“Everybody has a job. But someone has to captain the ship. Someone has to step up and be the leader,” began John Perry, a Georgetown football assistant coach. “And that’s naturally the job of the quarterback.”
The exact syntax may vary, but no matter whom you ask about the role of the quarterback, the answer is basically the same. The quarterback is expected to be the one who guides the team down the field. The captain of the ship. The general of the army.
“Leadership and decision-making: Those are the two key components,” Georgetown football Head Coach Bob Benson says. “The position demands leadership. It’s unique from any other position.”
Though Benson and Perry seem to have very clear definitions of the quarterback’s role, the quarterback position for the Hoyas has been somewhat of an enigma over the past five seasons.
The late ’90s were an era of quarterback bliss for Georgetown. Billy Ward (COL ’98) had a stellar four-year career, setting countless records in the process and later signing with the Baltimore Ravens. J.J. Mont (MSB ’00) followed Ward as the leader of the Georgetown offense and broke his records for passing completions, passing yardage, touchdown passes and total offensive yardage.
But since Georgetown moved from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to the Patriot League before the 2001 season, the Hoyas have struggled to find a quarterback equal to the challenges of the more competitive league. In fact, the Hoyas have had seven different quarterbacks line up behind center in the last four years.
The numbers prove this inconsistency. In 2001, Sean Peterson (MSB ’02), then a senior, took almost all of the snaps, connecting for 12 touchdowns but also throwing 11 picks.
In 2002, three different players started at quarterback. Morgan Booth (COL ’04) made the first three starts, but after going 1-2, Drew Crawford (SFS ’05) replaced him. He only attempted 45 passes before suffering a collarbone injury.
Dave Paulus (MSB ’03) then stepped in, finishing his senior year with one of the stronger seasons in recent memory, completing 16 touchdown strikes compared to just four interceptions.
Crawford saw more action in 2003. He threw for 16 touchdowns, but he also had 13 interceptions. Alondzo Turner (MSB ’07), then a freshman, received considerable playing time as well.
Prior to the 2004 campaign, the highly-touted Turner was thought to be the quarterback of the future, but his collegiate career ended after just one season. Turner twice won Patriot League Rookie of the Week as a freshman quarterback in 2003, and on the season he threw for three touchdowns while running for seven. Despite these accomplishments, he was dismissed from the squad before the season began for undisclosed reasons.
Crawford returned in 2004, hoping to be a rare two-year starter, but injuries and competition from then-sophomore Keith Allan (COL ’07) limited his snaps. Allan was named the starter, but after a series of injuries, he attempted a mere 20 passes spread out over eight games. Senior Drew Crawford took the brunt of the snaps for the Hoyas, starting six games.
The duo ended up combining for a mere six touchdown passes while their opponents struck 20 times in the air. Because of the inconsistency at the quarterback position, Georgetown ran the ball 255 more times than they passed (480-226). This was hardly the balanced attack that Benson hopes for.
“From what I could see there has been a huge inconsistency with the coaching staff and offensive systems that they have been running over the past five years,” Allan said. “There for awhile was a new offensive coordinator and offense for four consecutive years. The past two seasons was the first time that they have had the same offense.”
Allan is no longer part of that same offense, though. After being named the backup and not seeing any action in the first two games of the season, Allan decided to pursue baseball.
This year’s starter, junior Nick Cangelosi, though not necessarily spectacular, has provided a much needed steadying effect to the offense. Definitively named the starter before the first game, Cangelosi was given a nice confident boost by the announcement.
“I’m happy to represent the university as the quarterback,” said Cangelosi, a transfer from the University of North Carolina. “Now I’d definitely like to start winning some ballgames.”
Cangelosi opened the season with a two-touchdown performance at Bucknell. He also led the team in rushing yards for that game with 91.
Cangelosi’s performance in the third game of the year, against Brown, was cut short by injury, but his one half of play was a solid one as he ran for 85 yards before leaving.
Most recently, Cangelosi threw a game-winning touchdown strike with five minutes remaining against Stony Brook. Though he did throw his first interception since the season opener, the touchdown pass made up for it in a big way.
With Cangelosi at the helm, Georgetown has turned to the option attack. Based on Benson’s belief that the option can cause real trouble for opponent defenses and Cangelosi’s ability to run the option, the Hoyas have decided against a more traditional offensive scheme.
“At the end of the day, we want to be balanced in our attack,” Benson said. “Fifty percent run, 50 percent pass. In the running attack, we really like the option.
“The option puts stresses on the defenses and defensive calls. It causes major issues. We looked pretty good in the first half [against Brown] running that option,” Benson continued.
Cangelosi’s speed may be one of the primary reasons that Georgetown has started running the option. “We design the offense around what we have,” Benson said.
“I never ran the option before,” Cangelosi said, “but I think it’s a great little aspect of the offense.
In four games this season, the junior quarterback has 506 passing yards and 310 rushing yards. He leads the team in both categories.
“Nick had done a tremendous job doing what we’re asking him to do,” Benson said. “He’s going to get better: Experience is huge, too.”
Georgetown also has a bumper crop of young quarterbacks. Freshman second-string quarterback Ben Hostetler, freshman Gunner Coil and sophomore Brad Hartung have all caught Benson’s eye as possible quarterbacks of the future. Sophomore Dane Hansen and junior David Fajgenbaum can also play quarterback for the Hoyas.
According to Benson, Hostetler, Coil and Hartung all have the characteristics of successful quarterbacks. Perry is also high on the current group, saying that they can push each other to improve.
“It’s going to be tough to keep my spot next year,” Cangelosi joked.
Allan, however, was less sure about the future of the quarterback at Georgetown.
“I can only hope that things will get better. Hopefully they can sustain an offensive system and keep on improving upon that,” he said.
Every ship needs a captain and, for Georgetown’s ship to stay afloat, it will need more consistency from what is football’s most critical position. The seas have been tough to navigate in recent years, but Cangelosi’s encouraging play could be a harbinger of calmer waters ahead.
If he can continue to be a leader, while getting more game experience under his belt, Cangelosi could lead the Hoyas into the unchartered waters of success in the Patriot League. And, if his improving play rubs off on the younger quarterbacks, perhaps Georgetown football will finally reach its ultimate destination: the top.
