By the numbers
Both Cassel and Mustain wear No. 16.
Updated 2008-11-21 07:01
Cassel giving hope to backups everywhere
Study in persistence gives spark to USC backup
Matt Cassel’s story has inspired backup quarterbacks across the country.
Cassel, who took over the Patriots’ starting job after Tom Brady went down in the season opener, has grown into the starters’ role, and has New England poised for a playoff run. Backup quarterbacks everywhere have taken notice of Cassel’s performance as evidence that hard work and persistence will eventually pay off — literally. (Cassel is a free agent at the end of the year, and will get a serious salary bump over the offseason.)
Those admirers include the No. 2 quarterback at Cassel’s alma mater USC, Mitch Mustain. Mustain has been sitting behind starter Mark Sanchez for the bulk of the season, and recently told The Los Angeles Times he’s been impressed at what Cassel has been able to do.
“It’s nice to see a guy who’s gone in and put the work in and delivered when he finally got his break,” said Mustain, who has been second on the USC depth chart behind Sanchez since the Trojans’ Oct. 4 game against Oregon.
“He’s struggled and been dogged here and there, but he’s had his chance and done pretty well,” added Mustain, who has played in six games, completing 10 of 14 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think for any backup anywhere, my story is one that gives inspiration and gives promise to some of those guys that are fighting for a position,” Cassel said Thursday when asked about Mustain’s comments. “Just continue to work hard, continue to put your best foot forward each and every day, and quite possibly, your dreams will come true.”
Cassel and Mustain have plenty in common: at USC, Cassel sat behind a pair of top-flight quarterbacks in Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. While Cassel sat, Palmer and Leinart went on to each win Heismans. Recalling the situation on Thursday morning, Cassel said that he had no issues sitting behind the older Palmer — Cassel referred to himself as Palmer’s collegiate “understudy” — but the relationship with Leinart was a little different.
“When Matt came in, it was more of a collaboration because I was the older guy and maybe knew more of the offense when he first got there,” Cassel said.”
Both Palmer and Leinart hit the NFL with great fanfare, and each got a fat new deal as a first-round pick, while Cassel was an unheralded seventh-round selection by the Patriots. But now, both Palmer and Leinart are on the bench — Cincinnati’s Palmer because of injury and Arizona’s Leinart because he’s stuck as a backup behind Kurt Warner — and Cassel has his team poised on the verge of a playoff spot.
Cassel says he doesn’t dwell on any irony.
“I don’t think too much about it,” he said. “Those guys have earned their way. They were great college players and they are great professional players. I have a lot of respect for them. I am just happy that I have an opportunity to play now, and we are able to talk about those kinds of things.”