World War II hero General Omar Bradley said, “The greatness of a leader is measured by the achievements of the led. This is the ultimate test of his effectiveness.”
It takes a great leader to be a successful field general. The same goes for a quarterback — the field general in a sport where war metaphors are customary. Though he leads his troops in a milder competition, the core principles necessary for victory are no different.
Eli Cranor will keep this in mind as he takes command as the quarterback for the Ouachita Tigers next season, a squad vying for a conference championship.
Players and coaches alike have confidence in the junior English and political science double major from Russellville to effectively lead them on their campaign.
“At any position, but especially at quarterback you want somebody with character,” said Head Coach Todd Knight. “You could poll the whole football team, and I think every one of those guys would say Eli has character. That’s the guy you want to be your quarterback. A guy the team respects.”
Cranor, who transferred two years ago after a red-shirt year at Florida Atlantic University, earns that respect through initiative and a relentless work-ethic, which is something he applies towards every aspect of his life.
It shows in his grades and even his hobbies.
He has been on the dean’s list, has recorded three CDs featuring the guitar, ukulele and harmonica (as well as a rockin’ voice), wrote a play for the Ten-minute Play Festival and helped design Ouachita’s disc golf course.
It is also a work-ethic that enabled him to persevere through adversity.
When he arrived at Ouachita he backed up incumbent Lance Parker for two years.
“My first three years of college were tough,” Cranor said. “But I believe things happen for a reason, and I think I’ve become a better person. In a way, I’m glad I’ve had to work for my position; it lets me know that you have to work for things in life.”
However, there are some things he has not had to work for. Cranor has an innate ability to lead.
“Over the years I’ve thrown countless balls and run way too many sprints,” Cranor said, “but I’ve never had to do drills to work on my leadership skills. My leadership has come naturally.”
“He leads by example,” Knight said. “Guys that look up to him are going to play harder around him.”
Cranor credits his parents for his strength of character.
“My mom and dad are such a huge part of the person I am today,” Cranor said. “My dad is more like the coach, and my mom is the encourager. They are the perfect combination. I can’t even begin to thank them enough for loving me so unconditionally.”
His gratitude towards his dad is manifested in his hard work.
“My dad is my greatest mentor on and off the field,” Cranor said. “He worked with me growing up in every sport that I played. We would take a football to every vacation so I didn’t lose my edge. I try and live my life to his standards in all that I do.”
Football is a quarterback’s game. Without a good quarterback at the helm, a team can only hope and pray they have the best defense or the best punter in the league. The team relies on the quarterback like red relies on blue to make purple.
But for a natural-born leader like Eli, the responsibility is a welcome challenge.
“It is not just about having the best arm or being the most athletic,” Cranor said. “It’s more about being a leader and knowing what to do in every circumstance — something I am working on. A quarterback has to improve everyone around him and make them play to a higher level because of his leadership.”
Josh Langley knows Cranor’s talk is not cheap. The sophomore back-up quarterback, a transfer from Arkansas Tech, is with Cranor in meetings and at practice. The two signal-callers met in high school and roomed at camps and combines.
“Eli is a very aggressive competitor,” said Langley, whose team played Eli’s in the playoffs in high school. “His ability to know what is going on at every position is what stands out to me, and the fact that he is not afraid to ask questions when he needs to.”
Off the momentum of a solid spring football where he had the opportunity to establish himself, Cranor will continue to prepare all the way through August so he is ready to lead the team into battle.
There’s no doubt Cranor is a good leader. The question is if he is a great leader. It is up to the “led” to validate that fact.
“I try to do everything in my life to the best of my abilities,” Cranor said. “Football is no exception. The coaches and players are the same way. If we all keep working and build off of last season, next season should be something special.”
