It was not a normal college football game for the Elon Phoenix. But they played a game made up of three 12-minute “quarters.” The first two were regular timekeeping while the third used a running clock.
The Elon University football team played its annual Spring Game Saturday, and Team “Elon” was victorious 13-0 in what looked like a practice scrimmage in full uniform.
The game started slowly, with no first downs until sophomore wide receiver Kierre Brown took a hand-off 16 yards with 4:30 left in the first quarter for “Elon.”
“Obviously, we looked a little sluggish out there,” said Jason Swepson, Elon’s head football coach. “We had a big practice on Friday, so that’s expected. The defense (was) flying around, fast-paced. (I’m) very happy with where the defense is at right now.”
The defense controlled most of the game. Sophomore cornerback Akheem Langham picked off senior quarterback Thomas Wilson’s pass on the third drive of the game, sophomore defensive back Alexander Dawson blocked sophomore kicker Lawson Furr’s field goal attempt near the end of the first quarter and junior defensive linemen Jordan Jones and Brandon Brant (twice) and sophomore defensive linemen Gary Coates and Michael Pearson (also twice) picked up sacks.
“Just tremendous speed and power and strike,” Swepson said of the defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, junior running back Matt Eastman had 14 carries for 52 yards and a one-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in the second quarter. He showcased an ability to bruise his way through several tacklers, pushing back strong junior safety Chandler Wrightenberry on a run. This is Eastman’s first spring practice as a running back — he was a tight end and H-back last season.
Wilson, who completed 15 of 19 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown as well as the pick, was happy with his new No. 1 running back’s play.
“He runs the ball hard, he knows what he’s doing, he’s smart in the backfield,” he said. “Hopefully, that will carry over for us into the summer and into the fall. But he’s really done real well for us stepping into that position.”
Swepson was impressed with senior tight end Chris Harris, who moved from wide receiver this spring. Harris caught a seven-yard reception from Wilson in the back of the end zone for the first score of the game.
“Chris Harris had an impressive spring for us,” he said. “He’s got all the tangibles. He had a touchdown catch today, and he’s only going to get better. If we can get him playing at a high level in conference play, watch out, because there’s going to be mismatching.”
The Phoenix was without star senior wide receiver Aaron Mellette, who was not injured but was held out for safety reasons, although that’s not what Mellette would say.
“It was definitely tough,” he said before joking, “I wasn’t trying to come out here and embarrass the defense.”
Instead, sophomore wide receivers Danny Sellers and Montario Hunter had a significant impact on the proceedings. Hunter had four catches for 50 yards, including a 32-yard grab from Wilson leading to the Eastman touchdown.
“They had two good days today,” Mellette said. “I’m going to need a break sometime, and those two guys will be right behind me, trying to earn that spot right behind me, step in for me, because I’m not going to be able to play a whole game. As long as they’re getting better and getting confident, the future looks bright for the Phoenix.”
Also getting significant time was third-string redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Rice, who was 7-11 for 42 yards and ran six times for 32 yards. Swepson said he liked where Rice and second-string sophomore quarterback Mike Quinn are right now while Maryland transfer sophomore Tyler Smith is sitting out with an injury.
“Quinny had a great spring, and I like where Blake is progressing,” Swepson said. “They’re going to have three more chances in the summertime for preseason camp in scrimmages, and then we’ll see who No. 2 is. I think we’ve got a solid group. With incoming freshmen coming in too, it’s going to give us a lot of depth at that position.”
Wilson said the team needs a little bit more time to work together, especially on the offense.
“A lot of them haven’t played together too long, and it’s about them getting the calls out there and working together as a group,” he said. “That falls on me too, as a quarterback, getting them to jell together and making sure everybody’s on the same page and doing what they’re supposed to be doing. It’s a place where we’re struggling right now, but I’ve got all kinds of confidence in all five of my guys up front and Eastman protecting me in the backfield.”
Eastman added there are still improvements the Phoenix needs to make.
“We’ve definitely got a lot of work to do,” he said. “We had a lot of mental errors out there, a couple missed blocks and missed blocking schemes by the O-line, but that’s going to happen. We’ve just got to keep getting better.”
Elon's football season begins Sept. 1 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Until then, it's off-season workouts, then fall practice.