Channeling Carlos And Kharon

Bad news for the Flying Dutchmen Thursday as it was announced starting QB Bryan Savage—who was scratched minutes before last week’s opener against UConn after feeling numbness in his feet during warmups—will miss the year following surgery to repair a herniated disc. He’ll be replaced behind center by Cory Christopher, the Nassau Community College transfer who struggled during his short-notice start against the Huskies.

My desire to get back into following Hofstra football is one of the reasons I started this blog, so I won’t pretend to predict what the switch means to the Dutchmen’s chances. I will say that they’ll be in pretty good shape if Christopher can channel the spirit of Carlos Garay and Kharon Brown, who emerged from anonymity to become stars during the magical 1994 and 1995 seasons.

Brown, the Kansas transfer who backed up George Beisel and Garay in consecutive seasons before he threw for 17 touchdowns and rushed for almost 1,000 yards in leading Hofstra to the I-AA playoffs for the first time, was long viewed as a potential star who just needed a chance. Garay’s ascension was far more surprising. The versatile Garay was so low on the depth chart at quarterback in 1993 that he played running back and special teams—barely: He had four carries and three tackles before a dominant ’94 season (21 TDs/4 INTs) vaulted Hofstra into the top 25 and, eventually, earned Garay a handful of stints in the Arena Football League.

Of course, Garay is not the most famous pro football player from the ’94 squad. How’s that for a segue to a Wayne Chrebet post? Alas, it’ll have to wait until later this evening. As the 9-5 gig beckons in just a few hours. Stop back tonight and prepare for the first weekend of the NFL season (this Thursday night opener stuff is a joke, by the way) by looking back on Chrebet’s remarkable rise to Jets icon.

Edit: Check that. Stop back tomorrow evening, during a break in Hanna, for the Chrebet post. I spin it as wanting to save it for the first weekend of the NFL season, but the truth is it's been a busy day and my battery's just about empty.