New Blog on the Block

Brown Stadium

A Brown parent has fired up a fan site for all things Brown football called the Brown Bear Blogger.

I welcome a new online source for info on one of our rivals and I know all the readers here will check in regularly.

Speaking of welcome news, it was great to learn that Lion sack legend Lou Miller '10 earned All Ivy Honorable Mention honors for wrestling.

This seals Miller's legacy as one of the greatest all-around athletes in Columbia history.

You Knew Connie

Connie Maniatty


We're just a week away from the memorial service celebrating Connie Maniatty, a patron saint of the Columbia football program who passed away earlier this year.

I plan to attend the event which I expect will be filled with speakers talking about Maniatty's generosity and determination on behalf of the Lions.

Most of you reading this probably didn't know who Connie Maniatty was... but let me clarify that.

If you've enjoyed any aspect of Columbia football for the last five decades, then you knew Connie Maniatty.

If you've enjoyed Wien Stadium and how the building of that facility really ensured the future of football at Columbia, then you knew Connie Maniatty.

If you've been impressed by the many amazing things so many Columbia football players have achieved AFTER their playing days, then you knew Connie Maniatty.


(And of course, there's something special about all the guys who played for the legendary coach Lou Little.)






Kicked to the Curb?

Incoming freshman kicker Tyler Feely may not be in the same city as his famous older brother Jay after all. The Jets have signed former Cowboys kicker Nick Folk, but the elder Feely says he still hopes to be a Jet in the fall.

Aggressive on the Field, Aggressive at the Bar

Barry Sorrels tiday


If you think playing football at Columbia in the 1970's was tough, try defending an accused murderer in a Texas courtroom.

Barry Sorrels '75, has done both... successfully.

Sorrels came to Columbia in 1971 from Dallas, Texas and starred that season on the freshmen team by leading the squad in interceptions. He spent the next couple of seasons bouncing back and forth from secondary to fullback, before finally settling in at safety on the varsity. He was never bigger than 5-10 and 175 lbs. in his playing days.

Columbia only went 1-8 in Sorrels' senior season of 1974, but his three interceptions, dozens of hard hits, and perhaps his impressive man of long hair earned him a spot on the All Ivy 1st Team. He was not only the only Lion on the 1st Team that year, he was the only Lion on EITHER the 1st or 2nd Team! (offensive linemen George Tomasek and Dwight Valentine made honorable mention).

After graduation, Sorrels returned to Dallas to attend SMU law school and launch what has become a legendary legal career in Texas.

Among other things, Sorrels has tried more than 300 federal and state trials throughout Texas and other states. He has won acquittals on charges ranging from federal fraud to first degree murder.

Sorrels appears regularly on TV as legal expert.

I know, I know... some of you may be asking why a guy like me is lauding a trial lawyer. Well besides the fact that he's a Columbia football great, he's a fine example of how Ivy League football produces future leaders and hard chargers for decades after the playing days are over.

Aerial Retreat?

Austin Knowlin (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)


Taylor Joseph



It's not often that two team leaders emerge at the same position.

But that's what happened over the last four seasons as superstar WR Austin Knowlin and steady, gutty WR Taylor Joseph made their impact on the Lion football team.

Now both of them are graduating, and you can forgive a lot of Columbia fans for feeling a little panicky about the wide receiving corps, (and the "p" is silent, Mr. President! Sorry, private joke), for 2010.

The remaining leader at this position is rising senior Mike Stephens, who had a solid season and almost completely duplicated his '08 stats despite playing one fewer game in '09. Stephens is more than just his stats though, as he improved his elusiveness this past year and made more of an overall impact on the team.

The second most experienced returning receiver is another senior, Nico Gutierrez, who got back onto the field more in 2009, but it's not clear if he has fully recovered from an ACL tear in the final game of 2007. Lion fans still long for a return to the 29-catch 372-yard numbers he posted that freshmen year. If Nico can come back to that level, it would be like a secret weapon unleashed on Columbia's foes this year.

Rising juniors Mike Muston and James Burrell have to be in the mix here as well, but they just don't have the kind of stats to judge what they might be able to add to the picture.

As for the younger guys, I've heard great things about rising sophomore Price Pinkerton's talents, but can he be molded into a controllable weapon on the field? I like the size Ian Cummins and Michael Williamson bring to the table, but we just haven't seen enough of them on the field.

The incoming freshmen are always an x-factor.

And if anyone is just thinking about throwing up their hands and saying that the Lions should just eliminate most of our pass plays and focus solely on the run, consider this:

The top two QB's on the final 2009 depth chart are dynamite passers with great arms.

Sean Brackett's arm strength absolutely stunned me when he broke onto the field the first time and started in the Yale game.

Jerry Bell is a pure pocket passer with deadly aim.

And rising senior QB Paul Havas has great speed as a runner, but can throw too.

It would be a shame to to run some kind of single-flanker offense next season without fully exploring what Brackett, Bell or whoever else goes under center can give us through the air.

With Knowlin and Joseph's graduation, our Ivy opponents are sure to be looking to cheat a little off the pass coverage in 2010. That could provide an opportunity for the offense.

2010 Schedule Released!

Wien Stadium... now with 20% more home games for 2010!


We have some interesting changes to the schedule, including our Homecoming opponent.

Here is the actual list of opponents and dates. We have no official start times as of yet:



Sept. 18 FORDHAM

Sept. 25 TOWSON

Oct. 2 PRINCETON*

Oct. 9 LAFAYETTE

Oct. 16 at Penn*

Oct. 23 DARTMOUTH* (HOMECOMING)

Oct. 30 at Yale*

Nov. 6 at Harvard*

Nov. 13 CORNELL*

Nov. 20 at Brown*


Here are the highlights:


1) There will be six home games this season, including four straight to start the year. That was the same way the schedule shook out in 2006, the best year of the past decade for Lion football. That said, the 2006 schedule included relative cupcakes Georgetown and Iona in that four game homestand to start the season. This time around, Towson and Lafayette round out that group that includes newly scholarship-enabled Fordham and Ivy rival Princeton. It's going to be a very exciting first month of football at Wien Stadium in 2010!

2) Princeton has been Columbia's Homecoming opponent in even numbered years every year since 2002... but not anymore. Dartmouth is the Homecoming game this coming season for the first time since 2000. Incidentally, 2000 was the last year the Lions won on Homecoming. Dartmouth has scheduled Columbia for it's Homecoming games every odd-numbered year since 2005.

3) As I posted earlier this month, Towson will be the week two out-of-league opponent. Columbia lost a heartbreaker to the Tigers in Maryland in 2008 and last played Towson at home in 1999... a 28-13 Lion victory.


