Columbia Football

Should Jack go?

It must be nice to be just two seasons removed from an Ivy championship and just a year removed from a damn impressive 9-1 season...and still feel so strongly that your school deserves better in a head coach that you can publish an editorial calling for his ouster!

The editorial makes some good points, but the premise that Yale recruits the "best" athletes at just about every position is a little questionable.

The piece also ignores some relatively recent history. When Jack Siedlecki took over, Yale was at the bottom of the Ivy football ladder. The Elis had suffered through five straight non-winning seasons coming into Siedlecki's first season in 1997.

They had lost three straight to Columbia, five out of six to Princeton, and two straight heartbreakers to Harvard. Even Handsome Dan was having accidents on the clubhouse carpet.

Since then Yale has had some struggles, especially against Harvard (Siedlecki is 4-7 against the Crimson but once suffered through a very rough five-year losing streak to Harvard), but the team has won two titles and hasn't even come close to revisiting the Ivy cellar since Siedlecki's first season, when they went 0-7 in the league.

The biggest beef with Siedlecki in Eli-Land is the fact that Yale has blown a number of second-half leads in crucial games in recent years. As gut-wrenching as that can be, I know that every Columbia fan would take a few losses in return for a long string of winning seasons.

You also have to admire what Siedlecki has done by working to the strengths of the team to win. After years of using a rush-oriented attack with running QBs, he modified the team nicely when QB Jeff Mroz came on the scene and got him the receivers he needed to break some school passing records.

Then Siedlecki adjusted quickly again when Mike McLeod proved to be a super runner and restructured the team into a ball-control squad.

The kinks have come into the picture with injuries (McLeod is clearly not 100 percent and surely wasn't by the end of last season) and the increasing difficulty for every Ivy team to recruit good linemen. Not that it was ever easy, but getting big, fast offensive and defensive linemen is harder than ever before in the Ivies.

I'm not an apologist for Jack Siedlecki by any means. I too thought the 2006 loss at the Yale Bowl for Columbia was just ugly, with borderline unsportsmanlike conduct from Siedlecki and McLeod to go along with some very bad calls by the refs.

But I really don't think he should be fired right now. Forcing him to hire a new offensive coordinator seems like a better move.

Recent Bowl History

Columbia's history at the Bowl in the Siedlecki era has mostly been a tale of blowout losses. Jack is 5-0 against the Lions at home (9-2 overall), but two of those wins are a bit tainted.

The 2004 game ended with Columbia losing 21-14 after the refs didn't call what looked like a clear case of pass interference on tight end Wade Fletcher on an end zone pass from QB Jeff Otis.

The 2006 game has been hashed and rehashed on this blog many times. There was the very questionable pass interference call on JoJo Smith that set up Yale's first TD and took the momentum away from Columbia.

There was Craig Hormann's worst decision of an otherwise error-free season to throw a pass right at Bobby Abare that he returned for a TD when Columbia looked like it was on the way to taking the lead.

There was also Siedlecki's decision to call a timeout with the ball and a 14-3 lead with just seconds to go so the Elis could put up one more score.

It was just a rough, rough day for the Lions and their fans.

Some degree of revenge seemed within reach for the Lions last year as Columbia battled to a 0-0 halftime tie against the Elis at Wien Stadium before finally wilting in the third quarter.

But this Saturday can't be about revenge when most of the players on this squad weren't even around in 2006 to remember that game. The game should be about beating a quality opponent on the road, something Columbia almost did against Penn two weeks ago and has every chance of doing this time around.

Yale Bowl Viewing Tips

There a couple of things you should know if this is your first time going to the Yale Bowl.

1) By all means, sit on the Columbia side of the field and cheer the Lions on. But remember that will put the sun in your eyes by the second half and you will need sunglasses and a hat.

2) The bathrooms are actually outside the stadium, so bank yourself some time for potty trips.

3) The tailgating venue is the nicest and most expansive in the Ivies, with room to spread out and even get a pickup touch football game going. It's not too late to plan a little something for Saturday for you and your family and friends. (I will help you eat whatever you bring.)

Ladies and gentlemen: Your Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week. (CREDIT: Columbia Spectator)

As much as I want to keep celebrating Columbia's first win in more than 13 months, it's hard not to ask the big question after the 21-13 win over Dartmouth: Who does Columbia start at QB this Saturday at Yale?

