When head coach Roger Hughes was brought to Princeton in 2000 to restore the program to prominence, he was expected to bring a high-powered West Coast offensive system with him that would modernize the Tiger attack. After all, Hughes first made a name for himself when he successfully revitalized Dartmouth's passing game during his stint as offensive coordinator there. This pedigree meant that Hughes had yet to prove himself as a defensive mastermind when he arrived at Princeton. Now, four years into his stay here and with his first recruiting class graduating in May, it is clear that Hughes has made defense a priority. There certainly have been some growing pains for Hughes' defenses during his three seasons. Along with 10-year defensive coordinator Steve Verbit, he has had to answer some difficult questions after late-game defensive lapses. In 2003 alone, the secondary gave up game-winning touchdown passes on the last play in two different games. This season, however, the head coach expects completely different things from his defensive unit. "[The defense is] the strength of this year's squad," Hughes said. "We return both quality and depth at so many key positions." Secondary The resurgence of the defense is highlighted by the potential improvements in the secondary from last year. Last year, the most glaring weakness for the Tigers was the play of the defensive backfield. The primary reason for the unit's struggles was the absence of two of its stalwarts, junior Jay McCareins and senior Brandon Mueller. After starting every game in 2002, both players were lost for all of last year because of academic ineligibility. Their absence forced the Tigers to start three new players in the secondary, including a pair of freshman cornerbacks who had to adjust to the speed of college receivers on the fly. Last season, the Tigers were victimized by tough veteran quarterbacks. Yale's Alvin Cowen and Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatrick each burned the young defensive backs with last-second touchdown passes. Add in a Hail Mary that gave Columbia its first win at Princeton since 1945, and the secondary gave up more than its share of disastrous plays in 2003. The upside to last year's trial by fire is that the young players in the defensive backfield gained some serious seasoning, and what was a weakness last year will be a strength in 2004. Both McCareins and Mueller will be expected to pick up where they left off after exceptional seasons in 2002. McCareins, whose older brother Justin plays wide receiver for the New York Jets, led the team in interceptions as a sophomore with nine. Mueller, as a junior free safety, was a versatile stopper in both the running and passing game. Factor in Erick Strickland, who as a freshman last year started every game at cornerback, and Nick Brown, a senior who returns from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of last year, and Tiger fans may be able to relax when an opposing quarterback drops back to pass. Strickland moves over to strong safety this season, where his combination of height and speed will make him dangerous. Brown saw plenty of action as the nickel back in 2002. His football instincts will be especially important in executing the multiple defensive coverages that the Tigers will use to shut down Ivy and Patriot League opponents. Linebackers If the Tiger defensive backs can rise to the challenge in the passing game, their opponents may have serious difficulty on offense. Running the ball through or around Princeton's linebacking core should prove extremely difficult this season. The Tigers return the first-team All-Ivy League middle linebackers from both 2002 and 2003 —senior Zak Keasey and junior Justin Stull, respectively. In 2002, Keasey led the team in tackles for the second straight year. Like McCareins and Mueller, Keasey was unable to play in 2003 due to academic ineligibility. Into his large shoes stepped Stull, a top Tiger recruit who was suddenly asked to anchor the defense as a sophomore. Stull surpassed everyone's expectations with a dominant year that included 114 tackles and ended with his being named Princeton's first junior captain since Wayne Harding in 1943. Stull will shift to the weak side linebacker spot, leaving him with room to run while the more physical Keasey takes on linemen from his spot in the middle. On the strong side the Tigers will employ the combination of juniors Abi Fadeyi and Alan Borelli, both of whom have the speed to run with the fast and physical tight ends in the Ivy League. "The linebackers are our strongest position this season," Hughes said. Defensive line The linebackers will have to be physical as well as fast, because they will be counted on to pick up the slack while the defensive unit's only new starters — the defensive ends — cut their teeth as every-down players. Last season's defensive ends Tim Kirby '04 and Joe Weiss '04 were Princeton's best football players. Each earned first-team All-Ivy League honors in their final season together. Stepping into the void created by their graduation are the relatively inexperienced Chris Browne and James Williams. Browne, a senior, and Williams, a junior, are both strong, athletic players who, despite seeing little time behind Kirby and Weiss last year, will be expected to contribute immediately. The interior linemen, junior Ben Breilmaier and senior Pete Kelly, will also be expected to solidify their play as they enter their second season as starters. Kelly started all 10 games last year, recording 17 tackles but no sacks, and Breilmaier recorded 10 tackles in spot duty as a starter. Both players bulked up in the off-season with the hope that they can stuff the middle effectively for the Tigers. In the end, the key to the season may be how well the players fit with each other. The best defensive teams develop a swagger that comes with the confidence that they can shut the other team down. If the Tigers can develop that kind of chemistry this season, they may replace the memories of last year's tough losses with some much sweeter dreams of victory.
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