2024 Football Preview: Offense

By Craig Sachson
PrincetonTigersFootball.com

Heading into a season without an experienced quarterback can be uncomfortable for a football team with championship aspirations, but it is far from unfamiliar territory for head coach Bob Surace and the Princeton Tigers.

From 2018 through 2022, Princeton took the field in every season opener with a new face at the quarterback position. The Tigers won the Ivy League title in half of those years (2018, John Lovett; 2021, Cole Smith), and they won eight games in each of the four seasons. Last season, Blake Stenstrom brought a year of experience to the position, but many of his offensive teammates were new or dealing with injuries.

Want to know what uncomfortable is at Princeton? The Tigers averaged fewer than 20 points per game last year, marking its first time under that total since the 2011 season. The offense found its way over the second half of the schedule, including a win over nationally ranked Harvard and a 31-point outburst in the finale against Penn, but the offense didn't click for a full season the way it had before.

Yes, there will be another new starter at the quarterback Saturday when Princeton opens its 2024 season at Lehigh (12 pm), but there is a wealth of experience returning on that side of the ball.

And that could make things uncomfortable for a number of defensive coordinators.

QUARTERBACK

We already know it will be a new face behind center. Surace plans on using every ounce of the preseason to determine which new face that will be. There are four quarterbacks on the roster, including three upperclassmen competing for time.

Senior Blaine McAllister is 6-4 with a strong frame and a live arm. His talent has always been there, but his knowledge of the offense and approach to leading the offense has caught Surace's attention in the preseason.

Junior Kai Colon brings a lot of what Stenstrom brought to the offense last year, outside of the experience. Surace raves about his knowledge of the offense and the way he avoids bad decisions with the ball.

Classmate Blaine Hipa saw a bit of time last year as a running threat (he ran for a score against Yale), and Surace has liked his continued development as a downfield thrower. He is an athletic lefty with a strong arm who is continuing to grow in his efficiency as a passer.

Sophomore West Smith was an all-state honoree from Texas who continues to figure out how to run this offense. He is behind his position mates at this point just based on experience, but he is a name to remember moving forward.

Freshman Asher Weiner is the newest of the new faces. An all-state honoree from Colorado, Weiner is a big, athletic presence who could find an early role in an offense that has proven to be adept at multiple-quarterback options.

RUNNING BACKS

Injuries plagued the offensive backfield in 2023, but Princeton could have a 1-2 backfield punch that will make life easier for whoever wins the quarterback spot.

One month into last season, John Volker looked primed for an All-Ivy campaign. He averaged 120 rushing yards over the first two games, then scored the game-winning touchdown in the Ivy League opener against Columbia. He wasn't fully healthy the final two months, but he remains a dangerous all-around back. He can make plays in both the run and pass game, and he's a strong blocker, which is critical with a new quarterback beside him.

While Volker popped early in the season, junior Dareion Murphy made a statement in the finale over Penn, rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown. Surace watched him figure out the position in real time over the 2023 season, and he believes that foundation could make him very dangerous this fall. He is shifty and tough to bring down, and if he gets in open space, he can be even tougher to catch.

Sophomore Ethan Clark should find some opportunities this season. He may not be the same open-field threat as Volker or Murphy, but he is terrific in pass protection, a reliable option to catch the ball out of the backfield, and has the physicality to grind out 4-5 yards on a tough third down.

Other younger backs like Kenny Jordan could see time later in the season or find immediate opportunities on special teams.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Princeton's top four receivers last season combined for 130 catches for 1,650 yards and 12 touchdowns. All four will take the field this Saturday. It's rare to have that many weapons returning, but this offense will have options upon options this fall.

Senior Luke Colella had an All-Ivy season in 2023, catching 47 passes for 620 yards and six touchdowns, all of which were team bests. He can physically match up with any defensive back he faces, but he is also explosive enough to turn a small opening into a big gain. He has the intensity of some of Princeton's best receivers over the last decade, and could be primed for a special senior season.

