QB Weapons & Questions

 

Ty Lenhart

As more time passes since the end of Columbia's remarkable 2017 season, it becomes more and more obvious that the biggest key to that season was the historically strong play of QB Anders Hill.

 

I could go into a game-by-game proof of this, but let's just say no Lion fan should ever underestimate the importance of the QB position ever again.

 

So not only is this year a season where its crucial to get great play from Columbia's QB, but this is true every year.

 

Okay, the above statements aren't exactly rocket science. What is hard is trying to figure out where CU is at QB after this long COVID hiatus.

 

When we last left our intrepid Lions, then-Sophomore Ty Lenhart was the starter. On the positive side, Lenhart showed better arm strength, was a dangerous runner, and had created a great connection with fellow then-sophomore WR Mike Roussos.

 

The bad news is that Lenhart was committing way too many turnovers, via interceptions and fumbles when he ran. But the Columbia coaches ended the season still very much invested in Lenhart, leaving the optimists among us daydreaming about how good he could be if he cut down on those turnovers.

 

That's still pretty much where we are today, but we've been robbed of, (or gifted with, it all depends on your perspective), an additional year of games where Lenhart could have worked on protecting the ball. Unless he comes back for a 5^th year season, he'll have to make those improvements on the field faster.

 

I don't think there's any strong reason to believe Lenhart won't be the presumed starter coming into training camp or any other kinds of practices the league will eventually allow this summer. But Columbia has some new weapons at the position that could either challenge him for the starting job or just diversify the CU attack.

 

Gabriel Hollingsworth

Officially designated as sophomores now, transfer QB Joe Green and 2020 freshman Gabriel Hollingsworth both present some exciting possibilities. The coaches are very high on Hollingsworth, a strong speedster in the mold of Princeton's amazing John Lovett. In addition to being the same height as Lovett, (6-3), Hollingsworth is faster. He is 20 pounds lighter than Lovett was by the time he was a senior for the Tigers. I've seen some of Hollingsworth's training videos, and he looks exciting. He may be one of the rare beneficiaries of the extra wait time to get on the field that everyone's had to endure because of COVID.

 

I wrote more about Green when he first transferred to Columbia 13 months ago. He's waited a very long time to get on the collegiate field in real game action, so if he's not motivated to earn some playing time now he never will be.

 

I expect some combination of two or all three of these guys to be at QB this season and that makes this position an asset for Columbia right now. Whether it will be an asset strong enough to make Columbia contender is a bigger question.