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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Football 2004: The Wait Is Almost Over
September 13, 2004 | Football
Sept. 13, 2004
PRINCETON - The name of the game this offseason was competition. From workouts to team activities to the grueling practice sessions during the preseason, the Princeton football coaches turned almost every aspect of the training into a competition.
And while the players will tell you how much they enjoyed the competitions amongst themselves, make no mistake about something. Everything they did was in preparation for 10 competitions this fall.
Everything.
The juniors and seniors on this team have experienced the joy and thrills of remarkable successes in 2002 and the agony of excrutiating losses last season. They know how thin the line is between one side and the other: a tipped pass here, a missed tackle there. They, along with a talented group of underclassmen, are now ready to bring the competition to 10 other schools to see which side of the line they stand on in 2004.
DEFENSE
The calling card for the 2004 Tigers will be the defensive side of the ball, where there are as many as four true impact players, and plenty of others who will look to earn that reputation for themselves. The four stalwarts on the defense will be linebackers Zak Keasey and Justin Stull, and defensive backs Jay McCareins and Brandon Mueller. Each has All-Ivy accolades to their credit, and any of them has the ability to take over a game from their position.
Start with the linebackers, which has traditionally been a strong position for Princeton. Keasey led Princeton in tackles as both a sophomore and a junior, and he earned first-team All-Ivy honors in 2002. After missing last season, he has returned in the best shape of his life. A number of NFL scouts were around the team this preseason, and each made sure to get a good look at Keasey. His football instincts make him a natural fit in the Princeton linebacking scheme; the fact that he tries to destroy everything he hits makes him very dangerous.
Stull will line up next to him and will be one of the critical players on the run defense. As a sophomore, he led the Ivy League last year with 114 tackles, which is more than any Princeton player has had since 1995. With Keasey demanding attention from the opposing quarterback, Stull is free to use his knowledge of the defense and great strength to close any running gaps that might appear.
A pair of juniors will likely see plenty of time at the position. Abi Fadeyi is slated to start at strongside linebacker, where he can use his athleticism to get involved in either pass defenses or blitzing schemes. Alan Borelli, who tied for the team lead in sacks last season, brings speed from either side and can also find himself filling various roles on the team.
Those four lead a deep group at the position, which will help the Princeton special teams greatly. Another deep position is the defensive backfield, where McCareins and Mueller will try to make quarterbacks question any decision they make.
McCareins is a shut-down cornerback who took on the best receivers in the Ivy League two seasons ago and came out on top more often than not. He plays with enough skill and confidence to allow the coaches to leave him on an island. Basically, if the quarterback wants to throw his way, he does so at his own peril. Junior Charles Bahlert and sophomore J.J. Artis will likely compete for the other starting role, and both could play in nickel packages. Both gained experience as starters last season and will likely be thrown at often with McCareins taking care of the other side of the field.
Mueller will start at free safety, where he is free to roam the backfield and get involved in the passing game. Mueller can cover (he had four interceptions in 2002), and he can blitz (four career sacks), but he will be back there with the intention of knocking away passes and hitting receivers over the middle. Like Keasey, he got stronger after a year away from football and will be one of the best pure hitters on the defense. Converted cornerback Tim Strickland and senior Nick Brown will also see time in the backfield as strong safeties. Both have shown the ability to both cover and tackle, a versatility needed from a position that will have both run and pass responsibilities. Strickland came on strong last season and earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors once, while Brown is an experienced defender who has seen plenty of action throughout his career.
That leaves the defensive line, which is dealing with the graduations of first-team All-Ivy ends Tim Kirby and Joe Weiss. They were easily the top duo in the league last year, and they leave big shoes to fill this season. The same type of production will not be expected out of likely starters James Williams and Chris Browne, but they will need to provide a consistent pass rush to force quick decisions from the quarterback. The interior linemen could be the key of the whole defense, since opposing coordinators will try to run up the middle as often as possible and avoid testing the defensive backfield. Senior Peter Kelly, coming off his best camp, will lead the way inside and try to stuff the run as often as possible. There are a number of big underclassmen, led by sophomore Okezie Aguwa, who will join him in that role. If the staff can find a reliable rotation of three or four tackles, this defense could become the best in the league.
OFFENSE
A top-notch defense gives an offense the opportunity to play within itself. This is not the type of offense that will be expected to score 40 points a game, but it doesn't need to be that way. It has to do three things to give Princeton a chance to win this league: convert on third downs to keep drives going and to keep the defense rested; keep away from turning the ball over, especially deep in its own territory; and score enough points to come away with a win.
The key area to success on the offense is up front, where the line will need to play well consistently this season. The group improved from 2002 to 2003, and it will need to continue that upward movement in 2004. Jeremy Moore is in his second season as a starter and will use his athleticism to help open gaps on either side, as well as handling the rush up the middle. Andrew Wilson and Dave Szelingowski are also in their second years as starters, and they have shown improvements already this preseason. Players like Michael Babyak and Andrew Aurich will get their chance to start this season, but a player to watch for in 2004 will be Ben Brielmaier. After starting on the defensive line last season, the physically gifted Brielmaier has come to the other side of the ball and has shown the ability to thrive at the position. How quickly this group gels will help determine Princeton's record after its first few weeks.
Outside of the wide receiver position, where both starters from 2003 have finished their careers, there is ample experience in the offensive skill positions. Senior quarterback Matt Verbit has been around this program his whole life, and he has the opportunity to leave it in good shape. Nobody has ever questioned Verbit's athleticism; he has a rocket of an arm and enough speed to be able to move around in the pocket and keep the play alive. He now has the experience needed to become a great quarterback. He's seen most every defense out there, and he has been in almost any situation a quarterback can deal with. Furthermore, he has the faith of his teammates in the huddle. Give him time, get to your spot, and trust that No. 2 will get you the ball.
There is even more experience at running back, where two senior tailbacks and one senior fullback will lead the rushing attack. The quick, shifty Jon Veach and the powerful Branden Benson will be the two main ballcarriers this season, just as they were last season. Head coach Roger Hughes likes to use the two as a committee each Saturday, but he will also ride the hot hand if one is having a special day. Both were named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week last season, and both will need career seasons to keep the offense consistent. Joel Mancl has been the starting fullback since his sophomore season, and after his best camp, he will need his best season this year. Mancl is a solid lead blocker, but will likely get a few more opportunities to touch the ball this season, especially as a passing option out of the backfield.
The wide receiver starting jobs look like an open race right now, with as many as five players staking their claims to a starting role. Players like Eric Walz, Derek Davis, Clinton Wu, Monte McNair and Brian Brigham staking their claim to a starting position. Then there is Greg Fields, a running back and return specialist last season who has gotten more work as a receiver this season. Again, the coaches will watch closely to see who can step up and become consistent, viable options for Verbit this season.
One option that shouldn't be an issue is tight end Jon Dekker, who has NFL-type size and broke out at the end of the 2003 season. He became a favorite option of Verbit, starting with the Harvard game, and only grew more comfortable in his role during the preseason. Dekker could become a favorite short-yardage receiver this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sophomore punter Colin McDonough was a first-team All-Ivy selection last season and hasn't given any reason to believe he will take a step back this year. There are a number of potential returners in the skill positions, and the linebacker depth will assist the coverage teams.
That leaves the placekicking duties, which are currently held by junior Derek Javarone. Following a record-setting end to his 2003 season, Javarone is expected to be a legitimate scoring option this season. No team knows better than Princeton how important the kicking game is, and in a league as tight as the Ivy race should be this season, any of these 10 competitions could come down to one little kick.