The best of the best: Quinn Epperly
It’s taken five weeks for me to finally face the truth.
A team and a program that I have consistently discounted has
finally won me over as a serious championship threat.
In fact, that team is now playing the best football in the
Ivies.
If you guessed that I’m talking about the Princeton Tigers
after their impressive 39-17 win over Brown at Brown on Saturday night... you're right.
You could nitpick and say the Tiger defense is not exactly
stellar, but it’s certainly good enough with that offense to pick it up. And
junior QB Quinn Epperly has to be way ahead in the race for offensive MVP of
the league right now.
The other key development throughout the league is injuries.
And with Princeton looking relatively healthy right now, everything may be
falling into place for Old Nassau.
Penn’s win over Columbia may have cost the Quakers a week or
two of QB Bill Ragone’s services. He was seen on crutches after the game. Dartmouth
is without its best receiver for the rest of the season. And Yale’s injuries
are mounting at all the key positions.
That leaves Harvard as the most serious threat to Princeton’s
title hopes, and the Crimson aren’t 100% healthy either with starting QB Connor
Hemple on the sidelines. But Michael Pruneau is an excellent QB in his own
right and if he’s the guy leading the team against the Tigers this coming Saturday
at home, Harvard has a strong chance to win.
Speaking of Pruneau, he passed for 263 yards and three TD’s
in a 35-16 win over Lafayette that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate.
The shocker of the weekend was in Hanover where a weak
Bucknell team beat Dartmouth 17-14. I think the Green took a mental week off before
getting back into the Ivy schedule for the rest of the year.
Yale was not much of a match for Fordham at the Bowl, as the
Rams slammed the Elis by 52-31. There are questions about injuries at QB and
the wide receiving corps is looking thin. Luckily for Yale, the Bulldogs get to
take on a similarly banged up Quaker team at the Bowl this Saturday in a game
that should be sponsored by the Red Cross.
Finally, Cornell was badly beaten by Monmouth in New Jersey,
48-23. It was close at the half, but QB Jeff Mathews did not have his usually
strong stat sheet. He finished just 13-29 passing.
IVY POWER RANKINGS
1.
Princeton
2.
Harvard
3.
Penn
4.
Dartmouth
5.
Brown
6.
Yale
7.
Cornell
8.
Columbia
46 comments:
You're being very charitable to Dartmouth.
Probably, but the Green still seems strong enough to make some noise. The Bucknell loss I think is an outlier.
I did notice Princeton has some excellent athletes. That is a difference maker. When you have athletes, you can improvise, backfill for injured positional players, etc.. P looks like it should give H all it can handle. The thing with Harvard has always been 3-4 deep so they can just keep rotating fresh legs in and out all day.
Jake, before last season you nominated Bob Surace as worst coach in the Ivies. Now he looks like a genius. Que pasa?
He seemed so overwhelmed, but there's no doubt he's recruited well. Plus, his OC James Perry has been able to work with the new kids a lot better than the players he inherited who HATED him.
Is this Surace's third or fourth year?
Fourth.
First two years he went 2-18 (1-9 twice). Finished 5-5 last season, beating Harvard, but losing to Georgetown. Seems to be comintuing the trend upwards thus far this season.
From what I have seen first hand, Princeton will roll over Penn.
I think Princeton players liked their former coach who was fired.
Now give Mangurian the opportunity to do the same thing here. Surace was horrible in the beginning and is now 4 years in and VOILA! Mangurian will do the same thing with his recruits and system.
I was not pleased with Surace after his second 2-9 season. I imagine other alumni felt the same, especially as the basketball team was not winning either (we have an insecurity complex and need to always be sure to beat Harvard and Yale at something every year).
Last year was a complete surprise and this year is better than could have possibly been expected. I'm not sure the Tigers can hold -- Harvard and Penn always, always, always are tough games, and there are plenty of blown games at Y and D through the years -- but Surace's reputation is certainly sky-high now.
Still, had he not pulled off that win vs Harvard last year he probably would have been on thin ice.
Hope pm will achieve success in 4 to 5 years. This team could have been more competitive had he not polarized the team and ostracized the upperclassmen who ate the core of any team.
Yout statements are not in evidence. Maybe they would be worse if they were using more upperclassmen.
And if we are lucky he won't be here in years 3 and on.
It is going to take CU years to recover from this disaster.
Surace was on thin ice, but he could recruit. Nothing in mangurians file suggests he can..don't quote cornell because his actual recruits didn't do so well and when he did do well it was with the prior coaches recruits.
So you guys in the admin office commenting under anonymous dip into the clue bag and get a grip that things aren't going so well.
How do you know PM "polarized the team" and "ostracized the upper classmen"? I would love to hear from someone who actually goes to practice and is in meeting rooms, but I'm sure that won't happen.
How do you know PM "polarized the team" and "ostracized the upper classmen"? I would love to hear from someone who actually goes to practice and is in meeting rooms, but I'm sure that won't happen.
Yes, because nobody is allowed at practice
What puzzles me is the level of personal animosity which seems to be directed at the coach. It is almost as if some of my fellow Lion supporters actually want him to fail. It almost seems like the tea party mentality. We should recognize that this regime is going to be back next year, like it or not, and for the sake of the players I would hope to see more outward manifestations of support.
