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Princeton University Athletics
Saturday, September 23
Easton, Pa.
6:00 PM
Princeton University
at
Lafayette
Football Friday: Surace Talks 3rd Down Execution, Def Back Debuts, Lafayette Showdown
September 22, 2017 | Football
In the second edition of the Football Friday with Bob Surace video series, the Princeton head coach reflects on his team's offensive execution during the critical final drive last Saturday, as well as his thoughts on a few freshmen who made important debuts in the backfield last weekend. He also shares thoughts on a Lafayette team he knows quite well, and its head coach, whom he knows very well.
You can see the Football Friday video by clicking the play link above, and you can watch his sitdown with Lafayette coach John Garrett that debuted on Wednesday right here.
This week's edition of the Original Eleven podcast is also now available; it features interviews with Jesper Horsted and Steve Thomas, as well as a preview of Week 2 with Cody Chrusciel and Craig Sachson. You can listen to the podcast below, or by subscribing to 'Princeton Tigers' on iTunes or your preferred podcast app.
The weekend preview is below.
When Bob Surace scans the Fisher Stadium game field Saturday night, he'll be quite familiar with the Lafayette players.
He'll see wideout Rocco Palumbo, who had more than 100 receiving yards when these two teams met in the 2016 season opener, a wild 35-31 comeback win for Princeton. He'll see fellow wideout Matt Mrazek, who beat his secondary for two touchdown catches in the game. He'll see a trio of defensive players (Michael Root, Jerry Powe, and Brandon Bryant) who combined for 33 tackles and 1.5 sacks while consistently disrupting the Tiger offense that night.
Yes, Surace will know these players. Of course, he'll know the Lafayette coach plenty well also.
John Garrett '88, in his first season as head coach at Lafayette, was Surace's teammate on the 1987 Princeton football team. The duo worked together for three years at the Cincinnati Bengals, including one when they drove to work together most days. Surace has seen first hand the resilience and competitive drive within the new Lafayette coach, and he knows just how ready his squad will be in its second home game of the season.
As for Surace's own team, he's very interested to see the progress it makes from a Week 1 27-17 win over San Diego, where there were plenty of positives but also a plethora of teachable moments as well. Saturday night will be Princeton's final game before the Ivy League season begins, and he hopes to see a big step forward against a team that has challenged Princeton several times over the last decade.
Lights, Camera, Action
Saturday's non-league showdown at Fisher Stadium will be televised live on the Lafayette Sports Network and RCN-TV (check local listings), and it will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network. The game can be heard live on WPRB 103.3 FM and the Princeton TuneIn App, with Cody Chrusciel and Craig Sachson providing the call.
We Meet Again
Princeton head coach Bob Surace '90 has known first-year Lafayette head coach John Garrett '88 for more than 30 years, dating back to their undergraduate days at Princeton. They played for the
Tiger football team together for one season (1987), and then spent three years together on the staff at the Cincinnati Bengals.
Opening Statement
Princeton won its season opener for the third straight season, a 27-17 home win over San Diego last weekend. The win was also Princeton's fifth straight victory, dating back to the 2016 season, its best stretch since an eight-game win streak during the 2013 season.
Looking Fabulous For 50
The Princeton-Lafayette series began in 1883, and Saturday will be the 50th meeting between the historic programs. Princeton leads the all-time series 42-4-3, and it can post its first 10-game streak over the Leopards with a win this weekend.
Patriot Games
Bob Surace opened his Princeton coaching career with a 1-6 record against Patriot League teams. With a win Saturday, he would move over the .500 mark (10-9) for the first time. His first win at Princeton came in Week 2 of the 2010 season, a 36-33 overtime win over Lafayette.
Point, Counterpoint
Princeton defeated San Diego 27-17 last weekend; that was the fewest points the Tigers scored in a victory since a Week 3, 2015, victory over Columbia that was played in a monsoon. The 10-point win is also the second-closest margin of victory for Princeton since that Columbia game; the closest win was a 35-31 victory over Lafayette in the 2016 season opener.