There's no doubt Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week Millie Olawale's entrance into the game against the Big Green helped grab the momentum back and win the contest for the Lions. But there's also little doubt that Shane Kelly had a fine first half running and throwing the ball too.

Of course, it doesn't have to be either or. Kelly and Olawale could split time at QB, and some readers have even written to me about how they'd like to see both Kelly and Olawale in the backfield at the same time and let the defense try to figure out who's taking the snap, etc.

Having two good QBs at once is a good problem to have. But a bad problem for the Lions this coming weekend is the Yale defense. The Elis are playing stingily this season and consistently so.

Considering the way both Columbia's and Yale's defenses are playing this season, 20 points looks like it will be more than enough to win this game. It's getting the 20 points that will be the hard part.

Unsung Heroes

Getting back to celebrating, I want to mention a few unsung heroes from Saturday's win.

Corey Cameron

To a lot of Columbia fans, Cameron is "the other linebacker," often overlooked by folks focusing on team leader Drew Quinn and last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year Alex Gross.

Cameron wasn't even the man expected to start this season at that third linebacker slot. But the senior had another solid game versus Dartmouth and leveled some Green ball carriers with a few huge hits.

Ralph DeBernardo

On almost all of those great runs by Olawale, the senior right tackle DeBernardo was in the thick of it. The whole right side of the Lions' much-improved offensive line has been more than solid this season.

Mike Stephens

Mike made two very tough catches in the fourth quarter. The first set up a TD. The second gave the Lions a crucial first down deep in their own end late in the fourth quarter.

Andrew Kennedy

He made two catches, including one for 21 yards even though he was totally covered on the play. The sophomore tight end is having a breakthrough season and figures to play an even bigger role if Olawale gets more reps.

Nathan Lenz

The fullback provided another great safety valve, catching three passes for 17 yards.

Viewing Party

Please try to make the short trip to New Haven to see the Columbia game at Yale this Saturday. But if you can't make it, season ticket holders are invited to the following event.

A special viewing party has been set up for this week’s Columbia football game, televised live on the YES Network, with kickoff at 12:30 pm.

Join us at the Village Pourhouse on Amsterdam Avenue and West 109th Street at 12:00 noon and watch the game with other Columbia fans. There will be a full appetizer buffet and unlimited Bud Light and draft beer during the game for only $25 per person. Plus, during the game, we’ll have some fun raffle-type giveaways.

Reservations are required—please call Barry Neuberger at 212-854-7031 or e-mail bin2102@columbia.edu to reserve your seats. Let’s see if we can make it back-to-back wins this week! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday.

The talented Milan Williams hasn't had the blocking this year (CREDIT: Dartmouth Sports/Mark Washburn)


Lots of Ivy watchers are talking about how Columbia's 0-5 record is deceiving, and because every loss has been so close it's hard to get a real handle on the Lions.

But I would say getting a handle on Dartmouth is actually harder to do. Because even though most of the Big Green's losses have been by realtively large margins, the level of competition has been so high it's confusing when you try to pick out what this team's strengths and weaknesses truly are.

One number that jumps out at you is rushing defense, where Dartmouth is yielding 203 yards per game. But that's misleading, because the Big Green has faced a number of top-notch rushing attacks, including Yale, (with Mike McLeod having his best game of the season so far), Colgate, (with superstar runner Jordan Scott), and Penn, (with a healthy Mike DiMaggio who was out against Columbia).

By contrast, the Lions have faced really only two teams with dangerous runners

—Fordham and Princeton—and they had mixed results by giving up too much yardage to the Rams' Xavier Martin while shutting down the Tigers' Jordan Culbreath. Towson's relatively weak running attack was surprisingly potent against Columbia in week two, while Lafayette's great rusher Maurice White went out with an injury early in the game at Wien Stadium.

Dartmouth is also giving up a hefty 255 yards passing per game, but that number is skewed by the fact that the Big Green have already had to face two excellent passing attacks in UNH and Holy Cross. Strip out those two games and the average passing yards allowed is a much more decent 208 yards per contest.

So I don't think the Dartmouth defense is as weak as the stats would indicate. But because the Big Green did give up a hefty 286 passing yards to Penn and it surrendered the most yards this season on the ground to Mike McLeod.

I'm also not convinced it's the kind of unit that will shut down the Lions offense anywhere near as well as Lafayette and Penn have the last two weeks. If Columbia's "O" is able to get the kinks out and play more like it did in the first three weeks of the season, there's a chance for a big day here.

