Football Players Report To Camp With United Goal - Championship

A Football Journey: Matthew Winston '22

Tuesday, February 24

Scarano and Selbert Earn Academic Honors

Tuesday, January 06

Josh Robinson Nabs All-American Status; 15 Earn Phil Steele All-Ivy

Tuesday, December 30

Brady Clark Named All-ECAC

Thursday, December 18

Football Players Report To Camp With United Goal - Championship

August 22, 2006 | Football

By: Princeton Athletic Communications

The bags have been packed. The return trips have been booked.

The summer is over.

Today, the players return. The freshmen arrive.

Football begins tomorrow.

Enough said.

(the following is the 2006 season preview from the media guide... all portions of the media guide can also be found online at the football team page)

If you only recently caught your breath from the taut, nerve-racking 2005 Princeton football campaign, that's easy to understand. Few
seasons over the past half century have matched 2005 in drama and success, and certainly none in the past decade could hold a candle to
it.

But while the football from 2005 is finished, the story of the season has not been fully authored.

Since the day he first stepped onto the picturesque campus that houses the nation's top-ranked university, Roger Hughes has often mentioned two words: culture and foundation. He believed that a new culture needed to dominate the locker room, one that focused on
accountability to both yourself and your teammates. One that would not allow corners to be cut in the relentless journey to victory.

Hughes felt that culture would put a team in position to become the foundation for a period of long and sustained success for the most
historic program in all of college football. There was something about last year's team that he liked, even before its season-opening win at two-time defending Patriot League champion Lafayette. It was the culture he sensed in the locker room, the one he
has been building towards since 2000.

The team went 7-3, stayed in the Ivy League race until the final day (despite a sixth-place projection by the media) and returns significant
talent to the Orange and Black squad currently preparing for the 137th season of Princeton football.

If this team falls back, then the 2005 story truly did end last November, when it left Dartmouth with a 30-0 win. But if this team stays among the league's elite, even when the local pundits again believe it won't, then the foundation that Hughes has sought for six years will be cemented. And from there, the future of Princeton football will have no ceiling. These are the players who will attempt to fortify that foundation, and
get a ring in the process.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS
It was arguably the biggest question of the last offseason, and it took Jeff Terrell less than 60 minutes to answer it. His performance in the
fourth quarter of last season's 23-21 win at Lafayette was that of aseasoned pro, not a junior taking his first varsity snaps. He ran Hughes' offense with confidence and intelligence, and the fourth-quarter drive he engineered would be a sign of things to come.Terrell doesn't bring the strongest arm into his senior season, but his combination of intelligence, accuracy and speed make him plenty dangerous. He runs the option with confidence and vision, which suits the open attack that Princeton wants to utilize. His five rushing touchdowns led the team, and his 3.8 yards per carry in 2005 was misleading considering the number of rushing yards he lost in sacks. Hughes will look for Terrell to decrease the number of sacks he takes this season by making quicker decisions or simply throwing the ball away. He will need to take greater responsibilities at the line of scrimmage with the graduation of last year's entire starting offensive line, but the heady senior from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, will accept that responsibility in a heartbeat. The offensive captain of the 2006 team, this is Terrell's offense.

Junior Bill Foran could be used in a similar way as last season, when he came in during the middle quarters of the game to give defenses a
different look. Probably the second-fastest player on the team (behind senior wide receiver and fellow track standout Brian Shields), Foran is
a six-point possibility every time he touches the ball. The more comfortable Foran gets in the passing game, the more versatile he will
become. He still remains a dangerous figure in the Tiger offense who the coaching staff will likely look for multiple ways to get on the
field.

Junior Greg Mroz, sophomore Brian Anderson and incoming freshmen Kenny Gunter and Dan Kopolovich will add to the depth and develop their knowledge of the offense, since Terrell only has 10 games left to play.

RUNNING BACKS
The offensive coaches have a surplus of options in the backfield, each of whom has different strengths and all of whom will combine to give
Princeton a deep corps of backs. That becomes crucial in the fourth quarter, when there is always a fresh option to turn to.

That option was junior Rob Toresco last season, and certainly could be again this year. Toresco iced two of the biggest wins of last season,
at Lafayette and Harvard, with big first downs in the final minutes. He is a tough inside runner who is also Princeton's best receiving option
out of the backfield. Typically listed as a fullback, he was a star tailback in high school and carries that mentality into his college career. His 61.1 yards per game and 4.3 yards per rush in 2005 are bests among among all returning backs, and his 28 receptions last season were more than anybody besides graduated All-America tight end Jon Dekker.

The best single-game performance of the season came from senior Cleo Kirkland, who started all 10 games at tailback. Kirkland rushed for 130
yards and two touchdowns in a 43-3 win over Columbia in the Ivy League opener. Kirkland doesn't have blazing speed, but he is deceptively
quick hitting the hole and runs with a fullback's toughness inside the tackles. With a year of experience under his belt, he should develop
into a more consistent option, especially in the red zone.

