Case freshman QB is off to a fast start

At Case Western Reserve, there is a standard by which all quarterbacks are measured.

That is against Dan Whalen of Willoughby South. Whalen guided Coach Greg Debeljak’s program through the school’s greatest era of football.

With Whalen running the show for four seasons from 2006 to 2009, the Spartans were 36-8 — including 31 straight regularseason victories, and three straight NCAA Division III playoff appearances. The QB left the university with 9,720 passing yards and 87 touchdown passes, was a two-time finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy for the nation’s top player in Division III, and a first-team All-America selection as a senior.

Most recently, Case enjoyed success under QB Rod Cuda, who guided the program to a 11-1 season a year ago, but when Whalen’s name is brought up around Debeljak, there’s no doubt who’s No. 1.

Debeljak began the 2018 season with hope and some trepidation, but three games into the season with a true freshman QB at the helm, the coach is all smiles.

Enter Drew Saxton, who in three games is already turning heads. His college debut might have been a feeling-out process against Rochester. He was 23 of 35 passing for 234 yards and an interception. He did rush for a TD. The next two games — both victories — have been a breakout.

“He’s as ready to play in college at that position as anyone I’ve ever coached,” Debeljak said.

At Grove City in Case’s second game, he was 24 of 34 for 361 yards and five TD passes. At home against Thiel last week, he was 19 of 26 for 258 yards and another five TD passes. Through three games, he’s completed 69.5 percent of his throws, with 895 yards, 10 TD passes and one interception.

Saxon came to Case as an ideal student-athlete. At South Fayette High School in Western Pennsylvania, he finished No. 6 in area history with 7,452 career passing yards and No. 2 in TD passes with 94. He’s a pre-med student with plans to be a orthopedist.

“He’s the perfect fit for this school,” Debeljak said.

Said Saxton: “The classes are definitely tough, but I think I’m adjusting well.”

Early on in preseason camp, Debeljak said, it became apparent Saxton was ready to take control of the Case offense. In a scrimmage at John Carroll a week before the regular season began, Saxton looked sharp, and threw a TD pass against the Blue Streaks’ tough defense. It wasn’t just the coaches who took notice of the 6-foot, 185-pound Saxton.

“That’s the surest way of knowing … the players know who the best players are,” Debeljak said. “They just do. And very early guys came up to me and said, ‘He’s going to help us this year.’ “

Saxton was recruited by the likes of John Carroll, plus Pennsylvania schools Westminster and Washington & Jefferson, teams on Case’s schedule the next two Saturdays — each on the road. If the No. 18-ranked Spartans (3-0) defeat Westminster Sept. 29, it would set up a big game at Washington & Jefferson, which is 4-0 and ranked No. 13 in this week’s d3football.com Top 25 poll.

“We’ve played well, and executed the first three games,” Saxton said.

Saxton