.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Season Preview: Princeton Football 2007
September 13, 2007 | Football
Since his arrival at Princeton, head coach Roger Hughes has worked tirelessly to build a foundation based on a winning culture for the Tiger football program. That foundation is now in place.
Members of the Class of 2008 have a career record of 21-9.
Members of the Class of 2009 have a career record of 16-4.
Members of the Class of 2010 have a career record of 9-1.
And all of them have an Ivy League championship ring.
Not since 1996 has a Princeton football team come into a year with at least three consecutive seasons of .500-or-better records. It is a program that expects to win because, when the chips were down over the last two seasons, the Tigers won many more close games than they lost. Maybe they don't accept losing because they simply don't know it as well as they know winning.
And the incoming freshman class, one of the most highly-touted ones in Hughes' tenure, will grow in that culture.
The 2007 team has the pieces in place to win again, but it will also carry the champion's bullseye for the first time in more than a decade. The Tigers won't sneak up on anybody this season, but that's fine. Their presence has been announced over the last three seasons, and now they plan on staying in the championship hunt on an annual basis.
It's what winning programs do.
THE OFFENSE
Offensive Line
The prospect of a starting offensive line featuring as many as four sophomores could be a frightening one. But coming off last season, when the starting line had combined for zero varsity starts, there is reason for optimism.
The line should have both experience and talent on both ends. Senior Brendon Swisher is the leader of the line and will start at left tackle, while sophomore Mark Paski is the returning starter at right tackle. Swisher will be defending the blind side of the quarterback, a role Paski filled admirably last season for Bushnell Cup winner and lefthanded quarterback Jeff Terrell.
The guard and center positions could see more transition as the season progresses, but there could be a trio of sophomores manning these roles. J.P. Makrai started half the 2006 season at guard and could stay there or move to center. Converted tight end Chris Denson, Andrew Hauser and Marc Daou - all sophomores - will compete for the starting guard positions, but the offensive coaches are hoping to develop the same type of rotation that has made the defensive line successful. Nick Morgan will likely start at center in the opener and will look to control the middle the way Brett Barrie did last season. Some potential members of a line rotation are also Adam Flynn and Matt Reynolds, and a handful of freshmen could also earn time as the season progresses.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
The most decorated returner for Princeton is first-team All-Ivy wideout Brendan Circle, who led the league in receiving yards (835) last season. Circle is the premier possession receiver in the Ivy League; he runs crisp routes and has reliable hands. In an offense based on timing and moving the chains, he is invaluable.
The graduations of Brian Brigham and Brian Shields will give opportunities to several younger receivers. Juniors Will Thanheiser and Adam Berry will both be asked to make significant impacts this season. Thanheiser is a tall, speedy threat who developed a nice chemistry with the quarterbacks on deep balls during the preseason. Berry, who scored his first career touchdown against Lehigh last season, is a versatile threat who can move the chains and catch the ball over the middle. Berry had 17 catches last season and produced similar numbers to Circle during the latter's sophomore season. Sophomore Jeb Heavenrich will see varsity time this season and brings explosive speed to the field.
Similar to the offensive line, the Class of 2011 is deep with skilled receivers. By the heart of the Ivy season, the names Trey Peacock, Matt Ransom and Andrew Kerr could be more familiar to Princeton fans.
Tight end Jake Staser has always impressed the coaches with his physical skills. This could be the season for him to be an impact player in the offense, similar to the breakout season of Jon Dekker in 2005. Joe Magro and Billy Mitchell will add depth to the position.
Running Backs
Senior Rob Toresco is a lesser-known version of 2006 Rutgers standout and St. Louis Rams draft choice Brian Leonard. Toresco can run, catch and block, all in the name of victory. He might not be the feature back for the first 45 minutes, but with the lead in the fourth quarter, head coach Roger Hughes has fed Toresco the ball over and over again. It's been a formula for success, and should be again.
Junior R.C. Lagomarsino is the more explosive back, and following a full year of experience could be Princeton's breakout offensive star in 2007. He is quick and shifty, and the potential of he and quarterback Bill Foran teaming up on the option is a scary one to defenses. Lagomarsino needs to limit his fumbles and lost yardage to become a Top-3 running back in the league.
Sophomore Kenny Gunter was moved from quarterback in the offseason and brings a combination of size and speed to the position. The only thing holding him back now is the learning curve of a new position, but it seems inevitable that Gunter will have a major impact on a handful of games, either this season or in future ones. Keep your eye on sophomore Jordan Culbreath as well.
Quarterbacks
For the past three years, Hughes has found different ways to get the aforementioned Foran on the field. Although behind either Terrell or Matt Verbit on the quarterback depth chart, Hughes knew Foran's athleticism was too great to keep on the bench. From wide receiver to special teams standout, the Dallas native made an impact in a variety of ways.
This year, that way is as the starting quarterback. The strong-armed sprinter ? yes, he is a sprinter for the track team ? earned the No. 1 position with a strong spring and fall and looks ready to accept the leadership role that comes with the position. He should thrive in the spread offense, and his touch on deep throws will make defensive backs stay honest.
