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WAHOO -- The situation wasn't at all what Dylan McGill had envisioned.

The senior at Bishop Neumann had high hopes after throwing for nearly 2,500 yards his first two years as the starting quarterback for the Cavaliers.

But on his first pass attempt of the 2009 season, in the season opener at Boys Town, McGill's arm was hit.

"It was probably the worst pain I've ever felt right when it happened. I thought it was just one of those sharp hits and I could shake it out," he said. "But later, it didn't feel right and it didn't feel like bruising. I knew something was wrong."

McGill suffered a 75 percent tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. His passing arm. His pitching arm.

"I haven't ruled out college football, but I'll probably want to play college baseball," said McGill, who pitched for Wahoo's American Legion team.

McGill sat out the next two games before making an appearance on defense in the Cavaliers' first win of the season. The following week, against crosstown rival Wahoo, he started at quarterback. He's played in every game since, rushing for 423 yards and four touchdowns.

He still can't pass with the bulky brace that goes from his mid-biceps to his mid-forearm.

"The throwing motion is a problem, but nothing else as far as the handing off and running the team and even as far as the pitches in the option causes a problem," said Neumann coach Tim Turman. "He's not limited in mobility, so we figured let's let him do what he does best. Let's let him run the option. We've gotten away with it to this point."

The Cavaliers won their last five regular-season games to earn a spot in the Class C-1 playoffs. Neumann will host Falls City today at 6 p.m.

"This is new in my career," said Turman, who has been the Cavaliers' head coach for 29 years. "Now our passing game is kind of like a full-time halfback pass."

Travis Ahrens, a sophomore who took over when McGill was injured, handles the passing and does some running.

"We're trying to do it in a way where we have both of them in the backfield at the same time so at least defenses can't just tee off when the ball is snapped.

"I just felt handcuffed if just Dylan was in there and he was at a disadvantage, too, trying to run the option when everybody knows what's coming."

Sometimes McGill is at quarterback with Ahrens lining up at I-back and other times, they switch.

"I don't like being out, but against Milford in the second half, having Travis in there was a benefit because they couldn't completely sell out," said McGill, who had an interception late in the game from his outside linebacker position. "When he's in there, I can still run quarterback, but teams have to respect that we can throw. It keeps them more honest."

McGill and his family considered whether to go ahead with surgery immediately or delay it.

"Standing on the sideline was horrible. It looked like no more football this year, no basketball and next summer, baseball was probably not going to happen," McGill said. "That would mean no more playing with classmates you've grown up with. That was the main part of coming back, to try to help them win some more games and have some fun while doing it.

"Before, it was just football. I don't think you realize how much you're going to miss something or how much fun it was until you're out for a while."

McGill made the decision to play when his surgeon, Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., said he couldn't do more damage. Surgery is scheduled for Dec. 1.

"Brian Duensing had this, too," McGill said of the former Millard South and Nebraska standout who pitched for the Minnesota Twins the last half of this season. "He let it heal on its own, but when he came back, it tore and he had to have the surgery.

"It's the Tommy John surgery I'll be having. They take the ligament out and use a tendon from my forearm. The tendon is stronger than a ligament, so it basically makes your arm younger."

Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at rhambleton@journalstar.com or 473-7314.

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