Apollos come back for wild road win over Commanders
Spurrier likes the look of Gilbert, who throws for 393 yards, 2 TDs
SAN ANTONIO — Coach Steve Spurrier has seen a few quarterbacks who could sling the ball around the yard.
So when the Head Ball Coach praised Orlando Apollos starter Garrett Gilbert for how he threw the ball Sunday during a 37-29 victory over the San Antonio Commanders, ears perked up.
“There was a few other balls out there we could have hit,” Spurrier said. “He wasn’t perfect today, but he was close.
“He throws a beautiful pass. I’ve said many times. The receivers don’t drop his balls.”
Gilbert threw five passes of 25 or more yards and four passes of 45 or more yards on his way to 393 passing yards and a comefrom-behind win. That outing came in a game during which the Orlando offense looked dreadful through much of the first quarter, falling behind 12-0.
The Apollos came back to take the lead in the second quarter on the first of Gilbert’s two touchdown passes, a 21-yard connection with wide receiver Charles Johnson, who finished the day with 10 catches for 192 yards.
“Our receivers did a really nice job setting up some routes early on and made some plays down the field,” Gilbert said.
Orlando defensive end Ryan Davis, a product of BethuneCookman, suffered what Spurrier later called a “bruised spinal area” late in the first half and had