Dan Whalen (quarterback)
Encyclopedia
Dan Whalen is an American football
player from Willoughby, Ohio
who played quarterback
for the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League
.
at Willoughby South High School. He only started one year, leading the Rebels to a 10-0 regular season while throwing for over 2,500 yards, 27 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. In a first round playoff game against Olmsted Falls High School, Whalen threw for 356 yards and 5 touchdowns while only playing in the first half of a 49-10 win.
under head coach Greg Debeljak. He was a four-year starter at Case throwing for 9,720 yards, with 742 completions from 1,229 attempts, and with 87 touchdowns, and graduated in 2009 as the school's all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdown passes. Whalen was named a first team All-American his senior season by the American Football Coaches Association
(AFCA) and d3football.com. Dan was also a two-time finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy
(Division III Player of the Year) and named University Athletic Association
(UAA) Offensive Player of the Year three times. While the staring quarterback, Whalen led Case to 31 consecutive regular season wins, three straight perfect regular seasons, three straight UAA titles, and three straight NCAA postseasons. Dan also played punter in college.
Dan played in parts of six games for the Gladiators in the 2011 season
, leading two come from behind wins and scoring 8 total touchdowns.
Midway through the season, Whalen decided to leave the team to pursue his career as a writer. He was reassigned on June 6th, 2011.
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 from Willoughby, Ohio
Willoughby, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,621 people, 10,265 households, and 5,892 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,225.3 people per square mile . There were 10,700 housing units at an average density of 1,052.6 per square mile...
who played 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 Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
.
High school career
Dan played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Willoughby South High School. He only started one year, leading the Rebels to a 10-0 regular season while throwing for over 2,500 yards, 27 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. In a first round playoff game against Olmsted Falls High School, Whalen threw for 356 yards and 5 touchdowns while only playing in the first half of a 49-10 win.
College career
Dan played at Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
under head coach Greg Debeljak. He was a four-year starter at Case throwing for 9,720 yards, with 742 completions from 1,229 attempts, and with 87 touchdowns, and graduated in 2009 as the school's all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdown passes. Whalen was named a first team All-American his senior season by the American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
(AFCA) and d3football.com. Dan was also a two-time finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy
Gagliardi Trophy
The Gagliardi Trophy was first presented in 1993 to the Outstanding Division III college football player of the year by the Jostens Company and the J-Club of Saint John's University in Minnesota...
(Division III Player of the Year) and named University Athletic Association
University Athletic Association
The University Athletic Association is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Member teams are located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York...
(UAA) Offensive Player of the Year three times. While the staring quarterback, Whalen led Case to 31 consecutive regular season wins, three straight perfect regular seasons, three straight UAA titles, and three straight NCAA postseasons. Dan also played punter in college.
Cleveland Gladiators
Dan was assigned (added to the roster) to the Cleveland Gladiators on Feb. 2, 2011 and removed from the Gladiator's roster on March 13, 2011. Whalen then returned to the roster two weeks later on March 25, 2011.Dan played in parts of six games for the Gladiators in the 2011 season
2011 Cleveland Gladiators season
The 2011 Cleveland Gladiators season was the twelfth season for the franchise in the Arena Football League, and the third while in Cleveland. The team was coached by Steve Thonn and played their home games at Quicken Loans Arena. The Gladiators finished the regular seaosn 10–8, and qualified for...
, leading two come from behind wins and scoring 8 total touchdowns.
Midway through the season, Whalen decided to leave the team to pursue his career as a writer. He was reassigned on June 6th, 2011.