DeRosa leads Penn with the maturity of a veteran

Just 50 seconds into the second half of the most crucial game of the year, Penn quarterback Mark DeRosa was down writhing in pain at his own five-yard line. With the outcome of the contest still in doubt, and the signal caller still in significant pain, the red-shirt freshman was back at the helm of the Quaker offense just two series later. Showing the poise of a veteran, the determined youngster proceeded to engineer two touchdown drives to lead his team to victory and at least a share of the Ivy crown. The events that transpired during this time told a telling story of the young quarterback's character. With Penn clinging to a 19-14 lead, DeRosa was assisted off the field, unable to put any weight on his left ankle. The trainers immediately took him to the examination table. Although DeRosa was visibly in pain, the trainers determined that the injury was "nothing serious." The quarterback had been cleated by a Princeton lineman and severely twisted his ankle. After having it taped and sprayed, and after two Quaker punts, the verdict was rendered. DeRosa returned to the Palmer Stadium turf to complete a stellar afternoon, which saw him connect on 18 of 30 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. "I was in pain, but the importance of this game was too much to keep me out," DeRosa said. "I had to go back in. Playing Princeton and going for a tie of the Ivy League title, it was never a question." His trot back onto the field not only enhanced the team's confidence in him, but also gave Penn a much needed emotional spark. To see the hobbled warrior fighting through the injury gave the offense a sense of confidence. DeRosa babied the ankle on his first series, but after seeing it was sturdy enough to support his body, he went back to work. "The fact that he came back in after he was hurt just shows that he's able to be that tough QB," Penn wide receiver Miles Macik said. "He's able to take over a game.?Right now, Mark's our man. He's doing a great job back there." Macik was the recipient of both of DeRosa's fourth-quarter touchdown passes. The first was the patented fade pattern in which Macik beat his man in the right corner and DeRosa lofted the ball perfectly into the receiver's outstretched hands. But, it was the second scoring pass that told wonders about the quarterback's development. DeRosa was looking for a quick hitch to Macik, but Princeton defenders were glued to him. To avoid the rush, DeRosa kept his cool and rolled out of the pocket. Sensing the pressure and seeing Macik turn up field, he interpreted the situation and instinctively tossed the ball up high. Counting on Macik's extraordinary leaping ability and sure hands, the read resulted in the clinching touchdown. "He made a great play," Macik said. "He kept his poise in the pocket and put it up where only I could get it. In certain situations, my height pays off." This was only one of a number of plays where DeRosa used his athleticism to his advantage. On the Quakers' first touchdown of the contest, they ran a bootleg off a play-action fake. Feeling the heat, DeRosa headed down the line of scrimmage and seemed ready to run the ball into the end zone. But, as the defensive backs headed toward the line, the signal caller calmly flipped the pigskin to wide-open tight end Warren Rosborough for the score. "We tried to put as much pressure on the quarterback as we could," Princeton coach Steve Tosches said. "He made some great plays. He really rose to the occasion today." DeRosa utilized the same kind of mobility to escape the pressure on Penn's successful two-point conversion attempt. On several other occasions, the quarterback used pump fakes to buy time for himself. Even when he was going down, DeRosa was able to bail his way out of difficulty, converting a long third-down situation by firing the ball off his back foot to find Leo Congeni. "For me to have a big game here, I'm definitely excited," DeRosa said. "I just felt comfortable back there. I felt that when I was warming up I was going to have a big game." This is the type of confidence that has transformed a first-year starting quarterback into one of the Quakers' leaders. The toughness he exemplified at Princeton, and the athleticism that has been present all year long, has won over many who were not sure the Quakers could capture consecutive Ivy League titles with an inexperienced quarterback behind center. "I remember coming into the season and the big question mark was how well Mark would play," Macik said. "Right now, he's one of the ones I have the most confidence in. Expect some more big things from him." With three years of eligibility remaining, DeRosa has shown all the signs of becoming one of the most prolific passers in Penn history. In a team full of talented, experienced stars, DeRosa has shined under the toughest of conditions. He has taken over the most prominent position on the team, and quietly smoothed the transition after the loss of Jim McGeehan. Game after game, he has improved. Now, another Ivy title for Penn is assured. "He's a pretty tough kid," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "We have two or three big-play kids that have to make plays for us. Miles Macik is one of them. Terrance Stokes is one of them. Hopefully, we'll get DeRosa to that point." If the Princeton game was any indication, DeRosa is already there.