Accordingly, true sophomores will be calling signals on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback Tom Savage will lead the offense while Steve Beauharnais will be the quarterback of the defense as the middle linebacker.
Savage
As a true freshman, Savage began his collegiate career at the start of the second half of the opening game against Cincinnati last year. He went on to start 11 of the next 12 games. (Savage sat out against Maryland after suffering a concussion the week prior against Florida International).
Savage went on to have the most passing yards and touchdowns for a true freshman in Big East history. He finished the season with 2,211 yards and 14 touchdowns, completing 52.3 percent of his passes and throwing just 7 interceptions.
The Springfield, Pa., native’s success on the field as a freshman has those looking on expecting a big season. He was named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award watch list along with the Maxwell Award watch list.
But preseason awards nominations do nothing to build on a successful freshman campaign. Training camp does.
“My expectations over the summer are to keep improving my consistency,” Savage said.
Consistency is key for the success of Savage, because despite the good numbers, he did have an up and down season—typical of a true freshman.
Savage wants to see stability with the unit he’s leading. As for how he’s handling the leadership role, Savage feels like he’s doing well.
“I think the team really respects me and I got to go out there and keep proving that I can be their leader and go out there and keep working hard and keep playing hard,” he said.
Savage’s first real leadership test came last week.
His No. 2 receiver, redshirt sophomore Tim Wright, went down with a knee injury and will miss the entire season.
“The biggest thing I said [to the receivers] was go out there and play hard and never take anything for granted because a kid [Wright] worked so hard all year around,” Savage said. “So everyone’s got to go hard every play and really enjoy it out there.”
But when it comes down to it, Savage can only say so much. His team has to go out and prove it on the field. And that’s exactly what he plans to do come the season.
“We have a high powered offense and we’re ready,” Savage said. “Now we got to prove it on Saturdays.”
Beauharnais
After showing flashes of greatness in the second half of the season, and starting the final three games as the strong side linebacker, Steve Beauharnais was moved to the middle.
As the middle linebacker, Beauharnais is the quarterback of the defense. Such responsibilities could frazzle a true sophomore, but the Saddle Brook, N.J., native is ready.
“It’s nothing new to me,” he said. “I played the middle in high school.”
Still, there’s a big jump from high school to college. Knowing the fronts and stunts and checking the blitzes can get complicated. Making those things less complicated on the football field starts with studying.
“I became a film junkie,” Beauharnais said. “I watched Jimmy Dumont a lot because he knows the defense probably better than anybody in that linebacker room so I watch him a lot.”
The sophomore was taught a lot from watching the redshirt senior Dumont.
“Where he lines up, and how he approaches things, and what he sees on the film,” are among the things he’s learned Beauharnais said of Dumont.
Along with watching Dumont, Beauharnais has also kept him in earshot.
“I make sure I sit right next to him in the meeting room just in case I have any quick questions that [linebackers coach Bob] Frazer may not be able to answer at the time so any quick questions I ask Jimmy.”
While Savage seeks consistency for himself and the offense, Beauharnais’s outlook for himself and the defense is also a simple concept.
When asked about those expectations 6-foot-2-inch 230-pound linebacker’s tone was firmer than the word itself.
“Physical.”
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