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Princeton University Athletics
The Last Hope To Win First
September 17, 2003 | Football
Sept. 17, 2003
The final team in Division I to start the 2003 season will be the Princeton Tigers, who will kick off their 134th year of football Saturday at 7 p.m. at Princeton Stadium. Lehigh, ranked No. 20 in Division I-AA, will provide a stiff test in the season opener.
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Game Notes
Opening Act - The Tigers have won two straight home openers, both of which were played at night. Princeton has also lost its last four season openers, including each of the last two to Lehigh.
Finally - The Ivy League starts later than any league in Division I-A or I-AA, and all other Ivy teams will begin play earlier today, making Princeton the final Division I football team to begin play in the 2003 season.
The Dirty Dozen - Princeton has won eight of its last 12 games. Prior to that, the Tigers had lost 10 of 12 games.
Lights, Camera, Action - Princeton has averaged 39 points per game in its last two night contests at Princeton Stadium, including a 44-point performance against Columbia in 2001.
Five Alive - Princeton was picked to finish fifth in the 2003 Ivy League football media poll. Penn was picked to repeat as Ivy League champion. Lehigh was picked to finish third in the Patriot League poll.
Patriot Games - Princeton had lost six straight games to Patriot League opponents prior to its home opener last season against Lafayette. Princeton won its last two games against Patriot foes in 2002, a 34-19 win over Lafayette and a 14-10 win over Colgate. Quarterly Report I - In the final quarter of the 2002 Princeton season, the Tigers scored 28 points to rally for a thrilling 38-30 victory over Dartmouth to clinch their first winning season since 1995. It was the most points Princeton scored in any single quarter during the season. Quarterly Report II - The most points scored against Princeton in any quarter last season was 24, which is what Lehigh scored in the decisive fourth quarter of a 31-24 win over Princeton in the Tigers' season opener.
Reversal of Fortunes - In the first 42 meetings between Princeton and Lehigh, the Tigers owned a 36-4-2 record. In the last six, the Tigers are 0-6.
We're Honored - Princeton returns a trio of All-Ivy performers from 2002, including first-team selection Joe Weiss. The senior defensive end led the league in tackles for loss last season (18 for 67 yards) and was third in sacks (eight for 40 yards). Tim Kirby (second team) and Blake Perry (honorable mention) also return.
Oh Captain, Our Co-Captains - Princeton will have two captains for the 2003 season. Senior quarterback Dave Splithoff and senior defensive end Tim Kirby were elected by their teammates at the end of last season.
Split Decision - Dave Splithoff, the starting quarterback in each of the last two season openers, is nearly fully recovered from last season's shoulder injury suffered against Harvard. He will be available for action tonight but is unlikely to start.
Welcome Matt - Junior Matt Verbit will likely make his fifth consecutive start for the Tigers at quarterback. Verbit went 2-2 last season and engineered fourth-quarter comebacks against both Cornell and Dartmouth.
A Man for All Seasons - Matt Verbit spent his fall helping lead the football team to its first winning season since 1995, and he also worked with the football team in spring practices. During the winter, Verbit spent his time as a member of the varsity basketball team, seeing action in nine games.
Prime Target - Junior wide receiver B.J. Szymanski is expected to be one of the top targets in the Ivy League this season after catching 33 passes for 567 yards last season. He had one of his finest performances last season against Lehigh, catching seven balls for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Look At Me, I Can Be Centerfield - B.J. Szymanski has some experience atop the league standings. Szymanski was a starting centerfielder for the Ivy League champion baseball team in the spring. He batted .330 in 46 games, led the team with 59 hits and 39 runs scored and earned All-Ivy honors. Return to Sender - Senior tight end Mike Chiusano makes his return to Princeton Stadium after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in the 2002 preseason. Chiusano had 14 catches and two touchdowns in 2001.
The 40-40 Club - Princeton returns its 2002 defensive line of Joe Weiss, Jeff Micsky, George Pilcher and Tim Kirby. The quartet combined to start a total of 40 of a possible 40 games last season.
On the Other Hand - None of tonight's starting linebackers, Steven Jameson, Justin Stull or Alan Borelli, has ever started a game for Princeton.
Justin Time - Sophomore linebacker Justin Stull will open the 2003 season as the starting middle linebacker. In each of the last two seasons, the starting middle linebacker on opening day ended the season as Princeton's leading tackler.
B-Lake Carnegie - Senior defensive back Blake Perry is the Tigers' active leader in career tackles (155).
Local Hero - Sophomore Dave Szelingowski, who graduated from local high school Steinert, will make his first collegiate start against Lehigh. He was a two-time first-team All-Colonial Valley Conference selection.
Head of the Class - Princeton welcomes the Class of 2007, which will sport the Orange and Black for the first time tonight. Twenty-nine Tigers from 17 different states make up the Princeton freshman class.
Won Hundred - Princeton won all six games last season when it had a 100-yard rusher and lost all four when it didn't.
A Day at the Veach - In all six of those wins, Cameron Atkinson '03 was the 100-yard rusher. Junior Jon Veach is a leading contender, along with classmate Branden Benson, to take Atkinson's spot.
Knight-mare - The last time Princeton opened the season at home against a non-league opponent was in 1975, when the Tigers defeated Rutgers 10-7.
A Hughes Success - Princeton head coach Roger Hughes has improved his winning percentage each season. In 2003, the Tigers went 6-4 (.600), their best record since 1995.
Great Scott - While much of the Princeton coaching staff remained the same from last season, Roger Hughes did hire a familiar face in wide receivers coach Scott Sallach from Dartmouth. Princeton also got defensive coach Joshua Nowocin from Stony Brook.
The Crystal Ball - Princeton will take to the road next weekend when it battles Lafayette at 1 p.m. Princeton defeated the Leopards 34-19 at Princeton Stadium last season.
Home Sweet Home - The Tigers return to Princeton Stadium in two weeks when they open their Ivy season against Columbia at 7 p.m.