This article is part of our 2015 Fall Preview
Coming off a season undated with injuries and inconsistency, Princeton football returns as an experienced team with high ambitions. With every defensive starter returning and an impressively large freshman squad, the Tigers hope to fuse experience with talent.
Last year, the Tigers sought to repeat their 2013 Ivy League title, the team’s ultimate annual goal. Unfortunately, injuries to senior wide receiver Seth DeValve and senior running back DiAndre Atwater stifled the season. Princeton eventually finished with an overall record of 5-5 and an Ivy League record of 4-3, placing them fourth in the conference. Although the Tigers displayed sporadic dominance over the likes of Davidson and Columbia, the Orange and Black fell to Ivy League football’s Big Three of Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth.
Following last year’s subpar performance, the team is ready to move past previous mistakes. Princeton football head coach Bob Surace commented, “You move forward. I don’t think our motivation and our work ethic were any less. We just got to continue to get better.” DeValve, who took last spring off from school to heal and returns this year as co-captain, said that he’s “put that [injury] behind me.”
Turning to this season, the Tigers offer an impressive veteran offensive and defensive line. Leading the impeccable defensive line are senior co-captain Matt Arends and All-Ivy senior defensive back Anthony Gaffney. On the offensive side, the Tigers will feature two All-Ivy starters in senior Britt Colcolough and Spenser Huston.
While the offensive and defensive lines promise steadfast consistency, the Princeton quarterback position remains a gaping hole in the Orange and Black game plan. Following the graduation of star quarterbacks Quinn Epperly '15 and Connor Michelsen '15, the Tigers must fill a major void. Looking for new players to step up, Princeton head coach Bob Surace, who is returning for his sixth season with the Tigers, will turn to junior Chad Kanoff, senior Kedric Bostic and sophomore John Lovett to fill these empty shoes. Adding to the concern, every one of Princeton’s opponents this season features a returning starting quarterback.
Turning to fresh recruits, Princeton brings in a large group of 31 freshmen this year, with many potentially earning significant play time. Hopeful coach Surace said, “During a pre-season JV game, we really saw high quality play from our young players. Maturity comes from repetition and building habits.”
Leading these freshmen will be co-captains Arends and DeValve. Commenting on their leadership roles, both seniors emphasized the importance of setting an example. DeValve said, “Attitude is very contagious whether it’s positive or negative. We’re always pushing other people to do their best.”
Looking ahead at the Tigers' 10-game season, Princeton will face its three non-Ivy opponents (Lafayette, Lehigh and Colgate) early in the fall. While Princeton maintains a dominant seven game win streak over the Lafayette Leopards, Lehigh and Colgate both hold four-game win streaks over the Tigers. In the case of Lehigh, Princeton will attempt to win its first home opener of the Bob Surace era and redeem itself from its 29-28 loss to the Mountain Hawks two seasons ago.
In terms of Ivy League play, a pre-season poll selected Princeton to finish fourth again, also behind Harvard, Dartmouth and Yale – a precise replica of last year’s final top four standings. Harvard and Dartmouth are neck and neck for the poll’s top spot.
However, looking past the obvious goal of winning the Ivy League title, coach Surace stressed the possibly even more important goal of “continuous improvement.” Surace further commented, “At the end of the day you and all your guys work so hard. Our long term goal is to be the best we can be.”
While questions continue to cloud the Princeton season, Surace and his team remain composed, tackling one game at a time. Speaking on behalf of the entire Princeton football team, Surace described, “We are going to come to work every morning when it’s dark out and do everything to prepare our guys. They work really hard. We’re going to try to face all the challenges.”
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