Zimmerman, Baker audition at spring game
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Northwest senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman hits the hole on Sunday during the team’s annual spring game held at Bearcat Stadium.
Football was back — at least for one steamy, cloudy day — in Maryville, as the 2015 national champion Bearcats held their annual spring game Sunday at Bearcat Stadium.
Green defeated White, 13-0, in the type of defensive tilt that Northwest fans have become accustomed to. But the story Sunday — and all of spring, really — was the question mark at quarterback.
Senior Kyle Zimmerman and junior Jonathan Baker held their latest auditions for the void on Sunday in the first true duel for the No. 1 quarterback job that Northwest has had in years. But as Zimmerman noted in the moments following the final whistle of spring football, competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“We have a really good relationship. We’re always talking about stuff, stuff that we see, helping one another out,” Zimmerman said. “The biggest thing around here is that competition is great. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Guys competing against one another makes ourselves better and the rest of the team better.”
In the end, Zimmerman and Green outdueled Maryville-native Baker and the White team. Zimmerman threw 8-of-12 for 91 yards and rushed for the game’s only offensive touchdown, a 16-yard scamper early in the third quarter.
Baker finished his day 4-of-8 for 25 yards. His final throw fell into the waiting arms of freshman linebacker Jamaal Brazil, who toted the interception 22 yards to pay dirt to tack onto Green’s lead.
“Kyle and I have a very, very awesome relationship,” Baker said. “ … As far as hanging out with each other off the field, we’re up in the film room every day, we text each other what time we’re going to go watch film on each other. That’s what we do such a great job of is we’re critiquing ourselves and we’re also critiquing the others positively.”
After head coach Adam Dorrel finished his customary greetings with family and fans in the minutes following the game, his ideas aligned almost perfectly with those of Zimmerman and Baker.
“We believe in both those kids, we really do,” Dorrel said. “We believe in them because they’re hard-working kids, they’re spiritual leaders of our team, they’re both impeccable characters and they work really hard. … Do they have things they’ve got to work on? Absolutely.
“Kyle is throwing the ball better this spring than he’s ever thrown it. … (Baker) has gotten more reps than he’s ever gotten this spring. It’s been a learning curve. He probably didn’t play as well as he wanted to today, but I always tell people there’s 10 other dudes running around out there. The quarterback is always the one that gets the bad credit for some of that.”
For Green, junior tight end Clayton Wilson pulled in four receptions for 54 yards while also undertaking punting duties for his side. Sophomore Emanuel Jones paced the Green side with five carries for 69 yards.
One of the true bright spots, according to Dorrel, was the play of freshman defensive tackle Spencer Phillips, who participated with a black jersey as an alternate defensive player.
“I thought he took advantage of every rep he had,” Dorrel said of Phillips. “ … He was playing defensive end and Rich (Wright) kicked him inside. He’s really taken off. He’s an awesome kid and I assure you he’s a name you’re going to remember for years to come. I just think he’s got a chance to be good.”
Now, Bearcat football fans are left to wait for summer to fade into fall as the taste of spring practice lingers. The first game of the 2016 season is slated for Thursday, Sept. 1 at Emporia State.
“There’s always more stuff I can learn, a lot of things that I can improve on this summer,” Zimmerman said. “I’m looking forward to the time that we have ahead before our first game, getting into fall camp and stuff. I’m anxious to take it day-by-day and allow the chips to fall into place.”
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Bearcats junior quarterback Jonathan Baker, a former Spoofhound, throws a pass toward a teammate on Sunday during the team’s spring game at Bearcat Stadium.
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Junior tight end Clayton Wilson hauls in a reception for Green during Northwest’s spring game on Sunday. Green topped White, 13-0.
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Northwest senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman, left, and senior running back Phil Jackson II honor teammate Nicholas Turner, who was found dead in his campus residence on Sunday, Jan. 31.
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Senior running back Phil Jackson II carries the ball around the edge for Green during Sunday’s Northwest spring game. Green came up with a 13-0 win against White.
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
On a punt during Northwest’s spring game on Sunday, sophomore receiver Sha’Corey Foster pulls down the football and prepares to return up the field.
DALTON VITT/DAILY FORUM
Sophomore running back Emanuel Jones, left, peels around the corner while Green teammate, junior tight end Clayton Wilson, seals off a White defender at Northwest’s spring game on Sunday.
