Friday, September 27, 2013

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Monmouth Hawks at Columbia Lions

September 28, 2013

2013 HOME OPENER




Kickoff Time: 12:30pm


Gametime Weather Forecast: 74 degrees and sunny


The Spread: The latest line favors Monmouth by nine points





How to Get to the Game

Here is my complete guide to getting to, enjoying, and even eating at a Columbia home football game.


TV/RADIO

(Recommended): Columbia video and audio with Jerry Recco and Sal Licata: Ivy Digital Network

The Columbia student station broadcast is on WKCR at 89.9 on your FM dial


Lead Stories

-The Lions look to bounce back after an horrific loss to Fordham in week one. Falling to a tough, top 10 ranked team was not the real problem, but the loss of two key players due to injury, (Brett Nottingham and Seyi Adebayo), was.

-Monmouth suddenly looks much stronger after beating Holy Cross in Worcester last week and almost beating a powerful Lehigh team the week before. The Hawks have two RB’s each coming off 100+ yard games. The Hawk defense suffocated Holy Cross and held Lehigh to its fewest points of the season.

-All eyes will be on new Lion starting QB Trevor McDonagh who is now the starter due to the loss of Nottingham.

-Columbia comes in to this game on a two-game home winning streak dating back to last season. The Lions have never won more than three games in a row at home since Wien Stadium was built. 



Columbia Keys to the Game


1) PROTECTION

Fordham was a huge and powerful team with a relentless blitzing attack. I’m actually willing to give what looked like a poor performance by the O-line a bit of a pass. But even though Monmouth also has some big defensive players, the front five MUST do a lot better this week and going forward. The offensive line was the one area on this team that everyone agreed needed to get better. So far, there’s no evidence of that. 


2) Make Monmouth Pass

I know it will be a tall order to contain the Hawks’ dual threats of Hayes and Asante at RB. But do it they must and force Monmouth to rely on its iffy QB and pass offense. Despite Carlton Koonce’s big numbers Saturday, anyone who was at the game probably saw that the Columbia run defense was actually pretty good despite all the disadvantages. The Lions, especially DT’s Niko Padilla and Wells Childress need to build on that this game.


3) Don’t Make McDonagh Win the Game on His Own


I know McDonagh knows this system and he’s played a decent amount already, but let’s not forget that this is his FIRST collegiate start and he’s under a lot of pressure already. 

Helping him goes beyond better play from the offensive line. The Lions need to make it easier for him with more short passes to TE Hamilton Garner, more screen passes to Marcorus Garrett and more successful running plays. I would really hate to see McDonagh and this O-line put under more stress with a game plan filled with long passes and slowly developing plays that will basically result in a bull’s eye tagged on their backs. It’s time to stop with the NFL impersonation and focus on what it will take to win a game at THIS level this time. And if that means handing the ball off 45 times, so be it. 





38 comments:

InwoodTiger said...

Columbia has never played Monmouth before, right? Wonder what kind of attendance they will bring. Not far away, but then again not exactly a traditional football school (program dates from 1993 and has a 4,000 seat stadium).

Monmouth's band does not even seem to be coming so it may be a lonely visitor's stands. At least 1,000 extra fans will be at the game thanks to the free tickets given to upper Manhattan residents for this game, but they usually get seated around the 20 yard lines on the Columbia side.

Anonymous said...

The student station, WKCR, can be heard on the Net, too, so fans everywhere can listen. Free, unlike Ivy Digital.

Al's Wingman said...

Monmouth is as close to a patsy as CU can hope for. It would have been better if they swapped this week's opponent with Fordham who may embarrass St. Francis (PA) more than they did the Lions.

Al's Wingman said...

Never mind, I see that St. Francis played James Madison well and had the temerity to schedule Georgia Southern. Ok, just dispatch Monmouth and show that you are a real program or cut ties with Pete immediately (guaranteed no love lost with the players). Let anyone but the Offensive Coordinator and OL coach backfill as interim HC.

Anonymous said...

Al- Bravo! Finally, someone is getting it right!
After game 3, I hope that the Nathan's Hot Dog Committee will realize the error of their ways (again) and get rid of our second disastrous NFL experiment.

Let's hope that Pete allows all of the player dress this year for home games. He can't be that stupid not to realize that it remains an issue for players, parents, and alums. These kids work far too hard!

Anonymous said...

Substitute "the kids" for "the American people" and both parties to the CU football division mimic the justification that each national party invokes as their motivation that effectively perpetuates the national division.