Classmate AJ Barber caught 42 passes for 582 yards and three touchdowns last season, and a similar season would put him well into the 100-catch club for his career (Barber currently has 70 for 827 yards). He is the ultimate slot target who can control his body in tight situations and then gain those key extra yards after the catch. He has had an exceptional camp and could be primed for a career season.

Fellow senior Tamatoa Falatea made a mark over the second half of the season. After catching six balls for 55 yards in the first five games, he caught 14 for nearly 200 in the second half, including a 5-catch, 105-yard day at Cornell. He finds ways to get open and has reliable hands, and Surace is looking for him to be a consistent performer throughout the season.

The fourth of that returning quartet is Tyler Picinic, who will enter as the starting tight end for the Tigers. He caught 21 passes for 204 yards last season, and he brings a calm, consistent presence to the offense. Surace compared him to Carson Bobo, who could both perform as a blocker and help in the short to intermediate passing game.

Of course, Surace has his eye on several others to make an impact in the passing game. Senior Connor Hulstein might be the most physically daunting receiver (6-5, 235) in the mix, while classmate Jalen Geer bounced back from an injury-riddled season with a fantastic camp. Matthew Mahoney brings a true deep threat to the field. Tight ends Jack Comeau and Joey Wassler have looked strong in camp, and both should find time in the offense this season.

Surace also has his eye on a number of underclassman receivers who have already impressed in the preseason and have the athleticism to pop on Saturdays when they gain more comfort in the offense.

OFFENSIVE LINE

There isn't a time in football where offensive line isn't important, but it is especially crucial when you are breaking in a new quarterback. Surace, a former All-Ivy center in his own right, believes in the returning talent on this group.

The interior line is in especially strong shape. Because of injuries, both Blake Feigenspan and Scott Becker played center for about half of the 2023 season, so there will be returning experience directly in the middle of the offense. Surace liked the way both competed in the preseason and expects both to be part of the rotation.

Guards Nicholas Hilliard and Tommy Matheson are considered two of the strongest players on the entire team, and both bring experience into the season. Hilliard earned All-Ivy League honors after starting every game last season. Matheson also started every game in 2023, and both played in every game of the 2022 season. Those two should anchor what could be the best interior offensive line in the league. Mac Duda will spell the two of them after putting together a strong preseason.

Will Reed, Cooper Koers and Jaden Wedderburn are currently in the lead for the tackle rotation, though the starters may not be known until deep into the week. The talent is there, but the experience doesn't match their afore-mentioned teammates. If all three play the way they have in the preseason, the offense will be fine. If one (or more) click on Saturdays and produce an All-Ivy season, something truly special could be in store.

Surace knows injuries will factor on the offensive line, and he is happy about the progression of some of the younger linemen. He hopes some experience in practice and JV games will have them ready if their number gets called later in the year.

POTENTIAL OUTLOOK

Some of the best offenses in the Surace Era are remembered for their All-Ivy quarterbacks, but they were loaded at every other spot. Take the 2013 Tigers for example; Quinn Epperly was the deserved Ivy League Player of the Year after leading a record-setting offense, but that group had three running backs who averaged between 30 and 50 yards per game, four receivers who caught at least 40 passes (including an experienced slot receiver in Roman Wilson who caught 86 for 919 yards) and three All-Ivy offensive linemen.

Would it be great if one of the quarterback options accepts the Bushnell Cup in December? Of course. But this offense can be successful even if that isn't the case. Clean pockets, consistent running and multiple passing options can keep the offense moving. Offense-by-committee can work if the committee is good enough, and Surace likes the one he has in 2024.

Coming up Wednesday: the 2024 Princeton defense

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Players Mentioned

AJ Barber

Scott Becker

Ethan Clark

Luke Colella

Jack Comeau

Mac Duda

Tamatoa Falatea

Blake Feigenspan

Jalen Geer

Nicholas Hilliard

Blaine Hipa

Connor Hulstein

Kenny Jordan

Cooper Koers

Matthew Mahoney

Tommy Matheson

Blaine McAllister

Dareion Murphy

Tyler Picinic

Will Reed

West Smith

Blake Stenstrom

John Volker

Joey Wassler

Jaden Wedderburn

Asher Weiner

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