Lorenzen leads Horsemen in homecoming

Ex-UK QB accounts for seven scores

By Chip Cosby - ccosby@herald-leader.com

Jared Lorenzen made his return to the Bluegrass on Saturday night, and not much has changed since his days as a gunslinger at the University of Kentucky.

Lorenzen showed off his powerful left arm, throwing for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the Horsemen's 63-56 win over Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

And Lorenzen, much to the delight of the crowd of 2,735 at Rupp Arena, also was willing to throw his 285-pound body around. He ran for 52 yards and four TDs on 12 carries. The four rushing touchdowns were the most ever by a Horsemen quarterback.

Lorenzen's night was highlighted by a short touchdown run in the fourth quarter in which he knocked the helmet off Wilkes-Barre Scranton defensive tackle Justin Parrish.

Lorenzen said he had "a blast" in his return to Lexington. He made his Horsemen debut in a 51-48 loss at Tulsa last week, passing for five scores and running for another.

"I've really been having fun out here," Lorenzen said. "It was great being back on the field last week, but nothing beats playing at Rupp. I'm home."

Lorenzen wasn't the only former UK letterman making his return to Lexington. Former Wildcat receiver Lonnell Dewalt is in his first year with the Horsemen after spending two years with the Louisville Fire. Dewalt led the team with nine catches for 89 yards, including an 18-yard TD catch.

"(Dewalt) is such a matchup problem at 6-5," Horsemen Coach Mike Harmon said. "He's hard for people in this league to deal with."

After the game, Lorenzen and Dewalt were swarmed by autograph seekers.

"This never gets old," Dewalt said. "It's great having Jared out here doing what he does and myself doing what I do. I think it's something that can have the fans excited all year."

It looked like Lorenzen's return would be cut short after he tweaked his knee on a hit late in the first quarter. Justin Rascati, who served as Dave Ragone's backup at Louisville before transferring to James Madison, came in and threw a touchdown pass to Dewalt and also ran for a score to turn a 14-10 second-quarter deficit into a 24-14 lead.

"That's the thing, we've got two good quarterbacks," Harmon said. "Justin's a starter in this league."

But Lorenzen returned in the final minute of the second quarter. On his first play back he threw a 22-yard pass to Harry Lewis to put the Horsemen ahead 31-21.

"There was no doubt I was coming back in the game," Lorenzen said. "I was begging coach to get back not long after I went out. The knee might be a little sore in the morning, but I'll be OK."

Lorenzen had two third-quarter TD runs, including one where he delivered a nifty ball fake and rumbled in from 12 yards out. Lorenzen's 12-yard dump pass to 285-pound fullback Demetrius Forney put the Horsemen up 50-42, but it was his third TD run that had the crowd buzzing. As he approached the goal line, Lorenzen lowered his head and flattened Parrish, sending his helmet flying backward into the end zone.

"It's not like you can go out of bounds," Lorenzen said. "You've just got to get up in there and try and tough it out."

Harmon thought Lorenzen made progress from his first game.

"I thought last week Jared learned a little bit about the indoor game," Harmon said. "I thought this week Jared relaxed and played the indoor game. He's such a tremendous talent. There's a reason he's been in the NFL."

The Horsemen evened their record at 1-1 against a Wilkes-Barre squad that Harmon called one of the perennial powers in af2.

"This was a really good win for us," Harmon said. "It proves that we can be as good as anybody in this league."

Lorenzen said that he's hoping to use the Horsemen as a springboard back into the NFL.

"That's the goal, and I think everybody with the organization understands that," Lorenzen said. "This is a good way for me to have some fun, try and stay in shape and get back in an NFL camp in July."