For various reasons, I've supported CU football for a very long time -- and continue to wonder why we cannot be more successful. I also continue to support the program because the "kids" who are now in it are no different from the kid I used to be who played played (poorly)in it.

Those kids who continue to turn out and represent the University deserve better support than was available in my time. I think about that when it comes time to decide whether to send in that (modest) contribution.

Lastly, the kids now in the program are the best present hope for better results.

Football is different from other sports. If it wants a football program to be competitive within its peer group -- as opposed to simply defaulting to have a football program for the purposes of having one --- the University should commit to it. I don't know what that commitment requires beyond what has already been dedicated to the effort. But as I said, it's been a long time -- lifetime long.

Beat Monmouth.

Leonlion

Anonymous said...

I don't think Monmouth is a cake walk. Any team that has the early schedule they do and is willing to play 8 or so games on the road is looking to improve.
Otherwise I agree with the sentiments

Anonymous said...

Monmouth has 4-5 Div. I transfers in lkey positions. Their RB is a 4-year starter. The word "doom" comes to mind.

Al's Wingman said...

Well, compared to the entire schedule Monmouth should have been the easiest game. Doesn't look good from here out.

Anonymous said...

If Monmouth is our closest to a patsy, God help us. As usual
Lions came out weaker after halftime.Guess Mangurian's
conditioning mantra isn.t working
McDonagh should get better as season aaprogresses, but it won.t mean much. Good senior season for Garrett will be wasted. Same with good receiving corps.
Another season shot to hell. But fear not. Bollinger is trying really hard to get the President of Iran to come to the phone.

oldlion said...

Two strip sacks were killers. Receiver slowed down for what would have been a sure TD at end of first half. Basic coaching of WRs at the high school level is that you never slow down on that sort of pattern and let the ball go over your head. No separation on the part of our WRs, plus half a dozen drops of catchable balls. McDonagh held on to the ball too long, leading to two strip sacks. Their WRs were getting free releases, and all too often our DBs did not turn to look for the ball. Only bright spots were Garrett and our punter. Our TE did not have a good game either. I expected a letdown after losing Nottingham and Adebayo, but nothing like this.

Anonymous said...

Did any of you hear the WKCR commentators pre-game? They were analyzing Pete's response to how things are going this year. Basically, he adamantly defended the system which he is running and that he will not deviate from his plan. It is the players who need to get on board to HIS system. When the reporter questioned why Pete didn't run Garrett more last week, Pete's response was that running that much is not part of his system. UNBELIEVABLE! Look what Dianne and the Hot Dog Committee got us in to now? OldLion is right about coaching these kids. It's just not there.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant Nathan's Hot Dog Committee. They earned their sponsorship!

Anonymous said...

Did everyone dress, or were there players in the stands? Anyone know???

Anonymous said...

Food for thought... In two games, we've scored 21 points and our opposition has scored 89. Pete is supposed to be a defensive guru. Thank goodness he was never an OC!

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I rate our QB's performance a 7. Lots of dropped balls and he was running for his life half the time. At least this kid can throw the ball around too. I was impressed.

Al's Wingman said...

Pete's background is OL. He's not an defensive guru.

Anonymous said...

Wow, thanks Al. However, that just makes it even worse...

Anonymous said...

I saw the game - the defense played very well...and yes, there should have been more running plays..Given it was the the quarterback's first start - he looked poised a lot of the time. Delaney was stunningly good! I wondered why the other two quarterbacks didn't get in to play.

Anonymous said...

Was the entire team on the sidelines?

Anonymous said...

Frosh DB looked good in 2nd half.

Jake said...

There is no "w" in "system."

Anonymous said...

Well put. It's going to be a long 8 weeks...

Anonymous said...

6 of 19 27 yds 1 int and a fumble before game got out of hand...and we officially have a qb problem. tough kid for sure but when time was there and there were plenty of times-more than BN had that's for sure, that he had 4 seconds, the ball corkscrewed through the air on one particularly hard to watch attempt.

Mitch S.'68CC said...

Yes, let's be positive. The defense played very well. 37 points against, but....good. And the punter played very well, which is a positive thing since CU did not convert a single third down during the game. We showcased our punter!

When I was at CU there were players who I believe were as good as it's possible for football players to be. They just weren't very big and there weren't very many but they were great -- and I'm sure there are still great players like that. And who cares if they're great? The ones who aren't great deserve just as much respect for the amazingly hard task of playing football at Columbia. If any of them are reading this, I hope I can convey the admiration you deserve. Meanwhile, the one thing that has always been missing is really great coaching. Maybe someday? Or maybe not. Is it like waiting for Christmas, or like waiting for Godot?

