Moment #31: McDonagh Makes his Debut

Trevor McDonagh

In the days leading up to Columbia’s week seven home game against Yale, Head Coach Pete Mangurian promised to get some rotation into the QB position.

Up to that point, then-senior QB Sean Brackett had taken every snap but one for the season and it seemed like a good time to get prepared for the future.

With the Lions now trailing the Elis 7-3, McDonagh made his collegiate debut with 13:29 left in the first half.

And the freshman looked good for most of the drive, taking the Lions from their 24 to the Yale 32 mostly thanks to five completions for 41 yards.

But the drive died there, as McDonagh threw the ball incomplete on 2^nd down and four and then he was sacked on the next play.

In general, McDonagh looked pretty cool and poised in the pocket and there was a momentary flash of optimism in the stands.

McDonagh finished the game a solid five of nine passing for 41 yards.

Of course in the months since that game, Columbia has seen one of the nation’s most sought-after QB recruits of 2009 transfer to the Lions and one of the hottest QB recruits of 2012 commit to CU. The addition of Brett Nottingham and Kelly Hilinski have clearly changed McDonagh’s standing on the team, but I still expect to see him on the field again for Columbia sometime soon.