Quarterback questions nag Hughes & Co.

At the end of midterm week, the last thing anyone wants to see is another question. Unfortunately for the football team (2-4 overall, 1-2 Ivy League), the starting lineup has a big one at quarterback as it prepares to face Cornell (4-2, 1-2) tonight at Princeton Stadium.

For the 7 p.m. ESPNU matchup, senior quarterback Bill Foran's status is "doubtful" due to a concussion, and fellow senior signal-caller Greg Mroz is nursing an injured hand.

"Who starts the game is going to be who recovers for the game," head coach Roger Hughes said. "It'll probably get down to a game-time decision. It may be a situation where we have to utilize a couple quarterbacks based on what each can and can't do."

Another passer likely to see playing time is junior Brian Anderson, who took his first collegiate snap in last week's 27-10 loss to Harvard. Anderson completed three passes, threw one interception and rushed for 19 yards in his quarter of play.

Offensive coordinator Dave Rackovan commented that Anderson's play is a blend of Mroz and Foran's styles.

"[Anderson] is an athlete, much like [Foran] is," Rackovan said. "He's only played in a couple series, so he's an unknown in some regards."

The Tigers' uncertainty contrasts with Cornell's confidence in returning field general Nathan Ford. In his sophomore season, Ford racked up an impressive 1,417 passing yards and was good for 58th nationally in passing efficiency. This season Ford has already eclipsed last year's total, averaging 250.1 yards per game for a total of 1,507 yards.

The Tigers' defense may be better equipped to contend with Ford, as junior defensive end Tom Methvin may return from an injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

The Big Red also poses a threat on the ground. While Ford has only rushed for 60 yards on 45 attempts this season, sophomore running back Randy Barbour averages 49 yards per game.

In comparison, Princeton's leading rushers are Foran, who has tallied 287 yards this season, and junior tailback R.C. Lagomarsino, with 213 yards.

Facing such a tough challenge, it might seem to be the worst possible time to face a stressful midterm week. The Tigers, however, have not allowed it to affect them.

"The hardest part is coming back from consecutive losses and trying to remain upbeat and whatnot," Lagomarsino said. "Especially with the league out of our hands now — win every game is the bottom line. We just have to play better as a team."

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The most significant change the Tigers will have to make this week is in the turnover battle. Heading into tonight's game, Princeton has thrown more than twice as many interceptions as it has caught.

Cornell has been similarly plagued by a poor turnover ratio of almost three to one, but the Big Red, unlike the Tigers, has never allowed a team to run an interception in for a touchdown. Cornell has also shown grit in coming back from deep deficits the past two games for wins.

"It's an offense that, if you let [it] hang around, [it'll] hang around," Hughes said. "They play with a lot of confidence, they play hard, and they don't feel that they are ever out of the game."

Last year's game is proof of this, as a late interception dashed Princeton's hopes of an undefeated season and an outright Ivy League championship.

Eight days after taking on the Big Red, the Tigers will face Penn (2-4, 1-2) on Nov. 3 in a game that will have a distinctly different tone from tonight's game.

Penn's leading quarterback Bryan Walker has amassed just over half the passing yards Ford has this season. The Quakers also boast running back Joe Sandberg, who averages over 117 yards per game on the ground.

The Tigers will make the short trip to Philadelphia for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will be broadcast live by Channel 8 and WPRB 103.3.