KENT: Tra’von Chapman learned that the cloak of a prodigal son is hard to wear.
Saturday’s 31-27 victory at Kent State turned out to be a day of redemption for the University of Akron backup quarterback from Kent Roosevelt.
But before the redemption came hardship.
After pregame warm-ups, Chapman found out that starter Thomas Woodson had decided his bruised right shoulder suffered in last week’s loss to Appalachian State wouldn’t allow him to throw effectively. Chapman, who lost the starting job to Woodson after the first three games last season, would be behind center against the rival Golden Flashes.
But Chapman’s excitement was tempered by memories of his past. He returned to the town where he was arrested in April 2013 for allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend. Although he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, he spent three days in the Portage County Jail.
Chapman was dismissed from the team at the University of Pittsburgh. He ended up at Division II Ashland University in the fall of 2013 before transferring to UA.
“I don’t think I was nervous. I had a lot of built-up pain just because of what went down here,” Chapman said. “I was anxious. The people that saw me play in high school were the same people who were here today. I was anxious to prove them wrong.”
That weight resulted in a first half that Chapman called “forgettable, awful.” After completing his first pass for 35 yards, he went 0 for his next 9 with an interception. In the first two quarters, he completed 2-of-14 for 75 yards with two interceptions.
But KSU also had quarterback issues. Its top two, Mylik Mitchell and Justin Agner, were injured and out for the season. Coach Paul Haynes had George Bollas and Colin Reardon, but they were ineffective in their previous chances. So Haynes turned to redshirt junior wide receiver Nick Holley, a high school quarterback at Toledo Whitmer.
“The biggest thing was his heart. That’s why the decision was made,” Haynes explained.
The circumstances made for one of the most exciting games in the 59 meetings between the two schools. Kent State took a 27-24 lead with 1:02 remaining on Holley’s 9-yard pass to tailback Justin Rankin.
But there was still time.
“I wasn’t nervous. I was over there praying to God that we can make a miracle happen,” Chapman said.
“If there’s a good Lord in heaven, he knew the story that had to be written for Tra’Von Chapman today,” UA coach Terry Bowden said.
It may have been divine intervention or it may have been the talent of the former four-star college prospect.
Chapman found speedy receiver JoJo Natson on a 43-yard pass to the KSU 3 with 25 seconds remaining. Receiver Mykel Traylor-Bennett carried it in from there for the score with 20 seconds to go and the touchdown survived a video review, with officials questioning whether Traylor-Bennett was down at the 1.
In the second half, Chapman completed 9-of-14 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns without an interception and rushed six times for 27 yards. Chapman said the entire team, “offense, defense, kickers, trainers” picked him up at halftime, telling him to relax and play his game.
But what Chapman did against the Golden Flashes was just one chapter of the redemption story. It was prefaced by Chapman’s decision to remain at UA after Woodson beat him out in 2015 and led the Zips to their first bowl appearance in 10 years.
“He’s had to play backup while we all talk about Tommy Woodson. He’s taken it with incredible poise, class, as a team player with great enthusiasm,” Bowden said. “Most players would not be able to do that. Most quarterbacks, as we saw at Alabama, would say, ‘Pick up, I’m leaving, I’m going somewhere else.’ ”
What Chapman said afterward seemed to show he’s matured since those tough days in jail.
“Tommy deserves to be the starter — he led the team. If I go around saying I should be the starter, this team is going to fall apart,” Chapman said. “You can’t have that. If I would have done that, I would have come into this situation today and played the second half like I did the first half.
“I had to know that I’m here to not take over anything, just keep the wagon going.”
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.