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The Troy receivers closed out spring practice in fine fashion on Saturday during T-Day.

The team split into two separate teams, White and Cardinal. Cardinal picked up a 21-7 win over White.

“It was great being back on the field in a game situation, and I know our players were excited about it,” head coach Chip Lindsey said. “It was good to see our guys fly around and really compete. We’ve got good competition as whole, which is what is different about this team. We have really good competition all the way around which makes everyone better. The key is to continue to push. We have to have a really good summer and get stronger and finish strong in the classroom.”  

A total of 28 points were scored in the game, 21 of which came by receivers. Tez Johnson, Luke Whittemore and Deshon Stoudemire all had touchdown grabs.

“I thought the wideouts caught the ball pretty well,” Lindsey said. “Tez made a great catch early. Luke made a great catch on the post route. That unit, I feel like we have eight guys that can play, maybe nine. We will play a lot of them. They all had a chance to make a play.”

Johnson scored the game’s first touchdown when he hauled in a Gunnar Watson pass for a 38-yard touchdown. Johnson gained separation from the defender and came up with a diving one-handed catch.

“Those plays I really don’t get shocked over,” Johnson said. “We have balls thrown in tough situations all the time. You just have to make the plays. You build good relationships with quarterbacks. I told Gunnar, ‘When It’s one-on-one throw it’.”

“I loved seeing what Tez did,” Lindsey said. “He shows that in practice a lot. He made a great catch.”

That play was one of a few times when the Trojan receivers outmuscled a defender on Saturday.

“In college football you’re not going to see guys wide open that much,” Lindsey said. “When we get one-on-one opportunities we need to take advantage of that. Defenses are too good and coaches are too good. You’re not going to have guys wide open.”

Approximately 18 different players caught a pass between the two teams on Saturday. That number included three running backs. Kimani Vidal hauled in five catches, B.J. Smith had two and Jamontez Woods had one.

“We are going to throw the ball to our running backs,” Lindsey said. “It’s hard for us to sign a running back that can’t really catch the football.”

Receiver Reggie Todd left the scrimmage after sustaining an upper-body injury after leaping to make a catch near the sideline. Lindsey said the receiver hit his head while landing on the ground.

“I think Reggie is going to be fine,” Lindsey said. “He banged around a little bit when he fell on the long catch, but we think he will be ok.”