All Wet
Yale 21 Columbia 3
Of all of Columbia's four losses this season, this one feels the worst. That's because the Lion could have easily won this game, and Yale has the refs and one bad pass by CU quarterback Craig Hormann to thank a lot more than any of their own players for their victory. And the worst part of this game was a tack-on TD Yale scored after calling timeout with six seconds left even though they already led 14-3 at the time.
I don't mean to take too much away from Yale. They were the better team today. But Columbia had a chance to beat them and it wasn't exactly the Elis that stopped them. Here's what did:
1) Leading 3-0 in the 2nd quarter, Columbia had just forced the Bulldogs into a tough 3rd and 10 situation after an incomplete pass. Or so it seemed. The ref threw a flag for a little push Lion defensive back Jo Jo Smith put on the Yale receiver as the ball sailed over his head. It was a penalty that never would be called in the NFL, Division IA, or most Pop Warner games. It gave Yale new life and the Elis scored their first touchdown moments later.
2) Trailing 7-3 late in the 3rd quarter, the Lions were marching the football into Yale territory when Columbia QB Craig Hormann threw a very ill-advised pass right to Eli defender Bobby Abare who ran it back for a 52-yard TD. At that point, the game was over.
3) In general, Columbia's offense is just punchless with Hormann at the helm. He takes too long to throw and he is too slow to run out of trouble let alone gain yardage on the ground. He could be a great part of a 1-2 punch with running Lion QB M.A. Olawale, but Olawale only got in on one play today.
The most annoying thing about the game was the way Yale worked so hard to run the score up at the end of the game. With 4th and goal at the one and six seconds left to play, Eli coach Jack Siedlecki CALLED A TIMEOUT, just so he could run one more play for a cosmetic, rub it in, touchdown. It was a classless move, and those who would argue that he was just trying to give his senior back-up tailback a chance to score his first touchdown need to get their heads out Pop Warner land. I have never seen a team call a timeout with less than ten seconds to play in order to score a meaningless touchdown. I didn't see any anger in Columbia Head Coach Norries Wilson's eyes over the final score, but there should have been.
Columbia MVP: Wide receiver Nick DeGasperis had a strong day with 97 yards receiving, and he made a big 42-yard catch and run to set up Columbia's only score.
More later...
posted by Jake @ 6:58:00 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
I sense a feeling of desperation in your words. It seems to be the same cycle of expectation followed by disappointment.
I am confused that after 7 games, the coaching staff seems to be running the same offense with the same people and getting, predictably, the same results which lead to the same results on the scoreboard.
It would be satisfying to see different personnel or a different set, if only to prove that it will achieve the same results.
By the way, Chad Musgrove's name is missing from the roster. I can only assume the worst.
While Horman does need to get the ball out quicker, the real problem is the running game. We need to have enough run game to use play action effectively for Horman. I don't know if its scheme or push but we need to improve to be successful. It only gets tougher as we finish the year. The coaching staff needs to stick with their best 11.
and how did Nick get all that yardage??? from a QB that threw him a ball today...
and how did Nick get all that yardage??? from a QB that threw him a ball today...
This is frustration, not desperation. I knew the game was lost when the refs made that wimpy call on Jo Jo Smith. Up to that point, the running game looked decent, especially on the draw plays.
Yes, Hormann made some nice passes to DeGasperis. I don't mean to pick on Craig unfairly, but I don't think he has enough tools to make Columbia's offense a winner right now. On almost any other Ivy team, he would be putting up better numbers.
As far as Musgrove's absence, I think it may be personal or suspension of some kind. He is very gung ho about playing, so I can't believe this is about quitting.
If you call 54 net yards rushing for a team for an entire game good, I guess you have an offensive powerhouse.
Also, according to the Participation Report, Columbia played a total of 13 defensive players in yesterday's game. If the rotating is over due to lack of players or for whatever reason, there is no wonder about that last drive. The defense had to be exhausted, which makes the last touchdown even more controversial.
"according to the Participation Report, Columbia played a total of 13 defensive players in yesterday's game."
Don't take that number to the bank. Ivy statisticians are notoriously lax about participation. That's usually corrected after the fact. I'd be shocked if the figure is correct.
I don't think there is a running game really. They'll run one play, then pass, pass, pass....It seems to me that Penn and Yale had much more of a balanced offense and thats what Columbia should do. Their quarterback just isn't that good to be relying so much on the passing game.
Are you telling me that one of the greatest univerities in the world can't count how many players played in a football game accurately? And if they can't, why would they report the numbers as fact?
Bottom Line: Ya can't win if ya can't score. Punchless is a good choice of words, Jake. Yardage gained, however little, is meaningless if the OFFENSE can't put the ball in the end zone. Listening to the game on radio, it seems that the team has a very serious problem on the left side of the O Line. There must be younger players on the team that can do no worse, so why not give them a chance? This lack of will to try someone new just baffles me.
all this criticism of the offense is silly. have none of you ever observed a new coaching situation in football? how many times does an entirely new staff come in and make a previously bottom feeding team a contender for the conference championship? almost never, if ever. patience is a virtue, stay patient with the offense and we will see a title come to CU in the next four years. this staff knows how to coach and they know how to recruit, so keep the faith. it may take some time, but it will be worth it.
From your mouth to God's ears. Obviously we're not expecting an offensive juggernaut in the first year, but it's just such a shame to see such great defensive efforts wasted. I agree with the earlier posters about how Hormann would be better if we could run more. But he's just not a guy who can be expected to throw 35 times a game and win it on his own.
Hormann has an arm like a cannon but not much "touch"; he locks into a receiver and doesn't see the field that well. He also makes bad decisions and isn't mobile. In short, he is like an NFL prototype pocket passer. He could be successful if he had more time and more of a running game. The interception was classic; he basically threw the ball to Abare. That one play, along with the absurd call on Smith, handed the game to Yale. And the cheap tack-on touchdown makes Jack look like a classless jerk. I hope he loses the rest of his games and gets routed by Harvard.
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