Denney, Masek Lead Mavs in Spring Game
Senior quarterback Brian Masek passed for 167 yards and two touchdowns and senior wide receiver Chris Denney caught a pair of scoring passes to highlight the Mavericks' spring-practice-ending scrimmage Saturday at Caniglia Field.
Denney, sidelined for all but five games last season with a hamstring injury, caught six passes for 80 yards.
Masek completed 13 of 16 passes, including all five of his second half attempts. The Mavericks rolled up 419 yards in total offense and scored four times in the game.
Masek drove the Mavs 76 yards in 11 plays in the game's opening possession. Senior tailback Jamar Day punched over from the two for the score.
Sophomore fullback Tad Kersting, who led all rushers with 52 yards on nine attempts, scored the second touchdown on a one-yard run, ending a nine-play, 62-yard march.
Wahoo sophomore Zach Miller, a transfer from Nebraska, drove the Mavs 62 yards in just four plays, hitting Denney with a 27-yard scoring strike for the third touchdown of the day.
Sophomore tailback Nate Wurth carried 11 times for 26 yards and returned five kickoffs, including returns of 41 and 74 yards.
Leo E. Pearey Awards
Given to those showing the most improved play in spring practice, in honor of UNO's first All-American, Leo Pearey, a 1935 halfback. The awards were first given in 1968.
Defensive Back: Reed Taylor
Linebacker: Jacob Skow
Defensive Line: Rob Lewis
Offensive Line: Jakob Sjuts
Offensive Back: Nate Wurth
Maverick Spring Game Stats
Rushing (No-yards)
Tad Kersting, 9-52
Zach Miller, 5-28
Nate Wurth, 11-26
Ricky Thompson,12-25
Jamar Day, 5-12
Josh Sansoni, 3-7
Stuart Frazier, 1-5
Pat Spangler, 2-5
Shawn Ostlund, 1-0
Brian Masek, 3-minus 6
Total, 52 - 154
Passing (com-att-int-yards)
Brian Masek, 13-16-0, 167
Zach Miller, 4-9-0, 50
Pat Spangler, 5-13-1, 48
Totals, 22-38-1, 265
Receiving (No-Yards)
Chris Denney, 6-80
Zac Herold, 3-57
William Newell, 4-40
Shawn Ostlund, 3-32
Andrew Beck, 2-25
Tad Kersting, 1-10
Brett Callahan, 1-8
Tyler Hansen, 1-8
Josh Sansoni, 1-5
Totals, 22-265
Punting (No-yards-average)
Don Grafton, 4-145, 36.3, long of 41
Trent Lyons, 2-38, 19.0, long of 21
Kickoff Returns (No-yards)
Nate Wurth, 5-167, 33.4, long of 74
Interceptions
Kenny Onatolu, 1-11
Scoring Plays
Jamar Day 2, run (Andy Severson kick)
1st quarter, 8:05; 11 plays, 76 yards
Tad Kersting 1, run (Severson kick)
2nd quarter, 8:49; 9 plays, 62 yards
Chris Denney 27 pass from Zach Miller (Severson kick)
2nd quarter; 4 plays 62 yards
Denney 9 pass from Brian Masek (Severson kick)
4th quarter, 11:35; 3 plays, 19 yards
Denney, sidelined for all but five games last season with a hamstring injury, caught six passes for 80 yards.
Masek completed 13 of 16 passes, including all five of his second half attempts. The Mavericks rolled up 419 yards in total offense and scored four times in the game.
Masek drove the Mavs 76 yards in 11 plays in the game's opening possession. Senior tailback Jamar Day punched over from the two for the score.
Sophomore fullback Tad Kersting, who led all rushers with 52 yards on nine attempts, scored the second touchdown on a one-yard run, ending a nine-play, 62-yard march.
Wahoo sophomore Zach Miller, a transfer from Nebraska, drove the Mavs 62 yards in just four plays, hitting Denney with a 27-yard scoring strike for the third touchdown of the day.
Sophomore tailback Nate Wurth carried 11 times for 26 yards and returned five kickoffs, including returns of 41 and 74 yards.
Leo E. Pearey Awards
Given to those showing the most improved play in spring practice, in honor of UNO's first All-American, Leo Pearey, a 1935 halfback. The awards were first given in 1968.
Defensive Back: Reed Taylor
Linebacker: Jacob Skow
Defensive Line: Rob Lewis
Offensive Line: Jakob Sjuts
Offensive Back: Nate Wurth
Maverick Spring Game Stats
Rushing (No-yards)
Tad Kersting, 9-52
Zach Miller, 5-28
Nate Wurth, 11-26
Ricky Thompson,12-25
Jamar Day, 5-12
Josh Sansoni, 3-7
Stuart Frazier, 1-5
Pat Spangler, 2-5
Shawn Ostlund, 1-0
Brian Masek, 3-minus 6
Total, 52 - 154
Passing (com-att-int-yards)
Brian Masek, 13-16-0, 167
Zach Miller, 4-9-0, 50
Pat Spangler, 5-13-1, 48
Totals, 22-38-1, 265
Receiving (No-Yards)
Chris Denney, 6-80
Zac Herold, 3-57
William Newell, 4-40
Shawn Ostlund, 3-32
Andrew Beck, 2-25
Tad Kersting, 1-10
Brett Callahan, 1-8
Tyler Hansen, 1-8
Josh Sansoni, 1-5
Totals, 22-265
Punting (No-yards-average)
Don Grafton, 4-145, 36.3, long of 41
Trent Lyons, 2-38, 19.0, long of 21
Kickoff Returns (No-yards)
Nate Wurth, 5-167, 33.4, long of 74
Interceptions
Kenny Onatolu, 1-11
Scoring Plays
Jamar Day 2, run (Andy Severson kick)
1st quarter, 8:05; 11 plays, 76 yards
Tad Kersting 1, run (Severson kick)
2nd quarter, 8:49; 9 plays, 62 yards
Chris Denney 27 pass from Zach Miller (Severson kick)
2nd quarter; 4 plays 62 yards
Denney 9 pass from Brian Masek (Severson kick)
4th quarter, 11:35; 3 plays, 19 yards