4) Yom Kippur plays a role again, unfortunately. The Sept. 18th opener against Fordham is on that key Jewish holiday. However, it does end at sundown in case anyone wants to schedule this as a night game... (nod, nod, wink, wink).


Speaking of night games, the spring intrasquad game will be a night game for the first time in many years. It will be Friday night, April 23 at 7pm. That's just 60 days away!

Hitchcock Presents

Eddie Hitchcock, #30, makes a block

We have news of another incoming frosh this morning. He's Cretin-Derham Hall linebacker/fullback Eddie Hitchcock. Hitchock's high school finished 12-1 and 3rd ranked in the state of Minnesota.

Eddie is the son of sports attorney Edward Hitchcock, who was an All-America guard at Division III Hamline University in St. Paul.

So, ths brings the unofficial list of published recruits to 26:

1. Joey Andrada WR 6-3 190 lbs. Piedmont HS (Piedmont, CA)

2. Hunter Coleman TE/OL 6-4 230 lbs. Loyola (Prep Shreveport, LA)

3. Paul Delaney P 6-3 200 lbs. Loyola (Palatine, IL)

4. Duncan Dickerson OL/LS 6-2 245 lbs. Cypress Falls HS (Houston, TX)

5. Lou DiNovo WR 6-0 185 lbs. LaSalle Institute (Albany, NY)

6. Mike DiTommaso CB 6-0 185 lbs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

7. Brian East LB 6-3 205 lbs. Carmel HS (Carmel, IN)

8. Luke Eddy K 6-2 200 lbs. Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA)

9. Tyler Feely K/P 6-0 155 lbs. Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)

10. Hamilton Garner TE 6-5 230 lbs. Duluth HS (Duluth, GA)

11. Marcorus Garrett RB 5-10 177 lbs. Pope High School (Marietta, GA)

12. Joe Ghergurovich OL 6-3 245 lbs. Glastonbury HS (Glastonbury, CT)

13. Eddie Hitchcock LB/FB 6-0 200 lbs. Cretin-Derham Hall HS (St. Paul, MN)

14. Dylan Leonard OL 6-3 281 lbs. Ola High School (McDonough, GA)

15. Brad Losee DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Eastview HS (Apple Valley, MN)

16. Griffin Lowry RB 6-0 215 lbs. University HS (St. Louis, MO)

17. Mark McClain WR/S 6-2 195 lbs. Upper Arlington (Upper Arlington, OH)

18. Zack McKown TE/LB 6-3 220 lbs. Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, VA)

19. Nick Melka DE 6-2 230 lbs. Benet Academy (Lisle, IL)

20. Jeremy Mingo WR/CB 6-0 180 lbs. Firestone HS (Akron, OH)

21. Chris Mooney TE 6-3 230 lbs. Walton HS (Marietta, GA)

22. Joe Raimondi OL/DL 6-4 255 lbs. Hampton HS (Allison Park, PA)

23. Chris Rapka QB 6-3 200 lbs. Cardinal Gibbons HS (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

24. Maurice Rothschild CB 5-10 165 lbs. Warren Eastern HS (New Orleans, LA)

25. James Valerias WR 6-1 185 lbs. Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)

26. Sam Williams RB 5-10 175 lbs. Baylor HS (Chattanooga, TN)

Getting Defensive

Lou Miller started seriously stepping over the competition in 2008 (Credit: Columbia Athletics)


So what was the best defensive line of the 2000's at Columbia?

The answer may surprise you.

Despite the fact that the 2008 season saw the Lions win just two games, there's little doubt that the front four that year was the best of the last decade.

First you have to discuss the personnel that year, starting with Lou Miller '10.

Miller simply had the greatest season for any Columbia defensive lineman since they started tabulating full defensive stats. He had 19.5 tackles for a loss and eight sacks, leading the Ivies in both categories for the season. In addition, and maybe most amazingly, Lou had 68 tackles... a huge number from the defensive line. Miller was named 1st Team All Ivy for his efforts.

At defensive tackle, 2008 freshman Owen Fraser also made a huge impact. Fraser had just one sacks and 4.5 tackles for a loss, but his presence was felt especially on runs up the middle. Columbia had been blatantly pourous defending runs up the middle in 2007, and Fraser was an immediate solution to that problem. He was named Honorable Mention All Ivy, but a lot of league-watchers thought he deserved 2nd Team or better.

Phil Mitchell '09 was another standout player even though 2006, not 2008, was his finest year. Mitchell never really recovered from a slew of nasty nagging injuries in 2007. But he still managed to have an impact his senior season and he finished with 32 total tackles and two sacks.

An unsung member of that 2008 starting D-line was Conor Joyce '09.
He finished with 37 tackles, and 1.5 sacks. Eli Waltz '09, contributed nicely at nose tackle although he too was battling injuries. Matt Bashaw, a great pass rusher in 2006 and 2007, was out most of 2008 with an injury.

But that core group of Miller, Fraser, Mitchell, and Joyce allowed just 1,043 net rushing yards, which was by far the fewest of the 2000's for a Columbia defense, (the 1,523 yards allowed in 2000 was a distant second). They also recorded 20 sacks, which trailed only the 25 recorded in 2002 and the 21 made in 2009, for best in the decade.

For those of you who are gluttons for punishment, the worst defensive lines of the decade were probably the 2005 squad, which allowed a whopping 2,363 yards rushing and the 2007 team which allowed 2,311 rushing yards and recorded just 14 sacks.

But let's focus on the positive as we look to the future:

-Owen Fraser will hopefully be back in 2010 and return to his 2008 form. A lot of Columbia's hopes for the immediate future rely on that.


-Bruce Flemming and Chris Groth, two rising juniors who both first got on the field with that great 2008 unit as freshmen, are both very promising potential starters.


-Rising sophomore Will Patterson burst onto the scene at the end of last season and may be the rightful heir to the role of the speedy linebacker-sized defensive end the Lion program has used since Darren Schmidt '07 and perfected by Lou Miller.

-Shea Selsor also made a nice move into notoriety late in the season and looks to make another move higher in 2010.

-Who isn't awed by the physical condition Seyi Adebayo is in?

-I also like the chances of highly-sought-after 2009 recruit Josh Martin, who spurned Wyoming to come to Columbia last year and is getting better and he learns more of the ins and outs of the game and gets bigger.

Replacing Miller is going to be a massive job. But sounding the alarm bells for 2010, especially with Fraser hopefully returning at 100%, is just not necessary.

That Certain Something

Murff went from Columbia to the US Air Force


Frequent readers of this blog know that the 1990's were generally an upbeat decade for the Columbia football program that was beaten down through the 80's, 70's and the late 60's.

The 90's were not perfect by any stretch, but they did boast two of the best three seasons for Columbia in my lifetime, (the third being the 1971 campaign).

