Missouri State’s final scrimmage saw the Bears’ offense rack up 576 total yards, while the defensive unit came up with a pair of interceptions, three sacks, six pass break-ups, and two blocked kicks.
Leading the way for the offense was junior quarterback Cody Kirby who played with focus throughout the 84-play event. Kirby completed 10-of-14 passes for 183 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran three times for 42 yards to account for 225 yards of total offense.
Kirby connected with true freshman Cadarrius Dotson twice on touchdown passes of 25 and 33 yards in the early going. He also hooked up with sophomore Jermaine Saffold on a 41-yard scoring play and later hit Waylon Richardet for a five-yard touchdown pass on a goal-line series.
The running game also showed vast improvement since last week’s scrimmage, gathering 4.1 yards per carry, including a game-high 56 yards by freshman Mikael Cooper-Falls. The Springfield native carried 11 times, including a big 37-yard gainer late in the scrimmage. Juco transfer Chris Douglas carried 10 times for 51 yards and tacked on a one-yard touchdown run late. Douglas also had a 37-yard run from scrimmage.
The Bears’ other rushing touchdown came on a five-yard run by senior Miguel Warren from five yards out on the game’s final scoring play.
Head coach Terry Allen was happy with the team’s execution. "We executed well on offense and didn’t have any serious injuries, so all in all it was a good day. We’ve had a good preseason. The temperament of the team is focused on the right thing. We’re really looking forward to the season."