Offensively, the number that jumps out at you is Dartmouth's paltry 57 yards per game rushing. That stat is not as deceiving as the Big Green came into 2008 with a young offensive line and a spate of injuries up front has made things even worse. But mitigating that stat somewhat is the fact that Dartmouth has faced some tough run defenses in Penn (although Columbia had little trouble running against the Quakers in the first half), and Yale (which is playing very well on defense overall this season).

Strip out those two games and the Big Green is averaging a more decent, but still awful, 81 yards per game on the ground.

But that's a little deceiving too. He isn't getting great blocking, but Milan Williams is still one of the best runners in the Ivies, and he only needs one or two good plays to hurt you. If he's healthy, you can't sleep on the Dartmouth running game.

Speaking of deceiving, Buddy Teevens has his offense spreading out the ball and using trickery in the passing game. Quarterback Alex Jenny is doing a decent job as the starter, but the real good news in Hanover is that last year's starting QB is tearing it up as a wide receiver this year.

Tim McManus has 28 receptions for 309 yards and three TD's even though he still takes a few snaps from center now and then. He can also go in motion and suddenly turn up in the backfield ready to take a snap. I don't envy the guys in the Columbia secondary who will have to cover him.

On the negative side, Jenny hasn't been able to get much going with his veteran receivers Phillip Galligan and Eric Paul, who is back after losing 2007 to injury. He has dumped off a number of passes to Williams coming out of the backfield, and that's potentially dangerous, but I'm sure Teevens wishes he had more deep threats.

The gutted offensive line has also allowed more sacks that they'd like to see with 12 opponent sacks so far this season. Columbia's defense seems to be doing a better job of getting to the QB lately, and that could be a key to the game.


Ike says: "Don't gripe about the rain, get in there and fight!"


Meanwhile, the weather forecast for Saturday is getting worse by the hour. Rain and wind could be a factor, and it was in the heavy rain at Towson that Columbia had its worst game against the run, (considering the relative competition), this season. I would say the bad weather might kill whatever advantages the Lions might have, but after getting through the monsoon at Towson I think this team is ready for anything.

Again, the real "X" factor is Teevens, from whom I expect the unexpected. The defense and special teams need to be especially prepared for everything including the kitchen sink.

For those of you who are thinking this game is a dud because both teams are 0-5, think again. After being dominated for decades by the Big Green, Columbia finally started a winning streak against Dartmouth in 1998.

Lately, things have broken the other way, and the Lions still have oodles of history to make up. I don't care if the Big Green come into Wien Stadium with a team recruited from the local Girl Scout troop, there is a lot of painful history to make up Saturday.

And I don't care if it's raining. Show up to the game and make sure you wave at the Versus cameras!

Penn 15, Columbia 10

Why Penn Won

They showed up and were in a receiving mood for Columbia's many turnovers and other miscues. The Quakers also made enough defensive adjustments in the second half to seal a win.

Why Columbia Lost

The Lions were in a giving mood, turning the ball over four times and also giving up a safety on a high punt snap. Columbia gave Penn each and every one of their 15 points. The miscues negated a tremendous performance by the defense, who played their best game of the season.

Key Turning Points

1) After the Lions got a quick first down into Penn territory on the first possession of the game, Shane Kelly hung a pass up that Britton Ertman picked off and returned to the Columbia 30. It was to be the beginning of a long day for Kelly and a big day for Ertman.

2) Late in the first quarter with the score tied at 3-3, Penn fumbled the snap, and it was recovered from Lion nose tackle Owen Fraser. But after getting one first down and then moving as close as the Quaker 36, Columbia was forced to punt. The Lions were unable to capitalize on the one Penn turnover of the game, while the Quakers would eventually score on three of the four Columbia giveaways.

3) With the score still tied at 3-3, Columbia opened the second quarter with two straight fumbles deep in their own end on their first two possessions. The result was 10 points for Penn and a 13-3 lead.

The leader on defense yesterday was Alex Gross, who made an incredible 17 tackles, and most of them were hard hits. He kept it going the entire game and even made the final first-down-saving tackle that gave the Lions one last chance in the fourth quarter.

Lou Miller had his best game to date with 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 2.5 overall tackles for a loss.

The Columbia defense held Penn to just 83 net yards rushing. I can't remember the last time the Lions held an opponent to under 100 yards on the ground. The Quakers had just 10 first downs.

