Scramblin' Men

CU fans hope Shane Kelly has the arm... and the legs to win (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)

Call me crazy, but if there's one thing I've learned from watching Ivy football for 26 years it's running QB's win games. But for some reason, the trend league-wide has been toward more passing, which can be fun, but there's a limit.

How many times have I seen QB's make a bad pass or try to force something into coverage when they could have crawled to a first down before anyone got to them? Too many to mention.

How many times have I seen even a marginally nimble QB avoid a sure sack and then burn Columbia or some other Ivy for a 19-to-25 yard gain? Even more often.

How many times have I seen Columbia put together a fearsome offensive squad that could score on anyone at any time? Only once, when running QB Mike Cavanaugh shared duties with Jamie Schwalbe in 1994 and again when he quarterbacked the team by himself until he was injured in week 7 of 1995.

Does this mean Columbia should absolutely go with a running QB, or at least a shuttle situation with a runner and a passer? Well, nothing is that absolute in this situation, but I think it would be a great idea to at least consider it.

There's decent evidence that the Lions will try to open up the QB position running-wise. Coach Wilson said as much to my broadcasting partner Jerry Recco during a halftime interview at CU basketball game this winter.

No matter who gets the starting nod under center this year for the Lions, we will almost certainly see more running from our QB this year.

First off, I would say that Columbia's pass-happy offense of the last two years was NOT the result of strategy as much as it was out of necessitiy. The simple fact is Craig Hormann was not much of a runner in 2006, and recovering from his ACL injury didn't help him in that department in 2007 either.

Columbia's best rushing QB on the roster may be M.A. Olawale, tight but he still hasn't shown any real consistent talent as a passer. Presumptive 2008 starter Shane Kelly didn't scramble too much in limited duty last year, and he did not get into the Spring Game.

The ONLY sophomore QB on the roster is now Paul Havas. He is a very good runner, but we need to see him in a varsity contest to really know where he's at. I like the fact that as a Canadian import, (by way of St. Paul's School in New Hampshire), he's a year older than most sophomores and brings that extra maturity to the table.

The freshmen, even highly-touted Jerry Bell, are always an unknown quantity.

But something has to be done to loosen up opposing defenses next year. A QB who can run is always an X factor the defense can never totally be confident of stopping.


Game of the Day (Day 47)

September 17, 1995

Columbia 28 Harvard 24


Speaking of running QB's, Mike Cavanaugh was at his best against the Crimson a Harvard Stadium in the 1995 season opener.

Columbia came into the game without a win against Harvard since 1978. But the Lions took the opening kickoff and put together an impressive 18-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a John Harper three yard run.

*(It occurs to me that a running QB's best friend can be a bruising fullback like John Harper. All reports say that incoming freshman fullback Nico Papas is just that kind of a bruising blocker and runner).

Harvard then grabbed the momentum, taking a 17-7 lead late in the first half before Columbia had a burst of razzle-dazzle. First, the Lions had a reltively fast-moving 72-yard TD drive that ended with another Harper short run for a TD with 55 seconds left. Then, Roy Hanks returned a Harvard punt 69-yards for a TD with 15 seconds left in the half.

The two defenses dominated until late in the fourth when Cavanaugh made his only mistake: an interception that the Crimson returned 25 yards to the Lion 27. From there, Harvard drove it in for a TD and a 24-21 lead with just over four minutes to play.

But the junior Cavanaugh was not finished. He led the Lions on a gutsy drive, passing and running for key first downs as Columbia went 80 yards down the field. One of the biggest plays was a Cavanaugh option run for four yards on 4th and 2 from the Crimson 28. He ran three other times during the drive for another 37 yards and passed for 23. Harper again finished things off with a 1-yard run for a TD with 19 seconds left.

Of course there was time for one more Harvard chance. But a desperation pass just missed an open receiver in the Columbia end zone to end the 28-24 Lion win.

Cavanaugh's feet, hands, and Harper's brawn made the difference.