Oakland City Sprint Football kicks off Inaugural season, Saturday

OAKLAND CITY, Ind. (WFIE) - Football is about to return to Oakland City. Yes, you heard right. Oakland City University is about to kick off its inaugural season of college football, as they’re joining the ranks of sprint football. Their very first game is slated for this Saturday, September 16.

Sprint football is just like regular college football, with one caveat: players can not, weigh more than 178 pounds, on gameday. This gives undersized guys, a chance to play college football, and puts an emphasis on speed in the game.

Todd Miller is the Mighty Oaks first-ever sprint football head coach, and he and his staff recruited their inaugural team, from scratch.

“We’re excited from where we started out day one, to where we are now, that’s probably the best practice we’ve had all fall camp. We’ve got kids from California, Florida, Texas, all over,” said Coach Miller. “From the Tri-State area, we’ve got about 10 right now. I think that will grow, as we grow the program and stuff. Last year I sat in that chair, and I was trying to figure out where the pieces to the puzzle we’re gonna be. To see it from then until now, has just been an amazing experience.”

“This is a first year program, and I just wanted to make history, become a winning program our first year,” said OCU freshman lineman, Jaquan Younkins. “I’m excited to go out there and battle with my boys. See how everybody handles adversity if it ever comes to it. I’m just ready to win.”

“100%, everybody on the team’s hyped for the first game. Everybody is on campus. Everyone’s talking about it,” said Mighty Oaks DB, Tyler Young. “There’s a bunch of people from Terre Haute, from Saint Mary’s coming this way to watch our first game. There’s a bunch of people from everywhere coming.”

Oakland City hosts Bellarmine, at Wood Memorial High School’s football field, at 1:00, on Saturday.

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