Yesterday, I published an overview of the individual offensive lines for the 2000's and concluded the 2009 unit was the best of the decade.

But how did that unit do in comparison to the relatively great Lion teams of this generation?

Good question.

Again, the 2009 squad produced 1,586 rushing yards and allowed 21 sacks.

The 5-4-1 Columbia team in 1994 had an offensive line that paved the way for 1,624 yards, unfortunately "sacks allowed" is not a stat available for that year.

The 8-2 Columbia team in 1996 had no real stars at all in the backfield, but the O-line still helped the squad break the 1,000 mark with 1,077 net rushing yards. Again, no "sacks allowed" stats are available for that year either.

But any argument about which 90's offensive line was best is really not necessary because so many of the stars of the '94 offensive line were also in place in '96.

Guys like the late Randy Murff and Austin Milliken played on both of those varsities. Playing on the '94 squad and also the darn good, (before QB Mike Cavanuagh's injury), '95 team was Craig Valentine.

Then again, I guess the nod has to go to the '96 O-line simply because they truly made something out of next to nothing. This was a team that leaned on the greatest defense in modern Columbia history. But the offensive line came through when the team needed it most, especially in goal line situations. Thus, a team that scored barely more than 160 points won eight of ten games that season.

Looking to the present and the future, the point of my renewed focus on offensive lines is two-fold:

1) Just prepare yourselves now. The pundits will be all over Columbia this summer, talking about how the Lions will fall back in the pack in the Ivy race because we have three offensive line starters to replace. Those numbers are correct, but I believe there is a very deep bench at this position for us and there are top quality players ready to go right now. These are the kinds of top quality players the pundits never give Columbia credit for having, especially in reserve.


2) What Columbia has indeed been lacking lately is that "it factor" that the 1996 team used to make sure the Lions won seven of the eight close games it played that season. I think the gutty offensive line had as much to do with that as the great defense led by Marcelus Wiley and Rory Wilfork.

The fact is, Columbia has lost seven of the eleven truly close games it's played over the last two seasons. That's despite the fact that the 2008 and 2009 teams sported some of the best offensive lines in recent memory.

Again, I strongly believe Columbia's offensive line will be outstanding again in 2010. But will it have the "it factor?" And who will be next year's Randy Murff who inspires his teammates to win every important battle in the trenches?

We'll start to find out this September 18th.

Alpha Blockers

Erick Tyrone, right, was an anchor of the 2000 O-line. He went on to a law school scholarship


I've made my lists for the best Lion offensive and defensive players in the 2000's, (special teams is coming next week).

But here's a more specific, and possibly more important question.

What actual Columbia team had the best offensive line in this past decade?

I'd like to make the argument that the 2009 front five of Evan Sanford, John Seiler, Jeff Adams, Will Lipovsky and Ian Quirk was the best... maybe by far.

First let's look at the stats:

Columbia gained 1,586 yards rushing in 2009 and allowed just 21 sacks. The rushing total was the second best of the decade, just a tad behind the 1,620 yards gained in 2000. And there were only three seasons in the 2000's where the Lions allowed fewer than the 21 sacks coughed up last year. The 2000 team allowed 26 sacks.

But the stats don't tell the whole story.

Remember that 2000 saw the single greatest individual rushing performance by a Lion runner. Johnathan Reese '02 broke all the key rushing records at CU that year and they all still stand.


Columbia's 2009 rushing greatness was down by committee. Ray Rangel carried most of the load at tailback, but Zack Kourouma and Leon Ivery did a lot of work, and M.A. Olawale and Sean Brackett rushed for big numbers from the QB position.

I think the general success each of those runners enjoyed in '09 is huge proof that the offensive line was stellar. No matter who was doing the running or what their style, the blocking was there.

As for those 21 sacks, the fact is that while Olawale is a great runner, he did not do a great job of scrambling away from sacks in the early part of the season. I think he took as many of seven or eight sacks he didn't need to take and he did improve on that score later in the year. In other words, I really don't put even half of the 21 sacks allowed on the O-line's shoulders.

Then you have to look at the individual players. We were told Adams was going to be a star even as a sophomore and he ended up 1st Team All Ivy. The rest of the players didn't get enough accolades from the league, but they deserved them. Seiler was a great team leader. Sanford was always there in the trenches. Lipovsky, who came the longest way to get a starting slot, got better and better as the year wore on. And Quirk, the one not enough people talked about, went from a solid starter as a soph in 2008 to a true talent as a junior in 2009.

When it comes to building football teams, a lot of people will tell you the most important unit is the offensive line. I can't think of a team that needed more rebuilding in this area than Columbia did when Head Coach Norries Wilson arrived in December, 2005.

Not only did that job get done by last year, but I believe the Lions have stockpiled a considerable amount of talent at this position for the future. That's good news, because Sanford, Seiler and Lipovsky graduate in three months.


Of course, not all the years in the 2000's were blessed with great offensive lines.

Exhibit A: The 2005 team rushed for just 464 yards and allowed 33 sacks.


Exhibit B: The 2002 team ran for just 917 yards and allowed a whopping 38 sacks.


On the brighter side, the 2006 team allowed just 16 sacks despite a huge amount of passing, (averaging 34 attempts per game). The 2008 team also allowed only 16 sacks despite passing the ball average 28 times a game.

Hopefully, Columbia has a lot more All Ivy players and sub-20 sack seasons ahead.

The Best Defense

Jake's Columbia Football Team of the Decade: DEFENSE

In the 2000's, Columbia was blessed with many very talented defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs.

Sadly, not enough of them played at the exact same time. Thus, Lion defenses gave up an average of 27.6 points per game in this decade and suffered through four seasons where they allowed more than 30 points per game.

But there were some good years and 2006 was the best. The Lion defense allowed just 163 points that season and no less than five of the members of my all-decade defense were contributors on the 2006 squad.





DT-Michael Quarshie '05

Quarshie was a great example of how the transfer rule can really work to create a great Ivy player and scholar. The Finnish native came to Columbia via Saint Peters College and he became one of the most dominant defensive players in Lion history. He once notched an incredible eight tackles for a loss in a SINGLE GAME, and was 1st Team All Ivy as a senior, 2nd Team as a junior.


DT-Todd Abrams '07

After three solid seasons as a linebacker, the coaches asked Abrams to bulk up and move to the nose tackle position for his senior campaign of 2006. The switch proved to be fantastic as Abrams was on the front lines for the huge turnaround that saw the Lions go from giving up almost 34 points per game in 2005 to allowing just over 16 points per contest the following season. Todd also scored two of the most important defensive TD's of the decade: the initial score in the season opener against Fordham on a bad snap that landed in the end zone and the key turning point TD against Brown in the season finale after the Bear QB fumbled during a sack.