Armed And Dangerous
Senior quarterback Chad Kanoff played one of the best games of his Princeton career last weekend, and he surpassed two historic Tiger quarterbacks on the all-time passing list during the effort. Kanoff completed 32 of 43 passes for a career-best 352 yards and three touchdowns in the win over San Diego, a performance that earned him Princeton Athlete of the Week honors. His 32 completions were tied for sixth-most in program history, and the most in a non-overtime game since 1985.
Kanoff went from fifth to third on the all-time Princeton passing list during the game, moving past two Bushnell Cup winners, Jeff Terrell '07 and reigning NFL Head Coach of the Year Jason Garrett '89.
PRINCETON PASSING LEADERS
1. Doug Butler, 1983-85 • 7,291 yards
2. Matt Verbit, 2001-04 • 5,202 yards
2. Chad Kanoff, 2013-present • 4,388 yards
4. Jason Garrett, 1987-88 • 4,274 yards
5. Jeff Terrell, 2003-06 • 4,166 yards
Three-Pointer
Stephen Carlson, who had only two career receptions entering the San Diego game, became the first Princeton receiver to catch at least three touchdown passes in a single game since 1991 (Michael Lerch, who caught four against Brown). Carlson caught six passes for 94 yards — three of his catches were for touchdowns, and the other three were for first downs, including two on 3rd and 16 during Princeton's game-clinching final drive.
Yes-Per
Junior wideout Jesper Horsted, who earned All-Ivy League honors during Princeton's 2016 Ivy championship season, became Princeton's first receiver to catch at least 10 passes in one game since Connor Kelley during Week 7 of the 2014 season. Horsted, who has been both All-Ivy and an Ivy champion for two Princeton teams (football/baseball), caught 12 passes for 108 yards, and he even added a two-point conversion on the Tigers' second touchdown.
Can't Argue With That
Princeton graduated four of Chad Kanoff's top targets last year, but he found a new set of receivers to build upon. Junior Jordan Argue had never caught a pass before Saturday, but he ended the game with five catches for 46 yards. Tiger Bech also posted a career high, catching three passes for 62 yards.
Front Of The Line
While there are experienced players throughout the roster, the position with the most returning starters is the offensive line. Princeton lost one starter there (center Mason Darrow), but it returns three players who have started at least 11 games through Week 1, and one who has started the last 21 games at left tackle. That player is first-team All-Ivy senior Mitchell Sweigart, who bulked up to 290 pounds during the offseason and has already drawn the interest of NFL scouts this preseason.
Erik Ramirez (2nd team) and Reily Radosevich (H.M.) also earned All-Ivy recognition.
A Kurt Response
Senior tri-captain Kurt Holuba is coming off a third-team All-America season, and he was named a finalist for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year honors. Holuba recorded eight sacks and 10 tackles for loss during his first-team All-Ivy League performance. Among returning Princeton players this season, he led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, and interceptions last season. Holuba also has one career touchdown scored, which came on a one-yard pass in the 2014 season opener, a 40-7 victory at Lafayette.
Holuba was named to the Preseason Watch List for the 2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, the top individual award given to a defensive player in the FCS.
The Great Wall
Freshman CJ Wall started at cornerback — the only member of the Class of 2021 to start on a non-special team unit — and his debut was a memorable one. He recovered a fumble inside the team's own 5 yard line, and he added a diving interception in the end zone to end San Diego's final drive. Wall, who added four tackles in the win, was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, Princeton's first recipient of that honor since Tavish Rice after the 2016 season opener.
Making His Mark
Senior Mark Fossati had plenty of experience before the San Diego game, but he made his first start a special one; Fossati recorded a team-best 12 tackles and added a pair of quarterback hurries to keep the reigning Pioneer League champions to 17 points. Fossati earned a game ball for the effort (Carlson received the offensive game ball).
