Returning in Providence

David Howard: one of many, many Brown stars not back for 2010



Are there any Ivy teams that can beat Columbia's number of 17 starters returning for 2010?

Let's start with Brown and look at the Bears starting lineup from the final game of 2009:


OFFENSE

QB 9 Newhall, Kyle*
TB 47 Theodhosi, Spiro*
FB 43 Mangiacotti, Mark
FL 46 Farnham, Buddy
SE 8 Sewall, Bobby
TE 87 Fertig, Andrew
RT 66 Jasinowski, Paul
RG 76 Johnston, Jarrid
C 77 Callahan, Mark
LG 64 Danser, Tim
LT 53 Conroy, Patrick*


DEFENSE


DE 44 Develin, James
DT 96 Lemmons, Michael
DT 90 Howard, David
DE 57 Hughes, Peter
OLB 1 Gillett, Robert*
ILB 42 Cox, Kelley
ILB 52 Gallagher, Bren
OLB 5 Roffi, Phil* (5th year senior)
CB 12 Cruz, AJ*
S 15 Perkins, Chris
CB 4 Clement, David


*=returning players

From what we see above, Brown has just three returning starters on offense and three returnees on defense.

But you have to bolster the offense's numbers a bit. RB Zach Tronti, who started some games in 2009, will be back in 2010 as well. OL Brian Ellixson was a frequent starter who will be a senior this fall. Quasi-starter TE Alex Prestley is also coming back.

So it's more like six returning starters on offense, including the most important offensive player in QB Kyle Newhall Caballero.

But on defense, you really can't do much to change that small number of just three returning players. There is no other way to say it: the Bear defense is gutted. And despite the great publicity the Brown offense has gained and earned in recent years, the Brown "D" was instrumental in many wins last season. It was especially effective against the run with that great defensive line.

No doubt the losses of WR's Buddy Farnham and Bobby Sewall and OL Paul Jasinowski will be talk of the pundits this offseason. But if I'm Phil Estes, I'm more worried about the defensive losses. That's because unlike the Brown offense, the defense has not been able to simply reload with new talent every time top starters graduate.

And yet, I think most of the published predictions this year will put Brown in the top three of the league and I'll be shocked if all the experts don't choose the Bears over Columbia in the standings.

Hey, I have more respect for Coach Estes than I can say and I don't think Brown will suffer a 2006-like season where they fell to 2-8 after winning the league title the year before.

But these are significant losses, especially along both the offensive and defensive lines. I get the idea of predicting the Bears will still have a winning season overall. But I don't see how Brown can seriously be considered a title contender for 2010 with that kind of graduation attrition.