The ultimate proof that word of Seton-La Salle's offensive exploits has traveled from the head of the Ohio to the heart of the Mississippi was revealed this past week on the banks of the Monongahela.
Ole Miss quarterback coach/passing game coordinator Kurt Roper, whose offense produced the NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick in Eli Manning, came to the Metro Index camp at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on the South Side to scout Seton's latest quarterback prospect, junior Bill Stull.
"When you've got a guy from Mississippi coming to Western Pennsylvania to recruit a player," Seton-La Salle coach Lou Cerro said, "that's impressive."
What college coaches can't help but notice is that fellow junior Carmen Connolly is the recipient of the majority of Stull's passes. Or that they are the latest in a series of Rebels to post preposterous numbers.
Seton-La Salle has produced the top passer and receiver in the WPIAL in three of the past four seasons, including last year, when Stull passed for 2,262 yards and Connolly finished with a WPIAL-record 85 receptions for 1,257 yards.
And they did so in only nine games.
Connolly and Stull are expecting to improve their statistics in record-setting fashion this fall, and used the Metro Index camp as the first exhibition of what they plan to be a season-long showcase.
"We have a chance to do some real good things," Connolly said. "Bill, just watching him at camps go beyond what the other quarterbacks are doing, it just gives me chills."
Passing the torch
The spread offense is not just a passing fancy at Seton-La Salle, which has a storied football history dating back to its days as South Hills Catholic.
The Rebels have been using four- and five-receiver sets since 1996, when they wanted to take advantage of the arm of Shane Patterson, who would become the first of three Seton-La Salle quarterbacks named to the all-state team in a six-year span.
In 2000, Bruce Gradkowski set a new WPIAL standard by passing for 2,978 yards in 10 games (the district, however, does not keep records). His top target, R.J. Soeder, had a WPIAL-best 84 catches.
Anthony Doria followed by leading the Rebels to the WPIAL Class AA championship and PIAA finals, passing for 2,892 yards in 15 games. He had a pair of 1,000-yard receivers to throw to in Mike Caputo and Joe DelSardo, who combined for 139 catches.
Cerro credits offensive coordinator Greg Perry for tutoring the quarterbacks and receivers in the complexities of the spread offense, which creates mismatches and can be confusing for opponents.
"If we didn't have Greg, these kids would be good," Cerro said, "but he puts them over the top."
Despite his numbers, Gradkowski was lightly recruited by Division I-A programs before signing with Toledo. Now, after finishing second in the nation in completion percentage (71.2) and throwing for a school-record 29 touchdowns, he's a Heisman candidate. And Doria started every game as a freshman at St. Francis (Pa.).
"They came through this program and put up some big numbers," Perry said of Gradkowski and Doria. "These guys see the numbers and see the success Bruce is having and can't help but wonder. They see a junior throwing for that many yards, then look back and see the history. That's opened some doors."
Their success has validated Stull. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds, was rated the top quarterback at the Nike Training Camp at Ohio State and is considered the state's best prospect at the position in the Class of '05.
He has been besieged by recruiters this month, already receiving scholarship offers in writing from Akron, Bowling Green, Duke, Indiana and North Carolina.
"Bill Stull has got a lot of tools; he's a Division-I quarterback, no question," Metro Index scouting director Joe Butler said. "He's a very good quarterback from an excellent football program. I think that helps. It's just an ongoing process there."
In terms of physical maturity, Stull is ahead of Gradkowski at the same stage. Perry raves about Stull's athleticism, footwork and arm strength. What Stull needs to improve is his reads and decision-making skills, as he had a 22-to-13 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio last season, as the Rebels lost three straight and missed the playoffs.
"He definitely has the right attitude, and that's half the battle," said Gradkowski, who works out with Stull when home on breaks and was one of his counselors at the Metro Index camp. "His arm strength is definitely at that level. And he's going to build himself up."
By doing so, Stull could break Seton's records.
"They set the table and put Seton on the map first," Stull said of Gradkowski and Doria. "I'm trying to do my best, keep it going and pass along the torch."
Catching on
The interest in Stull has, in turn, opened doors for Connolly. The 6-1, 186-pounder has deceptive speed, sure hands and runs crisp routes.
Boston College, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, Tennessee and Wisconsin are among the schools that have visited Seton-La Salle this month to watch Stull. It just so happens that he's throwing to Connolly.
"It's definitely helping him out," Cerro said. "When we send film out, most of Billy's throws are to Carmen. You can see on film how good he is."
Although Connolly envisions himself more as a defensive player -- he's a three-year starter at free safety -- he has been wildly successful on offense. He rushed for 867 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore tailback, scoring five touchdowns against Center in a first-round playoff game.
"Carmen never played receiver until his junior year, then he has 85 catches in nine games," said Damon Rosol, Seton's strength and conditioning coach. "Everybody keeps talking about what a good defensive player he is, but I don't think he's scratched the surface of where he can be on offense.
"At the Ohio State and Metro Index camps, there wasn't a kid who could cover him."
That's because Connolly surprises defenders with his speed, which is in the 4.5-second range in the 40-yard dash, and his knowledge of the game. He is a first cousin of former Seton stars Gradkowski and Ralph and Joe DelSardo, as well as current Rebels player Shane Scanlon, and says every family occasion eventually turns into a sports-related competition.
"We know, and Carmen knows, that whatever position we put him at he's going to excel," Cerro said. "He's just a warrior. He's a natural leader who won't take 'no' for an answer."
To break the WPIAL record of 84 catches, set by Seton's R.J. Soeder in 2002, Connolly needed 14 catches in the season finale against Carlynton. So it wouldn't prove to be a distraction, he got them in the first half. After playing a pivotal role in a championship team a year earlier, Connolly wasn't as impressed with achieving his individual success.
"It was a good thing to do," Connolly said, "but it was kind of bittersweet because we didn't make the playoffs."
That is first and foremost in the minds of Connolly and Stull, who are hoping to erase the memories of last season's disappointments, along with some WPIAL records, when they put on the pads this fall.
"That puts us up on a stand," Connolly said. "When you think Class AA, you think of Seton-La Salle up there with powerhouses like Aliquippa and Washington."
They know that word is traveling fast, flowing along the rivers. From the Mon to the Mississippi and back.
Building on a legacy
Quarterback Bill Stull and receiver Carmen Connolly are eyeing another record-setting season at Seton-La Salle, which has boasted the WPIAL passing and receiving leaders three times in the past four years:
Passing
Player - Year - Yards
Bill Stull - 2003 - 2,262
Anthony Doria - 2002 - 2,892
Bruce Gradkowski - 2000 - 2,978*
Receiving
Player - Year - Catches
Carmen Connolly - 2003 - 85*
Mike Caputo - 2002 - 71
R.J. Soeder - 2000 - 84
* -- indicates WPIAL record
