KZ Adams rushed for 152 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Blue squad to a 35-21 victory over the Black team in Georgia State’s annual Spring Game Thursday night at Center Parc Stadium.
With Marcus Carroll adding 100 yards and two touchdowns for the Black team, the Georgia State running game appears that it will continue to be strong as the Panthers wrap up spring practice.
“I think we all can probably agree on this: no one can tackle KZ Adams,” head coach Shawn Elliott said.
“Marcus Carroll was our Spring MVP, but KZ kind of stole the show tonight. There’s good and bad in that. You see a lot of missed tackles, but you definitely see a guy who can make people miss.”
Starting quarterback Darren Grainger directed the Blue squad and passed for 164 yards on 15 completions, including a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jacari Carter.
Carter, a transfer from Merrimack who enrolled this semester and has had a strong spring, finished the night with three catches for 72 yards and also rushed twice for 16 yards.
True freshman quarterback Braylen Ragland started for the Black team and passed for 125 yards on nine completions, including a 23-yard TD pass to Rykem Laney, who had three catches for 48 yards. Robert Lewis added five receptions for 50 yards.
On defense, cornerback Cody Jones grabbed the game’s only interception, and it set up a touchdown for the Black team as Carroll scored from five yards out.
The Blue team’s victory earned a special prize.
“I’m taking the winning team to Six Flags,” Elliot said. “We’re going to ride some roller coasters.”
Another prize was awarded at halftime as walk-on long snapper Jack Bernstein was surprised with the announcement that he has earned a scholarship.
Elliott was pleased what he saw from his football team this spring.
“Right from day one, I saw a hungry and competitive football team,” Elliott said. “We understand we had a poor season last fall. It wasn’t what anyone wanted, but it’s what happened, and it was a good slap in the face.
“There was a lot of fun out there tonight, but there was a lot of want to win out there, and that’s something you always look for.”