Lou Miller

DE-Lou Miller '10

The Lions all-time and single season sack leader finished his career by leading the Ivies in sacks his last two seasons. Lou is one of the most respected and feared pass rushers in Columbia history. Like Abrams, he made the shift to defensive line from linebacker. Two-time 1st Team All Ivy.



DE-Jeff Roether '04

A great pass rusher who led the team in sacks in each of his final two seasons. Honorable Mention All Ivy as a Junior.





Adam Brekke (Credit: Columbia Athletics)


LB-Adam Brekke '07

A fantastic team leader on and off the field for four full seasons at Columbia. Truly a leader of the linebacking corps from day one when he was pressed into duty as an emergency starter when captain Chris Carey went down with injury. Brekke was named captain himself for his senior season of 2006, and he responded with monster stats including 80+ tackles and a huge INT return for a TD in the Cornell win in week 9. Brekke was recently accepted to med school here in the U.S. Made 2nd Team All Ivy as a senior.



Alex Gross


LB-Alex Gross '11

Even with just two full seasons under his belt, Alex Gross was a huge impact player for the 2000's. Broke into the league in 2007 and won Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors and followed that up in 2008 with a rare 1st Team All Ivy slot for a sophomore linebacker. Much of the Lions hopes in 2010 hang on his ability to come back from his bad knee injury in week 4 at Lafayette.





Drew Quinn


LB-Drew Quinn '09

One of the great, and often wounded, warriors of the 2000's. Quinn started getting on the field regularly during his freshman year of 2005, but he really started contributing seriously in 2006. He had 82 tackles that season, 88 in his senior season of 2008 and 62 in 2007 despite playing with a painful leg injury that entire season. Made 2nd Team All Ivy as a senior.


S-Philip Murray

The two-time 1st Team All Ivy and one-time 2nd Team All Ivy safety was the best thing the tiny town of Mesquite, Texas ever sent to Morningside Heights. Murray finished his career, and still is, tied for the Lions all-time interception lead with the great Lou Kusserow with 16. His 85-yard TD return for a TD against Yale in 2001 as time ran out in the first half was one of the five best plays of the decade.






S-Tad Crawford

Crawford was a tackling machine for four years at Columbia, leading the team in that category for each of his final three years. Some of his success was due to the Lions inability to snuff out running plays at the line, but Crawford often made sure the bad didn't turn into the ugly. He was also excellent against the pass. The 1st Team All Ivy star in 2006 has gone on to an impressive career in his home country in the CFL.



Steve Cargile

CB-Steve Cargile '04

Moved from wide receiver to safety just in time for his senior season of 2003, and he made a huge impression in just that one year. He ended up leading the team in tackles and wrecked havoc in the opponents' passing game. Made 2nd Team All Ivy in '03 and went on to the NFL as a defensive back.




Prosper Nwokocha


CB-Prosper Nwokocha '06

A great team leader who burst onto the scene as a sophomore with two crucial interceptions in the 2003 win over Harvard. Two time Honorable Mention All Ivy, and a 2nd Team All Ivy his senior season of 2005. Also a great kick returner, his kickoff return for a TD at Fordham turned the tide in that emotional win for the Lions in 2005.


NEXT WEEK: The Special Teams

Looking Ahead

Stopping Penn's Garton has to be a top priority in 2010


Hopefully, most of you reading this post have the day off work or school today.

I'm thinking that gives us more time to daydream about the upcoming 2010 season. But rather than focusing on what our overall record will be and which players will be the starters, I want to ask an open question:

What is the most important game on the 2010 schedule?



I know the actual schedule is not out yet, but we do know where and approximately when we will play 9 out of ten of the games.

Columbia will take on Fordham, Princeton, Lafayette, Dartmouth and Cornell at home. Penn, Yale, Harvard, and Brown will be road games.

We may have a sixth home game against a non-league opponent I don't know about yet. But I think we can all agree that single unknown game will not be the most crucial of the 2010 year.


***BREAKING NEWS***


I have just checked the Towson University football site and they have Columbia as a road game for Sept. 25, 2010. So I think that answers our question.


So, as I look at the schedule there are some great "storylines," as they say, for each game.


Here are my top 5:


1) Penn

To me, this is clearly the most important game for the Lions in 2010. Penn is the defending champs, and it seems like you can measure how strong Columbia is in any given year based on how the Lions perform against the Quakers. For some reason, the Lions have played better at Franklin Field in recent years against Penn than at Wien Stadium. This game is at Franklin Field. Penn has a 13 game winning streak against Columbia that the Lions really need to end before they can consider themselves true contenders in the Ivies.


2) Yale

Of all the games Columbia should have won over the last 5 years, the Yale game at home in 2009 ranks #1 on my list. It was just a gut-wrenching loss and bouncing back against the Elis at the Yale Bowl would be a huge plus for this team.


3) Princeton

After last years 38-0 beatdown of the Tigers in Princeton, we have to expect some kind of revenge factor this time. A bigger story is how the Tigers will look with their new coach Bob Surace and what appears to be a very good recruiting class.



4) Fordham

How will the Lions fare against the Rams in Fordham's first official year of athletic scholarships for football? I say "official" because I've been told that last years simple announcement of the incoming scholarships brought in the players Fordham coach Tom Masella was looking for already. In any event, the future of the Liberty Cup series could hang in the balance as everyone will expect Fordham to start beating the stuffing out of us either this year or next.




5) Lafayette

One of the toughest losses for Columbia to stomach last season was falling to the Leopards in Easton. Lafayette loses a lot of key seniors to graduation this May, and the Lions could have a shot to nail the Leopards in a relatively weak year for them.

The Hofstra Shuffle

So the dust has settled on the shocking discontinuation of football at Hofstra and we now know where just about every one of the football players has ended up.

I am shocked to say that none of the former Pride players has landed with an Ivy.

I say "shocked" because Hofstra played at a pretty high level of FCS football, and the Hofstra campus is not that far from any of the Ivy schools in the Northeast.

I am also shocked because a good number of Hofstra players were excellent high school students, presumably with good enough grades to fit into an Ivy school's A.I.

Looking at where some of the ex-Pride players did end up shows who was aggressively recruiting and who wasn't. And on that score, I am NOT shocked.

Aggressive FCS newcomer Old Dominion grabbed two Hofstra stars, including linebacker Deron Mayo.

Fordham, with its new athletic scholarships now in effect, took two Hofstra transfers as well, including RB Carlton Koonce.

And another frequent Columbia opponent, Lafayette, took DB Tyler McFarlane.

Two Hofstra transfers went to big time FBS programs, OL Matt McBride is now at Rutgers and WR Aaron Weaver shifted to Syracuse.

I still don't know the fate of ex-Columbia assistant coach Dave Patenaude, who had been the offensive coordinator for Hofstra the last few seasons.

