Cornell Quarterbacks Defy Typical NFL Stereotype
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Best attribute is mental toughness says head coach Jim Knowles ’87
November 9, 2007 - 12:00amQuick: picture the perfect quarterback in your mind’s eye.
Chances are you thought of a Tom Brady-esque figure — a tall, confident hero shouting audibles to 10 other men who follow his every direction and are willing to risk injury for him. The prevalent conception of an “ideal quarterback” is a kind of modern-day King Leonides, a perfect human specimen with 8 percent body fat and 0 percent fear.
At least that’s what the NFL would have you believe.
“Mostly all of our stereotypes come from the NFL,” said head coach Jim Knowles ’87. “That's because the NFL is very much a by-the-numbers league, meaning they have a choice of the best of the best.”
It appears that most NFL teams have a similar idea of what a quarterback should look like. According to John Branch of the New York Times, 29-of-32 starting quarterbacks in 2005 were between 6-2 and 6-5 and weighed between 210 and 245 pounds. It’s a tried and true method for success; a quarterback should be heavy enough to shrug off a hit from a rusher and tall enough to see him complete an accurate pass over the heads of oncoming linemen.
“NFL teams don’t want to make a mistake, so they utilize the stereotypes,” Knowles said. “Then TV and the media pick up on that because that's what they’re selling.”
Other players on the team have their own expectations for a quarterback. But those expectations are based less on physical size and more on the respect a quarterback commands.
“You want someone you can turn to and trust on and off the field,” said sophomore wide receiver Nick Zerante. “You want someone you can respect on the field, in
the weight room, in the locker room, and our quarterbacks have been great for that.”
While the stereotypes hold mostly true in professional football, college teams do not always have their choice of athletes with perfect physical makeup and leadership qualities.
“It’s not cookie-cutter ‘Oh, I want a 6-5 strapping, All-American, class president quarterback,’” Knowles said. “Maybe the top-10 college teams in the country and the NFL can do that. Here we can find some great kids, then tailor our gameplan to what they can do.”
Knowles has to look past pure athleticism and potential when trying to fill spots on his roster. For example, he said that the most important quality for a cornerback is not speed or height, as many claim, but mental toughness. And when it comes to middle linebackers, don’t tell Knowles about their size or speed; he can tell from film if a recruit has what it takes.
“You’ve got to be a great tackler; you better be making plays up the middle and on the sidelines and be very active,” Knowles said. “You can see that on film without knowing what a guy’s size is, what his 40-[yard]time is.”
Zerante checks in at 6-3, so he fits the profile of the tall wide receiver. But he knows there are other body types that can succeed at the position.
“Other people expect receivers to be strong and tall and fast,” Zerante said. “Each receiver-type brings something different to the field. Our group has actually meshed well because we have big guys and small guys who can get in the slot and get the ball moving.”
During the recruiting process, Knowles has to consider much more than a player’s physical qualities; vertical jump and 20/20 vision don't always equate to success at Cornell.
“The first thing is they have to be very academic, be able to get into and survive at Cornell,” Knowles said. “They have to want to take on the challenge of athletics and academics the way we do it, then get through the financial aid process or decide to pay the money. After all that we have a group of maybe ten kids. Then we can look at who has the best package.”
In addition to talent and experience, part of that package includes simple love of the game. Because Cornell doesn't offer athletic scholarships, athletes must like their sport enough to dedicate much of their lives to it without any monetary encouragement.
“They have to love football more than a guy who's getting a scholarship to one of the top-10 schools in the country,” Knowles said. “There are so many other things to do at Cornell that if you don’t really love football, it’s very easy to say that you don't want to do this anymore.”