University of Richmond Athletics
Defenses Dominate in Football Spring Game
04/11/2026 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond's first and second-team defenses appeared to be regular-season ready at Spider football's annual spring game Saturday at Robins Stadium. Quarterback Joe McCauley's 57-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter proved to be the difference as Team Red defeated Team Blue 10-3 in an intrasquad scrimmage.
Following the game, the program announced its five captains for the 2025 season: defensive back Jordan Allen, defensive end Camden Byrd, tight end Sean Clarke, linebacker Carter Glassmyer, and quarterback Ashten Snelsire. Defensive end Daniel Sellers was presented with the Gus Lee Winter Warrior Award, given to the member of the team who made the biggest strides during offseason workouts.
Snelsire, who started three games for the Spiders last season, opened under center for Team Blue while McCauley quarterbacked Team Red. The teams exchanged three-and-outs to open the game as the offenses spent the first quarter deep in their own territories. Team Blue's second possession reached the other side of midfield before a sack by Braxton Lassiter, one of two on the day for the junior defensive tackle, brought the drive to a halt.
Following another three-and-out for Team Red, Blue used first-down receptions from Quanye Veney, Andreas Hill, and Andrew McKenzie to move into field goal range and seemed poised to break the 0-0 deadlock before Jackson Bonser's 41-yard field goal attempt went wide.
Team Red's two-minute offense failed to produce much movement, and the teams headed to half tied 0-0.
The game's first points came early in the third quarter when Red used a 15-yard reception from Aziz Foster-Powell, a 20-yard catch by Justin Rice, and a defensive pass interference penalty over three consecutive plays to move into position for a 26-yard field goal by Gavin Winterhalter, giving Red a 3-0 lead.
After another stop by its defense, Team Red struck quickly, as quarterback Joe McCauley stepped up in the pocket and darted untouched up the right side for a 57-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Team Blue's only points came courtesy of its defense, when Sellers deflected a pass high into the air and into the arms of linebacker Jordan Wilkes. Blue took over in Red territory, eventually settling for a 47-yard field goal by Bonser to make the score 10-3.
Blue had a chance to tie the game late when quarterback Jack Levin found Veney to convert a 4th and 7 from the Red 24-yard line with 24 seconds left. But on the ensuing set of downs, Levin's third and fourth-down passes, both hoping to find Hill in the end zone, were incomplete, sealing the 10-3 win for Team Red.
Richmond will open its 2026 season at Robins Stadium on August 29th against Bucknell.
