After months of preparation, the opening game of Princeton's football season may well resemble a wedding. The four elements of a matrimonial celebration — some things old, new, borrowed and blue — will all be present tomorrow in Easton, Pa., when the Tigers take on Lafayette.
Princeton football, itself, supplies the age for the event, as the storied program commences its 132nd season of intercollegiate competition. The sky over the Poconos should supply the blue — if autumn's clouds do not intervene. To find the new, one need look no farther than the sidelines, where first year head coaches Roger Hughes and Frank Tavani will bark orders to their teams.
What is borrowed is Princeton's lineup. Hughes' first unit comprises 11 players adopted from Steve Tosches' opening day lineup from last fall, as well as a dozen new starters. For the Tigers' season to be a successful one, these two groups must form a union, in which each supports the other through both thick and thin.
On the offensive side of the ball, junior Tommy Crenshaw will be taking the snaps at quarterback. Crenshaw started the last eight games in 1999 and finished the season with 1,662 yards passing. A versatile athlete, Crenshaw possesses the mobility to elude pass-rushers and a strong throwing arm. Senior Jon Blevins will back up Crenshaw.
Hughes has revamped the Princeton offense this year, eliminating the conservative style of years past. Look for sophomore wide receivers Nate Lindell and Chisom Opara to become Crenshaw's favored targets in Hughes' more aggressive attack. The quarterback will also look to six-foot, five-inch senior tight end George Citovic running routes over the middle.
Senior running back Kyle Brandt, the team's leading rusher from a year ago, will get the bulk of the carries from the tailback spot, with versatile Marty Cheatham clearing the way at fullback.
Protecting Princeton's passers will be a seasoned offensive line. A two-time first-team All-Ivy selection, senior left tackle Dennis Norman will protect the quarterback's blindside, while senior tackle John Raveche will start on the right side. Senior Ross Tucker, a ferocious competitor who spent the early part of his career on defense, will open up holes at right guard for the third straight year. Senior Brian Wilson, the number-two center the past three years takes over the starting job from Bernie Marczyk '00. Sophomore Lance Baird, the only non-senior in the starting five, rounds out the unit at left guard.
At special teams, junior Taylor Northrop will again handle both the placekicking and punting duties for Princeton. Returning punts for the Tigers will be sophomore running back Andy Bryant, while Opara and sophomore running back Cameron Atkinson will return kickoffs.
Returning stalwarts
Anchoring Princeton's 4-3 defense will be senior defensive end Nathan Podsakoff, who is entering his third year as a starter. An honorable mention All-Ivy League selection last year, Podsakoff provides both strength and quickness coming off the ball for Princeton's front four. Senior tackles Nick Freitag and Jason Rotman — both second year starters — will provide force up the middle, while junior defensive end Michael Long will crack the starting lineup for the first time.
At outside linebacker, the Tigers will start junior Chris Roser-Jones on the weak side of the offensive formation, and senior Steven Koopman — the squad's third-leading tackler in 1999 — on the strong side. The heart of the defense, however, lies with senior middle linebacker Mike Higgins. The team's captain, Higgins is a ferocious tackler whose quickness frustrates his opponents.
"I always hated playing against him," said coach Hughes, who spent the past eight seasons as the offensive coordinator at Dartmouth. "When he puts a uniform on, you can't block him, and he's making every tackle, and he's sideline-to-sideline."
The secondary represents Princeton's least experienced unit. Sophomore cornerback Paul Simbi, also a member of Princeton's track team, and sophomore strong safety Kevin Kongslie, the team's defensive rookie of the year in 1999, return to starting spots earned last season. The other two starters in the defensive backfield, however, will be suiting up for the first time. Sophomore cornerback Clark Webb missed all of last season with a broken collarbone suffered in training camp. Freshman Blake Perry will get the starting nod at free safety, becoming the first defensive player at Princeton to start the first game of his career.
"We have a good mix of youth and age," defensive coordinator Steve Verbit said. "We're not the biggest defense, but we're going to play hard — and come to play on every snap."
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