FOOTBALL SPRING GAME SATURDAY AT NOON

Bulldogs Conclude Spring Practice With Annual Black & Gold Game

FREE - BBQ $7   - BULLDOG STADIUM 

The Bryant University football team will conclude spring practice with the playing of the annual Black & Gold Spring Football Game this Saturday, April 16 at Bulldog Stadium starting at noon. A large crowd is expected with several events taking place in conjunction with the Spring Game.  

Admission is free.  Tickets to the BBQ are $7 for everyone while raffle tickets can be purchased at the entrance for just $3.

The busy day will begin with the SAAC hosting Kids Day on the practice fields starting at 10 am, while members of the football team will be conducting a clinic with Seven Hills Rhode Island, formerly The Homestead Group, a comprehensive social and human service organization supporting children and adults with various disabilities. 

The clinic will take place in the morning at the stadium.

A Kids Fun Zone will be available in the end zone along with a postgame BBQ.  There will be various prize and raffle give-a-ways including an Apple iPad, overnight stay at the Providence Renaissance Hotel, plus great performances by Bryant's dance teams.

The Bulldogs will take the field around noon as the Bryant defense will look to avenge last spring's 34-16 win by the offense.  Jordan Brown rushed for 105 yards on 10 carries in the game while quarterback Mike Croce passed for 76 yards including a touchdown.  Linebacker Mike Abany had six tackles including an interception to pace the defense.

The last time the defensive won a spring game was two years ago in 2009 by a score of 39-26.

Bryant, under the direction of eighth-year coach Marty Fine, returns a strong cast of veterans and starters from last year's team that went 7-4 overall and finished fourth in the Northeast Conference standings with a  4-4 record.  This fall will be Bryant's fourth year competing at the Division I level. 

Brown rushed for 1,410 yards as a sophomore in 2010, leading the conference rushing yards per game, all-purpose yards and scoring.  Croce started all 11 games at quarterback, completed 143 of 251 passes for 1,780 yards and 13 touchdowns.  He'll have his top two targets back again this fall in senior tight end Matt Tracey who caught 30 passes for 382 yards and five touchdowns and freshman Jordan Harris who led the Bulldogs with 467 yards receiving in his first season.

All-conference defensive back Samad Wagstaff and Max Machado return to lead the defense along with linebacker Franck Tebou who finished third on the team with 55 tackles plus three sacks and three blocked kicks on the year.