After those two, a cast of players will be competing for significant playing time. A pair of highly-recruited sophomores, Pete Ploszek and R.C. Lagomarsino, learned the system last season and will look to fit more into the offense in 2006. Ploszek had more rushes than any freshman in 2005 and brings terrific speed to the field. Lagomarsino dealt with an ankle injury last fall, but had good moments during the spring after a brilliant career at local Lansdale Catholic. Sophomore John Carroll should also fit into the mix, and junior Derek Brooks completed an impressive spring. Because of his shiftiness in the backfield, Brooks has always caught the eye of the coaching staff. His experience with the offensive system and his improved blocking should earn him more chances this season.

Both Joe Kovba and Evan O'Reilly will compete for the main blocking fullback position. Kovba held that role in most goal-line and short-yardage situations last season, but both were impressive in the spring and will be in the mix for 2006.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
With one of the deepest receiving corps in the league, the Princeton passing game will have plenty of options this season.
While several receivers will have solid roles within the offense, the potential breakout performer in 2006 is senior Brian Brigham. A
physical presence with good speed, Brigham has been hampered by injuries over the last two seasons. With the departure of Jon Dekker,
who grew into Terrell's most trusted target, Brigham could grow into that role. He caught at least one pass in nine of 10 games last season,
including a touchdown pass against Yale, and had a strong spring building a chemistry with Terrell.

Classmate Brian Shields brings a distinct weapon to the field — speed. Shields, who placed third in the 200-meter dash at last year's Ivy League Heptagonal championships, has been a deep threat each of the last two years. His 50-yard touchdown catch against Brown in 2004 highlighted that skill. His speed helps himbecome a viable underneath threat as well, since defenses are forced to play off him significantly. After all, if Shields gets behind the last defender, forget it. That fact alone makes Shields the team's most prominent deep threat this season.

Junior Brendan Circle will likely assume the role as the team's top possession receiver this season. He burst on the scene last year with five catches against Lafayette, including four for first downs. Seventeen of Circle's 22 receptions last season gave Princeton first downs, and many of them came in third-down situations. Circle also proved to be the Tigers' premier blocking wideout, a critical skill in an offense that utilizes options and misdirection.

There are a significant number of underclassmen, including talented sophomore Will Thanheiser, who will battle for snaps during the preseason. With the variety of offensive sets that Hughes likes to use, there is probably room for two or three more receivers to earn a decent
amount of time. One specific role that the offensive coaches will look for is for an option/reverse and screen threat, such as Greg Fields was
during the last two years.

The role of tight end is up for grabs after Dekker went from first-team All-Ivy honors to a contract with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Junior Brendan Swisher served as the No. 2 tight end last season, but he was moved to the offensive line in the spring and might have found a home at one of the tackle positions. Junior Jake Staser was a prime recruit at fullback, but injuries and the emergence of Rob Toresco have allowed the coaches to move him to tight end. He'll compete with Joe Magro, Billy Mitchell and Zach Kranz, all of whom impressed Hughes during the spring.

OFFENSIVE LINE
When longtime Delaware assistant coach Gregg Perry accepted the Princeton offensive line coach position, he didn't have much time to familiarize himself with the campus and community. When you don't return a single player with varsity starting experience, or any who have even taken a significant number of snaps, every moment counts.

The anchor of the 2006 line should be senior tackle Kyle Vellutato, who likely would have started at guard in 2005 if not for an injury. A physically gifted Garden State native, Vellutato has the versatility to play both the guard and tackle position, which will allow the coaches to build around him. He will likely end up as a tackle to replace either of Princeton's All-Ivy graduates, Ben Brielmaier or Dave Szelingowski. The other tackle position could go to Swisher, whose blocking presence made him a reliable No. 2 tight end, especially in short-yardage situations. He was an all-state tight end and defensive lineman in high school and quickly picked up the new position during the spring.

An even more dramatic move has been made by senior Brett Barrie, who started three games and played in all 10 on the defensive line last season. Barrie has taken the same route Brielmaier took two years earlier, and Hughes hopes he can have the same success as Brielmaier, the 2006 co-captain and Cleveland Browns signee. Barrie could move to one of the guard positions, but his most likely transition will be to center, where he would replace Andrew Wilson. Barrie is a tenacious competitor, but he showed his football acumen by quickly picking up many of the nuances of the offensive line. A full preseason camp this fall will accelerate that process, and the staff hopes he will be a full-time starter by mid-September.

