G Brian Fletcher, T Chris McDowell, QB Duran Lawson, RB Chris Gibbs, WR Rontreal Tyler, WR Ta'Mar Jernigan, WR Gary Domanski.

First-team defense -- DE James Wilson, DT Fred Townsend, DT Shaun Palmer, DE Trevar Broughton, LB Porter Johnson, LB Chris Murray, LB Shawn Grant, CB Brandon Hawkins, S Avery Dingle, SS Josh Lawson, CB Andrew Henderson.