OFFENSE DEFEATS DEFENSE 34-16 BEHIND BROWN'S 105 YARDS
April 17, 2010
BRYANT FOOTBALL SPRING GAME ROUNDUP
Offense Defeats Defense 34-16
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| Issac Whitworth (above) rushed for 83 yards in Saturday's Spring Football Game won by the offensive 34-16. (Athletic Communications Office) |
SMITHFIELD, R.I – Head coach Marty Fine and the Bryant University football team wrapped up the 2010 spring football season Saturday with the annual Black & Gold Spring game at Bulldog Stadium. More than 1,500 fans and alumni turned out to see the Bulldog offense defeat the defense 34-16 on a cloudy but dry afternoon at Bulldog Stadium.
With 13 starters back from last season, there were many familiar names taking the field Saturday, but also a few newcomers that enjoyed a good day as well and should give something Bulldog fans something to look forward to this fall when Bryant begins its third year competing in Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) and the Northeast Conference.
Northeastern University transfer Issac Whitworth (Milton, Mass.) looked very good running the ball out of the backfield. One of the biggest holes to fill for coach Fine and the Bulldogs is at tailback where last season’s leading rusher Jerell Smith and backup Lindsey Gamble have graduated. Whitworth, a 6-foot-0, 200-pound sophomore carried the ball 14 times for 83 yards Saturday, accounting for 35 yards on his first three carries on the team’s second series.
Senior Mike Canfora (Verona, N.J.), one of the Bulldogs’ most versatile and hard-nosed offensive weapons for the coach Fine, rushed for 57 yards on 12 carries while sophomore Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) led the way with 105 yards rushing on the afternoon. All three will battle for the starting job at tailback when camp resumes later in August.
Brown, one of the league’s most dangerous punt returners with an average of 21.0 yards per punt as a freshman last fall, will look to do more of the same again in his second full season in 2010. On Saturday, Brown handled several punt returns and nearly broke through for a touchdown on one after gaining more than 30 yards before finally being stopped near midfield in the second quarter.
Quarterback Mike Croce (Waterbury, Conn.), last year’s starter, completed six passes for 76 yards including a 22-yard touchdown pass to receiver James Mullane (Hudson, Mass.) for the first offensive score of the game. Mullane had three catches on the afternoon for 32 yards. Teammate Khalel Pritchard (Boston, Mass.) had a pair of catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively the Bulldogs finished 2009 leading the NEC in scoring defense and was second overall in the NEC in total defense. While the Bulldogs have some holes to fill due to graduation, there is plenty of experience returning on the defensive side and several newcomers looking to step in right away.
Senior linebacker Jason Riffe (Newton, Mass.) is coming off a breakout 2009 season that saw him lead the team with 75 tackles. On Saturday, Riffe finished with three tackles, two of which were solo stops. Linebackers Eloma Johnson (Franklin, Mass.) and Mike Abany (Mansfield, Mass.) each had six stops on the day.
Safety Addison Lynch (Braintree, Mass.) chipped in with five tackles and a sack while senior defensive back Marcus Ellis (South Ozone Park, N.Y.) had five tackles and one interception.
Ellis nearly hauled in two picks on the day but couldn’t quite hold onto to a deflection in the end zone but on the ensuing drive by the offense, Ellis picked off a pass near midfield that was tipped by teammate Matt Roncaioli (Southington, Conn.).
The Bulldogs will open fall camp in early August in preparation for the 2010 season opener September 4 against Fordham at Bulldog Stadium. In all, Bryant will play seven games at home this season.
Rushing: Canfora 12-57, Brown 10-105, Whitworth 14-83,
Lockerby 1-45.
Passing: Croce 6-for-11, 76 yards, 1 TD; Doucette 4-for-9, 24
yards
Receiving: Mullane 3-52 yards; Pritchard 2-37, 1 TD
Tackles: Johnson 5-1-6; Ellis 4-1-5 (INT); Abany 3-3-6 (INT);
Tebou 2-1-3; Lynch 4-1-5 (Sack); Garcia 3-0-3, Riffe 2-1-3; McGowan
1-3-4; Wagstaff 1-2-3; Roncaioli 2-1-3; Janes 1-2-3.