The two guard spots will probably feature the most heated competitions of likely any offensive position this fall. Juniors Robert Bruesewitz and Matt Murphy will join a deep group of underclassmen, including a talented freshman class that will probably factor into the two-deep by the time the season is finished.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE
Two seasons ago, the Princeton defensive coaches were blessed with an interesting dilemma. Two future NFL linebackers, another future first-team All-Ivy selection and an ideal nickel linebacker were all in the starting lineup, so the staff decided to move to a 3-4 front to make that group more effective. The team went 12-8 in the next two seasons, and Princeton finished first in the Ivy League in scoring defense last year. With dominant linebackers Zak Keasey, Justin Stull and Abi Fadeyi battling for Sunday playing time now, it raised the possibility to move back to a 4-3 front. Hughes, however, wasn't interested.

“Our plan is to stay 3-4 because of the pressure it puts on the offense,” Hughes explained. “There is pressure to send four players from either side. It gives us the flexibility to try to get our best pass rusher in a favorable situation. There's also the ability to look very complex but actually be in a pretty simple defense.”

This time around, it isn't the experienced linebackers that allow Princeton to stay in a 3-4 front. It's the returning defensive linemen, who look strong enough to handle the line with three men. That line starts with senior Jake Marshall, who completed the best spring of his career and will handle the starting nose tackle position. He had 40 tackles last season, including nine against Yale and eight against Harvard. He's a physical competitor who fills gaps and stops the run, and he'll open holes for his linebackers. After his career was slowed at the start by a knee injury, Marshall is now fully healthy and ready for a dominant season.

On one side of Marshall will be sophomore Tom Methvin, who also had a strong spring until a minor injury cost him the final week. Methvin made his presence felt in the 27-24 win at Harvard when he was moved into the rotation and made six tackles, including arguably the biggest stop of the season, a 4th-and-2 tackle of Clifton Dawson inside the Princeton 5-yard-line. Methvin, who spent last winter break rebuilding houses in New Orleans, is as quick as most linebackers and as physical as most linemen. He could be an anchor on the outside for years to come.

Pete Buchignani was on the other side last year. He will be this year, and, like Methvin, could be for the next two seasons as well. The Princeton defensive freshman of the year in 2005, Buchignani took over the starting job early last season and made 27 stops. He added a pair of sacks, including one against Harvard, and he has enough speed to rush outside the tackles. He also brings the toughness inside to compete against a guard, which makes him difficult to game plan against.

Defensive coordinator Steve Verbit likes to utilize a rotating defensive line, and two specific names will be the early favorites to earn significant snaps in that scheme. Senior Mike Meehan is an athletic lineman who has the speed and smarts to defend the option and outside run game. He'll likely spell Methvin and Buchignani on the outside, while sophomore Matt Koch learned plenty during his freshman season and is not far behind Marshall as a nose tackle. Koch is as big as anybody on the Princeton defense and could be an ideal nose tackle for the next few seasons.

LINEBACKERS
It's a common misconception in sports. When a team loses a set of stars, the assumption is that the cupboard is now bare. That simply isn't the case. The backup just wasn't as good or experienced as the starter at the time.

Example A is one of the inside linebacker positions, where junior Doori Song is the expected starter. He'll take the place of Stull, a three-time All-Ivy selection and current member of the Washington Redskins. There was no way Song could match Stull's performance last season, especially considering all of the two-time captain's experience. But Song was a highly recruited linebacker who will be the primary run stopper in the middle of the field. He also learned the Princeton defense over the past two years and studied under Stull, which will serve him well. He didn't forget how to tackle, or what made him a prized recruit. Underestimate him at your own risk.

Another example is the outside linebacker position owned by Fadeyi over the last two seasons. Nobody on the roster last season could match Fadeyi's presence on the field, especially when he was running down rushers from the other side of the field. Nobody will probably do that this year, but that doesn't make co-captain Luke Steckel or Pat McGrath bad options. They will bring different strengths to the table, and the defensive coaches will alter the game plan to fit them accordingly. Both are technically sound tacklers with a great understanding of their role. Both are physical in the run game, but they'll move around enough to factor into either blitz packages or pass defense.

Another inside linebacker to watch will be Jon Stem, the likely replacement for Rob Holuba. Stem has been a consistent force on special teams, a typical linebacker requirement before moving into the starting lineup, and his fumble recovery at Penn helped Princeton break open the game in the fourth quarter. He is another gritty player who will work with Song in the run game.

The impact player from this position in 2006 could be senior Brig Walker, who rotated with Nate Starrett last season. Walker is an explosive, quick defender who is allowing his instincts to take over on the field. His speed off the edge will make him a terror in blitz schemes, and, in a 3-4 front, the defensive coaches can move Walker to different spots for favorable matchups. In a league with as many close games as the Ivy League, a timely third-down sack or forced fumble can change the outcome of a game, and Walker might be the guy to make the majority of those plays this season.