Ray Rangel had a tremendous first half, rushing for more than 70 yards and beating Penn up the middle time after time. The Quakers adjusted nicely to stop him in the second half, but he still came up big as he took huge hit after huge hit and never fumbled.

Jon Rocholl had a strong game—hitting his one field goal attempt, nailing his kickoffs, and getting a rare touchback on the free kick after safety. It was the best game yet for the Lions kick coverage team against a Penn team that had the best kick returners they'd faced yet.

The Lions need to force Robert Irvin to make a mistake


As many of you have probably noticed, the media's attention on our current 12-game losing streak is starting to grow. The latest issue of Sports Illustrated puts the football team in "Not" file for the "Who's Hot and Who's Not" feature, proving once again that the major sports media outlets are basically only interested in poking fun of Ivy teams rather than singling them out when they do well (however, they also had some kind words for Columbia baseball at least).

We can gripe about how unfair it is, but respect is earned and we have lost 12 straight games fair and square. We can all wait for when the Lions play weaker teams like Dartmouth at home next week, but the record-breaking 44-game losing streak was ended with a win over then league favorite Princeton...so why not a big win tomorrow against heavily favored Penn?

Here's what we'll need to do to win:

1) Use the Deeper Pass to Open up the Run

Penn is super-stingy against the run and the pass, but the Quakers really haven't had to defend the kind of long passes Shane Kelly has thrown to Taylor Joseph and once or twice to Austin Knowlin this season. If star corner Tyson Maugle doesn't play, the Lions have to test that secondary early and often. If Columbia can establish that attack, it should open up some opportunities for running, even up the middle.

2) Use the Option to Loosen up the Defense

Penn faced the option offense last week against Georgetown and did pretty well against it in the early going, allowing the Hoyas running QB just 35 yards on nine carries and forcing him to fumble inside the Quaker 10 yard line.

But they did well, they did not dominate and with all due respect, Columbia is not Georgetown. If the option is working as crisply as it was at times against Princeton, the Lions can use it to establish good yards on the ground and open up the passing game.

3) Blitz Robert Irvin a Lot

Even when he was healthy in 2006, Penn QB Robert Irvin often threw costly interceptions, especially on third downs. He has four INTs so far in 2008, and that's not terrible but not good either considering he's not taking all the snaps. The way Lions CB Calvin Otis delivers big hits, I'd like to see him or AJ Maddox blitzing from the outside once in a while. Even if they don't get to Irvin, they may force a mistake.

4) Contain Chris Wynn as Much as Possible

Wynn is a super kick returner and will be the top defensive weapon for the Quakers on the field tomorrow. He needs to be neutralized as much as possible. Good kick coverage is a must and successfully throwing away from him is also probably a good idea.

Again, this could mean tight end Andrew Kennedy will need to get more involved underneath while the deep pattern receivers tie up Wynn. As Chuck Noll used to say, the difference between a five-yard reception and a long TD catch and run is whether the wide receivers are blocking downfield. An underneath throw or two to Zack Kourouma may also work in keepin Wynn away from the passing game.

5) Keep Alex Gross and Corey Cameron Active

It appears the Quaker offense will be keying on Drew Quinn based on Coach Bagnoli's comments earlier this week. Quinn is the game captain this week along with Jon Rocholl, so I still expect another big game from him (especially since he is the de facto PERMANENT team captain in my opinion anyway), but if he is getting extra attention then Alex Gross and Corey Cameron need to take advantage.

Columbia needs to respond well to what I expect to be a lot of rotating tailbacks for the Quakers tomorrow.

And it goes without saying that Phil Mitchell still needs to make more of an impact rushing the passer. He is getting double-teamed a lot and it has to be frustrating, but with the emerging presence of Owen Fraser on the line, something needs to open up for Mitchell soon.

Is this a winnable game? They really all are this year. But a win tomorrow would be extra sweet for a Columbia team that hasn't beaten Penn since 1996.

It won't be easy. I again expect to see a motivated Quaker squad approaching this game as if it were the Super Bowl against a Columbia team that stole its lunch money and insulted its family.

Perhaps Coach Bagnoli threatens to make the team clean the bathrooms at Franklin Field for a week or something if they lose to the Lions, but whatever he does to motivate his troops against us year after year, it works.

So, it's a tall order perhaps...but not impossible.

Matt Hamscher will probably carry the load this Saturday (CREDIT: Daily Pennsylvanian)

First off, we have some injury news. Penn coach Al Bagnoli says top rusher Mike DiMaggio will dress for the game but will probably not play that much, if at all. He was knocked out of the game against Georgetown last week and did not return.

