Football to hold spring game this Sunday

May 08, 2009

St. Thomas will hold a spring football game Sunday May 17 at 1 p.m. at O'Shaughnessy Stadium. There's no admission charge to what is a rare opportunity for an NCAA Division III football program.

Coach Glenn Caruso's Tommies will hold the intrasquad offense vs. defense scrimmage as the final tuneup for next week's trip to Winnipeg that culminates in a May 24 exhibition game vs. the Manitoba Major's All-Star Team. That game will be played at the 30,000-seat CanadInn Stadium, the home of the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Besides the traditional touchdowns, PATs and field goals for the offense, the game will chart defensive scoring. A defensive TD is worth six points, and interception or fumble recovery is worth five points, a PAT after a defensive TD is worth one point, a sack is worth one point, a safety is worth two, a 3-and-out stop is worth two and a 4th-down stop is worth two points.

UST is scheduled to start its 2009 season Sept. 5 at Macalester, and opens its home and MIAC seasons Sept. 19 against St. Olaf. The Tommies will return\ nearly 20 starters from a 7-3 team of 2008.