Cup Of Joe
Junior linebacker Joe Percival recorded Princeton's first sack of the season, and he recorded two of Princeton's nine quarterback hurries last weekend.
Family Affair
Junior LB Thomas Johnson, who made eight tackles last week, is the eldest of three Johnson family members on the team. His cousin Sam Johnson is a sophomore projected to be the backup tight end, while Thomas' younger brother James is a freshman battling for a spot in the linebacker/special teams rotation. Sophomore Will Johnson, who moved from wide receiver to cornerback in the offseason, is not related.
Oh Brother
The Johnsons aren't the only brothers on the Princeton football team. Junior tackle Stefan Ivanisevic, who started several games during the Ivy championship season last year, welcomed his younger brother Nikola, a Tiger freshman, to the offensive line group this season.
Coach Speak
Princeton head coach Bob Surace is the reigning Ivy League Coach of the Year following Princeton's 2016 Ivy championship season, and he has been a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS National Head Coach of the Year in three of the last five seasons. Surace led Princeton to both the 2013 and 2016 Ivy League titles; that marked the first time Princeton won two Ivy titles in a four-year span since claiming the 1992 and 1995 titles.
Poll Position
After a dramatic finish to the 2016 Ivy League season, the media is predicting another tight race this season. Both Princeton and Harvard shared first place in the annual preseason poll, while Penn finished just below those two schools. All three teams had either five or six first-place votes.
Working Sundays
Princeton has had three players selected in the NFL Draft over the last five years (Mike Catapano '13, Caraun Reid '14, and Seth DeValve '16). Both Reid and DeValve have scored multiple touchdowns in their young NFL careers, and DeValve leads the Browns with 103 receiving yards through two games this season.
The Crystal Ball
Princeton returns home Sept. 30 at 12:30 pm for its Ivy League opener against Columbia. It will be Youth Day/Camper Reunion at Princeton Stadium, and a select number of rally towels will be give out. The game will be televised on Eleven Sports and streamed live on the Ivy League Network.
Princeton Football • By The Numbers
1 • latest Princeton ranking among universities by U.S. News & World Report
6 • televised Princeton games this season; eight of the 10 games will alsobe shown on the ILN or ESPN3
9 • Princeton football players who have been awarded Rhodes Scholarships
11 • Ivy League Championships won by Princeton since the league officially formed in 1956
15 • Princeton players picked in the NFL Draft; three were taken in the last five years
22 • career interceptions by Dean Cain, former "Superman" star; total remains an Ivy League record
26 • Princeton players and coaches who are in the College Football Hall of Fame
28 • national titles won by Princeton; no college football program can claim more
42 • number worn by 1951 Heisman Trophy recipient Dick Kazmaier; no Princeton player has worn the number since
43.7 • points per game scored by the Ivy champion 2013 Princeton Tigers; total remains an Ivy League record
72 • Princeton's total first-team All-America honorees; John Lovett (2016) is the most recent
153 • points Princeton scored during its last four must-win games of the 2016 title season; the opposing teams combined for only 31
193 • career receptions for Kevin Guthrie, the all-time Princeton leader
1869 • the year of the first college football game, played between Rutgers and Princeton
1878 • Princeton's first "Big Three" title; the University celebrates with a bonfire on Cannon-Green when the Tigers sweep Harvard and Yale
4,208 • career rushing yards for Keith Elias, the Princeton record holder
27,800 • seating capacity at Princeton Stadium, which celebrates its 20th year in 2017, and where our tradition continues this season
You can see the Football Friday video by clicking the play link above, and you can watch his sitdown with Lafayette coach John Garrett that debuted on Wednesday right here.
This week's edition of the Original Eleven podcast is also now available; it features interviews with Jesper Horsted and Steve Thomas, as well as a preview of Week 2 with Cody Chrusciel and Craig Sachson. You can listen to the podcast below, or by subscribing to 'Princeton Tigers' on iTunes or your preferred podcast app.
