Zips pre-season camp: Day 1

The first day of pre-season camp is never sexy.  There’s no pads, no uniforms and little hitting.

But for the Zips, given the prospect of wholesale changes to the starting lineup, things are a bit more interesting than some may expect.  Even at this point, there will be a battle for the QB position between fifth year senior Dalton Williams and sophomore Kyle Pohl.

Coach Terry Bowden calls it a nip-and-tuck situation and provided an interesting look into his way of thinking with this quote:  “Everyday he gets a lot better and the senior has to fight really hard because in a lot of ways, you're at your peak,” he said when comparing what is going on.

What Williams has going for him at this point is leadership and there’s little doubt he’s more vocal than he was during spring practice.

As for the nuts and bolts of the day, here’s what happened on the field.  Keep in mind that on Day 1, they won’t exactly be lighting things up.

• Offense:  Williams and Pohl impressed at quarterback making some impressive tosses, but so did Marcus Prather, a preferred walk-on from Steubenville. ..Running back Jawon Chisholm had a nice run on the day.  Just an FYI: he also will be sporting No. 7 rather than the usual No. 44 this year…Ravenna’s D.J. Jones also ripped off an impressive run.
• Defense: In general the defensive backfield played well as did the defensive line.  But remember the name of a transfer from Howard University.  Kurt Mangum, a linebacker, showed plenty today on the field and the sideline.

Comings I : The Beacon Journal confirmed that C.J. James, a former member of the Colorado State Rams, is on campus taking classes and after sitting out a year will be eligible to finish his college career with the Zips.  Coach Bowden said James transferred because he wanted to continue playing for defensive line coach Todd Stroud.

Coming II:  Jamel Turner, a former four star recruit from Youngstown’s Ursuline High School for the Ohio State Buckeyes back in 2008 will be eligible and able to play in about a week, Bowden said.

Goings:  Freshman cornerback DeAndre Scott didn’t report for the first day of camp.  Bowden said that he wanted to play with his brother at a Div. II school…Receiver A.J. Price was ruled academically ineligible for football.