Hughes feels good about backups Greg Mroz and Brian Anderson, even enough to throw one in here and there to make defenses defend multiple quarterbacks.
THE DEFENSE
Defensive Line
With three returning starters in place and several potential standouts in the rotation, the defensive line seems to be one of the most reliable groups for the defending Ivy League champions.
Junior Pete Buchignani earned All-Ivy honorable mention last season and came back to Princeton in great shape. He will be a handful for any offense to contain in either the run or pass game. He had five tackles for loss and two sacks last season, and both of those numbers could be on the rise this season as he lines up on one end.
Opposite of Buchignani will be another major physical presence, junior Tom Methvin. The hero of the 27-26 overtime win at Colgate last season, Methvin led all Princeton defensive linemen in sacks and tackles for loss. He has a speed rush off the perimeter that is tough to handle, and his experience will serve him better in the run game.
Classmate Matt Koch will handle the nose tackle responsibilities this season. Although former teammate Jake Marshall earned All-Ivy status last season, Koch was the pick to start each game. He is a big, strong and tough force inside that gives the linebackers a chance to do their jobs. Koch doesn't take plays off, and while his success doesn't show up in individual stats, his impact is felt by all his teammates.
There is a spirited competition for spots in the defensive line rotation, which keeps the three-man front fresh throughout the game. Senior Aaron Carter, junior Pat Gallagher and sophomore Joel Karacozoff all bring different strengths to the mix, and all three could see time. The development of freshmen Matt Boyer and Jason Martin will also be watched closely, as both were highly-touted recruits this past year.
Linebackers
Senior Jon Stem takes over the role as both an experienced veteran and defensive captain for the 2007 Princeton Tigers. After playing much of last season in the middle, Stem moves to the strong side this season and will use his speed and game sense to keep the defense in the right position. Last season, the defensive backfield was experienced and helped ease early issues in the linebacking corps. The opposite might need to be true this season, and Stem is one veteran at the position that can make it happen.
Two more are Tim Boardman and Doori Song. Boardman was the team's top defensive freshman as a lineman in 2004, but he moved to linebacker in 2005 and became an impact player again last season. He led the team in tackles as a junior and will start in the middle, where he can focus primarily on stopping the run. Song proved immediately that he was a force in the run game; his performance in short-yardage situations at Lehigh last season turned plenty of heads. Song is strong and smart, and neither he nor Boardman will be caught in the wrong spot very often.
Junior Collin McCarthy and sophomore John Callahan will likely share time as the nickel linebacker, while sophomores Brad Stetler and Adam Fee, as well as senior Jeremiah Miller, will probably find time in other spots during the year. Most of the freshman linebackers will serve on special teams while learning the defensive schemes.
Defensive Backs
A team doesn't lose Jay McCareins, J.J. Artis and Tim Strickland over a two-year stretch and not feel some effects. This will be the area on defense that will probably see more mixing and matching as the season goes on than any other spot.
Senior Kevin Kelleher is the unquestioned leader in the backfield. After a season filled with clutch plays, including two late interceptions against Harvard, Kelleher will need to be an impact player while also keeping his position mates in the right place. He made 39 tackles last season and will probably need to improve on that number this season.
After Kelleher, there are a handful of players looking to fill the roles of cornerback and strong safety. Sophomore Dan Kopolovich moved from quarterback to cornerback in 2006, but he could prove to be the best fit at strong safety. He is a terrific tackler who can see the field as a quarterback, since he was a state champion signal caller in Pennsylvania.
Sophomore Cart Kelly was one of Princeton's most exciting recruits last season, but he wasn't able to find much time with the experienced defensive backs already in place. He learned the defense while excelling on special teams last season, and he could move into the top cornerback role this season. Junior Tom Hurley is another potential top cornerback. He split time with Kopolovich last season opposite of Artis and had a key interception against Harvard.
Seniors Blake Williams and Joe Cerreta could both see time as safeties, while junior Barry Newell and sophomore Carlos Roque are both potential cornerbacks, especially in nickel and dime situations. Another player to watch is junior Pete Ploszek, who moved from running back to defensive back and brings tremendous athleticism to the position. As he gets more comfortable with the schemes, he could see his playing time improve significantly.
Special Teams
Junior Ryan Coyle has worked hard while waiting out the All-America career of Colin McDonough, and he enters the 2007 season as Princeton's No. 1 punter. He filled in while McDonough was injured for two games last season and had half of his punts either downed inside the 20 or fair caught.
Junior Connor Louden and sophomore Matt Lichtenstein continue to battle for the placekicking job. Louden handled the duties most of last season, but Lichtenstein came into fall camp as the No. 1 guy. Hughes has not shown a fear of changing kickers midseason, so both will need to fight for their jobs all season.
With the NCAA moving kickoffs back to the 30-yard-line, Princeton will need to see improved play in this area. Along with Louden and Lichtenstein, freshman Matthew Abola has done a nice job on kickoffs and could earn this job, while players like Ploszek, Heavenrich and Ransom will be among the competitors for the kick and punt return positions.