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Princeton University Athletics
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
April 09, 2001 | Football
April 9, 2001
Who wants to be a millionaire, Princeton football 2001 edition ...
You all know the rules ... the answers are below
100 Princeton football plays in the:
A) Ivy League, B) National Football League, C) XFL, D) afternoons
200 Princeton is coached by:
A) Regis Philbin, B) Bill Roper, C) Roger Hughes, D) Bill Carmody
300 Princeton improved its Ivy League record by how many games in 2000?
A) 0, B) 1, C) 2, D) 3
500 How many returning starters does Princeton have in 2001?
A) 8, B) 11, C) 15, D) 18
1,000 Princeton traveled over spring break to play an exhibition game against the national collegiate runner-up of what country?
A) Italy, B) Australia, C) Japan, D) Canada
2,000 Of Princeton's 10 games in 2000, how many were decided by seven points or fewer?
A) 1, B) 3, C) 4, D) 6
4,000 How many starters return on the offensive line? A) 1, B) 3, C) 4, D) 5
8,000 How many starting quarterbacks did Princeton use a year ago?
A) 1, B) 2, C) 4, D) 5
16,000 Taylor Northrop has 25 career field goals. How many does he need to tie the Ivy League's career record?
A) 10, B) 13, C) 14, D) 17
32,000 Chisom Opara had at least how many receptions in every game last year?
A) 1, B) 2, C) 3, D) 5
64,000 How many returning players had at least one rushing touchdown a year ago?
A) 8, B) 6, C) 4, D) 2
125,000 Who is the only Princeton offensive or defensive player ever to start all 10 games of his freshman season?
A) Phil Wendler, B) David Ferrara, C) Damani Leech, D) Blake Perry
250,000 Before Phil Jackman, the last Princeton athlete to letter in both football and basketball during his career was:
A) Marin Gjaja, B) Marvin Williams, C) Chris Pavlic, D) Frank McPhee
500,000 What was the last year that Princeton did not have a linebacker who was a first- or second-team All-Ivy League selection?
A) 1998, B) 1993, C) 1990, D) 1986
1,000,000 Bob Farrell, a native of Tulsa, is Princeton's lone captain for the 2001 season. Before Farrell, who was the last Princeton football captain from Oklahoma?
A) Jono Helmerich '82, B) John Sapoch '58, C) Thomas Mountain '39, D) Dennis Burns '71
Answers 100 The Ivy League. Princeton has won eight championships, most recently in 1995.
200 Roger Hughes, who enters his second season at Princeton after spending most of a decade as the offensive coordinator at Dartmouth. In his first season at Princeton, Hughes led the Tigers to their highest passing yardage total since 1988 with 2,198 yards.
300 Two. Princeton went 3-4 in the league in 2000 after going 1-6 the year before.
500 Princeton returns 11 starters. Of its returning starters, four are on offense, six are on defense and one is a specialist.
1,000 Japan. Princeton spent a week in the Osaka area, working out and touring in preparation for a game against Kwansei Gakuin University, the Japanese runner-up. Princeton had only two practices in preparation for the game, which was played in the Osaka Dome. It was a back-and-forth game in which the Tigers trailed 12-10 at intermission, took the lead in the second half, saw the Japanese team rally for a 25-24 lead with one minute left and then finally won 27-25 on Taylor Northrop's 45-yard field goal on the game's final play.
2,000 Six. It started in the season opener against Lafayette and ended with the season finale against Dartmouth, and it included four other games (Lehigh, Columbia, Cornell Yale) in between. Princeton was 2-4 in those six games and is 5-15 in games decided by seven points or fewer since the start of the 1997 season. The wins over Columbia (down 10 late in the fourth quarter before rallying to tie it and then win in overtime) and Yale (big second-half rally for final-minute win) are perhaps a sign that that record may be changing.