There is depth at the position as well, including former defensive lineman Tim Boardman and junior Misha Cvetkovic, who lost most of last season to injury. They are expected to see time, while a talented incoming freshman class will likely need to make their early mark in special teams, just as Keasey, Stull and Fadeyi once did.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Senior Tim Strickland started the first game of his varsity career. He started the one after that, and the 28 after that, and enters this season as the only non-kicker on the roster to have started three seasons worth of games. He'll be the focal point of the defensive backfield, even if his exact starting position hasn't been decided just yet. His career began at cornerback, and he could certainly move back to that position, but the coaching staff is hopeful he will move to the safety position, where he excelled the second half of last season. His coverage skills are obvious — you don't record three interceptions in one game without that talent — but he is an effective run stopper as well who can read the offense and react to where the ball is going. For Strickland to play safety, Princeton will need its top two cornerback options to earn starting time. The first is fellow senior J.J. Artis, who has the best chance of becoming the team's shut-down corner. While it's unfair to ask him to repeat Jay McCareins' heroics from 2005, Artis has both the physical skill and speed to lock down any receiver in the league. Health has been an issue during Artis' career, but he'll enter his senior season injury-free and ready for a breakout season. He's a solid run stopper on the corner, as shown by his consistent standing as Princeton's top open-field tackler on special teams.

Sophomore Tom Hurley will compete for the secondcornerback position. Hurley is talented and aggressive, but his spring was slightly limited by a late injury. Classmate Barry Newell was also injured in the spring and will miss the 2006 season, but he's a name to keep in mind for future years. He earned playing time early in his first season and has the athleticism to succeed at this level. Freshman Cart Kelly is highly touted from the Pittsburgh area and could factor into certain packages if he can pick up the defense quickly enough.

At the safety position, both Rob Anderson and Kevin Kelleher are ready to become full-time starters. Anderson made 27 tackles last season,
including eight in the 27-24 win at Harvard. He will make himself a presence in both the run and pass game, and he even added a pair of sacks in the 30-0 shutout at Dartmouth. Kelleher made one of the most athletic plays of the season, running down a Colgate wideout from across the field to save a touchdown. He saw his time increase as the season unfolded and averaged five tackles per game in the final four contests, including an eight-stop performance against Cornell.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior Colin McDonough will punt. If you need an explanation, you're somewhat new to Princeton football. McDonough is a three-time All-Ivy selection, including twice on the first-team, and he was named to an All-America team by one service. He might be as good at his position as any other player in the league, and his 40-yard punt average last season played a big part in Princeton's impressive defensive numbers. It's one position that, barring injury, Hughes can write in pen before September and not bother looking at it again until 2007.

McDonough also serves as the holder on placekicking, and his athleticism was complimented often by 2005 All-Ivy kicker Derek Javarone, the Ivy League all-time leader in field goals. McDonough will hold for a new kicker this season, and the early favorite for that spot is sophomore Conner Louden. While he might not immediately have Javarone's accuracy from within 40 yards, Louden has a stronger leg and will allow for Princeton to attempt kicks from longer range. He will have to win the job in the fall, but he looked good in the spring and was praised by Javarone last season. Sophomore Ryan Pritchard will resume his duties as long snapper following an impressive freshman campaign.

Princeton didn't spend significant time in the spring on the return game, but the loss of McCareins and Greg Fields opens both major return spots. Potential replacements include Strickland, Artis, Brigham, Lagomarsino and Ploszek. The team will use the fall preseason to determine its return squads; Ploszek has the most experience from last season. He sprung the final block for McCareins' game-winning return at Harvard.

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Players Mentioned

Brian Anderson

Rob Anderson

J.J. Artis

Brett Barrie

Tim Boardman

Ben Brielmaier

Brian Brigham

Derek Brooks

Robert Bruesewitz

Pete Buchignani

Brendan Circle

Misha Cvetkovic

Jon Dekker

Abi Fadeyi

Greg Fields

Bill Foran

Kenny Gunter

Rob Holuba

Tom Hurley

Derek Javarone

Kevin Kelleher

Cart Kelly

Cleo Kirkland

Matt Koch

Dan Kopolovich

Joe Kovba

R.C. Lagomarsino

Conner Louden

Joe Magro

Jake Marshall

Jay McCareins

Colin McDonough

Pat McGrath

Tom Methvin

Billy Mitchell

Greg Mroz

Matt Murphy

Barry Newell

Evan O'Reilly

Pete Ploszek

Ryan Pritchard

Brian Shields

Doori Song

Nate Starrett

Jake Staser

Luke Steckel

Jon Stem

Tim Strickland

Justin Stull

Dave Szelingowski

Jeff Terrell

Will Thanheiser

Rob Toresco

Kyle Vellutato

Brig Walker

Andrew Wilson

Football Players Report To Camp With United Goal - Championship

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