Photo by Austin Carey for The Lafayette

Senior quarterback Dean DeNobile heads into Saturday with a 22-12 record as a starter.

Senior quarterback and two-time captain Dean DeNobile has picked apart Patriot League defenses from his first days at Lafayette College, but not always with his arms.

“We used to laugh and call him ‘Crazy Legs’ in the office,” head coach John Troxell said. “But then he’d just go out and make play after play.”

Facing a formidable 2022 Leopards defense as the walk-on scout team quarterback, DeNobile’s scrambling ability quickly earned him the witty nickname.

Nowadays, DeNobile is less “Crazy Legs” and more crazy accurate, leading the Leopards to the brink of their second Patriot League championship in three seasons as he heads into the home stretch of his career in Easton.

That path to the precipice was far from guaranteed, however. After committing to previous head coach John Garrett, DeNobile stuck with the Leopards even as it became apparent he would have to walk on.

He spent his first season buried fifth in the depth chart, but the setback only fueled his inner flame heading into the 2023 season. He bulked up and fully learned the playbook over the offseason, clawing his way up the depth chart on the strength of a strong spring camp.

“I made a pact with myself to be the best player I could possibly be,” DeNobile said.

Still, returning starter Ryan Schuster edged out DeNobile in a tight competition late in preseason, and he began the 2023 campaign in the QB2 spot, waiting for a chance to prove himself.

That’s when the dice of fate finally started rolling DeNobile’s way. Schuster went down with an injury during the season opener against Sacred Heart University, forcing DeNobile into action during the fourth quarter. Down 14-13, DeNobile churned out a gutsy 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to seal the game and the starting spot.

“Once he got the job, you just felt like he was the right guy for it,” offensive coordinator T.J. DiMuzio said. “He brought some moxie and demeanor to our team.”

He also brought results, as DeNobile threw for 20 touchdowns and added six on the ground as the Maroon and White went 9-3 en route to their first Patriot League championship and FCS playoffs appearance since 2013.

“It was magical,” DeNobile said. “The coaches and the players that season are something that I’ll remember the rest of my life.”

Lafayette looked poised for a deeper run, jumping out to a 28-7 lead against heavily-favored University of Delaware. Up 28-13 in the third quarter, however, DeNobile suffered a broken ankle and watched as the Blue Hens roared back to escape with a 36-34 win. 

Despite an intensive rehab effort, the injury’s effects lingered throughout 2024. DeNobile returned in time to open the season, but the captain’s performance dipped as the Leopards went 6-6. Channeling his frustration, DeNobile upped his preparation ahead of his senior season.

“He said, ‘This is not going to happen again,’” Troxell said. “He got in better shape than ever, he put more time into film study. He worked extremely, extremely hard.”

“He’s incredible, and he deserves everything he’s earned,” he added.

With a win on Sunday, DeNobile will become the second quarterback in program history to win multiple Patriot League championships, following Brad Maurer’s three-peat from 2004-06.

DeNobile’s time on College Hill may be concluding, but he might have another act in store. Patriot League rules prohibit redshirting and fifth-years, but DeNobile has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining to play as a graduate student. Until season’s end, though, Troxell knows his quarterback only has one thing on his mind.

“Just hoping he can go get us a couple more wins and leave on a high note,” Troxell said. “We’re all just focused week to week here.”