Sprint Football: New talent points to turnaround for team

Princeton’s sprint football team has suffered some heartbreaking losses in the past several seasons, but there is a sense of optimism as the new season begins. With an established core of defensive veterans and a slew of rookie playmakers on offense, the Tigers look to restart a winning tradition.

While some of the personnel are noticeably different from last year, the game plan will be the same.

“It’s going to be very similar to last year,” head coach Thomas Cocuzza noted. “But what we’re going to try to do this year is do it better.”

On defense, this means relying on the talents of several veteran players who have continued to develop their skills.

Senior Mike Schoder and junior co-captain Andrew Gabriele will anchor the defense at linebacker, where they will be joined by sophomore standout Atray Dixit. Schoder, who has led the team in rushing for the past two seasons, will be primarily a defensive player this season.

Also returning to the defense is sophomore cornerback Lucas Briger, who missed last season but who is back with a purpose in 2009, recording an interception in last Sunday’s alumni game.

These veterans will make significant contributions to the team, but the big story for the new season is the fresh faces on offense. The Tigers have 12 freshmen on the squad, several of whom are expected to be immediate impact players.

Unlike in previous years, this crop of freshmen has been practicing with the team since day one, and Cocuzza said he thinks that has made an enormous difference in preparation.

“They were all here from day one and ready to go, and I think we’ll be better just because of that,” Cocuzza explained. “The team is working more as a cohesive unit than I have seen at this point in the season in any of my other three years.”

One freshman who has caught the attention of the coaching staff is quarterback Ned Moffat from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cocuzza was full of praise for his new athlete.

“Ned is a very, very good football player,” Cocuzza said. “We think he can pretty much do anything we ask him to do. He can run the option, he can throw, and he can make plays happen.”

Senior center and co-captain Sam Gulland expressed a similar level of respect for Moffat’s abilities going into the season opener this weekend.

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“After Saturday’s game, the world will know the name Ned Moffat,” Gulland said.

Catching passes from Moffat will be freshman wideout Kees Thompson, who put on a show in the alumni game, catching six passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

The freshmen are not the only new members of the team, as Cocuzza has also brought in a handful of new assistant coaches. The head coach said that the range of experiences brought to the team by his coaching staff shouldn’t be undervalued.

“We have [wide receivers coach Mike Siani], who has 10 years of NFL experience,” Cocuzza said. “When you have that kind of experience and you say something, kids tend to listen.”

While Cocuzza described his feelings as “cautiously optimistic” with regards to the new season, Gulland expressed nothing but confidence and enthusiasm going into his senior season.

“My fellow seniors and I have worked hard for four years,” Gulland said. “But none of us will be the least bit happy until we win some games. I believe that this year we will, and I cannot wait to do it.”

Gulland and the rest of the Tigers kick off the new season Saturday at 1 p.m. with an away game at Mansfield University.