VMI may be Tigers' best chance to snap streak

If VMI puts forth even half the effort that other military colleges in the Collegiate Sprint Football League have against the Tigers, Princeton will have its hands full on the road in Lexington, Va., on Saturday afternoon in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

"[Head coach Bill Hickey] has made sure to convey the gravity of this game to us," sophomore quarterback Alex Kandabarow said. "This is the best shot we have at winning this year."

The Keydets' club sprint football team, winless so far this season, is a newcomer to the sport and, as it is not a varsity sport, is not in the league. Since the team is not in the CSFL and therefore not bound by all of its regulations, the Tiger players did not have to make weight this week, allowing the team to be slightly heavier than it would be otherwise.

Though Princeton has no competitive history with VMI, the two teams have had two common opponents this season: Navy and Cornell. In both games, the Keydets were held to a total of 12 points (two touchdowns) while giving up an average of 37 points.

Early in September against Navy, the Keydets were held to 37 yards of total offense, all of which came on the ground in 26 rushing attempts (1.4 yards per carry). VMI did not cross midfield all day. The Keydets went 0-for-10 on the afternoon, throwing one interception. The VMI quarterback was also sacked four times. Navy continued its dominance, also forcing two fumbles and holding the Keydets to only four first downs. Still, VMI fared better against the Midshipmen than the Tigers, who gave up 98 points to Navy when they last played.

Against Cornell, the Keydets were held scoreless until the latter part of the third quarter when VMI scored its first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run. In the fourth quarter, the Keydets added one more score on another run after recovering a fumble and carrying it to the one-yard line. VMI only attempted seven passes on the day while rushing the ball 45 times for 77 yards. Its 39-12 loss to the Big Red compares to Princeton's 31-13 loss to the same team.

It is clear that the Keydets' offense, anything but balanced, is concentrated on its running attack. Running back John Willis, who ran for 65 yards and one touchdown against Cornell, is VMI's primary running threat. Quarterback Marcus Carlstrom is also a threat to run, rushing 14 times against the Big Red for 42 yards. Though putting the ball on the ground will be their most utilized attack, when the Keydets do pass, as many as five different receivers can see the ball.

VMI's most glaring weakness is in its offensive line, which gave up a combined 12 sacks in the two games, eight of which were recorded in the loss against Cornell.

Defensively, the Keydets are led by Michael Maternick, who contributed nine total tackles against the Big Red.

The Tigers should have a good chance to win this weekend, provided that they protect the ball and eliminate the sloppy mistakes and penalties that have plagued them in the past.

"VMI hasn't won a game all year," Kandabarow said. "It is going to be a showdown."