Ground game highlights first VMI football scrimmage

Redshirt sophomore Derrick Ziglar and redshirt freshman Bradley Lipscomb combined for 159 yards rushing and a touchdown to key the offense in VMI’s first preseason scrimmage held Thursday afternoon at Foster Stadium.

Ziglar, who lettered as a running back last season and saw more playing time as the year progressed, gained 80 yards on 10 carries while Lipscomb rushed nine times for 79 yards and a touchdown.

Converted from linebacker near the end of spring ball, Lipscomb helped key the first scoring drive of the afternoon when he ripped off a 23-yard run on the first play of the third offensive possession. Sophomore wide receiver Sam Patterson snagged a 12-yard pass from quarterback Eric Kordenbrock later in the drive before Patterson hauled in a 32-yard aerial from Kordenbrock to cap the 7-play, 63-yard drive.

Lipscomb later in the scrimmage scored on a seven-yard burst up the middle to cap a 3-play, 40-yard scoring possession.

Kordenbrock completed 4 of 8 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown while freshman Al Cobb completed five of seven passes for 87 yards and a touchdown – a 16-yard strike to freshman Andrew Lewis late in the scrimmage.

Patterson led the receiving corps with three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

The defensive highlights included interceptions by freshman Alijah Robinson and redshirt freshman Eric Johnson and sacks by redshirt senior outside linebacker William Hyman (-5) and redshirt senior outside linebacker Chris Harper (-2). Junior defensive backs James Fruehan and Caleb Furlow each registered four tackles.

The 70-play scrimmage also featured the kicking game as redshirt senior punter David Eberhardt averaged 41.5 yards per punt and redshirt freshman Hayden Alford had a 39.0 yard average in two tries. Freshman placekicker Dillon Christopher converted two of four field goal attempts with both makes coming from 32 yards.

“I thought there were bright spots on both sides of the ball,” said head coach Sparky Woods. “Offensively we were able to make some plays and defensively we had a couple of interceptions and ma