Sean Brackett often takes on the role of Superman for the Lions
Backstory
Under-the-radar recruit who got to Columbia because his church pastor passed his tape to then Head Coach Norries Wilson at a funeral service.
Initially impressed coaches with his running ability, but later exhibited surprising arm strength.
Coaches took a chance and moved him into the starting role when M.A. Olawale '10 went down with an injury in 2009.
Year-by-Year Summary
-Burst onto the scene freshmen year as an injury replacement starting at QB in week 7 against Yale. Finished the season with four starts, two wins, and five total TD's.
-Was named 1st Team All Ivy after a stellar 2010 sophomore season where he threw for 2,072 yards and 19 TD's, while running for 516 yards and three TD's. Had just six interceptions.
-Made Honorable Mention All Ivy despite injury-marred 2011 junior year. Threw for 15 TD's and 11 INT's while leading the team in rushing for the second season in a row.
Stat Totals
Games Started: 22
Started Games Won: 7
Completions: 356
Completion PCT: .537
Passing Yards: 4,361
TD: 38
INT: 20
Rushing Yards: 1,182
Rushing TD: 10
Top 5 Games
5) Willed Columbia to its only win of 2011 with 15-24 passing for one TD and 62 yards rushing with four TD's including the game winner in double overtime against Brown.
4) Had three TD passes and no INT's on 15-20 passing in a 42-28 win over Lafayette in 2010. Also rushed for 105 yards and a TD in the contest.
3) Tied the Columbia record with five TD passes in a 42-10 thrashing of Princeton in 2010. Also threw for 273 yards on 18-24 passing with no interceptions.
2) Took control in the week 9 game against Cornell in 2010, rallying the Lions from 17-3 4th quarter deficit for a 20-17 win. Threw for 204 yards and a TD while running for 151 yards and the winning score with 37 seconds left.
1) First virtuoso performance came in week 10 in 2009 against Brown. In that stunning 28-14 win, Brackett threw for 151 yards and a TD and ran for 171 more on his way to being named Ivy League Rookie of the Week.
Scouting Report
-Tremendous heart and determination.
-Plays hurt often. Shoulder injury has slowed him considerably since week 9 of 2010, but he's only missed one game since then.
-Great foot speed and runs with the best of them, but must use that talent to scramble for more passing time rather than tuck it in and run for yardage all the time.
-Has great timing and talent for slant passing plays and right down the middle patterns.
-Needs to work on his total accuracy/completion percentage as he recover from the shoulder problems that sent many of his passes off target in 2011.
Jake's Take
Brackett is the most talented overall QB Columbia has had since the great John Witkowski '84. If he can remain fully recovered from that shoulder injury, he gives the Lions a real chance to win on any given Saturday. He alone is often worth the price of a ticket. Closing out his career with a stellar senior season would solidify his legacy in Lion history.
7 comments:
Well done Jake! Yes, definitely worth the price of admissions! Sean just needs to stay healthy and he has his work cut out for him with that line. Hope Mangurian can work his magic!
Brackett is a tremendous athlete whose career at Columbia has been setback by the lack of speed at the wide receiver and running back positions. Of course, the unimaginative offense and strange play calling has not helped either. Fortunately, the new coaching staff has brought in several players with breakaway speed who will help him and the team immediately by penalizing the opposition royally if they gang up on Brackett as they have in the past. I'm looking to Brackett having a sensational senior season and leading the Lions to a top three finish in the Ivy League.
Columbia's offensive line looked great to me in the second half of the Brown game. That was even without Jeff. I would not be surprised at all if the Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the Ivy League this season.
Sean needs to stop short arming his passes to the flat. He also needs to be able to check off his first and second options. But he is a great player.
Brackett can do most everything. He does need to improve on his passing ability, especially anticipating when the receiver will be open rather than throwing late. I hope the OL and other protectors give him time to throw. We also need to establish a running game to take pressure off the passing game and throw when we want rather than when all know we are throwing. He has had a very good career so far, but all 11 on the field must work together to make any one player successful. Let's hope all 11 do so this year.
I feel that a lot of Brackett's short arming were caused by the pass rush he faced weekly in 2011. This was made worse by predictable 3rd down passing situations, when we didn't run the ball well. Given the semblance of a pocket I believe his talent matches up with any QB in the league.
Doc, I agree that Brackett is a great player. He short arms swing passes into the flat even when he has time to make the throw. This is correctable with good coaching. It means he aims the ball, which is a no no.
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