That means freshman Matt Hamscher, who filled in for DiMaggio quite nicely with 102 yards on 21 carries last week, will probably be the go-to guy with help from sophomore tailback Bradford Blackmon (the guy Columbia recruited, but obviously went to the Quakers).

Clearly, they are both talented runners, but I think they are a downgrade from DiMaggio, who many believe was already a downgrade of sorts from Penn's now-graduated rushing star Joe Sandberg. Sandberg torched the Lions for 197 yards on 22 carries last year.

As much as the banged-up running corps may help Columbia, this is a Penn team that really relies on its defense.

In the preseason, it looked like the Quakers were in trouble on the defensive line due to the graduation of a couple of big-time players like Naheem Harris. But all the Quakers have done this season is continue to stuff the run and hold opponents to a total of 15 points per game.

In the Ivy opener, Penn held Dartmouth, with one of the better runners in this league in Milan Williams, to just five total rushing yards for the game.

On the bright side, the Quakers did give up a lot more yards to Georgetown's option attack last week. But many of those yards came after the game was decided against the Quaker backups.

Penn is also riding high on the play of defensive backs Tyson Maugle and Chris Wynn. But Maugle is not listed in the Penn two-deep and may still be out after missing the Georgetown game. The Quakers are allowing a paltry 148 yards passing per game and have picked off seven passes already this year.

Wynn is also a great kick returner as he had a KO return for a TD to open the game last week.

Offensively, this looks like a weaker Penn team than we've seen in a while, and the running back situation doesn't improve that outlook. QB Robert Irvin is having just a so-so year again, with as many interceptions as TD passes.

Backup passer Kyle Olson, who is also the punter, has potential, but Bagnoli is keeping him on a short leash (but much like the old Dallas Cowboys under Danny White, you have to worry about the fake when Olson goes back to punt).

The receivers are all pretty talented, but there are no Miles Macik types in the crew. The best weapon through the air may be tight end Josh Koontz, who is playing a bigger role this year.

Special teams are much improved. Wynn is doing very well returning kickoffs AND punts and is looking to challenge Cornell's Brian Walters for the title of best returner in the Ivies. Kicker Andrew Samson is becoming solid if not spectacular. Remember, this is a Penn team still smarting from some horrific kicking failures in 2005 and 2006.

On paper, this Quaker squad seems vulnerable—and that's what worries me. As usual, I expect Penn to be super-motivated for Columbia, and they will come out pumped up no matter what injuries they have. The defense will be looking to make an early statement with a big sack, hit, or interception.

Next stop, Franklin Field

Lafayette 13 Columbia 3


Why Lafayette Won

The Leopards defense was dominanting and the offense had just enough spark to win. They made no turnovers and no stupid penalties and overcame injuries to some key players, including starting tailback Maurice White, who went out of the game for good in the first quarter.


Why Columbia Lost

The Lions got very little going offensively, and when they were in a position to score, they blew most of those rare opportunities. Columbia had two first and goal situations that could have led to a total of 14 points. Instead they came away with just three points, leaving 11 points on the table in a game they lost by just 10 points.


Key Turning Points

1) Late in the first quarter with Lafayette leading by 3-0, Mike Stephens energized the crowd with a beautiful 53-yard punt return for a first down at the Leopard 24. Three plays later, Columbia had a first and goal at the Lafayette seven, but moved the ball no closer. Jon Rocholl's eventual 25-yard field goal attempt was blocked and the Lions came away with no points.

2) On the ensuing drive, Lafayette took the ball 80 yards for a TD and 10-0 lead. The key play on the drive was a 30-yard pass on a third and six from QB Rob Curley to Tim Watson who split the seam against the left side of the defense just like Princeton did three times in the previous game.

3) Columbia had an excellent opportunity to cut the Lafayette lead to 10-7 at the end of the half, but two running attempts after a first and goal at the one went nowhere. The Lions had to settle for a field goal because the clock was running down and the Leopards had a touchdown lead going into the lockeroom.

On the bright side, this was a strong game for the Columbia defense. Drew Quinn had another monster game with 13 tackles giving him 54 on the season after just four games!

Freshman nose tackle Owen Fraser continues to impress. He had seven tackles, including one for a loss. For the most part, Columbia's opponents are avoiding running the ball right up the middle against the Lions, and he's the biggest reason why. That's a welcome change from last year.

