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Princeton University Athletics
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Football Looks For Defense, Special Teams To Provide Greater Impact In 2009
September 04, 2009 | Football
In the continuing look at the 2009 Princeton football team, GoPrincetonTigers.com and GoPrincetonTigers.TV visited preseason camp to check out the progress of the Tiger defense and special teams. Included is a video link and a preview of both units. Coming next week will be the Media Day press conference with head coach Roger Hughes and both of his coordinators.
Defensive Line: During the 2005 season, freshman names Pete Buchignani and Tom Methvin became quite familiar to Princeton fans. One championship season later, classmate Matt Koch made it a trifecta, and the group anchored the line until injury cost Methvin most of his senior season.
While that group is now graduated, there is still enough talent to create a rotation Hughes can believe in. That belief begins with senior Joel Karacozoff, the beneficiary of Methvin's injury. With 30 tackles and three sacks last season, Karacozoff is far and away the most experienced member of the line; he is an athletic, active lineman who finds a way into the offensive backfield multiple times per game.
Junior Matt Boyer was one of the most touted recruits in the Class of 2011, and he seems ready to put it all together this season. He had 17 tackles, including four for loss, while playing behind Koch at the nose tackle position. While Boyer won't have Koch's experience this season, he can more than make up for it with his physical presence; at 6-5, 285 pounds, Boyer can stuff the middle of the line and open holes for his All-Ivy inside linebackers.
Mike Catapano might be a new name for Princeton fans right now, but that probably won't last long. The sophomore could start opposite of Karacozoff on the other end of the three-man front; at 6-4, 275 pounds, he doesn't have the typical Ivy League physical presence on the outside. The coaching staff has been impressed with his preseason intensity and believes he could be ready for a breakout season.
A defensive line can only be as good as its depth, and the three most likely members of the rotation could be senior Mark Ethridge, sophomore Kevin DeMaio and freshman Caraun Reid. Ethridge had three tackles in spot duty last season, but is well versed in the defense and can play outside. DeMaio was named the team's top defensive freshman last season and could rotate inside with Boyer. Reid has been one of the freshman standouts of the fall and could jump into the rotation as quickly as Buchignani and Methvin once did.
Linebackers: Realistically, this defense should have enough pieces to be good. Its level of greatness may depend on returning All-Ivy inside linebackers Scott Britton and Steven Cody, who need to raise their game even another notch in 2009.
Britton, one of the four captains this season, ranked second on the team and eighth in the Ivy League in tackles with 81 last season, including 11-stop efforts against both Columbia and Brown. His impact in the Columbia game was felt most in his final tackle, when he stripped a Columbia player to end a potential winning drive. Britton has been a regular for the last two years and is a natural run stopper, but he added a team-best four sacks. An emotional leader, Britton will be looking for more game-changing plays in 2009.
The same holds true for Cody, who led the team and ranked fifth in the league with 85 tackles last season. He recorded double-digit stops in five games, although he didn't come up with a turnover. Cody was the first sophomore to lead Princeton in tackles since Justin Stull in 2003, and the coaching staff has noticed a marked improvement after a year of experience.
A trio of seniors will give linebacker coach Don Dobes versatility on the outside. Jeff Jackson got off to a brilliant start last season, especially in a 10-7 win over Lehigh; Jackson filled the stat sheet with nine tackles, one sack and one interception in the stout defensive effort. Injuries hampered his play, but the gained experience gives him an advantage heading into this season.
Classmate Brad Stetler showed his explosiveness on the field with a two-sack effort against Brown and another sack against Harvard. He ended the season with 27 tackles, including six for loss, and could become a major strength if he has a more well-rounded season. His ability to get in the backfield is enough reason to make sure he gets on the field.
John Callahan is a wild card after missing the 2008 season with a torn ACL. Callahan was one of the few defensive freshmen who made an impact during the 2006 championship season, and his knowledge of the defense will hopefully help him early while he shakes off the game rust.
Jon Olofsson and Keola Kaluhiokalani are among the reserves who could find time on the inside. While freshmen don't tend to make big impacts at linebacker, there are a couple who have impressed Dobes already and could find themselves playing special teams at the very least.
Defensive Backs: Verbit has been very pleased with the competition for spots all over the defensive backfield. Quality play from both the underclassmen and the experienced seniors has led to a productive fall and should indicate depth at the position when The Citadel and All-America wideout candidate Andre Roberts reach Powers Field at Princeton Stadium.
Senior Cart Kelly has been a starter at cornerback since his sophomore season and has recorded at least 40 tackles in each of the last two seasons. He has two career interceptions, both in tight victories against Cornell, but the defense needs him to be more of an impact player this season. Similar to the likes of Jay McCareins and J.J. Artis in recent winning seasons, the coaches hope Kelly can be a shutdown corner in a league absolutely loaded with talent at the wideout position.
Classmates Wilson Cates and Dan Kopolovich bring experience to the safety position, with the latter also being a former starter at cornerback. Cates, another team captain, finished third on the team with 67 tackles and one interceptions. Kopolovich's numbers dipped last season with the team needed him to play part of the season at quarterback, but he is back full-time on the defense and can be comfortable moved between cornerback and safety.
Those three are being pushed hard by a number of players, including juniors Glenn Wakam and Weston Palmer, sophomores Blake Clemons, Jaiye Falusi, Matt Wakulchik and Trevor Wilkins and freshman Andre Starks. Depth is not a problem at the position, but finding impact, ball-hawking starters will be critical against the aerial offenses of the Ivy League.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior Ben Bologna made the most of his opportunity last season when Connor Louden was injured, making five of six field goals, and is the most experienced of any kickers returning. He is likely vying for placekicking duties with freshman Andrew Bierschenk.
The punting position, where Princeton has had All-Ivy standouts for the last six seasons, could be between sophomore Otavio Fleury and freshman Joe Cloud, although Bologna can also punt.
The return game, which hasn't produced to the level Hughes would like since McCareins and Greg Fields graduated, has several potential candidates, including Jeb Heavenrich, Meko McCray and Matt Ransom. This is another area where a freshman could impress during practice sessions and eventually earn a spot on Saturdays.