By SYDNEY ALTSCHULER
Though the squad may have lost some great players in the class of 2014, the Cornell Sprint Football team is stacked with enough young talent to make a promising run for the League title.
When it comes to these boy wonders, one name in particular comes to mind: Ian Rawn. While the freshman walks in the footsteps of giants such as former star captains Brendan Miller and Kyle Higgins, his raw talent and experience make him a promising successor as he looks to make an immediate impact on the field this season.
This season will mark Rawn’s 10th year playing football. He played flag football for three years prior to transitioning to tackle at Byram Hills High School in Armonk, N.Y. Rawn is a versatile player, having played a variety of positions including running back, cornerback and returner for Byram. He was a valuable asset to the Bobcats, tallying the most touchdowns on the team his junior year.
“My greatest achievement from my high school career was leading the team in touchdowns during my junior season despite only starting three games towards the end of the year,” Rawn said.
Rawn must learn to play a new position this season as he takes on the role of slot receiver for the Red. He says he is excited to make the transition and hopes to get on the board for the Red right from the start, “I am looking forward to getting in the game and making a positive impact for the team. I am eager to be playing a new position in a new offense and hope that I will get the chance to make my mark early on.”
This season will push Rawn to adjust his style of play in more ways than one; Not only will he be playing a new position but he will also need to adapt to the fast-paced offensive style seen in Sprint.
“I think the biggest challenge for me will be mastering the offense as it is a much more complex and up tempo offense than I am used to. I am also playing a different position, which is another adjustment,” he said.
Rawn elaborated on the different type of offense utilized by the sprint program, “the offense that the sprint team runs is a no huddle spread offense that is completely predicated on visual signals in order to communicate specific plays and routes.”
But as they say, practice makes perfect. Rawn said he is confident that he will be successful in college ball after he settles into his new role.
Ian Rawn, a freshman on the squad with great potential, looks to make an immediate impact on the field for Cornell this season. (Courtesy of Ian Rawn)