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AKRON, OHIO – The Akron Zips completed their spring workouts -- the first under new head coach Rob Ianello -- Saturday afternoon with the annual spring game. An announced crowd of 1,803 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field battled rain and spotty snow showers while the Zips Offensive and Defensive units battled each other. The Defense had the better of it, earning a 53-38 “point system” victory.The score did not matter, but what did is how Ianello’s charges would take to him and his new coaching staff’s philosophy on both sides of the ball.
“I was pleased with our energy today and I was pleased with the competitiveness of the spring game.” Ianello said.
The game did not have any penalties, the quarterbacks were not hit, and there was a running clock until the final two minutes of each half.
The offense received points for first downs, touchdowns, extra points, two-point conversions and explosive plays (runs of 10 yards or more, or pass completions of 15-yards or more). The defense was awarded points for stops, three-and-outs, sacks, missed field goals, turnovers, and any turnover for a touchdown.
The Zips first team offense, led by quarterback Patrick Nicely, started the game with two first downs and then scored a touchdown when running back Alex Allen rushed 39-yards for a touchdown.
Allen, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, was recently given a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA for his injury last season. He led all the rushers in the contest with 57 yards on eight carries and will be a key to the Ianello offense in 2010 as it shifts from a spread formation to a one-back.
After the score, the first team defense, led by all-everything linebacker Brian Wagner, started to register some points of its own with a three-and-out, along with a sack by linebacker Almondo Sewell.
As the second quarter began, Nicely completed a 15-yard pass to redshirt wide receiver Jerrod Dillard but could not convert the play into a score as place kicker Branko Rogovic missed a 42-yard field goal.
The defense then started to take control of the game as it forced a Nicely fumble on the next possession. Sophomore defensive tackle Nick Breidenbach’s recovery gave the defense its first lead of the contest, 16-15
Nicely, the sophomore from Willoughby Hills, Ohio, came back and connected with wide receiver Jeremy LaFrance for a 38-yard score to give the offense a 22-16 lead. Nicely, who was forced into 2009 action when quarterback Matt Rodgers suffered a season-ending ACL injury, completed just 15-of-41 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns on this blustery day.
“I was pleased with the way we progressed this spring” Nicely said. “We came out with some fire and energy.” When fall camp starts in August, there will definitely be a quarterback competition with Nicely, Rodgers, and sophomore Matt Pedro, who also saw action in the game.
The defense followed with a pair of three-and-outs. After a short punt left the ball at midfield, Pedro took control of the offense and fired an 11-yard completion to wide receiver Curtis Brown. However, a sack by defensive end Ben Bertsch helped fuel a three-and-out, and the defense led at halftime 25-24.
In the third quarter, the defense totally took over as it stopped the offense with three consecutive three-and-outs. In fact, the offense scored just one point in the third quarter on a 13-yard completion from Pedro to LaFrance. The defense held a 35-25 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“The third quarter was not very productive for the offense, but very productive for the defense” Ianello said. “The defense made key plays, broke up passes, and put pressure on the quarterback.”
On the first play of the final period, Wagner recovered after Pedro was hit and fumbled. The next offense possession started with a 13-yard run by senior transfer Nate Burney, but that drive ended in a fumble which was recovered by sophomore linebacker DeAngelo Williams.
Nicely returned to the offensive controls in a 43-28 hole, but he was ineffective moving the offense until the next to last drive of the game when he and LaFrance connected on a 46-yard touchdown pass to make the game close. In the end, the day belonged to the defense.
After watching Nicely in a fourth quarter “two-minute situation,” Ianello said, “He threw some nice passes. He threw a nice post route to Jeremy that he connected on.”
The coach continued, “We had more urgency which was good in the second half. It was good to see us score, because it’s a learning experience and we have to understand the situation.”
“The game has really slowed for me (since last season),” Nicely said. “When I first started, my head was spinning. I have learned to calm down, take a breath before each play, and get a good read (of the defense).”
LaFrance, the senior transfer from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, was named the Offensive Player of the Game with three receptions for 87 yards and the two scores. He said afterwards, “When I came in (to Akron from Fullerton Community College,) we had four or five seniors, and I could learn from them. Now our younger guys are going to have the opportunity to step up.”
Waller, the junior cornerback from Decatur, Georgia was named the Defensive Player of the Game with four tackles and two pass breakups. “The defense swarmed the ball and played fast,” he said. “There were some mental mistakes with everything being new, but I think as a whole, we played to our expectations.” Waller is the son of former Olympic gold medal track and field star Gwen Torrance.
The next time the Akron Blue and Gold will take the field at InfoCision Stadium will be their season opener against Syracuse on September 4th.
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