Kennesaw State’s Gold-clad defense squeezed by the Black-clad offense 35-34 on Friday, March 23, mounting a comeback to win the Black vs. Gold spring football game for the second straight year.
Trailing by eight points at halftime under a modified scoring system, the defense forced four third-down stops and scored a touchdown off a blocked field goal in the third, and final, quarter.
Freshman linebacker Kyler Eldridge led the way with 10 tackles while defensive back Akebren Ralls scooped up the blocked field goal for an 87-yard touchdown return.
The offense delivered the first hit on the opening drive as junior quarterback Daniel David broke for a 41-yard run and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Sumpter with 11:33 left in the first quarter.
“My decision making has definitely improved,” David said. “I think I made some good decisions tonight, but we came out with a loss.”
The offense continued moving the ball throughout the game, rushing for 281 yards and gaining 134 yards in the air. Sophomore Donovan Taitt contributed to those stats in his debut at quarterback. Still, their slew of miscues allowed the defense to gradually take the lead.
Responding to a six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with the first of two touchdown receptions by sophomore Darian Miles, reigning FCS Jerry Rice Award winner Bryson Armstrong recovered a fumble shortly before the quarter ended. Under the rules of the revamped scoring system, the deficit was cut to 10.
Standing all alone in the corner of the end zone as the clock wound down to end the second quarter, Miles scored the offense’s third touchdown of the half to lead 31-23. However, the offense failed to find the end zone the rest of the night.
After Ralls made the play of the game with his touchdown return, the defense carried that momentum and continued to accrue points en route to victory.
“Once they hopped out on us we were like, ‘We can’t get down,’” Ralls said. “’We’ve got to keep our head up and keep going to play until the clock hits zero.’ That’s what we did.”
Down 35-34 with 32 seconds remaining, the offense had a chance to gain two points with the game’s modified point system. Following a pass break up, the defense prevailed, limiting David to a 3-yard gain that would run the clock out.
“We’ve got the whole year,” Ralls said. “If they would have won, I would have had to listen to it all year. Now they have to hear it out [of] our mouths.”
A number of players were injured during the game, which was called after three quarters. As necessary as the spring game is to showcase the talents of all the players, a risk is still involved.
Coming off the best season in school history, head coach Brian Bohannon believes plenty of work is crucial before their season opener at Georgia State on Aug. 30. The first step is becoming healthy.
“I was encouraged by the way things finished up,” Bohannon said. “We’ve got to get some guys healthy and continue putting the pieces together. Come fall, we’ll be ready to go.”
