December 1, 2009
Pats' Egan keeps offense rolling
QB Sean Egan has five touchdown passes of 50 or more yards this season.
Click Here for photos from the Patriots' 2009 season.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
SECAUCUS – The loss of a starting quarterback can have a devastating impact on any offense, let alone one with state title aspirations like the Patriots.
After injuries pressed QB Sean Egan into the lineup against Wallington on Oct. 9, the sophomore needed less than two quarters to ease those fears.
Egan, who had thrown just one varsity pass (an interception) before that night, tossed a 64-yard touchdown to Matt Traynor, the first of three scores of 60 or more yards in the 57-9 victory.
“I didn’t really think it was going to happen (like that),” Egan said. “But I threw it up there and let Matt be an athlete.”
“I was a little skeptical at first,” running back Joe Impreveduto said. “Then (Sean) came out, threw that bomb and I was like ‘wow that kid’s ready to go,’ and I had complete confidence in him.”
The Secaucus offense hasn’t missed a beat with Egan under center, averaging 37.8 points per game in his six starts.
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“He’s been really great this whole season,” Traynor said. “He’s made a lot of key plays. Ever since he came into the Wallington game, all he’s been doing is producing and playing our pace.”
“We didn’t change anything,” Secaucus coach Charlie Voorhees said. “Nothing got changed, nothing will be changed. We are exactly what we are. (Sean’s) done a great job.”
Egan has yet to match the numbers from that three-touchdown, 200-yard performance against Wallington, but he has shown a knack for staying composed during pressure situations.
Trailing in the final minute, Egan connected with Ramon Villareal on a 55-yard score to give Secaucus a 20-15 victory on Oct. 23
“(Sean) has total control,” Voorhees said. “Nothing bothers him. He’s done a great job as a leader. He’s a good athlete and he makes plays.”
Egan completed 5-of-8 passes for 96 yards in the win. Two weeks later he completed 5-of-9 pass attempts for 117 yards against North Arlington.
With the running back duo of Joe Impreveduto and Ed Delgado, along with an imposing offensive line, the Patriots haven’t asked Egan to throw often. But when they do, Egan has made those throws count.
Taking full advantage of a defense focused on stopping the run, Egan has averaged more than 17 yards per pass attempt and his completions have gone for an average of 32 yards. One of those big passes came in the North 2, Group I semifinals against Becton when Egan’s 68-yard touchdown to Traynor gave Secaucus an early lead they would never relinquish.
“People underestimate (Sean) because of his height and because he’s young, but he can launch it,” Traynor said.
“(It makes my job) so much easier because they’re such good athletes,” Egan said about his skill players. “Once you get the ball to them, they can get 20 yard gains and score.”
Traynor has been the main beneficiary, catching three of Egan’s five touchdown passes. For the season Traynor has caught five touchdown catches, all but one of them going for more than 60 yards.
Secaucus will likely need some more of those big plays on Friday against Cedar Grove to cap off a storybook season with a state title. The Patriots may have some concerns going into the game, but play of their quarterback making his seventh career start isn’t likely to be one of them.