Lafayette's 'fire' cooled by Tigers to earn first victory

What a difference a week makes.

The football team came out of the gates with the same kind of enthusiasm on defense and execution on offense as last week against Lehigh.

Except for its last defensive series, the Tigers dominated Lafayette in the first half.

That last defensive series is when it started to appear that Lafayette could come back.

The ineffective play of the Princeton defense on Lafayette's quick second quarter scoring drive highlighted a weakness that Lafayette would exploit in the second half. The Leopards were able to control the Tiger defense by running a quick no-huddle offense, nicknamed "fire."

During its first third quarter drive, Lafayette was able to efficiently move the ball down the field, going 81 yards in two minutes, 24 seconds.

With momentum shifting, and the lead whittled down to only 12 points, a strong drive could have solidified the Tigers' dominance in the game, but they went three-and-out. It looked like another second-half meltdown after the next Lafayette drive ended in another touchdown.

Princeton's defense seemed to have been burned by "fire." A defensive holding penalty in Lafayette's first drive of the fourth quarter pushed the team to "draw the line in the sand" against the Leopards. The entire week during practice, Coach Hughes had been telling them to draw a line when it seems as though the opposition is coming back, and that every individual should be determined "to make the big play."

With the line already drawn, the next play was a tackle for a loss of two yards of Lafayette's star running back, Joe McCourt. Princeton sent a message — "fire" wouldn't work anymore. It was followed up by a successful blitz that led to junior defensive back Brandon Mueller's tip of a pass and the ensuing interception by junior linebacker Zak Keasey.

On the next drive, the offense followed the defense's cue, and drew their own line.

Junior quarterback David Splithoff threw out of trouble several times throughout the game, often finding senior wide receiver and captain Chisom Opara.

Most of the first half, when Splithoff ran the option, he pitched to the running back if possible. But on the final scoring drive started by Keasey's interception, Splithoff took the ball himself on the last two option plays — a crucial third and three on the Lafayette 14-yard line, and a first and goal from the four. The next play was a touchdown with 7:12 left in the fourth, and the momentum had flown back to Princeton's side for good.

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Lafayette's next drive only lasted three plays, the last being an interception by Mueller. Sophomore cornerback Jay McCareins also recorded an interception in what was quickly becoming garbage time.

What difference does a week make? The Tigers went into halftime with a one point greater lead than last week, but were able to hold off the second half assault this week. Will there be a letdown next week in the Ivy League opener against Columbia? In the words of Splithoff, "No!"