Rush, first-team offense dazzle in spring football game


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Coach Bonamego leads a team huddle after the spring football game April 25 at Kelly/Shorts stadium.

In his first game since throwing for seven touchdowns at The Bahamas Bowl, junior quarterback Cooper Rush emerged as the leader of the offense, as his Maroon team handled the Gold team 27-6 in Saturday’s spring football game.

Rush connected with senior tight end Ben McCord, senior wide receiver Jesse Kroll and sophomore wide receiver Corey Willis for touchdowns in the first half. He finished the day 22-for-26 with 197 yards.

“I was very pleased with (Rush),” said Head Coach John Bonamego. “He didn’t turn the ball over, he moved the ball, he’s a very poised guy out there. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Bonamego allowed each side a couple of trick plays each. The Maroon team, which featured most of the first-team offense in order to build chemistry, took advantage.

After a backwards pass from Rush to Kroll, Kroll hit sophomore wide receiver Mark Chapman for a 29-yard touchdown.

“(When I heard the call,) I was like ‘Let’s go, we’re getting it in the end zone,’” Kroll said. “I want to give a shout out to Mark Chapman for catching it because I threw that thing pretty low and I’m lucky that it was him out there.”

Statistics for the running backs were not recorded, but junior Martez Walker and sophomore Devon Spalding saw the most time. Freshman Jarrod Davis and junior Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore also received multiple carries, although Shoemaker-Gilmore fumbled.

“I think we have more than just two (running backs),” Bonamego said. “I think (Walker and Spalding) bring a little bit something different when they’re in the game. I think we’re in good shape with our running backs.”

Senior running back Saylor Lavallii didn’t play Saturday due to injury, but is also expected to be near the top of the depth chart.

Bonamego said he has seen the players buy into his system and Kroll said the difference is already apparent.

“From the start of the spring until now, it’s a night-and-day difference,” Kroll said. “There’s been so much improvement. Especially with penalties and stuff. When we do that, you can see that we move the ball well and can be a powerful offense.”

Without running back Thomas Rawls and wide receiver Titus Davis, the Chippewas displayed the next generation of playmakers to the offense, like Willis, who caught six passes for 69 yards and ran for seven yards on one attempt.

“They want to get me out in space and try to make a couple plays,” Willis said. “I think wide receivers as a whole can do a lot of different things and we can set up a lot of different mismatches. It’s going to be something to see in the fall.”

Willis is also a player that could return punts and kicks in the fall, an aspect of the game that was missing Saturday with rule changes to protect players from injury. There were no kickoffs and punt returners could only run until they met defenders.

Willis said Chapman and sophomore defensive back Amari Coleman may also return kicks.

The defensive side was limited Saturday as well, as players were not allowed to take the quarterback to the ground.

Senior defensive back Kavon Frazier and redshirt freshman linebacker Malik Fountain stood out, collecting a fumble and an interception respectively.

CMU opens the regular season against the Oklahoma State Cowboys Thursday, Sept. 3 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

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About Taylor DesOrmeau

Taylor DesOrmeau is a senior at Central Michigan University, majoring in integrative public relations ...

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