09-25-2013, 09:10 AM
09-25-2013, 09:10 AM
Whatever junior quarterback Conner Hempel did at halftime Saturday, he should do it again next week. And the week after that.
Two quarters into the Harvard football teamâs season-opening game against San Diego, Hempel had just 39 passing yards. The Crimson was up 14-13, but only one of those Harvard scores came on offense, and Hempel gained more yards with his legs than his arm on that drive.
Then the second half started, and Hempel was a different player. On the first drive of the third quarter alone, he surpassed his entire yardage total from the first half. He completed five of six passes for 75 yards, including a pass threaded to sophomore Andrew Fischer for a 10-yard touchdown. Harvard was up 21-13, and the rout was on.
On the following drive, Hempel nearly had another touchdown pass, but junior wideout Seitu Smith fumbled the ball just before crossing the goal line.
In the fourth quarter, Hempel was even better. He led three scoring drives, all of which ended with passing touchdowns as the Crimson pulled away for a 42-20 victory.
âWe know weâve got a quarterback,â Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. âI thought that Conner, more than anything, played with a lot of poise and discipline and made plays.â
Hempel finished the game with 345 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The junior benefited from great protection for most of the game, but he might have been even better when forced out of the pocket. Hempel kept his eyes downfield and completed several big pass plays after rolling out.
Coming into the 2013 season, Hempel was in a quarterback battle with senior Michael Pruneau, who missed last year with a knee injury. A week into the year, Hempel appears to have ended the quarterback controversy before it could begin.
Two quarters into the Harvard football teamâs season-opening game against San Diego, Hempel had just 39 passing yards. The Crimson was up 14-13, but only one of those Harvard scores came on offense, and Hempel gained more yards with his legs than his arm on that drive.
Then the second half started, and Hempel was a different player. On the first drive of the third quarter alone, he surpassed his entire yardage total from the first half. He completed five of six passes for 75 yards, including a pass threaded to sophomore Andrew Fischer for a 10-yard touchdown. Harvard was up 21-13, and the rout was on.
On the following drive, Hempel nearly had another touchdown pass, but junior wideout Seitu Smith fumbled the ball just before crossing the goal line.
In the fourth quarter, Hempel was even better. He led three scoring drives, all of which ended with passing touchdowns as the Crimson pulled away for a 42-20 victory.
âWe know weâve got a quarterback,â Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. âI thought that Conner, more than anything, played with a lot of poise and discipline and made plays.â
Hempel finished the game with 345 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The junior benefited from great protection for most of the game, but he might have been even better when forced out of the pocket. Hempel kept his eyes downfield and completed several big pass plays after rolling out.
Coming into the 2013 season, Hempel was in a quarterback battle with senior Michael Pruneau, who missed last year with a knee injury. A week into the year, Hempel appears to have ended the quarterback controversy before it could begin.
09-26-2013, 12:32 PM
I love that kid. I coached him in baseball with the Kentucky Kings, and he was as down-to-earth as any player that I ever had the privilege to coach. Great family!
09-26-2013, 11:37 PM
To be honest, i didnt even read the article.
The fact that hes at Harvard and is able to play a sport tells me all i need to know about the young man.
The fact that hes at Harvard and is able to play a sport tells me all i need to know about the young man.
10-01-2013, 09:28 PM
Update*
In his first start at home, junior quarterback Conner Hempel impressed once again, finding five different receivers for double-digit yardage and ending the day with 296 yards and one touchdown through the air.
At the end of the third quarter, Hempel, under pressure, found senior wideout Ricky Zorn for a 63-yard score, his longest of the season, to put Harvard up, 38-20.
âI saw a better Hempel today,â Brown coach Phil Estes said. âHeâs a hell of a quarterback. Heâs got great feet. When you give him that much time, he can make plays.â
On Harvardâs first drive, Hempel drove the team quickly down the field, but a pass intended for senior tight end Cameron Brate ended in the hands of Brown linebacker Xavier Russo in the red zone.
The Bears capitalized off the interception and marched 76 yards down the field before tailback John Spooney ran in for a score.
