Brian Cummings (American football)
Encyclopedia
Brian Cummings is an American former football
player. He played college football
as a quarterback
for the University of Maryland
from 1994 to 1997.
, Cummings attended the Iona Preparatory School
in New Rochelle, New York
. He played as a quarterback on the football team which ran a run and shoot offense
. In October 1992, he led the Catholic High School Football League with eight touchdown passes. Maryland quarterback coach Rob Spence, who coached at Iona Prep in the 1980s, said many people told Cummings he was not fit for a Division I quarterback due to his size and height (5 ft, 11 in, 195 pounds). Maryland was the only major college football program to offer Cummings a scholarship. He was selected in the 50th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Montreal Expos
. His brother, Craig Cummings, played college football at Delaware.
, and played on the football team
, which also employed the run-and-shoot under head coach Mark Duffner
. As a freshman in 1994, he was third on the depth chart at quarterback and considered transferring to a small college or focusing on his baseball career. He saw action in six games, but did not attempt a pass. Cummings was responsible for running Maryland's short-yardage offense and he rushed 15× for 63 yards and four touchdowns. In the spring, Cummings played as a pitcher
on the baseball team
, which he led in pitching wins. During the summer, he pitched for an All-American Amateur Baseball Association
under-20 team, the Maryland Bombers. Cummings became the backup after Kevin Foley lost out on the starting position and transferred to Boston University
.
In 1995, he played in seven games and completed 98 of 166 pass attempts for 1,193 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. Before the season, Cummings was named the starter after senior Scott Milanovich
received a four-game suspension for gambling. He led the Terrapins to a surprising 4–0 start after the team had been picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference
. Cummings was knocked out of the season opener against with a sprained ankle in the first quarter, and was replaced by Orlando Strozier. Cummings returned to start in a 32–18 upset over North Carolina
, and completed ten passes on 18 attempts for 180 yards despite his ankle injury.
Against , he threw for a career-high 299 yards. Wide receiver Jermaine Lewis
said, ""Brian won the first four games and the team tends to really rally around him... I guess we tend to have a lot of confidence with him in there." Cummings suffered a broken toe on his right foot and bruised shoulder and Milanovich returned to his starting role after his suspension. Cummings saw no action in Maryland's fifth game, a 31–3 loss to , which knocked the team out of the Top 25 rankings. At Wake Forest, Cummings came off the bench in relief of Milanovich, who had struggled reading the blitz, and played the last 39 minutes. He completed 20 passes on 30 attempts for 222 yards. He led three drives that culminated in a field goal, touchdown, and a final series which used eight minutes of the game clock in the 9–6 victory. After the game, head coach Mark Duffner
praised Cummings' play, but stopped shy of naming him the starter. Cummings started against Clemson and , but the offense struggled and Milanovich started the last three games, while Cummings nursed a sore shoulder. Duffner said of Cummings, "One of our kids said he's a linebacker
playing quarterback. On a scramble
, when he can slide to get down, he'll try to run over a kid for extra yards. We've still got to get some of that out of him, but you've got to love that toughness." Because he felt his arm needed the rest, Cummings did not play college or amateur baseball in 1996 for the first time since he was ten years old.
In 1996, he played in nine games and completed 92 of 173 attempts for 1,127 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions. With the graduation of Milanovich, Cummings became the uncontested starter backed up by redshirt freshman Ken Mastrole
. Cummings suffered a concussion and separated shoulder when hit by three defenders. He returned to start at with a separated shoulder, but played poorly and reaggravated his injury. Against Wake Forest, Cummings played "a brilliant first half", but suffered another concussion. During halftime, he collapsed in the locker room. He was hospitalized and suffered a 24-hour bout of uncontrollable vomiting. Mastrole served as his replacement for two games until breaking his collarbone against . Keon Russell, a transfer from American International College
who intended to switch to receiver, filled in as the quarterback. In the season finale against , Cummings was knocked down 19 times, including eight sacks
, and pulled himself from the game. Maryland finished the season with either zero or one touchdowns in seven of its last nine games, and Duffner was fired with a 20–35 record. He was replaced by Ron Vanderlinden
who installed a multiple offense.
In 1997, he played in eleven games and completed 154 of 255 attempts for 1,760 yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions. In 1997, Cummings again entered the season atop the depth chart, selected by the new coaching staff over Mastrole because of his greater game experience. Vanderlinden said, "Brian Cummings is good enough for us to win with. Ken Mastrole will be." Wake Forest head coach Jim Caldwell said, "One of my favorite players to watch in the ACC is (Maryland's) Brian Cummings. He is a tough competitor. That first half he almost beat us by himself. He ran around, was elusive and tough to handle." Against Wake, Cummings recorded career-highs in completions (27) and attempts (47).
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. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a 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...
for the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1994 to 1997.
Early life
A native of Westchester CountyWestchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, Cummings attended the Iona Preparatory School
Iona Preparatory School
Iona Preparatory School is an all-boys National School of Excellence Catholic high school located in New Rochelle, NY in suburban Westchester County. Named for the Scottish island of Iona, the school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1916...
in New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
. He played as a quarterback on the football team which ran a run and shoot offense
Run and shoot offense
The run and shoot offense is an offensive system for American football which emphasizes receiver motion and on-the-fly adjustments of receivers' routes in response to different defenses...