4,000 One. Princeton graduated the only three-time first-team All-Ivy League offensive lineman in the history of the program, NFL prospect Dennis Norman (tackle), but he is not the only key loss up front. Ross Tucker (guard), a three-year starter on the offensive line who started as a freshman on the defensive line, is also gone, as is two-year starter John Raveche (tackle). Brian Wilson (center), who had an outstanding senior year, graduated as well. The lone returning starter is senior guard Matt Peluse, which leaves the offensive line as the key question mark for the 2001 season. There is no shortage of contenders for the available jobs. Junior guard Lance Baird is probably the most experienced, though he certainly is not the only candidate. Junior John Holownia, at 6-5, 300 pounds the largest player on the roster, could be one tackle, while sophomore Kevin Manning (6-5, 280) could be the other tackle. Senior David Czehut and junior Chris Havener have also been on the two-deep in their careers. Alaskan Roger Patterson, a junior, started the game in Japan at center.
8,000 Four. Tommy Crenshaw started the season before breaking his wrist in Week 3 against Columbia and giving way to Jon Blevins, who started the following week against Colgate before suffering a severe ankle sprain. That opened the door for David Splithoff, who became the first freshman to start a game at quarterback when he started against both Brown and Harvard before he suffered a season-ending broken jaw. Blevins returned against Cornell before reinjuring his ankle and injuring his shoulder, which opened the door for Brian Danielewicz. Blevins returned to have a huge second half in the win over Yale and then finally started and played the entire game against Dartmouth. Of the four, only Blevins has been lost to graduation. Splithoff, completely healthy, ran for three touchdowns and threw for 251 yards on 22 of 32 passing in the game in Japan. He also led the Tigers down the field in the final minute of that game in a performance that proved his freshman year was no fluke. While he might not have had much time in the spotlight a year ago, Splithoff was nothing short of spectacular a year ago, when he completed 31 of 48 passes for 543 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He took Princeton on an 80-yard touchdown march in his first series after relieving Blevins against Colgate, and he took the Tigers 98 yards on their next possession. He was the Ivy League and ECAC offensive Player of the Week after his performance in Princeton's 55-28 win over Brown the following week, and he ran for three touchdowns before breaking his jaw the next week against Harvard. His 180.23 passing efficiency rating would have led Division I-AA, and he set a Princeton record with 14 straight completions. Danielewicz, a senior, completed 29 of 47 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown a year ago. His highlight was a brilliant 78-yard touchdown drive in the final minute against Cornell, when he completed 6 of 7 passes and threw a touchdown pass with 11 seconds to play before a missed extra point left Princeton a point short. Crenshaw (45 for 83, 430 yards, one touchdown a year ago) started eight games as a sophomore, both he and Danielewicz are proven veterans. Princeton also has an intriguing freshman quarterback in Pennsylvania all-stater Matt Verbit, who spent last year at Valley Forge Military Academy.
16,000 He needs 13. Northrop, a senior, was 14 for 18 a year ago (and he missed his first two), including 5 for 6 from at least 40 yards with a long of 50. For his career he is 25 for 33 on field goals, and he has a higher percentage from outside 40 yards than inside 40 yards. The two records he is chasing are Alex Sierk's Princeton record of 36 career field goals (1995-98) and Dave Regula's Ivy record of 38 (which he set at Dartmouth in the mid-'90s). Northrop is also the team's punter, as he has been since his sophomore year. The Tigers also return a host of returnmen, led by punt returner Andy Bryant (13.2 yards per return, a 56-yard return for a TD against Brown) and kickoff returnmen Cameron Atkinson and Brandon Mueller.
32,000 Chisom Opara had at least three receptions in every game last year and a total of 51 for the season. He had three touchdown receptions, including one with 11 seconds remaining against Cornell to pull Princeton within one and one with 16 seconds remaining to beat Yale. He threw five passes for the year and even lined up at quarterback and rushed for a touchdown against Dartmouth. Opara, who had nine receptions in the game in Japan, is Princeton's key receiver, but he is not alone. Princeton graduated two key pieces of its receiving corps, unanimous first-team All-Ivy fullback Marty Cheatham (38 catches, 514 yards) and tight end George Citovic (21 catches, 166 yards), but all of its wide receivers return. By season's end last year Princeton was starting Opara, then a sophomore, and Blair Morrison, then a freshman who broke Opara's Princeton rookie record with 17 receptions. Nate Lindell, a junior this season, was off to a tremendous start last year with seven receptions for 222 yards (31.7 per catch) and two touchdowns before he tore ligaments in his knee against Brown. Fellow juniors Patrick Schottel (seven catches, a key 49-yard touchdown reception against Columbia) and Brendan Dillon (four catches, saw considerable time) are among the returnees. The Tigers need to find a tight end, but in one short year the wide receiver position has gone from a question mark to a strength.