The Bears attempted a trick two-point conversion that they couldnât convert off of their first score, but the ensuing kickoff caught the Crimson off guard when it was an onside kick. The short field ended with Donnelly finding tight end Brian Strachan in the back of the end zone to put the Bears up, 13-0.
But once the second quarter began, the momentum shifted. Hempel was 6-for-7 for 110 yards in the second quarter and led the team on scoring drives on each possession. Hempel and Stanton each had 1-yard scoring runs to give the Crimson its first lead of the game.
â[We] get off to a little bit of a sluggish start,â Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. âWe had a good drive coming out, throw the pick, get behind the eight ball, 13-0, I thought the kids showed a little bit of resiliency, got in a rhythm in all phases and just managed to get control of the game.â
The Crimson defense notched a touchdown for the second consecutive week when the ball bounced off of a Bears receiverâs hands and senior safety Jaron Wilson took it back 51 yards for a score. Harvard piled on some more on its next possession when Stanton found the end zone off of an option play with less than a minute left.
Early in the third quarter, sophomore linebacker Eric Medes pressured Donnelly into making an errant throw, which Hodges picked off, but Harvard was unable to turn it into points.
With sophomore running back Zach Boden out with a knee injury, sophomore Paul Stanton carried the bulk of the rushing plays for Harvard, netting 91 yards and two scores.
Despite entering halftime with a lead for the second game in a row, Harvard once again lost the time of possession battle in the first half, holding the ball for only eight minutes before halftime. Penalties also plagued Harvard all nightâthe Crimson ended up with 12 infractions for 89 yards, one of which brought back a 60-yard kick return.
In his first start at home, junior quarterback Conner Hempel impressed once again, finding five different receivers for double-digit yardage and ending the day with 296 yards and one touchdown through the air.
At the end of the third quarter, Hempel, under pressure, found senior wideout Ricky Zorn for a 63-yard score, his longest of the season, to put Harvard up, 38-20.
âI saw a better Hempel today,â Brown coach Phil Estes said. âHeâs a hell of a quarterback. Heâs got great feet. When you give him that much time, he can make plays.â
On Harvardâs first drive, Hempel drove the team quickly down the field, but a pass intended for senior tight end Cameron Brate ended in the hands of Brown linebacker Xavier Russo in the red zone.
The Bears capitalized off the interception and marched 76 yards down the field before tailback John Spooney ran in for a score.
The Bears attempted a trick two-point conversion that they couldnât convert off of their first score, but the ensuing kickoff caught the Crimson off guard when it was an onside kick. The short field ended with Donnelly finding tight end Brian Strachan in the back of the end zone to put the Bears up, 13-0.
But once the second quarter began, the momentum shifted. Hempel was 6-for-7 for 110 yards in the second quarter and led the team on scoring drives on each possession. Hempel and Stanton each had 1-yard scoring runs to give the Crimson its first lead of the game.
â[We] get off to a little bit of a sluggish start,â Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. âWe had a good drive coming out, throw the pick, get behind the eight ball, 13-0, I thought the kids showed a little bit of resiliency, got in a rhythm in all phases and just managed to get control of the game.â
The Crimson defense notched a touchdown for the second consecutive week when the ball bounced off of a Bears receiverâs hands and senior safety Jaron Wilson took it back 51 yards for a score. Harvard piled on some more on its next possession when Stanton found the end zone off of an option play with less than a minute left.
Early in the third quarter, sophomore linebacker Eric Medes pressured Donnelly into making an errant throw, which Hodges picked off, but Harvard was unable to turn it into points.
With sophomore running back Zach Boden out with a knee injury, sophomore Paul Stanton carried the bulk of the rushing plays for Harvard, netting 91 yards and two scores.
Despite entering halftime with a lead for the second game in a row, Harvard once again lost the time of possession battle in the first half, holding the ball for only eight minutes before halftime. Penalties also plagued Harvard all nightâthe Crimson ended up with 12 infractions for 89 yards, one of which brought back a 60-yard kick return.
