.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
2012 Princeton Football Preview Series: The Defensive Line
August 23, 2012 | Football
This is part one of a seven-part preview series on the 2012 Princeton football season. Thanks to Andrew Pearson for the video clips, as well as Dan Loney (the voice of Princeton football) and Jay Greenberg (PrincetonFootballTigers.com) for their insights.
With the Sept. 15 season opener only weeks away, the Princeton football team began its fall camp Wednesday afternoon in perfect conditions on the Finney-Campbell practice fields. Two of their brightest stars led the way, and they are the key forces on the Tiger defensive line.
Seniors Caraun Reid and Mike Catapano both earned All-Ivy League honors during the 2011 season, and both earned preseason All-America honors this past summer. On a team with significant youth in several other positions, both Reid and Catapano know they must make the Princeton defensive line an absolute strength for the Tigers this season.
Reid was a first-team All-Ivy League selection last season, when he record 68 tackles, including 16 for loss, and a team-best eight sacks. He also added three blocked kicks, and both he and Catapano added three pass breakups. Catapano had 49 tackles, including 10 for loss, and added five sacks.
Not since the tandem of Tim Kirby and Joe Weiss (2003) has Princeton had two first-team All-Ivy defensive linemen in one season, but this is a combination that has a real chance.
Junior Greg Sotereanos will do everything in his power to help make that happen. In his second year as a starter at the tackle position, he will be trying to disrupt the middle of the line and limit double teams on the outside. Sotereanos, one of the strongest players on the team, had 24 tackles and three quarterback hurries last season, but his level of play can't be measured in his own statistics. If he takes up multiple blockers, it opens the way for the linebackers to make plays at the line.
Senior Matt Landry will likely handle the majority of the snaps as the outside end, and his ability to get into the backfield will be a priority as well. After sharing snaps with Dan Fitzsimmons last year, he could be in for a big final season; Landry had 24 tackles last season, and he was third on the team with three sacks.
One priority of the offseason will be developing depth at this position. Senior Brad Megay returned after missing the 2010 season and made twelve tackles last year; he should see a jump in those numbers. Both Chris Pondo and Victor Prato are other potential rotation player, though neither gained great experience last season.
Over the last decade, Princeton has seen freshmen jump into this position and make impacts. The likes of Reid, Pete Buchignani, and Tom Methvin show that this is a possibility, and players like Ian McGeary, Dan Dreher, Matthew Skowron, Brian Sheng and Grayson Fisher will be among those vying for time.