Anonymous said...

That is quite a system. Reminds me of the hindenburg system...look out below! A regular so crates of offensive system design...it is offensive by the way

Our defense played well? We have let up almost 100 points in 2 games? I got ya though, the old bend but don't collapse system!

I hope the kids are healthy and continue to support them

InwoodTiger said...

Yes, looked like the whole team dressed and was on the sidelines.

Attendance on an absolutely perfect fall day was a paltry 4,400, and about 800 of those were free tickets given to the neighbors and community. Many didn't show; stadium looked to have about 3500 in it. Not sure I saw a single current student outside of the team and the band (which numbered about 50). Monmouth stands were pretty much just the parents of players. (I talked to some of them when they were parking their SUVs earlier in the day -- very nice people, but they were not sure they were in Manhattan or not).

Who can Columbia play who would be a fair fight in terms of scholarships but be a better draw for alumni and fans? New York has alumni from all over, there must be some logic to it. Rice? Amherst? Oberlin? McGill? Oxford rugby? I can't take any more of these random beatings -- at least make it a fun school to cheer for or hate. Or suck it up (the 15 athletic scholarships) and go back to a three-school Patriot League schedule; treat it as hard training for the Ivies.

Meanwhile, Princeton scored 50 on Georgetown today. Next week should be ... interesting.

Anonymous said...

Yes d did play well, when they are on the field for 100+ plays what do you expect? Turnovers resulting in the opposition starting in the redone don't help out. Honestly how many 3 and outs have there been in the last 2 weeks?

Anonymous said...

I expect a better coached team. We have let up 30 or more points in half of the games under this regime. You cannot expect to win unless you are running the oregon ducks offense, but wait, we didn't want that guy.
I refuse to believe that these kids are not good enough or are to blame for this. This is just poor coaching and a poor system on both sides of the ball. Itso happens that our dismal concept of offense is putting the defense in brutal spots.
This was a game that could have been won. Monmouth had problems putting the ball in the endzone early on and we never capitalized on this.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Anonymous said...

Shameful yet again. Did anyone talk to one Cornell player who played for this guy before hiring him? Apparently not.

Anonymous said...

Again, the Nathan's Hot Dog Committee and Dianne supposedly vetted him??? In addition Ted Gregory's Executive Search firm supposedly had a hand in it as well. Seriously, after 1 meeting with this guy, how can you not pass?

Peter, you and your system are not working. Let's not all suffer through this any longer. Try and be a professional and change things up!

I saw Harvard and Brown play last night as well... Chalk up another two losses... Princeton lit up Georgetown and Yale is on a tear! Leigh beat Monmouth and Penn is Penn. Our only hope is Dartmouth and Cornell. Unfortunately, Cornell played Yale tight (score was not indicative of the game), and Dartmouth just lost to Holy Cross late in the game. Tough times ahead for sure! We may not win a game all year in this system!!!

Pete is making us look even worse than we are! Time to cut our losses!

oldlion said...

Whoever is friendly with Ray Tellier should ask him the following questions off the record (Ray couldn't recruit but was a fine, fine coach who put competitive teams on the field): why is it that other teams blow us out in the second half after we play a competitive first half? Part of the answer I suspect is that the defense is on the field so long that they just get gassed, especially against the two no huddle teams we have faced, making it hard to make situational substitutions.

DOC said...

Agree old lion. We cannot be out possessed by nearly two to one , and expect the Defense to hold up- and this was against a hurry up Offense to boot!

Anonymous said...

Winning coaches adjust the system to fit the personal available to them. New coaches achieve success more quickly when they engage the entire team and get a collective buy-in and unity. Good coaches make adjustments during the game, as reflected largely in the 3rd quarter (remember Wilsons 3rd qrtr stats). Good coaches also take their share of responsibility for losses.


Anonymous said...

When was our last winless season? Any similarities to 2013?

Anonymous said...

To the poster who said Tay Tellier couldn't recruit, how about Marcellus Wiley, Rory Wilfork, and Jonathan Reese, probably our best players of the last 40-50 years.

Anonymous said...

Make that "Ray" Tellier, of course.
PS. He also knew how to put some excitement into the offense.

Anonymous said...

Quoted in Spec article Mon., Mangurian says changes in personnel are on the way.