Lafayette's defense made Shane Kelly look like an almost totally different quarterback than he's been so far this season. Kelly didn't throw an interception, and he went a decent 18-for-33. But he held the ball way too long over and over as the Leopard defense bottled up the Lion receivers all day.

Kelly also had a lot of trouble getting the option going and Columbia was fortunate not to have any turnovers despite four fumbles and a couple of Kelly passes that could have been picked off.

Austin Knowlin only had one catch for 17 yards. His lower numbers across the board this season are starting to get weird. It seems like he could break out at any time, but when?

Without the injured Jordan Davis, the Lions opted to use Ray Rangel for just about every running play. Against Lafayette's strong run defense that just didn't work.

Tight end Andrew Kennedy did make more of an impact that he has in most of the games this season with five catches for 42 yards. I expect him to continue to post similar stats for the rest of the season.

The Leopards got a nice lift from D'Andre Morrow, who replaced the injured White and brought some great speed to the table. The Lions eventually were able to contain him, but his excellent run for the game's only TD was impressive and more a result of his strength and determination than a missed tackle by the Columbis defense.

Andy Shalbrack made his presence felt with 11 total tackles, including two monster back-to-back tackles for a loss in the fourth quarter. He also almost grabbed an interception.

Kalasi Huggins suited up but did not play after going out of the game against Princeton. Fellow freshman AJ Maddox replaced him and he did a nice job despite missing a few plays himself after getting banged up in the game. Overall, the Lion secondary did a fantastic job holding the Leopards to just 150 yards passing and superstar receiver Shaun Adair to just three catches for 11 yards.

Taylor Joseph had the best day receiving for Columbia with five catches for 59 yards. He continues to impress in his junior year.

All in all, this was another game Columbia lost that they could have won. However, this was clearly the first game where they definitely seemed like the weaker team on the field that day. The Lions have to try to build on the improving defense while getting the offense back on track. The next opponent, Penn, has to at least be a little worried that the team that scored 24 points against them in week two barely managed 13 against Columbia.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Call this Saturday's games a "return to normalcy" in the Ivies as some of the favorites, namely Yale and Harvard, rolled to easy victories over Ivy opponents.

Harvard scored a TD in the first millisecond against Cornell and then rolled to a 38-17 win. So much for Cornell's perfect record. The Big Red looked lost much of the day.

Yale overpowered the Big Green in Hanover and won 34-7.

Brown lost to Holy Cross 41-34 in a non-league game, but what a game it was. Listen to these stats:

1) Bear QB Michael Dougherty went 41-of-60 for 526 yards, four TDs and no interceptions.

2) Brown ran the ball a grand total of 12 times the entire game.

3) There were no turnovers in the game.

After three weeks of playing relatively low-scoring games, the high-powered Brown offense is back.

Princeton lost a tough one on the road to a very good Colgate team, 27-24. Jordan Culbreath, who Columbia really shut down last week, ran for 153 yards on just 18 carries. QB Brian Anderson, who really hurt the Lions last week, had a rough game, going 6-for-14 for 105 yards, one TD and an INT.

This means the winner of the Brown-Princeton game this coming Saturday in New Jersey will be all alone atop the Ivy standings.

Penn beat the weak Georgetown Hoyas in Washington, 27-7, but starting tailback Michael Dimaggio went down with a separated shoulder and it's unclear when he'll be back. Freshman Matt Hamscher came up big replacing Dimmagio and running for 102 yards and TD.

Columbia must make it a long day for Leopard QB Rob Curley.

The Lions are super-hungry for a win after three very close losses that the everyone knows could have been wins.

But Lafayette is certainly no easy opponent. On paper, they certainly seem like the best or close to the best team the Lions have faced all year. On the other hand, Columbia is improving steadily, especially on offense, and the Lions certainly have the weapons to win if they can get the following done:

1) Test and Take it to the Lafayette Offensive Line

For some reason, the Leopards are giving up a lot of sacks and despite having a super physical runner in Maurice White and a superstar wide receiver in Shaun Adair, the team's overall offensive numbers are not as impressive as they should be. I think this is the O-line's fault and Columbia defenders must force the issue and get into the Lafayette backfield early and offense.

Getting pressure on QB Rob Curley is also not an option, it's a must. The Lions need sacks, hurries, knock downs, and generally make Curley feel worse about coming to New York this weekend than a European tourist who didn't realize the dollar has rallied big-time in the last few weeks.

