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Princeton University Athletics
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Five Pre-Camp Questions: #3) Who Will Serve And Protect The Offense
August 19, 2010 | Football
With fall camp approaching for the 2010 Princeton football team, GoPrincetonTigers.com will take a look at five questions surrounding the team as it prepares for its 142nd season of college football.
QUESTION 1: What did the 2009 experience mean for Tommy Wornham?
QUESTION 2: Who could be the breakout defensive star?
When Princeton rallied for a thrilling 34-31 victory at Yale to help clinch the 2006 Ivy League championship, it did so with a remarkable three freshmen playing on the offensive line. Mark Paski had started at tackle from opening day, while both J.P. Makrai and Andrew Hauser found earlier-than-expected playing time due to injuries.
Princeton fans could breathe a sigh of relief, because the present at this key position would also be the future. With three freshmen playing important roles in such a key game, you felt like this position would be fortified forever.
Of course, nothing is forever; graduation was eventually going to come for this trio (as well as classmate Marc Daou, who started more than half the games of his career). This past spring, helmets and playbooks were traded for diplomas and job applications.
And four starting spots on the line became wide open.
There is a healthy mix of both knowns and unknowns on the 2010 Princeton offense. There is significant returning talent at the skill positions, ranging from quarterback to running back to tight end and wide receivers. There are three senior wideouts who could make big strides this season, and a handful of running backs that showed improvement last year.
One unknown has a strong track record, as new offensive coordinator James Perry has achieved success in the Ivy League both on the field and as an assistant coach. Sure, it could take some time for the players to be comfortable with his offense, but that will come with any coaching change.
But most of this new offensive line doesn't have any sort of track record, at least in college.
The most experience belongs to senior Andrew Mills, who was the only non-senior starter on the line last season. He played guard and should benefit from the playing time in 2009. He could find himself as the lone senior starting on the line, which means he'll have to take on a leadership role as well.
But just because the rest of the line will be inexperienced doesn't mean it won't also have the potential to be good. Juniors Kevin Mill and Matt Allen have played and learned behind long-time starters, but they could form a nice duo on one side of the line. Both are big, athletic players who are ready to become Saturday regulars.
Two other potential starters from the junior class are Mike Muha and Kevin DeMaio. Both names may be familiar to Princeton fans, though not at this position. Because of the depth on the defensive line, both were moved to the offense during spring ball. There is precedent for this kind of move in recent Princeton history. As a junior, Ben Brielmaier was moved from defensive starter to the offensive line, and he went on to lead Princeton to a second-place finish in the Ivy League in 2005. Brielmaier signed an NFL contract with the Cleveland Browns as an offensive lineman and played in both NFL Europe and the CFL.
One year after Brielmaier graduated, Brett Barrie made the same move. He went from nose tackle to starting center and was a foundation on the 2006 offensive line. He was the middle man in a group that included freshmen Paski, Makrai and Hauser during the Tigers' championship season.
Muha could become the middle man in 2010, while DeMaio could find himself at the crucial tackle position. Classmates Chris Grous and Cameron Browne should also factor in at tackle, while talented sophomore Hanur Kim will vie for time at guard. A heralded group of freshmen could also find time if they can make a name for themselves in the fall, just as Paski did five years earlier.