Spring game to feature quarterback battle, new coaches
Another year, another quarterback battle in Central Michigan football spring practice.
Head coach John Bonamego said one of the most important position groups to be decided is quarterback, which is between sophomore Tony Poljan and senior Tommy Lazzaro.
“The quarterback is going to be important,” Bonamego said. “(Leadership) comes with that territory."
Fans can catch a glimpse of the 2018 team at the spring game at 1 p.m. April 21 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. A kids clinic will be held at 10 a.m. with stadium gates opening at noon.
Lazzaro made his final stop in Mount Pleasant as a transfer. He watched Cooper Rush in his final year in the Maroon and Gold and competed for the starting job in 2017 with Shane Morris and Poljan.
“It’s great being out there again,” Lazzaro said of the spring game. “We will get the uniforms out and everyone will be excited.”
As a true freshman in 2017, Poljan lost the quarterback battle to Morris, but appeared in all 12 games as a quarterback and wide receiver, with plenty of designed quarterback run plays. The backup quarterback placed fourth on the team in total offense at the end of the season.
“(The Spring Game) is our last practice and I think it’ll be good to showcase what we’ve been working for,” Poljan said.
Like both quarterbacks lacking experience for CMU, multiple players on the team are doing everything for the first time with a larger role than ever before.
“We're young but talented,” Bonamego said. “It’s a challenge for us coaches to see what they can handle. We don’t want to starve them, but we don’t want to put too much on their plate. Talent is always a good thing to have.”
Bonamego noticed an early standout in senior linebacker Malik Fountain, who made 88 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two passes defended. The head coach said Fountain has emerged as a leader.
“I don’t want to single anybody out right now,” Bonamego said. “There are a lot of strong leaders in the junior class. I think Malik Fountain is a guy we expect to be a leader because of the number of snaps he’s played and the production he’s had."
Along with having new players in new roles, Bonamego has hired multiple new coaches to the team in the offseason.
New to the CMU coaching staff is special teams coordinator Tony Coaxum, defensive backs coach Cory Hall and tight ends coach Tavita Thompson.
“This (coaching) group is fairly young,” Bonamego said. “It’s not an easy thing. They have to fit my philosophy on how to develop players, moral and ethical character, teaching players and having passion."
In 2006, Bonamego was hired by Sean Payton as the special teams coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. He remembers Payton tell him that “coaching staff compatibility is more important than coaching staff coaching ability.”
Bonamego said he lives by that statement as the head coach in Mount Pleasant.
This spring game will be different from past games. It is going to be a controlled practice — similar to how Michigan State put on its spring game. The game will feature game-like situations instead of an actual scrimmage.
Bonamego endorsed the change to avoid player injury, which has hurt the Chippewas in the past.
The 2018 regular season starts Sept. 1 at Kentucky, then the Chippewas return to Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Sept. 8 against Kansas.