The weekend preview is below.
When Bob Surace scans the Fisher Stadium game field Saturday night, he'll be quite familiar with the Lafayette players.
He'll see wideout Rocco Palumbo, who had more than 100 receiving yards when these two teams met in the 2016 season opener, a wild 35-31 comeback win for Princeton. He'll see fellow wideout Matt Mrazek, who beat his secondary for two touchdown catches in the game. He'll see a trio of defensive players (Michael Root, Jerry Powe, and Brandon Bryant) who combined for 33 tackles and 1.5 sacks while consistently disrupting the Tiger offense that night.
Yes, Surace will know these players. Of course, he'll know the Lafayette coach plenty well also.
John Garrett '88, in his first season as head coach at Lafayette, was Surace's teammate on the 1987 Princeton football team. The duo worked together for three years at the Cincinnati Bengals, including one when they drove to work together most days. Surace has seen first hand the resilience and competitive drive within the new Lafayette coach, and he knows just how ready his squad will be in its second home game of the season.
As for Surace's own team, he's very interested to see the progress it makes from a Week 1 27-17 win over San Diego, where there were plenty of positives but also a plethora of teachable moments as well. Saturday night will be Princeton's final game before the Ivy League season begins, and he hopes to see a big step forward against a team that has challenged Princeton several times over the last decade.
| Week 2: Princeton (1-0) at Lafayette (0-3) |
| Date • Time • Location | Sept. 23, 2017 • 6 pm • Fisher Stadium • Easton, Pa. |
| Watch Live | Lafayette Sports Network (check local listings) / Patriot League Network (free stream) |
| Tickets | Lafayette Ticket Office |
| Radio | 103.3 FM l Listen Live on the TuneIn App |
| Game Coverage | Live Stats l @PUTigers l @PUTigerFootball |
| All-Time Series | Princeton leads 42-4-3 |
| Last Meeting • Current Streak | PRINCETON 35, Lafayette 31 l Princeton 9 wins |
| Princeton Information | Game Notes l Roster l Schedule l Statistics |
| Lafayette Information | Game Notes l Roster l Schedule l Statistics |
| Ivy League | Standings l Statistics l Weekly Release |
| Last Week | PRINCETON 27, San Diego 17 l VILLANOVA 59, Lafayette 0 |
| Next Week | Sept. 30: Columbia at Princeton (12:30 pm • Eleven Sports/Ivy League Network) |
Lights, Camera, Action
Saturday's non-league showdown at Fisher Stadium will be televised live on the Lafayette Sports Network and RCN-TV (check local listings), and it will be streamed live for free on the Patriot League Network. The game can be heard live on WPRB 103.3 FM and the Princeton TuneIn App, with Cody Chrusciel and Craig Sachson providing the call.
We Meet Again
Princeton head coach Bob Surace '90 has known first-year Lafayette head coach John Garrett '88 for more than 30 years, dating back to their undergraduate days at Princeton. They played for the
Tiger football team together for one season (1987), and then spent three years together on the staff at the Cincinnati Bengals.
Opening Statement
Princeton won its season opener for the third straight season, a 27-17 home win over San Diego last weekend. The win was also Princeton's fifth straight victory, dating back to the 2016 season, its best stretch since an eight-game win streak during the 2013 season.
Looking Fabulous For 50
The Princeton-Lafayette series began in 1883, and Saturday will be the 50th meeting between the historic programs. Princeton leads the all-time series 42-4-3, and it can post its first 10-game streak over the Leopards with a win this weekend.
Patriot Games
Bob Surace opened his Princeton coaching career with a 1-6 record against Patriot League teams. With a win Saturday, he would move over the .500 mark (10-9) for the first time. His first win at Princeton came in Week 2 of the 2010 season, a 36-33 overtime win over Lafayette.