More Kicks from Chicago

Paul Delaney

Yet another very good looking punter is headed to Columbia. Illinois All-Stater Paul Delaney averaged 42 yards per boot last season.

Delaney is big for a punter, 6-3 and 200 pounds! And he has his own webpage!

He reportedly turned down preferred walk-on offers from Illinois, Purdue, Miami and Western Michigan.


And yes, Delaney is a product of the same Loyola High School that brought us all-time Lion great Des Werthman and current Lion Alec Kosminskas.


LATEST COMMIT LIST (REPORTED)


1. Joey Andrada WR 6-3 190 lbs. Piedmont HS (Piedmont, CA)

2. Hunter Coleman TE/OL 6-4 230 lbs. Loyola (Prep Shreveport, LA)

3. Paul Delaney P 6-3 200 lbs. Loyola (Palatine, IL)

4. Duncan Dickerson OL/LS 6-2 245 lbs. Cypress Falls HS (Houston, TX)

5. Lou DiNovo WR 6-0 185 lbs. LaSalle Institute (Albany, NY)

6. Mike DiTommaso CB 6-0 185 lbs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

7. Brian East LB 6-3 205 lbs. Carmel HS (Carmel, IN)

8. Luke Eddy K 6-2 200 lbs. Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA)

9. Tyler Feely K/P 6-0 155 lbs. Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)

10. Hamilton Garner TE 6-5 230 lbs. Duluth HS (Duluth, GA)

11. Marcorus Garrett RB 5-10 177 lbs. Pope High School (Marietta, GA)

12. Joe Ghergurovich OL 6-3 245 lbs. Glastonbury HS (Glastonbury, CT)

13. Dylan Leonard OL 6-3 281 lbs. Ola High School (McDonough, GA)

14. Brad Losee DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Eastview HS (Apple Valley, MN)

15. Griffin Lowry RB 6-0 215 lbs. University HS (St. Louis, MO)

16. Mark McClain WR/S 6-2 195 lbs. Upper Arlington (Upper Arlington, OH)

17. Zack McKown TE/LB 6-3 220 lbs. Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, VA)

18. Nick Melka DE 6-2 230 lbs. Benet Academy (Lisle, IL)

19. Jeremy Mingo WR/CB 6-0 180 lbs. Firestone HS (Akron, OH)

20. Chris Mooney TE 6-3 230 lbs. Walton HS (Marietta, GA)

21. Joe Raimondi OL/DL 6-4 255 lbs. Hampton HS (Allison Park, PA)

22. Chris Rapka QB 6-3 200 lbs. Cardinal Gibbons HS (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

23. Maurice Rothschild CB 5-10 165 lbs. Warren Eastern HS (New Orleans, LA)

24. James Valerias WR 6-1 185 lbs. Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)

25. Sam Williams RB 5-10 175 lbs. Baylor HS (Chattanooga, TN)

Smart Move

Mingo Makes a Tackle


I love this story from Akron Beacon Journal about incoming frosh Jeremy Mingo.
It's a great example of how one student expanded his horizons and it paid off.

Here's a key paragraph:

''Actually, what happened was that at the end of my junior year, Columbia sent me a mailer,'' Mingo said. ''I was like, 'What! No way. Columbia?' And I just threw it in the corner of my room.''

I wonder how many other potential recruits do the same thing and never reconsider coming to an Ivy. It's probably too many.

Here's my message to all the decent student athletes out there:

Ivy League football is real football, and Ivy League colleges are real colleges. I'm not sure a lot of the big-time BCS programs can really say that.

Team of the 2000's OFFENSE

I wrapped up my top 10 list of the best Columbia football games of the 2000's last week. So now it's time to focus on the individual stars.

Today I have my list of my All-Decade Offense. It was not easy making any of these picks, and I could list a lot of honorable mentions, but I'll leave that to you guys in the comments section and we can pick up the debate there.


Jake's Columbia Football Team of the Decade OFFENSE


Jeff Otis



QB-Jeff Otis '05

This was a very tough call. Craig Hormann, Jeff McCall and M.A. Olawale all have legitimate claims on this spot, but Otis has some key factors on his side. 1) His 2003 season was the single best year for any Columbia QB in 20 years. The 2003 team was also one of the best, if not the best of the decade. 2) In 2004, his stats dipped, but that was mostly due to the injury sustained by superstar tight end Wade Fletcher. And Otis' year still wasn't that bad from an individual stanpoint.

Jeff simply had a great arm, decent legs, and he was just so mentally and physically tough.

His best games include two of the top 10 wins of the 2000's -- the 16-13 win over Harvard and the 33-27 Hail Mary win over Princeton, both in 2003.






RB-Johnathan Reese '02

This was the easiest choice to make for this team. Reese is the Lions all time leading rusher. He was the biggest star of the decade, even though of his four seasons on this team were in the previous decade! He was the man, period.


RB-Ayo Oluwole '05

Ayo had one of the best individual seasons of any Lion in the 2000's. He came out of obscurity as an injury replacement in 2003 and finished the season as with the third best single year rushing stats in Columbia history. He also just seemed to never fumble.


OG-Matt Himelstein '02

Matt was a two-time Honorable Mention All Ivy offensive guard and often paved the way for Johnathan Reese's runs. The Jewish Sports Review named him to its All America team in 2001.



Matt Barsamian


OG-Matt Barsamian '07

Other than Jeff Adams, Matt was the only 1st Team All Ivy offensive lineman for Columbia in the 2000's. Matt took the lead on a very young and overmatched front line during both the 2005 and 2006 seasons and finally helped mold the unit into a workable group by the end of the 2006 season. Columbia's improved rushing attack in the final two games, (both victories), of 2006 was a big plus. Matt also helped lead the way as Columbia drastically cut down on sacks allowed during his senior season.




Evan Sanford


C-Evan Sanford '10

Columbia often found itself behind the 8-ball at this position in the 2000's. But the last two seasons were marked by stability and then strength at center thanks to Evan Sanford. M.A. Olawale's many running plays almost always went right up the middle and Sanford was a big reason why those plays were possible.




Kevin Coco today, attorney at law


OT-Kevin Coco '04

One of the most inspiring stories of the 2000's at Columbia was Kevin Coco's ascent to the top level of offensive linemen in the Ivies and stay there despite a season-ending, and frankly very scary, injury in early 2002. After that injury, Coco came back to play a huge role in Columbia's successful 2003 season and the great running stats put up by Ayo Oluwole. Coco made the All Ivy 2nd Team for 2003.



Jeff Adams


OT-Jeff Adams '12

It's only been one year on the varsity for Jeff Adams. But what a year it was! Adams became that very rare sophomore to make 1st Team All Ivy as an offensive lineman. Running to the left became a favorite tactic all season for Columbia in 2009, and the blind side for all the QB's never seemed in jeopardy. And Adams has two more years to show what he can do, making him the only active Lion on this list.



