Norries to the Knights

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Former Head Coach Norries Wilson came to Columbia from the Big East, and that's where he will return.

Wilson has been hired as the new running backs coach at Rutgers.

It's a rare move back to Division I-A or FBS football for a former Lion or Ivy coach. Usually, our coaches end up remaining in FCS football or quasi retiring.

Bob Shoop ended up going to William and Mary as the Tribe's defensive coordinator. Larry McElreavy became the OC at Richmond. Guys like Bill Campbell, Bob Naso, and Ray Tellier got out of coaching altogether when their head coaching tenures at Columbia ended.

Wilson is being given the responsibility for a super rising Rutgers star in Jawan Jamison, who has lots of Scarlet Knights fans fantasizing about another Ray Rice-type of player.

With Wilson staying so geographically close, we will certainly keep an eye on his progress. He is still a young man, who probably should have stayed in FBS football, (he had been successful as the OC at UConn before arriving here).

Gorham Ill

A man who I thought could make a decent candidate to replace Wilson at Columbia, Sacred Heard Head Coach Paul Gorham, has taken a medical leave of absence.

This release from Sacred Heart doesn’t shed much light on why.


Crimson Schedule

Harvard has released its released its schedule for the football season and it includes the season opener
against San Diego on 9/15 and a night game against Holy Cross on Friday 9/28. Columbia comes in to Harvard Stadium on November 3rd.

43 DAYS UNTIL THE SPRING GAME!!!



Seyi’s Second Step Up?

Rising senior Seyi Adebayo is in my focus today as I continue looking a individual Lion veteran defensive linemen.

Adebayo completed a very impressive upgrade last season, going from just 11 tackles and no TFL’s in 2010 to 24 tackles, 7 TFL’s and two sacks. He also recovered two fumbles and forced another.

Only five returning Lion defenders recorded more tackles in 2011.

But Adebayo, who remains one of the most physically fit and impressive players on the team, needs to upgrade his game again. The competition at the defensive end position should be fierce and he’ll have to work harder to stand out as much as he did last spring.

I think he needs to once again basically double his numbers from 2011. The best defensive linemen in the Ivies get about 40 tackles at least and closer to about 10 sacks for a season.

If Josh Martin moves back up to the D-line as many expect, I can see him registering those kinds of numbers. Nick Melka has the potential to do it as well.

But other than Adebayo, it's a stretch to expect that from anyone else on the roster or even the best incoming freshmen.

Adebayo’s emotional commitment is unquestioned. He’ll just need to show even more strength and speed on the field in practice.

Simple, right?

Okay, not so simple… but it is uncomplicated.