The Wash. U. Bears will kick off the 2021 fall football season Saturday afternoon at longtime rival U. of Chicago. (Photo courtesy: Wash. U. Athletics)
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
After sitting out all of last season due to the covid pandemic, the Washington University football team will get back on the field and begin its 2021 fall season, Saturday afternoon, with its annual Founder’s Cup game against longtime rival, the University of Chicago.
The Bears, who last played a game in 2019 and had a 7-3 record that season, will look a whole lot different this season, as many of their top players from back then have graduated and moved on.
Wash. U. also has a new coach in Aaron Keen, who took over as the leader of the Bears football program in January 2020, but didn’t get to coach his first game until Saturday.
“I think I expected a little rust from our players, being able to get back into the swing of playing football,” Keen said. “We saw some of that but I was pleasantly surprised with how the players responded to getting back into the groove of football. I was very impressed with how they handled it.”
Players To Watch: Among the new starters for Wash. U. this year is new quarterback Matt Rush. A junior from Hinsdale, Ill., Rush had a strong spring and fall training camp to win the job and Keen believes he is poised for a successful season as Wash. U.’s new signal caller.
“He had a great spring and he’s come back even better in the fall,” Keen said. “I’ve been very impressed with what he’s been able to do in operating our offense the right way, but also making throws that not everybody is going to make.”
U. of Chicago will also feature a new quarterback in senior Philip Martini. The senior from Westfield, N.J. was the Maroons’ third-string QB in 2019 and played in just one game, but did throw two touchdown passes in that appearance.
Next Up: Wash. U. will have an open date next week, but the Bears will be back on the field in two weeks, hosting their home opener at Francis Olympic Field on Saturday, September 18, against North Park University.
U. of Chicago’s next game will be another home game, next week against Illinois College.
Wash. U. Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 1 – Wash. U. (0-0) at Chicago (0-0)
Date/Time – Saturday, September 4 – 1 pm
Location – Amos Alonzo Stagg Field – Chicago, IL
Broadcast – U. of Chicago Sports
Live Stats – Presto Sports
Probable Starters
Wash. U. Offense U. of Chicago Defense
QB – 17 Matt Rush – Jr. DL – 78 Davis Govrik – Sr.
RB – 28 Brandon Morrisey – Sr. DL – 69 Nathan Alexander – Sr.
WR – 4 Collin Hoyhtya – So. DL – 90 Kourosh Hassibi – So.
WR – 14 Cole Okmin – Jr. DL – 44 George Coyle – Sr.
WR – 86 Treyton Lamphier – Sr. LB – 38 Jack Surgeoner – Sr.
LT – 55 Tom Peters – Soph. LB – 48 Aidan Cappellino – So.
LG – 62 Matt Spichiger – Jr. LB – 40 William Skowrinski– So.
C – 64 Alex Vogel – Jr. CB – 28 Jack Griffin – Sr.
RG – 56 Andrew Silver – Sr. S – 24 Braedon Junker – Jr.
RT – 65 Jarrett Dykema – Sr. S – 30 Jason Heine – Jr.
TE – 85 Sam Fenske – Sr. CB – 6 Makai Robinson – Sr.
PK – 3 Chris Vartanian – Jr. P – 97 Michael Gomez – Soph.
Wash. U. Defense U. of Chicago Offense
DL – 54 Jackson Wilson – Sr. QB – 12 Philip Martini – Sr.
DL – 40 Noah Bryson – Sr. RB – 11 Nicolas D’Ambrose – Sr.
DL – 97 Jack Schumacher – Sr. WR – 81 Elliot Grays – Sr.
LB – 10 Alex Harvey – Sr. WR – 15 Mark Eaton – Sr.
LB – 49 Zane Ahlfinger — Sr. WR – 19 Matt Quaglia – Sr.
LB – 47 John Christensen – Sr. LT – 74 Brandon Schillig – Jr.
LB – 99 Anthony Brown – Sr. LG – 50 D.J. Jelin – Jr.
CB – 22 T.J. Perusek – Sr. C – 75 Frank Martin – Jr.
S – 44 Langston Laramore – Jr. RG – 70 Michael Bobak – Sr.
S – 30 J.T. Streppy – Sr. RT – 55 Yale Hardberger — Jr.
CB – 48 Andrew Whitaker – Sr. TE – 47 Chris Song – Sr.
P – 3 Chris Vartanian – Jr. PK – 97 Michael Gomez – Soph.