When Mike Rescigno committed to Cortland, he understood all that came along with being the Red Dragons starting quarterback. Especially considering that he announced his commitment the night before the 2023 national championship game. He also understood that he had to wait his turn, since All-American quarterback Zac Boyes was returning for his senior year. This meant that Rescigno would find himself in a backup role for the first time since his sophomore year of high school. While this can be frustrating for young quarterbacks, for Mike, it was the opposite. “I saw it as an opportunity to grow, and I was excited that the guy I was going to be behind was Zac,” said Rescigno.
It was this attitude that made his transition to college football much easier. Despite not seeing the field his first year, he spent it learning and developing, while also building a rapport with his teammates and coaches. “It ended up being the best-case scenario for me.” With a wide-open quarterback competition, a year of development under his belt, and a full offseason ahead of him, Rescigno was expected to take the next step come spring ball. “I may have been expected to be the guy, but we had a very talented quarterback room, and I hadn’t accomplished anything yet, so I knew I needed to work.”
It hadn’t even been three weeks into the offseason when the Cortland football program was flipped on its head. Former Head Coach Curt Fitzpatrick announced that he would be stepping down and taking the same position at Colgate University. The move was followed by several other coaching departures, leaving just three members from last season’s staff. “It was a bummer, but I saw it as an exciting time for Cortland football, since it would be a new head coach, a new offense, and an opportunity for guys to make a name for themselves,” said Rescigno.
In February, Cortland hired Tom Blumenauer, the former head coach at Franklin & Marshall. Blumenauer is an offense-minded coach with a scheme centered around the run-pass option and tailored to dual-threat quarterbacks. “I found out right away that his coaching style was going to match my play type,” said Rescigno. That was obvious almost immediately, as Rescigno’s ability to make plays with his legs makes him extremely dynamic. This played a crucial role in Rescigno eventually being named the starter during fall camp.
Rescigno’s first career start would come in a ranked matchup against perennial power, Grove City. “I was excited for it and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, especially against an opponent like Grove City,” Rescigno recalls. With plenty of outside noise and unanswered questions, Rescigno took the field that afternoon with all eyes on Grady Field. “Coming into the game, I felt super dialed in and was trying to treat it like any other game, just really excited for the opportunity.”
It didn’t take him long to introduce himself, and he did so loudly. Rescigno led a four-play, 79-yard scoring drive on the Red Dragon’s first possession. Highlighted by a 28-yard scramble and a 41-yard completion, before calling his own number and punching it in from five yards out. His touchdown sent the Cortland faithful into a frenzy. The early statement proved that Cortland wasn’t rebuilding, they were reloading…or so we thought.
The excitement was short-lived as the Cortland offense stalled in the second quarter. Following consecutive three-and-outs, Rescigno’s first pass on the next possession was picked off by a Grove City defender. The southpaw was able to bounce back, finding the endzone a few drives later to tie the game. A fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff put the Red Dragon offense in position to take the lead before the break.
Instead, Rescigno was again picked off, this time on a deflected pass in the back of the endzone. “As the game went on, I felt really confident in the team and myself, but once things went south, I just wasn’t able to bounce back.” The Wolverine defense would intercept Rescigno three more times in the second half, including a pick-six on the opening drive, which proved to be the difference. A game that was shaping up to be a memorable start to the sophomores’ career turned into a performance that he would rather forget.
What fans saw that day was a young quarterback who made mistakes that inexperienced quarterbacks make. What they didn’t see, however, was a young quarterback who handled it like a veteran. Whether the drive ended in a touchdown, a punt, or a turnover, Rescigno’s attitude remained the same all game long. He took responsibility for his own mistakes and picked up teammates after theirs. It’s actions like these that have earned him the respect and trust of his teammates. “After the game, I told him that he is a playmaker and that he can’t stop playing his game,” said senior offensive lineman Jake Hromada.
Rescigno credits this trust for allowing him to move forward confidently. “Knowing that I have my team behind me and that I have people worth playing for, motivates me to bounce back,” said Rescigno. And bounce back he has. Since the week one loss, Rescigno has helped Cortland to four consecutive victories, throwing for 550 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for 533 yards and six scores on the ground. His best performance came in a win over Morrisville two weeks ago. Rescigno rushed for 141 yards and threw four touchdowns in the win, earning him Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week. “I’m super proud of the growth Mike has shown. There’s so much more in store for him this season,” said Hromada.
Cortland heads into the bye with a 4-1 record and sits atop the conference standings. The Red Dragons are rolling, and Rescigno’s improved play is one of the main reasons why. “The biggest learning point is that the sun will rise tomorrow, and it’s up to me to respond or not, and the best thing about sports is that you always have the opportunity to pick up the phone and answer the call,” said Rescigno.