QB Man's Best Friend

Wade Fletcher '05, gave it a shot with the N.Y. Giants


**Note, the following musings about the tight end position in 2008 are just that, musings. They are not a projected depth chart. They are not "rankings." They are just my thoughts, for what they are worth. But all the names have not been changed to protect the innocent. That would be too hard.


I've always thought that the quarterback's best friend was a good tight end. He's a guy who can block and catch a pass, and is generally the tallest guy on the field. What could be better?

And for a new starting quarterback, which Columbia will have this season, a reliable tight end is really a must.

Last year's opening day starter at TE, Troy Evangelist, is no longer on the roster. I always thought he had great potential at 6"6, but he battled injuries through much of the last two years. Perhaps he will return to the roster at some point and we certainly wish him the best of luck regardless.

I liked what I saw from Andrew Kennedy last year at tight end. Though just a freshmen, he showed he has a lot of fight in him. He was better known as a defensive lineman at Staples High School in Connecticut, (same school as Lion basketball/baseball star John Baumann), and I was surprised to see him get into the very first game against Fordham as a freshman last year. If Nico Gutierrez comes back healthy, Kennedy, Gutierrez and Austin Knowlin could make up an all-Nutmeg State receiving corps.

Another sophomore Clif Pope has pretty good size at 6"4, but we didn't see him too much on the field last season. 6"3 senior Cody Steele brings good experience to the position and he may be an invaluable source when it comes to helping the two incoming freshmen tight ends get their feet wet.

Rafael Lopez is already a bit of a celebrity, after that great write-up about his hard-working parents in the L.A. Daily News. But there is another freshman, Tucker Cain, who might have some good luck on his side because he too comes from Connecticut.

Columbia surely has been blessed with some great tight ends over the last 30 years. The last great one was Wade Fletcher '05, who absolutely tore up the competition all of 2003... and when he was healthy in 2004.

Brian Bassett was amazing in the mid 1990's and even was a third-team All American in 1994.

Dan Upperco led the team in receptions in 1984.

There have been many others.

Here's hoping the name Kennedy, Steele, Pope, Cain, or Lopez will join them soom.


Game of the Day (Day 44)

September 18, 1994


Harvard 39 Columbia 32



One of Brian Bassett's best days was a thrilling loss to Harvard on opening day in 1994.

An 85-degree heat greated the players and fans at Wien Stadium that day, and then the two teams proceeded to burn up the scoreboard.

Harvard looked like it was going to dominate in Head Coach Tim Murphy's first game at the helm. When Eion Hu scored on a three-yard run early in the third quarter to make it 28-10 Crimson, it looked over.

It was 31-10 before Columbia started to fight back. A Marcellus Wiley touchdown and a two-point conversion was followed by a Jamie Schwalbe 15-yard TD pass to Bassett to make it 31-25.

Then Harvard fumbled the ball away at their own 33 late in the fourth quarter, and Wiley took it in on a short run to give the Lions the 32-31 lead with 4:55 to play, (of course Wiley was flagged for an excessive celebration penalty, making the PAT a 35-yard attempt!).

Harvard broke the Lions' fans hearts with a brilliant drive in those final minutes to pull out the win, but most of the football experts in the stands knew something was different about this Columbia team.

Bassett finished the game with eight catches, 101 yards and a touchdown. He would go on to lead the Lions to their first winning season in 23 years.