Wade Fletcher's Hail Mary Grab


TE-Wade Fletcher '05

This is another very, very easy choice for the all-decade team. Fletcher really took the whole league by storm when he came to Columbia from Northern Colorado and sat out his transfer year. His 6-7, 242 pound frame, coupled with good speed just made it impossible to cover him. His grab of the Hail Mary game-winning TD pass from Jeff Otis against Princeton in 2003 stands as one of the greatest plays in Lion history.



Austin Knowlin


WR-Austin Knowlin '10

He's Columbia's all-time leading receiver in catches, yards, and "oh wow" plays. Austin Knowlin was the single most exciting Lion of the 2000's, and perhaps of a generation. He worked well with four different starting QB's and never showed evidence of a letdown.


WR-Travis Chmelka '04

Travis was possibly the fastest Lion of the 2000's, and he put real fear into opposing defenses and kick coverage teams. Travis also worked well with a slew of different starting QB's from Jeff McCall to Steve Hunsberger to Jeff Otis.


NEXT WEEK: THE DEFENSE

Speed Lives

Marcorus Garrett


A number of readers have posted the highlight video for incoming frosh Marcorus Garrett in the comments section... even though I posted it on the main page a few days ago.

But who can blame them? I've seen a lot of highlight videos over the years, and you learn pretty quickly that you have to take all of them with a grain of salt.

But the Garrett video is really incredible and you can see why there's a lot of excitement surrounding this player.

***MANDATORY DISCLAIMER***

I don't make depth chart prognistications on this site and I don't ever want to be accused of overhyping an existing player, let alone a incoming freshman, but this kid clearly has a lot of speed and ability. The coaches deserve kudos for recruiting him and I won't back down from that statement.

***END MANDATORY DISCLAIMER***


You know what I really like about this kid? I like the fact that his last name is "GARRETT." Perhaps a successful career at CU for this young man will erase all the bugaboos connected to that last name that started when dad Jim and sons Judd and John transferred to, and then away, from Columbia in the 1980's.

Looking at the bigger picture, I find the Lions team forming for 2010, (including the reported incoming class), to be a very strong-looking running group in many ways.

I like our speedy returning QB Sean Brackett, who closed out 2009 with 171 yards rushing in the 28-14 win over Brown.

I like Leon Ivery and Zack Kourouma, returning seniors who both looked good at several points last season and will bring that valuable experience to the table.

I like speedy Nick Gerst, the rising sophomore who impressed so many fans at JV games in 2009.

I like the tough FB Nathan Lenz, another rising senior who never seems to go backwards in a scrum.

I even like the offensive line, despite the fact that only two returning starters survive the graduation wave this May. I feel that way because a lot of underclassmen with super talent were waiting in the wings last season and I believe most of them will be even more capable by September. And we still have anchors Jeff Adams, who won 1st Team All Ivy honors as a SOPHOMORE, and Ian Quirk, who will be a senior and he keeps getting better and better.

I feel so confident about this running game that part of me wants to see the Lions line up in a wishbone formation and dare opposing teams to stop a combo of a speedy QB, speedy tailback, and a hard running fullback or two.

Don't laugh about the wishbone. It sure works for Navy and former Head Coach Ray Tellier used it to perfection a few times in the 1990's.

Georgia Pipeline?

Can it possibly be true that we have YET ANOTHER incoming commit from Georgia? Apparently it is. His name is Hamilton Garner, a 6-5 230 pound tight end from Duluth, GA.


Here's a nice portrait of Garner written last summer.


1. Joey Andrada WR 6-3 190 lbs. Piedmont HS (Piedmont, CA)

2. Hunter Coleman TE/OL 6-4 230 lbs. Loyola (Prep Shreveport, LA)

3. Duncan Dickerson OL/LS 6-2 245 lbs. Cypress Falls HS (Houston, TX)

4. Lou DiNovo WR 6-0 185 lbs. LaSalle Institute (Albany, NY)

5. Mike DiTommaso CB 6-0 185 lbs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

6. Brian East LB 6-3 205 lbs. Carmel HS (Carmel, IN)

7. Luke Eddy K 6-2 200 lbs. Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA)

8. Tyler Feely K/P 6-0 155 lbs. Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)

9. Hamilton Garner TE 6-5 230 lbs. Duluth HS (Duluth, GA)

10. Marcorus Garrett RB 5-10 177 lbs. Pope High School (Marietta, GA)

11. Joe Ghergurovich OL 6-3 245 lbs. Glastonbury HS (Glastonbury, CT)

12. Dylan Leonard OL 6-3 281 lbs. Ola High School (McDonough, GA)

13. Brad Losee DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Eastview HS (Apple Valley, MN)

14. Griffin Lowry RB 6-0 215 lbs. University HS (St. Louis, MO)

15. Mark McClain WR/S 6-2 195 lbs. Upper Arlington (Upper Arlington, OH)

16. Zack McKown TE/LB 6-3 220 lbs. Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, VA)

17. Nick Melka DE 6-2 230 lbs. Benet Academy (Lisle, IL)

18. Jeremy Mingo WR/CB 6-0 180 lbs. Firestone HS (Akron, OH)

19. Chris Mooney TE 6-3 230 lbs. Walton HS (Marietta, GA)

20. Joe Raimondi OL/DL 6-4 255 lbs. Hampton HS (Allison Park, PA)

21. Chris Rapka QB 6-3 200 lbs. Cardinal Gibbons HS (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

22. Maurice Rothschild CB 5-10 165 lbs. Warren Eastern HS (New Orleans, LA)

23. James Valerias WR 6-1 185 lbs. Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)

24. Sam Williams RB 5-10 175 lbs. Baylor HS (Chattanooga, TN)

Two More!

Thanks to my readers for alerting me to two more Columbia football "commits" I have been able to confirm since yesterday.


Dylan Leonard

First, we have OL Dylan Leonard from Ola High School in McDonough, Georgia (ANOTHER Georgia recruit!). Dylan was a recent National Football Foundation Greater Atlanta Chapter Scholar-Athlete award winner. That's a great deal because of the NFF's special relationship with Columbia via Bill Campbell.

Dylan has also been recognized by his local NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons, for his community service.




Next we have LB/TE Zack McKown, son of Utah Jazz strength coach Mark McKown. He was an all-stater at Utah's Judge Memorial High School before doing a PG year at footbal powerhouse Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.

Zack is 6-3 and 220 pounds and he played a big role in Fork Union's win over U. Maryland's JV last season. You can see his highlight video here.



