Incoming freshman defensive back Christian Watson came up with an interception in the football team’s spring showcase on Saturday. (Photo by Rick Smith for GoLeopards)

The football team concluded its spring season with the annual Maroon-White Spring Showcase on Saturday afternoon. The rain-filled, 90-minute practice at Fisher Stadium featured 10 different periods, including positional coaching and live scrimmages.

After a mixed bag of a season that saw the Leopards finish 2-4 in Patriot League play and 6-6 overall, the spring season has provided an opportunity for the team to evaluate its roster as it looks to return to form in the 2025 season. Roughly one-third of the team’s roster will consist of incoming freshmen or transfers, rendering the season crucial in finding immediate impact players, according to head coach John Troxell.

“I think the biggest part of the spring is that we developed guys in a sense of getting them bigger, faster, stronger and more knowledgeable because we can’t rely on the experience anymore,” Troxell said. “We have to do our part with coaching the kids up and evaluating them.”

Veterans and newcomers on both sides of the ball took advantage of ample opportunities to prove their worth throughout the scrimmage. Offensively, sophomore wide receiver Benjamin Bussiere replicated his success from last year’s spring showcase, hauling in multiple third-down possession prolongers and scoring on a 15-yard touchdown reception.

Sophomore quarterback Daniel Lipovski took his first live reps as a Leopard after transferring from the University of Delaware in December. Lipovski has utilized the spring season to not only compete for the backup quarterback spot but also to adapt to his new environment.

“I’m just looking to acclimate to my teammates as well as I can, and get to know everybody and become a positive to the offense this coming season,” Lipovski said.

After losing Jamar Curtis and Troy Bruce to the transfer portal this offseason, the running back room has become a top priority for the coaching staff this spring. Freshman running back Jakyre Henley provided a spark in the backfield after making the switch from wide receiver, bouncing a potential one-yard loss outside to pick up an eight-yard run.

“The bigger piece for them is we return experience on our offensive line, so that always helps your running game,” Troxell said. “Open up holes and, again, they pay attention to details. They’re getting coached well.”

On the defensive side, the secondary made its presence known with interceptions on back-to-back drives. Incoming freshman defensive back Christian Watson jumped Bussiere’s route in the end zone to pick off freshman quarterback Jason Penza, immediately showing his prowess as a rookie. The defensive line generated pressure on the ensuing possession, as sophomore Alie Kamara and freshman Olivier Camerlain forced a third-and-long interception by freshman defensive back Dhonte Jackson.

After graduating four starters in the defensive backfield, Troxell said the performance provides hope that the shoes can be filled early.

“I think we’ll have one starter returning on defense,” he said. “I think when you look at the guys in the secondary, they competed really well this year in the spring, which gives us a lot of confidence. How good they get gives you flexibility on what kind of coverages you can play.”

There is still a lot of work to be done before the Leopards open the 2025 campaign at Bowling Green University on Aug. 28. The team will report back to campus in June for summer training before officially kicking off its training camp in late July.

“My biggest takeaway from the spring was that we got a good group of guys that are going to be able to compete for a championship this fall,” Lipovski said. “Things that need to be done this off-season is just get chemistry and consistency with each other so that we can execute at a high level when it matters the most on Saturdays in the fall.”

Benjamin White ‘27 contributed reporting.