Roster of Heroes
Rory Wilfork was a 3-time 1st teamer
A reader has asked just how many Columbia players have made 1st Team All Ivy over the past 25 years.
You ask, I, (always at least try to), deliver.
Columbia Football 1st Team All-Ivy (1984-2008)
1984
Dan Upperco, TE
Len Genova, OG
1985
NONE
1986
NONE
1987
Matt Sodl, DL
1988
NONE
1989
Matt Less, TE
Bart Barnett, LB
1990
Gary Comstock, WR
Bruce Mayhew, QB
Galen Snyder, LB
1991
Tom Boccafola, K
Des Werthman, LB
1992
Sean Nichols, DL
Des Werthman, LB
1993
Sean Nichols, DL
1994
Brian Bassett, TE
Tony Petras, OL
Craig Valentine, OL
Jamie Schwalbe, QB
Eric Keck, DL
Marcellus Wiley, DL
Rory Wilfork, LB
1995
Craig Valentine, OL
Rory Wilfork, LB
1996
Marcellus Wiley, DL
Rory Wilfork, LB
Roy Hanks, DB
1997
Bert Bondi, TE
Roy Hanks, DB
1998
Kirby Mack, FB
Rashaan Curry, DE
Paul Roland, LB
Chris Tillotson, FS
1999
NONE
2000
Johnathan Reese, RB
Kirby Mack, LB
Philip Murray, FS
2001
NONE
2002
Philip Murray, FS
2003
Nick Rudd, P
2004
Wade Fletcher, DE
Michael Quarshie, DL
2005
NONE
2006
Matt Barsamian, OL
Tad Crawford, DB
2007
Austin Knowlin, WR
2008
Lou Miller, DL
Alex Gross, LB
TOTAL NUMBER OF 1st TEAM ALL IVY PLAYERS, 1984-2008: 43
BEST YEAR: 1994 (7 PLAYERS NAMED)
YEARS WITH NO PLAYERS NAMED: 6, (1985, 1986, 1988, 1999, 2001, 2005)
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: 15
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: 26
SPECIAL TEAMERS: 2
PLAYERS NAMED MORE THAN ONCE:
Des Werthman, 1991, 1992
Sean Nichols, 1992, 1993
Craig Valentine, 1994, 1995
Rory Wilfork, 1994, 1995, 1996 *(ONLY 3-TIME WINNER)
Marcellus Wiley, 1994, 1996
Roy Hanks, 1996, 1997
Kirby Mack, 1998, 2000 *(ONLY PLAYER TO BE RECOGNIZED AT 2 DIFFERENT POSITIONS)
Philip Murray, 2000, 2002
There are some interesting trends to note in this list. One thing that stands out is the much smaller number of offensive players named. Offensive players on successful teams in the Ivies tend to stand out in the coaches', (who do the voting), minds. That's especially true of starting quarterbacks.
For Columbia, the Lions have had just two 1st Team QB's. One was Bruce Mayhew, whose achievement is even more remarkable because he did it on a 1-9 Columbia team.
The only running back named in this 25-year period has been Johnathan Reese, but he too was named to the 1st team despite being on a 3-7 Lion team in 2000 that only went 1-6 in the Ivies.
It does appear that while defense wins championships, the teams that win championships are usually chock full of All Ivy offensive stars at the skill positions.
Rory Wilfork's 3-time 1st Team achievement looks better and better every year. I thought that Austin Knowlin had a great shot of matching it, but he will just have to hope for a 2-time appearance now.
The 5-4-1 1994 team that went 3-4 in the Ivies was the best represented on the 1st Team with 7 players. So it's strange that the 1996 team that went 8-2 and 5-2 in the Ivies only had three players on the 1st Team. I think the reason may be the very large number of close wins Columbia earned that year and the surprisingly weak offense that often relied on defensive scores to prop it up.
Of course, awards and honors are great. But we'd all rather celebrate an Ivy League championship season with no 1st Team All Ivy players than a second place season with 10 first-teamers.
3 Comments:
Amazing compilation, Jake, thanks.
Excellent analysis Jake.
BTW...I'd be curious who out there thinks the school to go back to the uniforms and the look from the Rory Wilfork picture.
I think the futuristic look that the uni's currently have are weak at best.
CU '88 #2
Absolutely agree re the uniforms. These are the worst I have seen in last 25 yrs. Heard comments at every away game I went to as well from non CU folks.The C on the helmet isn't bad but the color scheme on jerseys/pants is awful.
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