2) Let Shane Kelly do his Magic

Lafayette's front seven is a great strength overall, but the power is centered in linebackers Andy Romans and Brian Leggiero. Kelly needs to get them to back off the line of scrimmage by throwing it long early and then burning the spread-out defense with some option runs and short passes. I think this may be the game for tight end Andrew Kennedy to make some noise.

3) Win on Special Teams

There can be no more excuses now for short kickoffs or any other problems. But avoiding problems is not enough. Columbia needs to hurt the Leopards with long returns, and big hits when they cover kicks.

4) Don't Let Down

Grabbing the momentum has been no trouble for these Lions so far this season, keeping it has been another story. The team needs to resist breathing a sigh of relief when they take leads or tie games up and get hungrier.

Nico Gutierrez got back on the field for the 1st time since 2007 (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)

You've have to be really blind or just too negative not to notice the bumper crop of quality wide receivers Columbia is enjoying these days. It seems like whoever we put on the field, we get good results. With Austin Knowlin, Mike Stephens, Taylor Joseph, and now with the return of Nico Gutierrez, we seem to be unusually wealthy in this area.

A lot of credit goes to the recruiting efforts of all the coaches, but let's not forget wide receivers coach Aaron Smith, who seems to be getting the most out of his charges week after week. They all seem to give 100% all the time and that's usually a direct result of coaching.

When I met Coach Smith at the preseason dinner at Chrystie Field House, (an event that was open to all season ticket holders), I was taken aback by his excellent manners and warmth. He is a very young man, but I suspect his closeness in age to the actual players helps him relate to them to some degree. He really comes off as a prince of a guy.

While not technically a wide receiver, fans have to be happy with the play of tight end Andrew Kennedy so far as a pass catcher and a blocker. Kennedy is also young as he is just a sophomore, and one can only expect him to get more into the game plans as time goes on.

The last time Columbia had this many tantalizing targets through the air was the era of QB John Witkowski. In those days, Witkowski shredded the Columbia and Ivy record books with passes to wide receivers Don Lewis and Bill Reggio along with a lot of help from outstanding tight end Dan Upperco. At any time in any game, each of those targets was liable to kill an opposing defense and they often did just that.

Of course all those receivers need a good QB to find them, and Shane Kelly is starting to look better and better every week. He certainly is not shy about spreading the ball around and also seems to be hitting his receivers in stride just about every time.

The Price is Right

I know I go on about this a lot, but can you believe the professional sports ticket price-hikes/personal seat licenses nonsense going on just as we hit a major economic downturn?

Memo to the Jets/Giants/Yankees/Mets: NO ONE will be able to afford these massive price hikes you've got in line for 2009. The Wall Street firms you were counting on to buy the luxury boxes and blocks of seats are disappearing. And the privately wealthy are well, probably a little nervous about conspicuous consumption right now.

I suggest you scrap the PSL's forthwith, and lower prices. Remember how sports played such a big role in comforting/distracting the nation during the Great Depression? Well, even adjusted for inflation, ticket prices were a lot lower back then.

Luckily, you can see exciting football at Wien Stadium this fall for $10 a ticket or really splurge and go for $20 seats. Seriously, it's a deal and basketball is even better price-wise.

This is not meant to be a "homer" or "rah rah" point; it's just logic. Come to Columbia and other Ivy school games and you'll get a lot for your money.

...but on the down side

Some of the folks in the national media are picking up on our 11-game losing streak and linking it to the 44-game record-breaking losing skid from 1983-88.

While this is the longest losing streak since THE STREAK, we are hardly in that territory here. The overwhelming majority of the 44 games lost were not even remotely close. Most of these 11 straight losses, including each of the games this season, has either been tied or a game with Columbia in the lead at some point in the fourth quarter.

We are close to a breakthrough here. The talent level is extremely high and we are going to win some big games this year, and in the future.

I'd like all of us to show up this weekend to Wien and cheer this team on.

And let's see if the national press acknowledges the end of this streak.

Knowlin's 56-yard TD catch was a real crowd pleaser (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics/Gene Boyers)


Fordham 29, Columbia 22

Why Fordham Won

The Rams overcame a terrible second quarter, regained their poise and finally were able to take advantage of Columbia's mental errors to win. Xavier Martin had another super game, especially running to his left, and paced the Fordham attack with 155 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Why Columbia Lost

When they took control of the game, they made some key mental errors to let Fordham back into it. Then they couldn't stop Martin when it really counted.

