Game Reset
Cornell's Jesse Baker's big catch won it for the Big Red (CREDIT: Cornell Athletics)
As we analyze, and likely overanalyze, the Columbia Lions season so far, there are a couple of big stories we shouldn't let go unmentioned at this still-early point in the season:
1) We have wide open race in the Ivies this year as not only have supposed league powers Harvard and Yale both already lost Ivy games, they frankly haven't looked all that great in the games they've won as well. I'm not saying Columbia is going to win the championship, but it does seem like the Lions and everyone else is still in the race.
2) Cornell is impressing the heck out of me with their 3-0 record and the heart-stopping way they're winning those games. It gets very tough this week with a road game at Harvard, but the Big Red can certainly feel confident that they'll at least make it a game.
3) Drew Quinn has extended his league lead in total tackles. He now is in 1st place by 10 tackles! Alex Gross is now in third place.
4) Ivy football makes its debut on the VERSUS network with that Cornell at Harvard game at noon this Saturday. Make sure to tune in or better yet DVR it, (because you will be at the Columbia-Lafayette game, right?), and patronize the advertisers.
5) AND KEEP THE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR MIKE STEPHENS COMING! I love how the Lion fans are commenting here about how he had a great overall game and doesn't deserve the blame for the loss versus Princeton. I know a lot of the fans are feeling down, but we're not down on these players and we need to let them know somehow.
posted by Jake @ 1:08:00 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Great posting Jake. Mike Stephens is only a sophomore. If he is reading this, I hope that he realizes that he has a lot of fans out there. He has a great future in front of him; as does this fine young group of players and their dedicated coaching staff. I expect to see us play a great game against Lafayette and come away with a W.
If Stephens hadn't been hit hard enough to fumble, the Lions would have been about 32 yards from the end zone. So, he hardly lost the game for Col. Watching him on Sat. makes me believe he's an outstanding receiver who'll help win many games.
All of the words of encouragement I've read on this blog are nice but at the end of the day, the Lion faithful want a win. Period.
This team needs to find a way to win. Just win. Period.
Some interesting Ivy league stats:
Columbia Offense:
#1 pass efficiency
#1 red zone offense
#1 rushing offense
Defense:
#1 tackles - Quinn - but-
#8 pass efficiency defense - teams completing 70.9% against us. Why?
Doesnt look like it is due to lack of pressure - we have 4 total sacks, 2nd place has 6, first has
8. You can't tell me that with about one more sack a game the numbers would look that much better. Would like to see numbers on hurried throws. It looks to me it may be more a coverage or scheme issue. ?short passes to vulnerable areas?
All the pieces are there. Keep plugging away - good things will happen!
I am so proud of this team. Week in and week out they work their tales off to be a winning team, and as just one fan, I want to say thank you and tell them to keep up the hard work. I see it is paying off! A senior alumni behind me said of this game, it was the most excitement she has seen in the stadium in 20 years! Players like Mike Stephens are a part of the creation of that excitement, and I hope they all hold their heads high and keep up the work. We have faith in you!!!! Go lions!
Overall, I thought we were better on offense than Princeton, but their two long pass plays to Peacock killed us. Knowlin and Stephens have very good speed, but we obviously need a third speedster with breakaway skills. I was hoping to see Zack Kourouma on the field more often after his 56 yard TD against Towson. What about A.J. Maddox and M.A. Olawale? What is the status of Nico Gutierrez, Josh Williams and Donnie Miller?
Why does this team not have captains? (I have never played on a football team that did not have dedicated captains...new game captains every week does not equate to the same thing)
After three close losses, isn't this the time when the leadership of the captains would help steer the ship in the right direction? Who (which players) does this coaching staff turn to for leadership? Who (which players) do the players look to for leadership? Who gets in players faces to try and fire them up?
We need a win!
My own thought (as a Columbia football fan, I'm naturally used to settling for less) re that drive in the late fourth quarter was that we were going to at least get a field goal and send the same into overtime. An outright win would have severely tested the Lord's unseemly favoritism at that point, I was sure.
No, there should be no ganging up on Stephens. These things happen, the guy is only a sophomore, etc.
But as the color guys on Fox and ESPN also always note about similar plays in the NFL, these are also the sorts of balls you absolutely have to hang on to. (And someone's remark about how hard he was hit by way of semi-absolution is a bit silly. What would you expect from a defender other than to hit Stephens as hard as possible on the play?)
Anyhow, now it's on to Lafayette. We're playing well. We're showing gumption, spirit and skill. But we also have to try harder to hold on to balls like the one thrown to Stephens. Unfortunately, however many wins we do pick up this season (and I'm positive we'll get them), NONE will offer the emotional lift that a defeat of Princton always does. That's the real rub here.
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