Cobras sloppy in scrimmage 
   Lest anyone doubt that the Cobras are an expansion team that has practiced together for less than a week, the team provided plenty of evidence in its first annual Red-White Scrimmage Saturday in Fayetteville. 
   Led by QB Jim Arellanes, who threw two touchdown passes, and FB/LB Alan Campos, who had two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and several catches, the White team defeated the Red team by a decidedly low 25-10 score. 
   The aforementioned evidence came in the several forms: 
  • four interceptions, two by Arellanes and two by Red team QB Mike Thomas
  • bad snaps on nearly every field goal and extra point try, including one snap that went out of the end zone
  • three false start penalties on the Red team
  • six sacks, one of Arellanes and five of Thomas
    The Red team scored first on their first possession (each team got six possessions in the first half and four in the second.)  A long run by FB/LB Bo Kelly and a pass to WR/LB Cornelius White – who had given the Red team the ball with an interception of a juggled pass – set up Thomas’ scramble into the end zone. 
    The White team struck back immediately with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Arellanes to WR/DB Marlon Estes on the first play of their second possession.    After a 30-yard field goal from Remy Hamilton on their next possession, the White team moved further out in front with a long catch and run touchdown to OL/DL Jeremy Beutler on an end-eligible play.  
   An exchange of interceptions, by Alan Campos for the White team and by Jason Nichols for the Red team, gave the Red team the ball at their own five.  Campos then provided his second interception, returning this one for the touchdown that iced the game.  Another Hamilton field goal, this one for the Red team, and the safety were the only other scores in the game. 
   Thomas did little to give Cobras fans or coaches faith in him as a backup quarterback.  On one possession in the second half, he had three passes batted down, was sacked once and overthrew OS Jack Jackson near the end zone.  After under throwing an attempt to FB/LB Toran James on the next possession, Jackson, who was open down the field, asked a child in the crowd, “Wanna play quarterback?” 
   Hamilton missed seven field goal attempts, though all seven were from 48 yards or longer.  Arellanes, Campos and Beutler all performed admirably however.  In addition to his touchdown catch, Beutler also had a sack and knocked down a pass.  Arellanes was successful at hitting his receivers in the first half, and the play-calling seemed to shift toward the running game in the second period. 
   Despite the sloppy play, the crowd of about a thousand at the coliseum seemed to enjoy the game.  The biggest cheers came during the player introductions, when WR/DB Marcus Wall, who played his high school football in Fayetteville, jogged out onto the field.  Wall finished with a sack and two tackles. 
   The Cobras’ management must have been happy as well, as they proved they could draw their target audience.  The large majority of the crowd consisted of families and 18-30 year-old males.  
   Click here for scrimmage photos. 
  
Quick Bites: 
  • WR/LB Kevin Lee, WR/DB Dexter Dawson and OL/DL Hunter Adams were injured and did not play.
  • Not listed on the roster distributed at the game, and presumably not at training camp, were FB/LB Bobbie Cotten, OL/DL Damien Jeffries, OL/DL Casey Jones, OL/DL Eric Kerley, OL/DL Bryant Mix, WR/LB Jeff Thomas and WR/DB Montrell Williams.  CobraZone will place these players under the heading “Not At Camp” on the roster page.
  • For those waiting with bated breath: the Cobras’ dance team is called the Snake Charmers.
  • The trade for Buffalo backup QB Jay McDonagh has been invalidated by the league office.  McDonagh is reportedly playing for the Indoor Football League’s Madison Mad Dogs this season.
  • FB/LB Mike Dulaney, acquired in a trade from Albany, is reportedly a exempt player.  CobraZone will place him on the exempt roster.
  • The roster provided at the game listed the numbers for the players present.  These have been added to the roster page and the individual players’ pages.  Also, according to the roster, Tommy Johnson, Jason Nichols and Cedric Samuel are now defensive specialists, and Marrio Grier is an offensive/defensive linemen.  These changes have been made on the roster page as well.  

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    Box Score 
      
    White   23  2 - 25 
    Red     10  0 - 10 
      
    First Half 
    Red - M. Thomas 10 run (Hamilton kick) 
    White - Estes 45 pass from Arellanes (Hamilton kick) 
    White - FG Hamilton 30 
    White - Beutler 35 pass from Arellanes (Hamilton kick) 
    White - Campos 3 interception return (no kick) 
    Red - FG Hamilton 33 
      
    Second Half 
    White - Safety (ball fumbled through end zone)