Point, Counterpoint
Princeton defeated San Diego 27-17 last weekend; that was the fewest points the Tigers scored in a victory since a Week 3, 2015, victory over Columbia that was played in a monsoon. The 10-point win is also the second-closest margin of victory for Princeton since that Columbia game; the closest win was a 35-31 victory over Lafayette in the 2016 season opener.
Armed And Dangerous
Senior quarterback Chad Kanoff played one of the best games of his Princeton career last weekend, and he surpassed two historic Tiger quarterbacks on the all-time passing list during the effort. Kanoff completed 32 of 43 passes for a career-best 352 yards and three touchdowns in the win over San Diego, a performance that earned him Princeton Athlete of the Week honors. His 32 completions were tied for sixth-most in program history, and the most in a non-overtime game since 1985.
Kanoff went from fifth to third on the all-time Princeton passing list during the game, moving past two Bushnell Cup winners, Jeff Terrell '07 and reigning NFL Head Coach of the Year Jason Garrett '89.
PRINCETON PASSING LEADERS
1. Doug Butler, 1983-85 • 7,291 yards
2. Matt Verbit, 2001-04 • 5,202 yards
2. Chad Kanoff, 2013-present • 4,388 yards
4. Jason Garrett, 1987-88 • 4,274 yards
5. Jeff Terrell, 2003-06 • 4,166 yards
Three-Pointer
Stephen Carlson, who had only two career receptions entering the San Diego game, became the first Princeton receiver to catch at least three touchdown passes in a single game since 1991 (Michael Lerch, who caught four against Brown). Carlson caught six passes for 94 yards — three of his catches were for touchdowns, and the other three were for first downs, including two on 3rd and 16 during Princeton's game-clinching final drive.
Yes-Per
Junior wideout Jesper Horsted, who earned All-Ivy League honors during Princeton's 2016 Ivy championship season, became Princeton's first receiver to catch at least 10 passes in one game since Connor Kelley during Week 7 of the 2014 season. Horsted, who has been both All-Ivy and an Ivy champion for two Princeton teams (football/baseball), caught 12 passes for 108 yards, and he even added a two-point conversion on the Tigers' second touchdown.
Can't Argue With That
Princeton graduated four of Chad Kanoff's top targets last year, but he found a new set of receivers to build upon. Junior Jordan Argue had never caught a pass before Saturday, but he ended the game with five catches for 46 yards. Tiger Bech also posted a career high, catching three passes for 62 yards.
Front Of The Line
While there are experienced players throughout the roster, the position with the most returning starters is the offensive line. Princeton lost one starter there (center Mason Darrow), but it returns three players who have started at least 11 games through Week 1, and one who has started the last 21 games at left tackle. That player is first-team All-Ivy senior Mitchell Sweigart, who bulked up to 290 pounds during the offseason and has already drawn the interest of NFL scouts this preseason.
Erik Ramirez (2nd team) and Reily Radosevich (H.M.) also earned All-Ivy recognition.
A Kurt Response
Senior tri-captain Kurt Holuba is coming off a third-team All-America season, and he was named a finalist for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year honors. Holuba recorded eight sacks and 10 tackles for loss during his first-team All-Ivy League performance. Among returning Princeton players this season, he led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, and interceptions last season. Holuba also has one career touchdown scored, which came on a one-yard pass in the 2014 season opener, a 40-7 victory at Lafayette.
Holuba was named to the Preseason Watch List for the 2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, the top individual award given to a defensive player in the FCS.
The Great Wall
Freshman CJ Wall started at cornerback — the only member of the Class of 2021 to start on a non-special team unit — and his debut was a memorable one. He recovered a fumble inside the team's own 5 yard line, and he added a diving interception in the end zone to end San Diego's final drive. Wall, who added four tackles in the win, was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, Princeton's first recipient of that honor since Tavish Rice after the 2016 season opener.
