“Most definitely I am having a better season this year,” Rose said. “In most games we’ve had a big lead early, so you don’t have to throw the ball. We haven’t really played in a big shootout yet. The team in general is just doing so much better that I’m not called upon to throw the ball 40-50 times a game, and that’s nice.”

Hoffman also acknowledges a transformation in his role from last season.

With the return of the Quakers’ star tailback Kris Ryan, the League’s top rusher, the Penn attack now has a formidable balance of rushing and passing. Though it has toned down Hoffman’s gaudy statistical output, the preseason second-team All-American just wants to help his team win.

“Last year the team needed me to pass on every down and win games through the air,” Hoffman said. “This year, with Kris Ryan back, my role is more to keep the chains moving in a more ball-controlled attack. I feel I have been pretty successful in both scenarios, and I take pride in that.”

The Roots of Success

Though Hoffman and Rose are currently in similar situations—breaking records while leading undefeated Ivy League teams—they arrived at this point in vastly different fashions.

After being named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota while leading Breck High School to the Class ‘B’ state championship, Hoffman was successfully wooed to Northwestern by then-head coach Gary Barnett.

As a freshman, Hoffman started every game for the Wildcats, who were just two years removed from their Big 10 title season of 1995. Though his team struggled to a 3-9 record, Hoffman passed for 2,199 yards and 13 touchdowns, the fourth-highest totals in their respective categories in school history.

But when Barnett departed for Colorado, he was replaced by Randy Walker of Miami (Ohio) and his run-first offense, so Hoffman began to shop around. After considering several schools, including Harvard, Hoffman chose to transfer to Penn because he would have the opportunity to play immediately.

According to Hoffman, it was the right choice.

“Transferring to Penn worked out better than I thought it would,” Hoffman said. “Being the League champion and Player of the Year was nice, but most importantly I found the fun in playing football again.”

Rose’s road to success wasn’t quite as glamorous. Since his high school, University School in Miliani, Hawaii, didn’t have a football squad, Rose played for PAC-5, a team comprised of players from five area schools that went 0-10 Rose’s senior season.

But Harvard came calling regardless, and Rose headed north to Cambridge. After seeing action in only one game his freshman season, Rose broke his foot during fall practice the next year and redshirted. In 2000, though, Rose broke out, throwing for a school-record 412 yards in his first career start, a 42-37 upset of Brown.

It was the first of many records Rose would break, and with only two games remaining in his senior season, Rose is pleased with his career.