Football shines in annual Spring Showcase

Will Duval | Sports Director

After practicing throughout the spring semester, the FIU football team’s displayed their roster for the 2024 season in their Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

The Spring Showcase is an annual event that is held at the FIU Football Stadium and is open to the general public. It began with individual drills for each positional group before it concluded with their Blue vs. White game, where the team is split into two groups.

In the Blue vs. White game, the team played two 15 minute quarters in the first half and two 10 minute quarters in the second half. This year, both teams competed until the final buzzer, as the Blue team emerged victorious with a 12-10 overtime win.

To begin the game, neither team was able to find the endzone, but they each exchanged field goals. Senior kicker Chase Gabriel hit a field goal from about 20 yards away to put three points on the board for the White team.

Sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins made a 10 yard pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Dean Patterson and scored the first touchdown of the game. Their connection in the endzone allowed the White team to claim a 10-3 advantage.

Responding to their opponent’s score, redshirt junior quarterback Haden Carlson found  redshirt sophomore running back T.J. Snowden in the endzone with a nearly 20 yard pass. Able to score the White team’s first touchdown of the game, they tied the game at 10-10.

Neither team scored for the remainder of regulation and the two teams entered an overtime shootout. However, the game ended in a similar fashion to the Blue team’s final touchdown of regulation.

Once again, Carlson connected with Snowden in the endzone after numerous failed scoring attempts from both teams. Claiming a 12-10 lead, the Blue rallied from behind and left the scrimmage victorious.

With multiple returning starters on both sides of the ball, the Panthers enter their 2024 campaign with a foundation that they didn’t have in the past. 

“You don’t have to worry about the culture as much and establishing everything. We’ve got older guys that know what we want and know how to do it. They understand the playbook better, so you’re able to move forward quicker” said head coach Mike MacIntyre.

Beyond the roster consistency facilitating their day-to-day practices, he also said, “we feel a lot more depth and a lot more commitment out of this team.”

When describing what has stood out to him throughout Spring training, MacIntyre said, “the way guys have been holding each other accountable. Making sure that they’re helping each other in practice and coaching each other up.”

Concluding his statements, he finished by saying, “they’re [the team] competing at a high level, I think you saw the excitement in the competition tonight.”

Looking to continue their training through the offseason, the FIU football team’s season begins on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 against the Indiana Hoosiers on the road.

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