1. Joey Andrada WR 6-3 190 lbs. Piedmont HS (Piedmont, CA)

2. Hunter Coleman TE/OL 6-4 230 lbs. Loyola (Prep Shreveport, LA)

3. Duncan Dickerson OL/LS 6-2 245 lbs. Cypress Falls HS (Houston, TX)

4. Lou DiNovo WR 6-0 185 lbs. LaSalle Institute (Albany, NY)

5. Mike DiTommaso CB 6-0 185 lbs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

6. Brian East LB 6-3 205 lbs. Carmel HS (Carmel, IN)

7. Luke Eddy K Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA)

8. Tyler Feely K/P 6-0 155 lbs. Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)

9. Marcorus Garrett RB 5-10 177 lbs. Pope High School (Marietta, GA)

10. Joe Ghergurovich OL 6-3 245 lbs. Glastonbury HS (Glastonbury, CT)

11. Dylan Leonard OL 6-3 281 lbs. Ola High School (McDonough, GA)

12. Brad Losee DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Eastview HS (Apple Valley, MN)

13. Griffin Lowry RB 6-0 215 lbs. University HS (St. Louis, MO)

14. Mark McClain WR/S 6-2 195 lbs. Upper Arlington (Upper Arlington, OH)

15. Zack McKown TE/LB 6-3 220 lbs. Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, VA)

16. Nick Melka DE 6-2 230 lbs. Benet Academy (Lisle, IL)

17. Jeremy Mingo WR/CB 6-0 180 lbs. Firestone HS (Akron, OH)

18. Chris Mooney TE 6-3 230 lbs. Walton HS (Marietta, GA)

19. Joe Raimondi OL/DL 6-4 255 lbs. Hampton HS (Allison Park, PA)

20. Chris Rapka QB 6-3 200 lbs. Cardinal Gibbons HS (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

21. Maurice Rothschild CB 5-10 165 lbs. Warren Eastern HS (New Orleans, LA)

22. James Valerias WR 6-1 185 lbs. Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)

23. Sam Williams RB 5-10 175 lbs. Baylor HS (Chattanooga, TN)

A Pair of Peaches & A Late Add from PA!

Chris Mooney


Chris Mooney, a highly-rated tight end from Marietta, Georgia's Walton High school has chosen Columbia.

Mooney has this to say about CU:

"They haven't won an Ivy championship since 1960, but they are getting better and better, and these next four years are going to be great."

We couldn't agree more Chris, but please, it was 1961 when we won our last title! We've been waiting long enough as it is!


Marcorus Garrett


Also from the Marietta area and coming to Columbia is Marcorus Garrett. Garrett says he committed to CU back in November. You can see his highlight video here.

I know I'm going to regret this, because I'm bound to get lots more names before the end of the day, but here's our "commit" list so far:

*BREAKING NEWS*



Joe Raimondi signs on the dotted line


Of course, I do have to add another name now. Joe Raimondi, a Valley News 1st Team OL AND 1st Team DL from from Hampton High School in the Pittsburgh area has committed to Columbia. Raimondi suffered an ACL injury at the end of the football season, but still may be able to compete as a wrestler this year for his high school.




1. Joey Andrada WR 6-3 190 lbs. Piedmont HS (Piedmont, CA)

2. Hunter Coleman TE/OL 6-4 230 lbs. Loyola (Prep Shreveport, LA)

3. Duncan Dickerson OL/LS 6-2 245 lbs. Cypress Falls HS (Houston, TX)

4. Lou DiNovo WR 6-0 185 lbs. LaSalle Institute (Albany, NY)

5. Mike DiTommaso CB 6-0 185 lbs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, NJ)

6. Brian East LB 6-3 205 lbs. Carmel HS (Carmel, IN)

7. Luke Eddy K Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA)

8. Tyler Feely K/P 6-0 155 lbs. Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)

9. Marcorus Garrett RB 5-10 177 lbs. Pope High School (Marietta, GA)

10. Joe Ghergurovich OL 6-3 245 lbs. Glastonbury HS (Glastonbury, CT)

11. Brad Losee DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Eastview HS (Apple Valley, MN)

12. Griffin Lowry RB 6-0 215 lbs. University HS (St. Louis, MO)

13. Mark McClain WR/S 6-2 195 lbs. Upper Arlington (Upper Arlington, OH)

14. Nick Melka DE 6-2 230 lbs. Benet Academy (Lisle, IL)

15. Jeremy Mingo WR/CB 6-0 180 lbs. Firestone HS (Akron, OH)

16. Chris Mooney TE 6-3 230 lbs. Walton HS (Marietta, GA)

17. Joe Raimondi OL/DL 6-4 255 lbs. Hampton HS (Allison Park, PA)

18. Chris Rapka QB 6-3 200 lbs. Cardinal Gibbons HS (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

19. Maurice Rothschild CB 5-10 165 lbs. Warren Eastern HS (New Orleans, LA)

20. James Valerias WR 6-1 185 lbs. Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)

21. Sam Williams RB 5-10 175 lbs. Baylor HS (Chattanooga, TN)

3 for the Afternoon!

Thanks to readers who have alerted to two more "commits" so far today.


First we have yet another promising kicker. Luke Eddy, from Worcester Academy in Massachusetts.

Eddy was ranked the #2 kicker in the Northeastern region by the Ray Guy Kicking Academy.

(Also signing on to play college ball from Worcester Academy was Charles Argast, son of our OL coach Ed Argast. Charles will play at Bryant next year and we wish him the best of luck!)



Joe Ghergurovich


Next we have Joe Ghergurovich a 6-3 245 pound OL from Glastonbury High School. He was a New Haven Register 1st Team OL in 2008 and 2009.



Maurice Rothschild


Third, we have yet ANOTHER player coming from Lousiana. This time, from the Big Easy itself. Maurice Rothschild is a cornerback with a lot of different heights and weights depending on which web sit you consult. I've seen him as big as 6-0 and 180 pounds, and as small as 5-8 and 150 pounds.

Three New Names

Sam Williams


First off, the long-rumored commitment by speedy Chattanooga-area RB Sam Williams has finally been confirmed. But the news also comes with info on how he had an "injury-plagued" senior year in 2009. Here's hoping he had a full recovery.




Mike DiTommaso (#3 in white) breaks up a pass


DB/RB Mike DiTommaso from New Jersey's Seton Hall Prep is coming to Columbia. DiTommaso made the Newark Star Ledger's All Non-Public School Defensive First Team.




Duncan Dickerson


And we also have Duncan Dickerson, a long snapper/OL from Cypress Falls High School in Houston, TX. (Not to be confused with Cypress WOODS high school, where we found rising soph DL Anthony Villamanga)

DC Pickup

James Valerias


The Washington Post reports that All-Metro Honorable Mention WR James Valerias from Gonzaga College High School has committed to Columbia.

Valerias split his time as a receiver and a punt returner and is listed as 6-1 and 185 pounds.