. In October 1992, he led the Catholic High School Football League with eight touchdown passes. Maryland quarterback coach Rob Spence, who coached at Iona Prep in the 1980s, said many people told Cummings he was not fit for a Division I quarterback due to his size and height (5 ft, 11 in, 195 pounds). Maryland was the only major college football program to offer Cummings a scholarship. He was selected in the 50th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft
1993 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.-Compensation picks:-Other notable players:*Scott Rolen was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1993 amateur draft....
by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. His brother, Craig Cummings, played college football at Delaware.
College career
Cummings attended the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and played on the football team
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, which also employed the run-and-shoot under head coach Mark Duffner
Mark Duffner
-References:...
. As a freshman in 1994, he was third on the depth chart at quarterback and considered transferring to a small college or focusing on his baseball career. He saw action in six games, but did not attempt a pass. Cummings was responsible for running Maryland's short-yardage offense and he rushed 15× for 63 yards and four touchdowns. In the spring, Cummings played as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
on the baseball team
Maryland Terrapins baseball
The Maryland Terrapins baseball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college baseball competition. The Terrapins compete as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Historically, Maryland has not been a strong baseball program, and the...
, which he led in pitching wins. During the summer, he pitched for an All-American Amateur Baseball Association
All-American Amateur Baseball Association
The All-American Amateur Baseball Association was formed in 1944.-World Series:Sixteen teams participate in the AAABA World Series. The 66th annual AAABA World Series concluded on August 14, 2010, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The regionals were held in Altoona, Pennsylvania.-Hall of fame:The AAABA...
under-20 team, the Maryland Bombers. Cummings became the backup after Kevin Foley lost out on the starting position and transferred to Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
.
In 1995, he played in seven games and completed 98 of 166 pass attempts for 1,193 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. Before the season, Cummings was named the starter after senior Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich is a Canadian football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-Early years:...
received a four-game suspension for gambling. He led the Terrapins to a surprising 4–0 start after the team had been picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. Cummings was knocked out of the season opener against with a sprained ankle in the first quarter, and was replaced by Orlando Strozier. Cummings returned to start in a 32–18 upset over North Carolina
1995 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
-Schedule:-References:...
, and completed ten passes on 18 attempts for 180 yards despite his ankle injury.
Against , he threw for a career-high 299 yards. Wide receiver Jermaine Lewis
Jermaine Lewis
Jermaine Edward Lewis is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, who he played for until 2001...
said, ""Brian won the first four games and the team tends to really rally around him... I guess we tend to have a lot of confidence with him in there." Cummings suffered a broken toe on his right foot and bruised shoulder and Milanovich returned to his starting role after his suspension. Cummings saw no action in Maryland's fifth game, a 31–3 loss to , which knocked the team out of the Top 25 rankings. At Wake Forest, Cummings came off the bench in relief of Milanovich, who had struggled reading the blitz, and played the last 39 minutes. He completed 20 passes on 30 attempts for 222 yards. He led three drives that culminated in a field goal, touchdown, and a final series which used eight minutes of the game clock in the 9–6 victory. After the game, head coach Mark Duffner
Mark Duffner
-References:...
praised Cummings' play, but stopped shy of naming him the starter. Cummings started against Clemson and , but the offense struggled and Milanovich started the last three games, while Cummings nursed a sore shoulder. Duffner said of Cummings, "One of our kids said he's a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
playing quarterback. On a scramble
Quarterback scramble
A quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run in American football and Canadian football by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being tackled behind the line of...
, when he can slide to get down, he'll try to run over a kid for extra yards. We've still got to get some of that out of him, but you've got to love that toughness." Because he felt his arm needed the rest, Cummings did not play college or amateur baseball in 1996 for the first time since he was ten years old.
In 1996, he played in nine games and completed 92 of 173 attempts for 1,127 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions. With the graduation of Milanovich, Cummings became the uncontested starter backed up by redshirt freshman Ken Mastrole
Ken Mastrole
Ken Mastrole is an American former football player. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League , NFL Europe, and intercollegiate football at the University of Maryland and University of Rhode Island.-Early years:...
. Cummings suffered a concussion and separated shoulder when hit by three defenders. He returned to start at with a separated shoulder, but played poorly and reaggravated his injury. Against Wake Forest, Cummings played "a brilliant first half", but suffered another concussion. During halftime, he collapsed in the locker room. He was hospitalized and suffered a 24-hour bout of uncontrollable vomiting. Mastrole served as his replacement for two games until breaking his collarbone against . Keon Russell, a transfer from American International College
American International College
American International College is a private, co-educational liberal-arts college located in the Mason Square neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts.-History:...
who intended to switch to receiver, filled in as the quarterback. In the season finale against , Cummings was knocked down 19 times, including eight sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, and pulled himself from the game. Maryland finished the season with either zero or one touchdowns in seven of its last nine games, and Duffner was fired with a 20–35 record. He was replaced by Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden
Ron Vanderlinden is an American college football coach. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Penn State University. Vanderlinden previously served as the head coach at the University of Maryland from 1997 to 2000....
who installed a multiple offense.
In 1997, he played in eleven games and completed 154 of 255 attempts for 1,760 yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions. In 1997, Cummings again entered the season atop the depth chart, selected by the new coaching staff over Mastrole because of his greater game experience. Vanderlinden said, "Brian Cummings is good enough for us to win with. Ken Mastrole will be." Wake Forest head coach Jim Caldwell said, "One of my favorite players to watch in the ACC is (Maryland's) Brian Cummings. He is a tough competitor. That first half he almost beat us by himself. He ran around, was elusive and tough to handle." Against Wake, Cummings recorded career-highs in completions (27) and attempts (47).