Bonamego debuts, Rush shines during 2015 CMU football spring game


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Central Michigan University Head Coach John Bonamego. (Photo by Monica Bradburn | Staff Photographer) 

For the first time this year, fans of Central Michigan University football got a glance at what the Chippewas and first-year Head Coach John Bonamego could be capable of this fall. 

Junior quarterback Cooper Rush was efficient throwing the ball, leading the Maroon team to a 27-6 victory over the Gold team during the annual intersquad scrimmage on Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. 

"Today was an opportunity for us to go out there and get better," Bonamego said. "Coming off the end of the spring game I wanted to see us move the ball and score points with the starters. I saw a lot of good things." 

Bonamego kept CMU's starting offense together, on the maroon squad, for the entire scrimmage. 

Rush found wide receiver Jesse Kroll six times for 72 yards and a 4-yard touchdown on Saturday. The Charlotte native, who started every game for CMU last year, hit Kroll 36 times for 582 yards and four touchdowns during the 2014 campaign. Kroll is regarded by many as the Chippewas' top receiver following the graduation of senior Titus Davis.  

Bonamego showed fans he is not afraid to run a trick play when Kroll threw a touchdown to fellow wideout Mark Chapman after catching a lateral during the final minute of the first half. 

"(As soon as the play was called) I was like 'let's go. We're putting it in the endzone," Kroll said. "I gotta give a shout-out to (Chapman) for coming up with that grab. It was a lot of fun." 

At running back, Devon Spalding and Martez Walker split carries for the Chippewas. Bonamego said he likes the two-back offense, but CMU's depth at the position is what impressed him the most this spring. 

"We have more than just those two," Bonamego said. "Both of those guys bring a little bit something different when they are in the game. We're in good shape with our running backs." 

Walker and Spalding will look to replace the offensive production of former running back Thomas Rawls, who led CMU in rushing last season. 

Tight end Ben McCord, who caught three touchdowns during last year's spring game, hauled in a score from 18 yards out late in the first half of Saturday's scrimmage. 

"He has good days out here," Rush said. "It was a cool little trick play and we got him open." 

Defensively, linebacker Malik Fountain stood out for CMU. Fountain's interception of Gold team quarterback Zach Oakley was the first of two turnovers during the scrimmage. The other was a fumble recovery by senior safety Kavon Frazier after running back Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore coughed the ball up early in the second half. 

"I'm just happy that I can prove what I can bring to the team," Fountain said. "When you come off of Justin Cherocci, one of the greatest linebackers I've ever seen, it's hard to fill his footsteps. But he paved the path for us." 

Notable players that did not participate included defensive end Blake Serpa, running back Saylor Lavallii and linebacker Jabari Dean.  

Bonamego said he has noticed an upward trend in the attitudes and demeanor of the team he has inherited. 

"I don't really have anything that I'm that stressed out about," Bonamego said. "Sometimes it takes a little bit of time for the message to sink in. This group has bought in from the get-go. You want to be a team that week in and week out doesn't beat themselves. If you can prevent that, you are going to be in a lot of football games and have a chance to win them." 

The Chippewas open the 2015 regular season on Thursday, Sept. 3 against Oklahoma State at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. 

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About Dominick Mastrangelo

Dominick Mastrangelo is the Editor in Chief of Central Michigan Life. Contact him at: editor@cm-life.com 

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