McDermott steps into backup role, gains valuable experience

Pat McDermott is one play away from being the key to the Penn football team's Ivy League title defense.

The Quakers' new backup quarterback -- thrust into the role when junior Jack Phillips left the team in August -- saw his first action in that role against live competition Friday in Penn's scrimmage against Widener.

It did not start out well.

Inserted with 10:36 to play in the second of three 15-minute periods, he completed his first pass for eight yards to Nick Okoro. However, on his second dropback, the sophomore overthrew his intended receiver and the ball went straight to a Widener defensive back.

"I tried to really rifle one in there," McDermott said. "And it just flew away."

On Penn's next possession, McDermott threw incompletions on all four of his pass attempts and the Quakers had to punt.

Upon going back to the bench, McDermott received advice from starting quarterback Mike Mitchell and coach Al Bagnoli.

"Both of those guys know everything," McDermott said.

They must have said something right.

Penn recovered a fumbled punt on the Widener 22-yard line when McDermott went to work. He completed passes of 10 and three yards as the Quakers advanced to Widener's two. He then hit wide receiver Kevin Barr in the end zone.

Those three plays marked the first of 10 consecutive completions for McDermott, including another touchdown strike. He hit wide receiver Sagar Patel for a three-yard score as the second quarter wound down. McDermott seemed to form a bond with Patel as he found the freshman four times for 78 yards, including a 41-yard bomb.

He would finish the day 16-for-24 with 167 yards and two touchdown passes.

"I worked out some jitters," McDermott said. "But I found out I still have a lot to learn."

While impressed with his backup's performance, Mitchell agreed that he needed a better understanding of the offense.

"He's a young guy and he's still learning the offense, but he's got a good head on his shoulders and a good arm," Mitchell said. "So I think he's going to be a good player once he gets comfortable."

Of course, learning the offense was what the scrimmage was all about, and was why McDermott received extensive playing time.

"He's a young kid, and this is his first game experience," Bagnoli said. "We purposely had him take as many snaps as Mike [Mitchell] did, if not more."

McDermott began the summer No. 3 on the team's depth chart. However, in mid-August -- just days before training camp opened for Penn -- Phillips quit the team due to a family issue, according to Bagnoli.

"I was shocked," McDermott said.

So what should have been a comfortable season, wearing a baseball cap and carrying a clipboard on the sideline, quickly became much harder for the Yonkers, N.Y., native.

Getting ready possibly to lead the Ivy League favorites into battle this season with less than a month of preparation is a tough task, but McDermott feels he is up to it.

Or at least he's marginally closer to ready than he was before the scrimmage.

"I realize that I have a lot left to do," McDermott said. "So it's time to get back to work."

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