By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Elon’s 38-0 football victory against Davidson came with a cost Saturday night.
The Phoenix lost starting quarterback Brady Stober to an apparent broken hand in the first quarter, but with a sturdy ground attack, back-up quarterback T.J. Crews IV’s contributions and a smothering defense there were enough smooth moments for the success at Davidson College Stadium.
“The poise of our team,” coach Tony Trisciani said. “Took some maturity and poise to lose your quarterback early in the game, proud of the way the defense was consistent, the way they put out some fires.”
Elon is 2-0 for the first time since 2009 going into Saturday’s Coastal Athletic Association opener at preseason favorite Rhode Island.
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, who ran for 88 yards, joined teammate Jimmyll Williams with two rushing touchdowns. Crews threw for a touchdown and 108 yards.
“Definitely your heart starts pounding a little faster,” Crews said of entering the game on short notice. “But I feel like I was prepared for the moment and I’ve got great teammates, great coaching staff and those guys believe in me. . . We had to get it rolling. The O-line blocked their tails off tonight. The running backs ran hard, the receivers made great catches for me and made my job a lot easier.”
It marked the first shutout for the Phoenix since blanking Wofford four years ago this week. Trisciani’s 40th career victory ties him with Al Seagraves for fourth place on Elon’s all-time list.
Stober was 5-for-12 for 52 yards before exiting. The injury appeared to come when his hand struck a Davidson player’s helmet on the follow-thru of his 23-yard pass to Jamarien Dalton.
“OK, he goes down we can’t just tuck our tails and run,” said defensive tackle Chaz Knox, who recorded one of Elon’s two sacks. “As a defense and special teams, the offense took a hit so we have to come back and help our brothers out.”
Stober was on the sideline with his right hand wrapped in black during the second half.
Crews completed five of his seven throws and freshman Tanner Payne connected on two passes late in the game.
“I’m proud of the support T.J. and Tanner got from the guys up front, the running backs,” Trisciani said.
A transfer after two seasons in Kansas’ program and an Elon backup who didn’t appear in a game last year, Crews hadn’t played in a college game until the opener against Glenville State nine nights earlier.
“I felt prepared for the moment and just tried to have the best version of myself go out there,” he said. “The name of the game is just execution and I feel like once I was able to calm myself down . . was able to put it together.”
Crews threw 36 yards to Jaedon Alford, a freshman who was alone in the end zone, for a third-quarter touchdown.
By then, Crews sensed it was a special occasion.
“Very hyped, my grandmother is here, my dad, my brother, so cool to have some family in the stands and share this moment,” he said.
Earlier, special teams whiz Codey Larkins recovered Davidson’s muffed punt to give Elon back-to-back possessions to open the game. Without a first down, the Phoenix took a 3-0 lead on Luke Barnes’ 38-yard field goal.
Davidson (0-2) was in position to score midway through the first quarter, but Christos Tzoumakas’ 24-yard attempt on a field goal doinked off the left upright.
Stober went out late in the first quarter as the Phoenix moved deep into Davidson territory. Elon was stopped at the Wildcats’ 2 on fourth down.
On the next Phoenix possession, McDowell-Moore ran 29 yards for his first career touchdown.
Larkins blocked a Davidson punt and recovered it at the 7-yard line. Two plays later, Williams scored on a 3-yard direct snap.
Williams plowed in from 1 yard out with 27 seconds left in the half, which ended with Elon up 24-0. Elon’s last TD came on McDowell-Moore’s 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
