Football Notebook: Quarterback battle, Spalding switches positions, players to watch
The sounds of helmets smacking together, coaches screaming and whistles blowing filled the air during Central Michigan's Aug. 7 practice at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
It was the team's first day in pads and helmets, and the level of intensity was higher than ever before.
"I like the energy and love the way these guys work," said CMU coach John Bonamego. "There’s a lot of young, new faces out there. The coaches are doing a great job and I’m seeing an improvement every time we come out. That’s the most important thing at this point."
Quarterback Battle
The first question asked was regarding the quarterback battle between redshirt sophomore Tony Poljan and senior Tommy Lazzaro.
Bonamego made it simple: "Tony Poljan is number one. Tommy Lazzaro is number two," he said.
Poljan appeared in all 13 games last season. He completed 10-of-17 passes for 61 yards, caught five passes for 97 yards and ran 23 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Bonamego said Poljan has been making good decisions, is getting the ball out quicker and has improved across the board with his fundaments, which he credits to CMU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chris Ostrowsky.
"There’s progression every single time, so (Tony’s) really improved," Bonamego said. "He’s a kid who is always looking to do the extra. He just puts an awful lot of time into everything he does. He epitomizes what you want your program to be about, in terms of commitment and work ethic."
Other quarterbacks Bonamego discussed included Lazzaro, redshirt freshman Austin Hergott and true freshman George Pearson.
"Tommy has done a good job, Austin Hergott has continued to improve, and freshman George Pearson is starting to settle into the speed of things and he looks very good as well," Bonamego said. "Chris (Ostrowsky) does a great job of keeping those guys in a balanced position, where to hold the ball, how to get it out quickly and scanning the field."
Spalding Switches Positions
Fifth-year senior Devon Spalding is making a switch after playing 11 games as a freshman, five as an injured sophomore, 11 as a junior and four as an injured senior.
Instead of trying the running back route again, he and the coaching staff decided to give wide receiver a chance.
At the first practice of the season on Aug. 3, Spalding told Bonamego, "Coach, wide receiver is different."
The 5-foot-11, 200 pounder has played in 31 games for CMU and rushed for 1,432 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Moving from running back to wide receiver, Spalding is just excited to be back out on the gridiron with the Chippewas after missing most of his college career with injuries.
"I can't put it into words," Spalding said. "Obviously everybody wants to play at the next level; winning's fun, playing with your guys is fun, and I'm having a lot of fun right now. I couldn't appreciate it more. I love every second of it. I loved every second in the weight room this year. I loved every second of running. I just love every second of being out here."
Bonamego said Spalding had many opportunities to leave the game of football, but his return proved how important the sport really is to the new wide receiver.
“It’s foreign to him, but Spalding is a competitor," Bonamego added. "He’s the type of individual where any challenge you put in front of him isn't going to be too much. He will learn and provide a steady influence in that (wide receivers) room, along with Brandon Childress.”
Young But Talented
The end of the 2017 season brought many changes for CMU, especially with the quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and defensive back positions. Multiple starting positions are wide open, providing an opportunity for younger players to fill the void.
Even the offensive line has just three seniors.
The most experienced groups are the defensive line and linebackers, Bonamego explained.
“When you look in the different meeting rooms, there’s one senior wide receiver," Bonamego said. "There’s one senior in the defensive backs room. There’s one senior tight end. There are no senior quarterbacks and three seniors on the offensive line."
Despite the lack of seniority, the head coach believes the Chippewas are talented enough to make up for the young age of many.
Right now, everything is a learning process.
"The young kids are still learning how we do things with preparation, effort and to finish, not just being scheme sound," Bonamego added. "They are being force-fed that every day. I like the attitude and spirit out here."
Injury Report
After practice, Bonamego listed redshirt freshman Nick Follmer, sophomore Derek Smith and redshirt freshman Erik Ditzhazy, all members of the offensive line, as active.
During the spring, those three players were unable to practice at full speed due to injuries.
"Ditzhazy was a little nicked up today, but he's out there," Bonamego said. "It’s something you’re always monitoring, but the numbers are much better than when we finished the spring. We are in much better shape."
Players to Watch
Through four days of practice, Oregon State cornerback transfer Xavier Crawford has Bonamego impressed with his on and off field demeanor.
"I love how he carries himself," Bonamego said of Crawford. "He’s a little bit of an old soul with how he walks around. He’s very easy going but is a talented player."
After sitting out his true freshman 2015 season with a redshirt, Crawford started all 12 games in 2016. During that season, he made 70 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, 10 passes defended and one forced fumble.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound graduate transfer registered 17 tackles and two passes defended in five games for the Beavers before going down with a season-ending back injury in 2017.
Crawford made his decision to transfer to the Chippewas on July 20. He graduated from Oregon State in three years and has two years of football eligibility left. Bonamego said his new cornerback's graduation speed "tells you something about his work ethic and commitment."
Bonamego also jumped at listing redshirt freshmen wide receivers Julian Hicks and Bailey Edwards as potential breakout candidates for the 2018 season.
"Julian Hicks is emerging," Bonamego added. "Each day, he seems to be doing a little better in flashes. Bailey Edwards has had his best four practices so far. He’s really come on and started to figure things out. He’s going to be challenging for some playing time.”