64,000 Six. Princeton had nine players rush for at least one touchdown a year ago, three of whom were lost to graduation. The top returning rusher is junior Cameron Atkinson, who rushed for a team-best 413 yards and four touchdowns. Atkinson, also a sprinter on the track team, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, best among Tiger running backs. Ismael El-Amin complemented Atkinswon with 55 carries for 211 yards and one touchdown. Andy Bryant carried once last year, but he led the Tigers with 10 carries for 40 yards in the game in Japan. The key losses in the backfield were Kyle Brandt (374 yards, five touchdowns) and Marty Cheatham (38 catches, 514 yards, unanimous first-team All-Ivy).
125,000 Blake Perry, who started all 10 games last year as a cornerback (placekicker Alex Sierk also started all 10 games his freshman year). Perry was not the only Princeton freshman to start at cornerback last year, as he was joined across the field by Brandon Mueller. This year, Mueller will move to free safety, with Perry at one cornerback and junior Kevin Kongslie at strong safety. Even without a senior in that group, it's the foundation of the best Princeton secondary in years. Kongslie, an honorable mention All-Ivy pick last year, was Princeton's No. 2 tackler with 66, and he had two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Perry and Mueller each had 54 tackles, while Perry added two interceptions. The key is filling out the secondary. Jon Ganter, the nickelback a year ago, returns for his senior year. Paul Simbi and Clark Webb, both of whom have been starters, are also back, as is Donald Scott, another potential d-back.
250,000 Marvin Williams, who lettered in basketball with Princeton's Ivy champions in 1989 and 1990 and then lettered in football in 1990 and 1991. Like Williams, Jackman was a member of the Princeton basketball for his first two years before making the switch to football last fall. Jackman came to the football team after the season had started. Despite never having played competitive football before, the 6-5, 240-pound Jackman moved into the depth chart as the No. 2 defensive end, playing primarily in pass-rushing situations. Jackman had two sacks and showed himself to be a potential impact player, he returns this year with the game in Japan and 12 spring practices under his belt. Princeton is without second-team All-Ivy end Nathan Podsakoff, but the position is still a big strength. Joining Jackman are sophomores Tim Kirby and Joe Weiss, both of whom started at times as freshmen. Kirby had 31 tackles as a rookie, seven for loss, while Weiss had 17 tackles and a team-best four sacks. It's inside where Princeton has to solidy things. All four of Princeton's defensive tackles from last year's two-deep are gone, three to graduation (Jason Rotman, Nick Freitag, Aron Tremble) and one who left the program (Michael Long). Junior Roger Hopkins and sophomores Sean Story and Jeff Micsky, who moves from center to defensive tackle, will try to fill the hole.
500,000 1990. Every season since then, Princeton has had either a first- or second-team linebacker. That's 11 straight years entering the 2001 season. This year's leading candidate is senior Chris Roser-Jones, who 55 tackles a year ago and a team-best six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Roser-Jones also recovered two fumbles and had two sacks, nine tackles for loss and 16 passes defended, all of which earned him second-team honors a year ago. Princeton actually graduated two starting 'backers from a year ago, the team's leading tackler (Mike Higgins) and third-leading tackler (Steve Koopman). Even without them, the linebacking corps should be fine. Bob Farrell, the 2001 captain, played enough as much as some of the starters last year, when he had 32 tackles, three sacks and an interception. Junior Rob Currey and sophomore Zak Keasey have also been on the field before. Another linebacker who knows his way around is Drew Babinecz, who returns after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Babinecz, a junior, has been a starter in the past.
1,000,000 Jono Helmerich, the 1981 Tiger captain, who like Farrell was from Tulsa. In between having captains from Oklahoma, Princeton had seven captains from California.