10-07-2013, 12:39 PM
Update 3 OT thriller 41-35. Hempel played well till injury
With just over three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it looked as if Harvard was down and out. Holy Cross had marched from its own nine-yard line down the field into Crimson territory. Then, on a second down, Crusaders quarterback Peter Pujals found wide receiver Nate Stanley streaking down the right sideline for a 20-yard touchdown completion. For the first time all game, Holy Cross had seized the lead, 21-14.
But Harvard quarterback junior Conner Hempel did not let that last long. On a crucial third down, Hempel dipped and dodged to evade several Crusaders defenders and pick up the first down. Three plays later, senior tight end Cam Brate found an opening in the back of the end zone. Just like that, the game was tied at 21. Harvard needed just under two and a half minutes to march 84 yards down the field.
âWe had a play drawn up for [Brate],â Hempel said. âHe beat one guy and was double-covered, but force it to Brate, thatâs my motto. For a clutch play, you can throw it to Brate because heâs going to make it.â
In the first overtime, both teams punched the ball in for touchdowns. After Pujals converted a third-and-five pass for a score, Hempel responded with a short touchdown pass to senior tight end Tyler Ott.
The same thing happened in the second period of extra time. Stanton, who finished the game with 158 total yards and two touchdowns, pushed his way through the Crusaders line for the score. Pujals responded in turn with another touchdown pass.
Finally, in the third overtime, the Crimson defense made the crucial stop, and the Harvard offense would capitalize to seal the hard-fought victory.
The win was the teamâs first at Holy Cross since 2005.
Nearly forgotten in the dramatic affair was that Hempel left the game midway through the first half with a hyperextended knee. The junior was replaced by senior Michael Pruneau, but Hempel returned to the game in the third quarter and seemed to be at full strength.
The Crusader defense didnât seem to mind which of the two Crimson quarterbacks was in the game. Despite eventually coming out on top, the Harvard offense struggled to move the ball for much of the game. Holy Cross won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for 35:21 in regulation, as the Crimson offense struggled to keep its defense off the field. At halftime, Harvard only accumulated 88 total yards. Through the end of the third quarter, Harvard had only thrown for a total of 80 yards.
With just over three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it looked as if Harvard was down and out. Holy Cross had marched from its own nine-yard line down the field into Crimson territory. Then, on a second down, Crusaders quarterback Peter Pujals found wide receiver Nate Stanley streaking down the right sideline for a 20-yard touchdown completion. For the first time all game, Holy Cross had seized the lead, 21-14.
But Harvard quarterback junior Conner Hempel did not let that last long. On a crucial third down, Hempel dipped and dodged to evade several Crusaders defenders and pick up the first down. Three plays later, senior tight end Cam Brate found an opening in the back of the end zone. Just like that, the game was tied at 21. Harvard needed just under two and a half minutes to march 84 yards down the field.
âWe had a play drawn up for [Brate],â Hempel said. âHe beat one guy and was double-covered, but force it to Brate, thatâs my motto. For a clutch play, you can throw it to Brate because heâs going to make it.â
In the first overtime, both teams punched the ball in for touchdowns. After Pujals converted a third-and-five pass for a score, Hempel responded with a short touchdown pass to senior tight end Tyler Ott.
The same thing happened in the second period of extra time. Stanton, who finished the game with 158 total yards and two touchdowns, pushed his way through the Crusaders line for the score. Pujals responded in turn with another touchdown pass.
Finally, in the third overtime, the Crimson defense made the crucial stop, and the Harvard offense would capitalize to seal the hard-fought victory.
The win was the teamâs first at Holy Cross since 2005.
Nearly forgotten in the dramatic affair was that Hempel left the game midway through the first half with a hyperextended knee. The junior was replaced by senior Michael Pruneau, but Hempel returned to the game in the third quarter and seemed to be at full strength.
The Crusader defense didnât seem to mind which of the two Crimson quarterbacks was in the game. Despite eventually coming out on top, the Harvard offense struggled to move the ball for much of the game. Holy Cross won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for 35:21 in regulation, as the Crimson offense struggled to keep its defense off the field. At halftime, Harvard only accumulated 88 total yards. Through the end of the third quarter, Harvard had only thrown for a total of 80 yards.