Secondary seeks new playmakers

Much has been made of the fact that the football team has lost the man who threw all 17 of its touchdown passes last season. What might be forgotten is that — in addition to 2006 Ivy League Player of the Year Jeff Terrell '07 — Princeton also waved goodbye to two players who regularly took touchdowns away from the other side.

The departed first-team All-Ivy defensive backs J.J. Artis '07 and Tim Strickland '07 — who combined had six of the Tigers' 14 interceptions last season — left behind a legacy of big plays and hard hits that Princeton's defensive backs will have to continue this season. The effectiveness of the Tiger defense may very well rest on the success of its revamped secondary.

"We lost Strickland and J.J. Artis," defensive coordinator Steve Verbit said. "[Replacing them] is our biggest task."

One player that Verbit singled out as an emerging defensive anchor is senior safety Kevin Kelleher, who he praised for fully embracing the leadership role that comes with being the elder statesman of the secondary. Kelleher is a ballhawk known for dramatic, game-changing interceptions — the prime example being his two fourth quarter picks in Princeton's 31-28 win over Harvard last year, and his four interceptions led the team last season.

This year, Kelleher's work off the field as a leader of his younger teammates may be as important as his work on it. But neither his increased responsibility nor the uncertain prospects of the defensive backfield seem to faze Kelleher.

"I don't think that Tim and J.J.'s graduation changed my leadership role — I have always been an emotional and vocal player," Kelleher said. "There are always going to be question marks when you lose two guys who started every game of their respective careers, but there is a tremendous amount of talent in our younger players."

Indeed, Princeton will rely on a deep collection of defensive backs who have shown great potential in limited action. Junior Tom Hurley, who spent much of last season opposite Artis at cornerback, will almost certainly win a starting nod. Sophomores Dan Kopolovich, Cart Kelly and Carlos Roque will also battle for playing time, along with junior Pete Ploszek, who switched sides of the field after carrying the ball 28 times as a running back last season.

Kopolovich is a particularly intriguing prospect at cornerback. Originally a quarterback, he was converted to a full-time defensive player during his freshman season. Thanks to his exceptional athleticism, he adapted quickly, earned playing time and held his own while appearing primarily in nickel and dime packages.

"Kopolovich is coming off a freshman season where he was tested a lot," Kelleher said, "but he has had maybe the best camp out of all the defensive backs."

If the secondary needs proof that it can adapt quickly to the loss of key contributors and become a Princeton strength, it need look no further than the 2006 Tiger linebacking corps. Heading into last season, Princeton had lost the services of its four leading tacklers from the year before. Inexperienced players, when finally given the opportunity to produce, came up aces for the Tiger defense.

The majority of those linebackers return to this year's team. Senior Tim Boardman led the team with 52 tackles as an outside linebacker last season, while fellow senior Doori Song demonstrated good instincts for stuffing the run on the inside. Song finished with 44 tackles, including six punishing tackles for a loss.

The defense's new co-captain, senior Jon Stem, was also a key to the surprising unit. Stem's five tackles for loss and four pass breakups were indicative of his versatility — equally imposing while charging forward to stuff the run as when dropping back into zone coverage.

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With the three seniors locking down the lion's share of snaps at their respective spots, there has been fierce competition for the only remaining starting job at linebacker. Sophomores John Callahan and Scott Britton have a chance at earning the spot, but the more likely candidates are senior Pat McGrath and junior Collin McCarthy.

Last but not least for the Princeton defense is the defensive line. Despite the departure of All-Ivy lineman Jake Marshall '07, the unit is battle-tested and ready to roll. Three juniors will receive the majority of the playing time, led by defensive end Pete Buchignani. Buchignani earned the Harland "Pink" Baker '22 award as the team's top defensive freshman in 2005 and started every game last season.

Opposite Buchignani, classmate Tom Methvin will provide a strong pass-rushing presence. Methvin led the Tigers last season with four sacks and added seven tackles for a loss — statistics indicative of his skill at disrupting the pocket.

Marshall's job at nose guard, meanwhile, has been given to 2006 backup, junior Matt Koch. Junior Pat Gallagher steps into Koch's old role as primary reserve, and he will take a significant portion of the snaps so that both he and Koch stay fresh and are able to contribute towards the end of games.

Princeton's line was more than adept last season at stopping the run. Ranking second in the Ivy League, the team allowed under 125 rushing yards per game. This strength was somewhat counterbalanced by the fact that the team was last in the Ivies in sacks. Compared to league-leader Harvard, which dropped the quarterback 43 times, Princeton managed only 11 sacks in 2006.

This fact was largely concealed by the efforts of defensive backs like Strickland, Artis and Kelleher. This season, however, the Tigers cannot expect the secondary to consistently bail the team out, and in light of this fact, the defensive line has worked hard on getting to the quarterback.

"We have put an added emphasis on pass rush techniques and drills this year," Buchignani said. "Our coaches have also been experimenting with different twists and stunts to create more one-on-one pass rush opportunities."

In Verbit's perfect world, Princeton's front seven would provide increased pressure up front and give his revamped secondary time to gel early on. If all goes according to plan, the defense's performance will give no sign that Strickland and Artis ever left.