More from Tyler

Another incoming frosh, kicker Tyler Feely, has a few more words about his football career in today's Tampa-area papers. Here's some exciting news for Columbia fans: Tyler says he recently beat his older brother, NY Jets kicker Jay Feely, in a punting contest. I guess they had that contest at Lukoil Stadium, (I just zinged myself, since I'm a Jets season ticket holder!)

Ouch.

Hey folks, it's "National Signing Day" so stay tuned for more commitment updates throughout the day.

St. Louis Commit

Griffin Lowry


The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Website is reporting that highly-touted running back Griffin Lowry has committed to Columbia.

Lowry reportedly had offers from Penn and Harvard.

We like running backs from St. Louis, the place we found the great Johnathan Reese who ended up as Columbia's all time leading rusher.

Lowry comes from a rival high school to Reese's St. Louis Country Day School: St. Louis University High School.

Welcome Griffin!

Saved the Best for Last

Anatomy of a Play of the Decade




Mehr makes the pick inside the Lion 20 as time runs out




Mehr starts his INT return with Shalbrack trailing about 7 yards behind




Mehr pitches the lateral, Shalbrack makes the grab




Shalbrack hugs the sidelines and breaks free




Shalbrack finds the end zone for the TD


Completing the list of the Top 10 Columbia football games of the 2000's


Columbia 28 Brown 14

November 21, 2009

Wien Stadium


The NUMBER ONE game of the 2000's for Columbia football was also the last game of the decade.

I make that claim because the game had a number of truly unique qualities:

-First, it was the ONLY game of the decade where Columbia beat a team that would end up in the top 3 of the Ivy standings.


-It was a victory that propelled the Lions to their one and only appearance in the "first division" of the Ivy standings.


-It was a win that featured standout performances on offense, defense and special teams.


-The game was exciting in that it featured lead changes and great individual plays... including what was really the most spectacular play of the decade.

But enough qualifiers, on to the game!

First, here's how I broke the contest down on the day after the big game:

Why Columbia Won

The Lions ran at will led by 171 yards from speedy QB Sean Brackett. The offensive line dominated against a Brown run defense that was allowing just 86 yards on the ground per game and features two potential NFL draft picks. Meanwhile, the defense pressured Bear QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero and Columbia safeties Andy Shalbrack and Adam Mehrer contained the Brown receivers. Other than an undertrown ball by Brackett that was picked off early in the game, the Lions played error-free ball.


Why Brown Lost

The pressure on Newhall-Caballero produced two interceptions, both by Mehrer, one of which was returned for spectacular 85-yard TD after a lateral to Shalbrack. Brown was a shocking two of 13 on 3rd down conversions. The defense had no answers for Brackett and while it contained all-purpose Lion WR Austin Knowlin, it could not deny him on his two TD scores.


Key Turning Points

-Leading 7-0, Brown picked off Brackett to take over at their own 19 and seemed ready to take control of the game. On 3rd and two from their 27, Newhall-Caballero lofted a deep ball to an open Farnham at the Columbia 30, but Farnham inexplicably dropped the potential TD pass. After the ensuing punt, the Lions went on an 11-play 80-yard drive that ended with an option pitch for TD to Zack Kourouma. Columbia had tied it a 7-7 and grabbed the momentum.

-Columbia's next possession looked good, but ended when a 4th and two run attempt at the Brown 25 came up a yard shy. The Lion defense came up big and forced a three-and-out. Taking over at their own 21 after the Bear punt, Columbia used a varied running attack with Brackett, Knowlin, and Leon Ivery attacking the Brown line. The 10-play drive ended with Knowlin stretching the ball across the north end zone stripe for a five-yard score and a 14-7 lead.

-After the ensuing kickoff, Brown took over at its 29 with a 1:04 to go. A series of incredible ups and downs would be jammed into those last 64 seconds.

After getting one first down to the Brown 40, Newhall-Caballero was intercepted by Augie Williams and it appeared the drive was over, but sophomore Shea Selsor was flagged for a late hit and Brown had new life. Selsor immediately made up for it on the very next play with a huge sack that put Brown back to its own 47 with 10 seconds left.

Brown decided to try to get the final 53 yards with two plays, first with a 16-yard completion to Spiro Theodosi that put the ball at the CU 37 with about four seconds left. Newhall-Caballero's final heave of the half was well short of the end zone as Mehr picked it off in the middle of the field at the 15. Mehrer was able to get some room along the east sideline but seemed bottled up at midfield when he lateralled the ball to Shalbrack who avoided going out of bounds along the west side and went in for a thrilling score. The crowd's celebration was delayed forever by a flag on the Brown side of the field, but after a long conference the penalty was called on the Bears for sideline interference. One of the most thrilling TD's in Columbia history would stand, and the Lions took a 21-7 lead into the locker room.

-Both teams were unable to do much with the ball in the 3rd quarter until the Bears took over for their third possession of the half at their own 30 with 5:15 left in the quarter. Mostly through the air, Brown started a march that included a nice scramble on 4th and three at the CU 21 to keep the drive alive. One play later, they had first and goal at the Lion four. But a holding penalty and two incomplete passes forced a 4th and goal at the Columbia nine. That 4th and goal was the first play of the fourth quarter and it ended when Newhall-Caballero was forced to try to run for it and he was stopped by Augie Williams.

-On Brown's next possession, the Bears drove to a first and goal at the CU 7, but an offensive pass interference penalty pushed them back once again and Brown was faced with another 4th and goal, this time at the eight. On that play, Newhall-Caballero threw a pass for a four yard loss. Columbia took the ball at their 12 and iced the game with a six-play drive that ended with a 37-yard TD pass on a quick slant to Knowlin.


COLUMBIA MVP

The defense was stout. Knowlin's TD's, despite battling terrible leg cramps, were dazzling. But QB Sean Brackett made Columbia's offense go, despite getting knocked out of the game briefly by a big hit from Brown's Kelly Cox, (who had 19 tackles). Brackett made those 171 yards on just 20 carries and was never sacked or tackled for a loss all day. It was Senior Day at Wien Stadium, but the frosh Brackett was the man behind the wheel.

The Columbia Athletics web site summarized the game this way.

Whether the Lions can build on this win going into next season is a tough question. The 300 day offseason tends to dilute momentum in this league.

But for that one shining day in November 2009, Columbia played championship-caliber football against a championship-caliber team.

Austin Knowlin closed out his brilliant Lion career with a bang.

Sean Brackett provided a hopeful hint of what could be to come.

Lou Miller make an impact one last time.

And junior Adam Mehrer showed brilliant unselfishness by lateraling the ball to senior Andy Shalbrack who scored a TD in his last Columbia appearance.

Who could ask for anything more?