Despite heavy rain and high winds, The University of Akron football team was able to close out spring camp with its annual spring game Saturday afternoon.
The weather forced the intra-squad scrimmage inside to Stile Athletics Field House, as a high-powered offense took an 82-36 win over the defense.
Despite heavy rain and high winds, The University of Akron football team was able to close out spring camp with its annual spring game Saturday afternoon.
The weather forced the intra-squad scrimmage inside to Stile Athletics Field House, as a high-powered offense took an 82-36 win over the defense.
We are certainly a much-improved football team from where we were a year ago at this time, said Head Coach Rob Ianello. We have our work cut out for us to be a good football team, but I believe we are headed in the right direction.
Coming off a 1-11 season, the Zips ended their spring sessions in front of an estimated crowd of 1,200 fans. Those in attendance saw an outburst by the offense, though the scoring system was different than the traditional format.
The offensive attack was led by sophomore Jawon Chisholm, totaling 124 yards on the ground on 14 carries. Chisholm found the end zone twice, earning the game’s offensive MVP.
He is a very talented back…we think Jawon has tremendous upside and it certainly showed today, said Ianello.
Defensive end Nico Caponi earned MVP honors on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with four tackles and two sacks.
All three quarterbacks on the Zips’ spring roster got time under center. Patrick Nicely, Clayton Moore and Zach D’Orazio combined for 352 passing yards, completing 23 of 33 passes on the day.
Moore, a junior college transfer, completed 11 of 14 attempts for 122 yards and a touchdown. Nicely, who started all 12 games last season, completed seven of 11 passes for 103 yards.
D’Orazio provided perhaps the highlight of the day, a 77-yard completion to Nolan Procter, who was brought down inside the five-yard line. D’Orazio was five of eight passing, good for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Procter snagged two balls for 87 yards, leading the receiving core with junior college transfer Maqeulo Suel, who brought in eight receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Safety L.T. Smith led the defense with 10 tackles, and cornerback Bill Alexander added eight on the day.
I thought we did some good things on both sides of the ball, said Ianello. I’m pleased with how spring has ended.
Saturday’s game was the fifteenth spring workout, the total number allowed by NCAA regulations, marking the completion of the program’s spring camp. Ianello and company will begin its preseason camp in 109 days.
The Zips open up the regular season in Columbus when they take on Ohio State Sept. 3. The home opener is slated for Sept. 10, as Mid-American Conference opponent Temple visits InfoCision Stadium.
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