Grace under pressure: Callahan keeps his cool

The six-foot, three-inch, 210-pound Dallas native will be a crucial part of the defensive puzzle as the Tigers look to improve on their 4-6 record from a year ago. A second-year starter, Callahan leads all returning players with 60 tackles last year and recognizes the role his experience will play in leading the linebacking corps with senior Collin McCarthy.

“You can start to focus on different things and helping everyone else to get ready and really teach other people,” Callahan said. “I think that’ll definitely help a lot and just [having] another whole year in this defense from a knowledge standpoint and … [having] a lot faster instincts.”

Callahan’s teammates agreed that his familiarity could certainly aid the defense’s cohesiveness.

“I think that having someone with his experience out there will really help because he’s been in a lot of situations that a lot of us haven’t,” junior middle linebacker Scott Britton said. “Having somebody who’s been out there, who knows the defense well, can make the calls, has been up against some adversity, is something that’s going to be really important for us down the stretch.”

Helping his teammates is one of the driving forces behind Callahan’s devotion to the team and football. As important as winning is — Callahan’s best football memory is beating the Bulldogs at the Yale Bowl in 2006 to win the Ivy League championship — Callahan acknowledged that his commitment to the team is rooted in his fellow players.

“That’s who you’re spending all your time with in the offseason, in the summers doing all that extra work behind the scenes that is paying off when you get on the football field,” he said. “Just the camaraderie and getting to spend time with them and … forming really close relationships and bonds is the most enjoyable thing for me.”

While the other members of the Orange and Black may now provide much of Callahan’s inspiration, football has been in his blood since birth.

Callahan’s father, Todd, was a high school football player, and the junior also credits his hometown with instilling the sport in him from a young age.

“I’m from Dallas, Texas, so I guess I was kind of raised to play football,” Callahan said. “Ever since I was a little kid it was kind of assumed that was the sport I was supposed to play.”

Last season, Callahan finished with four sacks and three forced fumbles, including one during overtime in the 2007 season finale against Dartmouth that led to Princeton’s 17-14 victory.

Callahan will be part of a linebacking corps that will be relied on, along with the defensive line, for shouldering some of the burden for the youthful secondary.

“If we can focus the front seven on getting pressure, I think that’ll really help as the guys in the back start to mature and get more experience,” he said.

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While Callahan’s experience will unquestionably be a factor, his athleticism places him in a unique position to make plays that elude some of the other Tigers.

“He’s definitely one of the most athletic guys we have on defense,” Britton said. “He has a natural nose for the ball, and I think that he really helps us on the edge a lot. I think teams have a tough time getting outside because he can really track them down because he’s so fast.”

Despite his passion for football, Callahan is noted for his laid-back attitude while away from the game.

“Cal, because there’s so much football, sometimes off the field, likes to get away from football, and he’s very relaxed, and I think that’s part of the reason he’s so calm on the field,” Britton said.

Britton was quick, however, to commend Callahan for his dedication to the game and commitment to the team.

“He definitely is a hard worker in the weight room, in the conditioning drills, and he’s definitely a leader.”