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ELON — The seniors on the Elon football team didn’t need to be told twice what the occasion was Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium.
They were certainly aware of the situation.
Those seniors made the most of their final opportunity on the collegiate level, propelling the Phoenix to a 43-28 victory against No. 25 Rhode Island on Senior Day in the season finale, showing their strength as the foundational building blocks of a program looking to take further strides in the future.
“I really couldn't feel better. Just from a program standpoint, send these seniors out with a win,” Elon coach Tony Trisciani said. “… I couldn't be happier for the seniors and then for the momentum that it gives our program here going into the offseason. We haven't had an offseason now — it's been a minute. We really need it.
“Our young offensive line, they need it here in the weight room. We needed to develop some skills, especially some of our young defensive backs. Being a developmental program, where we don't bring in a lot of transfers, we need this offseason. So, it's going to be fun coming back in here in this weight room during January term. I know our guys are gonna get after it and you’re going to see us develop as a program and continue to get better.”
Senior running back Jaylan Thomas ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries and senior quarterback Davis Cheek finished 23-for-32 passing for 284 yards and one score to pace the Phoenix offense in the Colonial Athletic Association contest.
Elon senior running back Jaylan Thomas breaks a tackle against Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon.
Times-News
Photo courtesy of Elon Athletics
With the victory, Elon concludes the 2021 fall season with a 6-5 overall, 5-3 CAA record, placing the Phoenix third in the final league standings. The 5-3 league record is the program’s best since the 2017 team went 6-2.
“Real proud of our guys. We came into this week knowing that we had a lot to play for as a program,” Trisciani said. “Send our seniors out with a win. Finished with a winning record. Finished in third place in the CAA. Just real proud of our guys. We wanted it all week, but it was our decisions, our discipline, our preparation that got us here, and a ton of effort and a resilient performance (in this game) that got the win for the program. Just real proud to send our seniors out this way, for them as winners. Just building the foundation for us as a program to build off of this momentum in the offseason.”
Thomas, a standout for Elon since 2018 when he was named the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year, scored a 19-yard rushing touchdown with 2:35 remaining to put the game out of reach for the visiting Rams (7-4 overall, 4-4 CAA). That play would be his last in an Elon uniform.
“I believe first and foremost it’s a testament to the five or six guys, depending upon what personnel we’re in, up front to make those holes and create movement,” Thomas said. “So, hats off to those guys up front. It was something that we just wanted to keep building on, week in and week out. We got better and better throughout the year and we got more confidence in ourselves in the running game, week by week. So, I think (in this game), we finally put everything together and you kind of seen when all 11 players do their job, what can happen.”
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Thomas scored on a 15-yard run late in the first quarter to give the Phoenix its first lead of the game at 14-7. He reeled in two receptions for 19 yards.
“I think the one thing that sticks out to me from my career at Elon is the relationships that I've made,” Thomas said. “The people that I've met here at Elon are some of the most genuine, pure-hearted people, who mean well for everyone. That's one of the things that I will forever know Elon as and remember Elon as. As far as what I want to be known as, just someone who's tried to do things the right way, on and off the field, and just generally cared about everything and just enjoyed his time here.”
Davis, who battled back from two season-ending injuries during his Elon career, was a vital piece of the Phoenix making the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2017 and 2018. Davis threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kortez Weeks on Elon’s opening drive, the Phoenix immediately answering a scoring drive on Rhode Island’s opening possession.
Elon senior quarterback Davis Cheek looks for a receiver against Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon.
Times-News
Photo courtesy of Elon Athletics
“I’ve made some really good relationships with a lot of people here. Relationships that I’m going to take with me for my entire life,” Cheek said. “It’s hard to put into perspective everything that’s gone on. It’s not been an easy journey for any of us here, but going out this way is really awesome.
“I guess how I’d want to be remembered is as probably a little bit more competitive, one of the better quarterbacks of all time. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to put into words everything that you feel that comes when you know that your college career is coming to an end. Just really grateful, really appreciative of everybody around me. It takes a village to play the sport, to be good in this sport, to be good in general, to become men. I think that we have a lot of really good people around here that do that for us.”
Weeks, another Phoenix senior, finished with six receptions for 78 yards and a score, while Jackson Parham reeled in six receptions for 91 yards.
The Phoenix defense forced three Rhode Island turnovers. Defensive lineman Marvin Pearson forced a fumble that was recovered by freshman defensive back Dylan Tucker and returned 43 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to extend the Elon lead to 24-7. Antonio White and Shamari Wingard each hauled in an interception for the Elon defense.
Elon senior tight end Donovan Williams tries to fight through Rhode Island defenders on Saturday afternoon.
Times-News
Photo courtesy of Elon Athletics
Rhode Island quarterback Kasim Hill finished 31-for-55 passing for 394 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. His 16-yard touchdown pass to Ed Lee with 5:54 remaining cut the Elon lead to 36-25. The Rams recovered the ensuing onside kick and C.J. Carrick made a 36-yard field goal to make it a one-score game at 36-28 with five minutes remaining.
After an Elon punt, Rhode Island took over at their own 21-yard line with about 3½ minutes left in the game. That’s when the Phoenix defense stepped up to close out the game.
“There was a lot of pressure on our defense there at the end to get a stop,” Trisciani said. “They're a really good football team. They've got some good players. They're very good on offense and so that's how they got themselves back into the game. At the end of the day, we made more plays than they did and it helped us get the win.”
Defensive lineman Torrence Williams, the Williams High School alum came up with a sack — his second of the game — on first down. On second down, White hauled in his first career interception for the Phoenix. On Elon’s first offensive play after that, Thomas scored the 19-yard touchdown to seal things.
Elon kicker Skyler Davis finished 5-for-5 on field goal attempts, hitting from 46, 44, 43, 36 and 32 yards.
“There’s not a kick that Skyler can’t make,” Trisciani said. “So, it was good to see him finish the season with this type of success. He’s ice in his veins. You can’t rattle him. I’m proud of him.”
David Kehrli is a sports reporter at the Burlington Times-News and USA Today Network. You can reach him at david.kehrli@thetimesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidKehrliTN. Subscribe to the Burlington Times-News here.
