Mike Stephans
Encyclopedia
Mike Stephans was an American football
player for the Rutgers University
Scarlet Knights
. He was the team's starting quarterback
in 1996.
. He played both baseball
and football. As a football player, he was a quarterback and was a walk-on at two different colleges.
Stephans made the Rutgers Scarlet Knights roster in 1996, when he was a senior. He started the season as the third-string quarterback behind Corey Valentine and Ralph Sacca. During the first Rutgers game, a win over Villanova
, Stephans played in the second half and completed two of four passes for 29 yards. He also had one rushing touchdown
. The following week against Navy
, he again received some playing time in the second half; he was 2 for 10 passing for 29 yards, and the Scarlet Knights lost.
Before the third game against #10 ranked Miami
, Rutgers coach Terry Shea
announced that Stephans would be the starter. "Mike has a strong arm and is just what the team needs to have," said Shea. "He's probably the most gifted of our three passers, but he's had no chance." It was Stephans' first collegiate start, and he completed 9 of 26 passes with two interceptions in a 33–0 loss.
Stephans continued to see action during the next few games. On October 12, he was 16 for 34 passing with 246 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Army
. However, in a game against Boston College
, Stephans broke his left thumb and missed some time the rest of the year because of that.
Overall, Stephans finished the 1996 season with 918 passing yards and four touchdowns. He led the Scarlet Knights in both passing yards and total offense
yards (829).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
Scarlet Knights
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
. He was the team's starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in 1996.
College
Stephans was from Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
. He played both baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and football. As a football player, he was a quarterback and was a walk-on at two different colleges.
Stephans made the Rutgers Scarlet Knights roster in 1996, when he was a senior. He started the season as the third-string quarterback behind Corey Valentine and Ralph Sacca. During the first Rutgers game, a win over Villanova
Villanova Wildcats football
The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Wildcats play at Villanova Stadium with capacity of 12,500.-History:...
, Stephans played in the second half and completed two of four passes for 29 yards. He also had one rushing touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. The following week against Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
, he again received some playing time in the second half; he was 2 for 10 passing for 29 yards, and the Scarlet Knights lost.
Before the third game against #10 ranked Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Rutgers coach Terry Shea
Terry Shea
Terry Shea is a former college and NFL football coach. Currently, Shea does quarterback consulting work for future NFL draft prospects. Most recently he worked with Sam Bradford , Matthew Stafford and Josh Freeman . From 1964 to 1967, he was one of the quarterbacks on the University of Oregon's...
announced that Stephans would be the starter. "Mike has a strong arm and is just what the team needs to have," said Shea. "He's probably the most gifted of our three passers, but he's had no chance." It was Stephans' first collegiate start, and he completed 9 of 26 passes with two interceptions in a 33–0 loss.
Stephans continued to see action during the next few games. On October 12, he was 16 for 34 passing with 246 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
. However, in a game against Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
, Stephans broke his left thumb and missed some time the rest of the year because of that.
Overall, Stephans finished the 1996 season with 918 passing yards and four touchdowns. He led the Scarlet Knights in both passing yards and total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
yards (829).