Football opens season at Lafayette

As if starting a quarterback taking his first varsity snap wasn't enough of a challenge, the Princeton football team will begin its 2005 campaign on the road Saturday in Easton, Pa., against an experienced Lafayette team with two games already under its belt this season.

It's enough to make a coach cringe.

"This is going to be a severe test," head coach Roger Hughes said. "We traditionally have not played well up at Lafayette."

The Leopards, the 2004 Patriot League Champions, are 2-0 in 2005 after wins against Marist and Richmond. And while Princeton had no problem handling Lafayette last year, 35-18, Hughes noted that the Leopards were a different team by the end of their season.

Princeton is also a different team this season. The Tigers will start an entirely new backfield on offense, led by junior quarterback Jeff Terrell. He, like sophomore fullback Robert Toresco and junior tailback Cleo Kirkland, only got the nod for the starting job at the end of last week.

They will be protected, however, by an experienced senior offensive line led by senior co-captain and tackle Ben Brielmaier.

That's a good thing, too, because Lafayette is sure to put tremendous pressure on the young Tiger offense. Their sixth-ranked defense, which has allowed an average of 10.5 points per game so far this year, is led by a trio of senior linebackers: Maurice Bennett, Blake Costanzo, and Dion Witherspoon. To take advantage of their talents, Lafayette blitzes hard and often.

All this, of course, worries Hughes, given his untested quarterback.

"[Terrell] has never taken a snap as a varsity quarterback. He's never been under heavy pressure when it counted," Hughes said.

In contrast, the Leopards will field a relatively experienced quarterback in junior Brad Maurer, ranked 29th in passing efficiency in Division 1-AA football. Complementing him is junior tailback Jonathan Hurt, who scored three times on 13 carries and rushed for 97 yards in the team's opener against Marist.

The last three matchups between Princeton and Lafayette have been high-scoring affairs, with the winning team leading by at least 24 points at one point in play.

If the Tigers are going to steal one from the Leopards, they must come out strong and put points on the board in the first quarter. While Hughes expressed concern about the intensity of practices earlier this week and last, he also expressed confidence in his players.

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"The kids are upbeat and ready to look at another color jersey and get things on the road," Hughes said.

When Princeton hits the road this weekend, they'll take a good bit of baggage — including the frustration of several years of mediocre football and the fresh hopes of fans at the start of another new season — with them to what promises to be a severe but interesting test.