Smart and strong, Donapel leads Sprint

According to old stereotypes, athletes aren't supposed to be singled out for brains over brawn.

For sophomore Jimmer Donapel, however, becoming a quarterback was a matter of the mind.

"I started playing football when I was six or seven in the midget program," Donapel said. "My coach made me the quarterback because I could remember the plays the best, not because I had the best arm."

But as the starting quarterback of the Penn sprint football team, the capabilities of Donapel's arm have certainly caught up to his memory. And mental aspect of Donapel's game has definitely not been left behind.

"When he steps out on to the field, he's intense and he's focused," senior right guard Adam Smiley said of his quarterback.ÿ"He knows what he's doing. He listens to the coaches, he reads the defense well, he doesn't panic, and he executes each play like he has to.ÿHe's a good leader when we're out on the field."

As a freshman, Donapel was thrown into the role of starting quarterback after senior John Kernan fractured his jaw halfway through the season. With little game experience, the rookie earned his teammates' respect when he led the Quakers to an overtime win at Navy.

"Jimmer was baptized... when Kernan went down," Penn coach Bill Wagner said.ÿ"He did an outstanding job leading the team even as a freshman and performed well under pressure."

Up to that point, Donapel had been pressuring his coaches to let him play another position just so that he would see more game time.

"They told me to be patient and to keep on learning the plays and eventually the opportunity arose," Donapel said, "but obviously not in the best way."

Donapel capitalized on his chance to lead the offensive attack and helped the Quakers earn their first undefeated season in team history and capture their third Collegiate Sprint Football League Championship in five years.

"Nobody really knew what to expect out of him," Smiley said. "I mean you had to have been a little surprised at how well he performed under pressure, and as a freshman, no less.ÿBut now we're just very confident in what he has shown us he can do on the field."

And despite only being a freshman at the time, Donapel was ready to accept the challenge.

"He's just not intimidated by anyone, even last season," sophomore nose guard John Pinto said.

One of Donapel's greatest resources come game time will be his versatility.ÿHe has the ability not only to throw an accurate pass but to run the ball if needed.ÿ

Last year, the quarterback finished fourth on the team in rushing yardage with 134 yards. And Donapel led the team with 100 rushing yards in just 12 attempts in Penn's win over Cornell last Friday.

"He's really quick and very athletic," senior center Brian Dubin said.ÿ"He's very versatile because he's got a good arm and he's a runner as well."

Despite his accomplishments as a freshman, Donapel has continued to mature both on and off the field.

"He's in very good shape right now and if he plays as well as he can, our team will be ready to defend our title," Wagner said.ÿHe was confident when he went in as a freshman, but now he's really starting to take charge of the huddles."

In terms of general team leadership, however, Donapel is patiently waiting for his role to become better defined.

"Last year, I tried to step up leadership on field but I was still a freshman so I didn't talk it up off field," he said. "As a sophomore, I'm still trying to win the confidence of the team so I'm still not as vocal on the sidelines as I am on the field.ÿI'm working to get there."

But he's still undefeated as a starting quarterback. The combination of brains and brawn must be working.

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