Making His Mark
Senior Mark Fossati had plenty of experience before the San Diego game, but he made his first start a special one; Fossati recorded a team-best 12 tackles and added a pair of quarterback hurries to keep the reigning Pioneer League champions to 17 points. Fossati earned a game ball for the effort (Carlson received the offensive game ball).
Cup Of Joe
Junior linebacker Joe Percival recorded Princeton's first sack of the season, and he recorded two of Princeton's nine quarterback hurries last weekend.
Family Affair
Junior LB Thomas Johnson, who made eight tackles last week, is the eldest of three Johnson family members on the team. His cousin Sam Johnson is a sophomore projected to be the backup tight end, while Thomas' younger brother James is a freshman battling for a spot in the linebacker/special teams rotation. Sophomore Will Johnson, who moved from wide receiver to cornerback in the offseason, is not related.
Oh Brother
The Johnsons aren't the only brothers on the Princeton football team. Junior tackle Stefan Ivanisevic, who started several games during the Ivy championship season last year, welcomed his younger brother Nikola, a Tiger freshman, to the offensive line group this season.
Coach Speak
Princeton head coach Bob Surace is the reigning Ivy League Coach of the Year following Princeton's 2016 Ivy championship season, and he has been a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS National Head Coach of the Year in three of the last five seasons. Surace led Princeton to both the 2013 and 2016 Ivy League titles; that marked the first time Princeton won two Ivy titles in a four-year span since claiming the 1992 and 1995 titles.
Poll Position
After a dramatic finish to the 2016 Ivy League season, the media is predicting another tight race this season. Both Princeton and Harvard shared first place in the annual preseason poll, while Penn finished just below those two schools. All three teams had either five or six first-place votes.
Working Sundays
Princeton has had three players selected in the NFL Draft over the last five years (Mike Catapano '13, Caraun Reid '14, and Seth DeValve '16). Both Reid and DeValve have scored multiple touchdowns in their young NFL careers, and DeValve leads the Browns with 103 receiving yards through two games this season.
The Crystal Ball
Princeton returns home Sept. 30 at 12:30 pm for its Ivy League opener against Columbia. It will be Youth Day/Camper Reunion at Princeton Stadium, and a select number of rally towels will be give out. The game will be televised on Eleven Sports and streamed live on the Ivy League Network.
Princeton Football • By The Numbers
1 • latest Princeton ranking among universities by U.S. News & World Report
6 • televised Princeton games this season; eight of the 10 games will alsobe shown on the ILN or ESPN3
9 • Princeton football players who have been awarded Rhodes Scholarships
11 • Ivy League Championships won by Princeton since the league officially formed in 1956
15 • Princeton players picked in the NFL Draft; three were taken in the last five years
22 • career interceptions by Dean Cain, former "Superman" star; total remains an Ivy League record
26 • Princeton players and coaches who are in the College Football Hall of Fame
28 • national titles won by Princeton; no college football program can claim more
42 • number worn by 1951 Heisman Trophy recipient Dick Kazmaier; no Princeton player has worn the number since
43.7 • points per game scored by the Ivy champion 2013 Princeton Tigers; total remains an Ivy League record
72 • Princeton's total first-team All-America honorees; John Lovett (2016) is the most recent
153 • points Princeton scored during its last four must-win games of the 2016 title season; the opposing teams combined for only 31
193 • career receptions for Kevin Guthrie, the all-time Princeton leader
1869 • the year of the first college football game, played between Rutgers and Princeton
1878 • Princeton's first "Big Three" title; the University celebrates with a bonfire on Cannon-Green when the Tigers sweep Harvard and Yale
4,208 • career rushing yards for Keith Elias, the Princeton record holder
27,800 • seating capacity at Princeton Stadium, which celebrates its 20th year in 2017, and where our tradition continues this season
Players Mentioned
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DL
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WR
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OL
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TE
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DB
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OL
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