Key Turning Points

1) With about two minutes left in the third quarter and Columbia leading 22-14, the Lions forced the Rams to punt from their own 21. But a quick snap and punt by the Rams caught Columbia with too many men on the field and the resulting 5-yard penalty gave Fordham a first down. The Rams then proceeded to march 74 yards for the tying touchdown.

2) After that TD, the Lions responded with a three-and-out. Columbia's defense responded by forcing the Rams to punt on their ensuing possession, but Columbia again went three-and-out when they got the ball back. Fordham didn't waste any time after that, going in quickly for the winning score.

Jake's Take

It's a tough pill to swallow when you lose one you should have won. Columbia really grabbed the momentum from Fordham in the second quarter and seemed to want to give it away in the second half.

General Comments

But there is a lot of good news to focus and build on. First off, Fordham is a very strong team that is still the favorite to repeat as Patriot League champs. Playing them this close in the first week of the season for Columbia is a positive sign.

Shane Kelly went a bit cold in the second half, but he avoided big mistakes and looked very much like a leader even though he has to share some time with M.A. Olawale by design. When the Lions gave him time to throw, he was lethal.

He also executed a few runs quite nicely, especially an option keeper in the third quarter that went for 30 yards and was the best Columbia play of the second half.

The long TD bomb to Knowlin and another 51-yarder to Taylor Joseph may make the highlight reel, but I thought Kelly's roll out TD throw to Andrew Kennedy from just five yards out was his best throw of the game.

The defense was improved. Xavier Martin was unstoppable at times, but the Lions stuffed him enough times to give the offense a chance to win. For a team that allowed 237 yards rushing per game, yesterday's total of 191 yards is a step in the right direction.

Austin Knowlin only had a few touches in the game, but he made them count. He basically started despite not even being listed in Friday's two-deep. His 56-yard TD catch and run was unbelievable, as he avoided three or four sure tackles.

Drew Quinn was a major force. He had nine and half tackles, an INT return for a TD, and one and a half tackles for a loss. He too was not even mentioned in the two-deep.

Lou Miller made the transition to defensive line very nicely. There were several points in the game where he made key tackles and provided a big spark.

While the "too many men on the field" penalty acted as a virtual turnover, Columbia did not actually turn the ball over once. Meanwhile, the Lions created three turnovers and returned one of those for a TD.

M.A. Olawale's two series at QB had mixed results. His first entrance into the game got the offense going and delivered a key field goal when Fordham looked like it was going to steamroll. His second entry into the game was a three and out.

But that's a pretty good overall percentage and now Columbia knows it can use a deceptive weapon to cross up opposing defenses when it needs to.

Once again, a number of freshmen had very strong performances. Owen Fraser at nose guard did a great job and showed remarkable speed for someone his size. Kalasi Huggins made some good plays at corner.

While the rushing attack wasn't lethal, the Lions did net 149 yards on the ground thanks mostly to some productive running by Kelly, Olawale at QB, and Ray Rangel at tailback.

Coach Norries Wilson took responsibility for the "too many men on the field" flag on the punt, admitting that he made the switch from Mike Stephens to Knowlin too late and Stephens didn't hear him. But there were also a few false starts and a delay of game flag. This is par for the course for the first game of the season, but the Lions need to work out those kinks right away.

Columbia failed to get any sustained pressure on Fordham QB John Skelton. The few times they did, good things happened for the Lions, but it just didn't happen enough. Of course, hardly anyone ever gets pressure on Skelton.

Two PAT's were botched. One on a hooked kick by Rocholl, the other on a bad snap. Taylor Joseph had some troubles with his long snapping and needed a miraculous save from Rocholl to get off the hook from a high punt snap deep in the Lions end.

The attendance was below 3,000 even on a beautiful day with a crosstown opponent. (However, the fans who were there were really into it. The roar from the crowd on Knowlin and Quinn's TD's was really strong).

What's Next?

Columbia has to figure out if it's going to be the team in the second quarter that dominated a bigger opponent on both sides of the ball, or the first quarter and second half team that seemed too rusty to be able to compete.

The Lions surely have the weapons to play well against the best of opponents, but they have to execute better.

Next week Columbia heads to Baltimore to take on a Towson team with little running attack and a very weak run defense. The Tigers do have a talented QB, but this is a game the Lions can win.