Football puts perfect league record on line vs. improved Brown

In the wild, tigers are members of an endangered species, and this past weekend one particular tiger, the undefeated Princeton Tiger, became extinct. Despite the loss to Colgate, the Tigers (3-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) are still unbeaten in the Ivies. When Princeton confronts Brown (3-1, 0-1) this weekend, the Tigers envision continuing their impressive start and solidifying their position atop the Ivy League.

But remaining undefeated in league play is not a forgone conclusion. The Bears showed their bite by leading perennial league powerhouse Harvard at the half, 21-0, before collapsing in an eventual 35-34 loss. Boasting the No. 1 defense in the Ivy League and an offense that is multidimensional, the Tigers can't count on Brown collapsing this weekend.

Running back Nick Hartigan remains the goto workhorse for Brown's offense. Not only does he have over 100 more touches than any other Bear, he also has 554 of the team's 707 rushing yards.

"He's not flashy, but I think he's deceivingly fast," head coach Roger Hughes said. "He's just got a great instinct for finding a little soft spot in the defense. My hope is that we hold him to two, three yards a carry, and hopefully by the fourth quarter he won't want to carry it anymore. But I don't see that happening. He's a very tough kid, and it's clear that he's carrying the team right now."

Despite his statistical dominance in total yards, Hartigan is only averaging 3.9 yards per carry. In comparison, Princeton's three most prolific runners, senior tailbacks Branden Benson and Jon Veach and junior wide receiver Greg Fields, all average over four yards per carry. Still, Hartigan is the type of player who consistently but quietly racks up over 100 yards per game and transforms bad field position into a strong offensive drive. If the Tigers can hold Hartigan to short-yardage gains and force Brown to find other options, Princeton will be well on its way to shutting down the Bears' attack.

The responsibility for adding dimensions to the offense falls on the shoulders of quarterback Joe DiGiacomo. Averaging just under 225 yards per game, he has demonstrated a capable arm. The question remains whether he can successfully find his receivers through a very stingy Princeton secondary.

DiGiacamo's favorite target is wide receiver Jarret Schreck, who averages 18.2 yards per catch. Not only do Schreck and DiGiacomo have a special affinity for hooking up downfield, Schreck also habitually adds extra yards after the catch. As the defense switches its focus to Hartigan, this combo can light up the defense aerially.

The Bears have limited three of their four opponents to 20 points or fewer, and their aggressive style can disrupt even the most fluid of offensive schemes. Led by a strong linebacking corps, Brown has recorded 14 sacks to lead the Ivy League. The Tigers need solid efforts from their offensive line in order to give senior quarterback Matt Verbit time to exploit the Bears' secondary.

"They blitz a lot and are more aggressive this year than they have been in the past," Hughes said. "So we're very concerned about their defense. It's been very good in the past four games, and we have to try to solve that problem."

Although Princeton demonstrated last week that it was able to hold its own against stiff competition, leading Colgate by a score of 26-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Tigers were not able to compete for the entire 60 minutes. For the third game in a row, penalties hampered Princeton offensive drives and forced the Tiger defense to play extra downs. Princeton fans are looking forward to smarter, less self-destructive play on the field.

"We were able to score points against a really good defense," junior defensive back Jay McCareins said. "And then, defensively, we were able to hold a really good running back to 30 yards in the second half, but we also made the same mistakes that we've made in the past, last year and before. When you lead games, you have to finish them."

Last year, Princeton needed a 99-yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach. This year, the Tigers will face many of the same players, but they are faster, stronger and buoyed by a year's experience.