It was the trip of a lifetime.
For then Case Western Reserve quarterback Drew Saxton, a 2018 South Fayette graduate, his American football team’s trip to Rome, Italy, to play an exhibition game against an Italian club team, the Lazio Ducks, in May ended up meaning a little bit more.
“I had mentioned to him on the trip that you can do something like this,” Case Western coach Greg Debeljak recalled telling Saxton. “You’re going to be someone that they would want to talk to. I talked to the Italian team’s coach and he instantly went over there and started recruiting him.”
Saxton — who this fall wrapped up his final collegiate season at Case Western as second among active Division III players in touchdowns thrown, completions and passing yards — didn’t end up signing with Rome’s Lazio Ducks.
But the seed was planted for a return trip across the pond.
The 6-foot, 185-pound quarterback recently signed a contract to play professionally in Germany with the Hamburg Pioneers of the Regional Liga Nord.
“He’s our all-time leading passer, four-year starter, threw for over 10,000 yards,” Debeljak said. “I’ve coached a lot of really good quarterbacks and I think he’s my best as far as a pure passer and knowledge of the game. He had a great career for us.”
Saxton landed in Hamburg March 9 and has since been preparing for the Pioneers’ 10-game season, which begins in May.
“I don’t know how long this will last because you’re not going to make a living playing over there, but the experience is just incredible,” Debeljak said. “I was really happy when he decided to pursue it because he loves football, realized this isn’t going to last forever, but is a way to experience another country and experience living over there. I’m really happy he’s going to experience it.”
The transition to living in Germany has been mostly seamless.
In addition to his contract, the Pioneers provided Saxton with a three-bedroom apartment overlooking the team’s Hamburg practice facility.
Saxton said his new coaching staff and teammates have also gone to great lengths to ingratiate him with his new franchise and home city.
“It’s different,” Saxton said. “I’m definitely getting adjusted and still learning about just the culture. I think the one interesting thing about it is if there’s something that stayed constant it’s playing football.
“Football is football no matter where it is,” he added. “That’s the one thing I didn’t have to be adjusted to so that’s been nice. I’m learning a lot and experiencing a new culture so it’s been good. It’s definitely been different without a doubt.”
Excelling on the gridiron has never been an issue for Saxton.
After throwing for 7,453 yards in a career at South Fayette that saw him finish as one of the WPIAL’s top 10 all-time leading passers, Saxton matriculated to Case Western where he started as freshman.
“He came in as prepared to play college football as any quarterback I’ve ever coached and I’ve coached guys that have signed NFL contracts, played in Canada, played in Europe, so he was special in that regard,” Debeljak said. “The coaches at South Fayette did a great job of coaching him up.
“He’s probably the nicest kid I’ve ever coached in a position you get guys at quarterback, you get some guys that have pretty big egos and are kind of full of themselves, and he was the nicest kid I’ve ever coached.”
In 40 games at Case Western, Saxton completed 62.3% of his passes for 10,844 yards, 96 touchdowns and 43 interceptions. He averaged 271.1 yards passing per game.
“It’s obviously such a fantastic accomplishment to achieve that and be an all-time leader and whatever,” Saxton said. “It’s not really what I remember. What I remember is hanging out with my friends, all those times we had together in camp and stuff, maybe not even being on the football field and stuff, just hanging around having fun.
“Going to Case Western was one of the best decisions I ever made. I Just met so many amazing people and so made many good connections and learned so much about football, myself, life.”
And, now in Germany, Saxton said he’s looking forward to making more of those connections.
“When I initially came over here, I landed on Thursday and we actually had practice that night and I kind of just chilled and was at practice and just watched them,” Saxton said. “I was so impressed with the level of football that it was. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was impressed with everyone, everyone knows their stuff.”
In addition to functioning as Hamburg’s starting quarterback, Saxton will be expected to function as an on-field coach, bringing his perspective as one of Division III’s top quarterbacks ever to a new continent.
“It was really not a tough transition at all,” Saxton said. “They weren’t scared to coach me and talk me up. One of those things I enjoyed that first day, the guys were messing with me. Just the way I reacted to it, I wasn’t going to sit there in silence. I shot some stuff back at them, made fun of them, poked fun of them. It was nice. You can tell all the guys are friends, and enjoy being around each other.”
And he is enjoying the experience as well.
“I’m pretty laid back,” Saxton said. “I can get along with a lot of people. It’s just so cool to have that friendship with these guys and build that. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but they are all such nice guys, very caring and looking out for me. The first few weeks have been amazing.”
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.