Old loin
There seems to be just a few who make it a point each day to air their own personal issues with the coach. A really cowardly way if you ask me. It seems like a " I am going to get you M on the blog" Probably just best to take it all with a grain of salt. Have you ever seen a company of any sorts that some employees etc were not happy? All of the parents I have talked to offer nothing but support and kindness towards the coach and his family.
parent of player
And, the Lions beat up Pr in Surace's first 2 years.
I think the reason people come down harder on Pete is because of Pete himself. He came in and isolated himself and players from the rest of the department. He came in assuming he was the only cog of athletic importance. He is arrogant and had brought this on himself. I am close with several coaches at CU and have been told they have never once seen any asst FB coach at one departmental staff meeting. They are given free reign by MDM and they run amok. The are a bunch of gunslingers disrupting the town but are unable to actually defeat any of the outlaws. The difference of professionalism between MBB and FB is night and day. That is why people are patient with Kyle. FB is honestly a joke and those who defend that staff wouldn't if they knew all including Bill and Dianne.
I think the reason people came down harder on Pete is because he's 0-5 this year and hasn't been competitive. Win some games, or at least take teams to the wire, and people don't care about any personality problems.
I think his personality is definitely part of the issue, he came off and arrogant and aloof when I met him.
I have heard and read here that "the players" hate him. I wonder if they respect him, though, which is much more important. I also wonder if all the classes dislike him or if it is more the Jr and SR classes, who aren't "his kids".
I first met Pete at a basketball game. I introduced myself as an alum and a longstanding supporter of the program. He could not have been more gracious or engaging. I have no agenda here. I am not part of the establishment that runs the university or the athletic department, just an alumnus who has put my support behind the school and the program for a lifetime. So when I read about the attacks on the coach, I am of two minds. It seems to me to be fair game to criticize his coaching decisions. But based at least on my limited personal dealings with him, and my interaction with the parents of some current players, I just don't get the vicious ad hominum personal attacks on the man. It disserves him and the program.
All I know is there is something terribly wrong with the Offense. I also know that Pete no matter how much he is liked or unlinked doesn't like this continued loosing as much as the rest of us. I am wondering if it is the OC. Watching the game Saturday, one could predict every play. Nothing new, nothing original and absolutely no trick plays or fakes. To me this is on the OC 's shoulders. Why doesn't Pete recognize this . Surely he knows there needs to be a change. I just think this loosing streak is going to make the players feel defeated, and right now my son is not there. If there were changes made by Pete, I'm sure it would boost the morale of the team.
We did have one trick play, a flea flicker, and it worked. I think the problem with the offense right now is that is is geared to stop the run, since we have an outstanding running back. So 8 or 9 guys are in the box and we are being forced to throw. But our passing game takes too long to develop. Hilinski has three seconds to get off the ball before the protection collapses. So he needs to develop timing patterns where he throws to spots. Our screen passes haven't worked because they take too long to develop. Passes in the seam to the TE or timing patterns to the sideline should work. Patterns in which the receiver plants and comes back for the ball should also work. Deeper balls have not succeeded because our receivers have either given up on the play of slowed down. All of this can be corrected.
When Old Lion????? How long do tge Juniors and Seniors have to wait? After they graduate?They deserve wins , they put a lot into FB, and nothing to show for it. Seems bait selfish on Pete's part , don't you think?
Seems a bit selfish
i totally agree with old lion.
The fact that people are criticizing the program because the fix isn't instant is totally ridiculous!!! let me say this loud and clear NOTHING IS AN INSTANT FIX WHEN EVERYTHING IN THE PAST HASNT WORKED!!! All of you are here bitching about how bad pete is doing when in fact HIS transition is actually in effect and changes are being made. The team looks better, bigger and stronger than they ever have (they actually look like football players). The majority of the team is young and never played football at the college level before this season. They are young, they will learn. it takes time for things to happen, change isn't instant, and if you can fix something in two seconds i am willing to bet that you are only making temporary fixes which will only prolong the ever-growing list of things to fix. Pete has clearly taken the long and smart rout and has started to rebuild the program from the ground up. All of you who think that is selfish please inform me of your name and a mailing address where i can send you the most up to date version of Webster dictionary because you clearly don't understand the meaning of the word selfish. Success doesn't happen overnight, rome wasn't built in a day, there is a lot of hard work and sweat that goes into a successful athletic team- results will come.
To anonymous above, I would think a lot of the upperclassmen (and their parents) are probably having the hardest time dealing with this approach since it has probably effected their college experience more than the Freshman and Sophs, who are Pete's guys.
I just don't understand why it is necessary to piss on an entire class of players just because they aren't your guys.
McElreavy took that approach and alienated every senior (at least the ones that were sticking it out) and many juniors in so doing. Most of us never understood to this day why he felt it was so important to treat us like unwanted stepchildren rather than selling us on the idea that the younger players are the future and he needed to invest in them. Instead, we were outcasts and he would lie or do just about anything to get us out of his way. Many of us still resent the guy for that, as well as his other nonsense.
Jake said...
I'm not blaming the coach either. But i do point out that his learning curve is as steep as the players' . This happens to every new coach at CU. The real test is whether Mangurian will learn the how to win here within 3 years or about 6 years like it took Tellier.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
^^ THREE YEARS JAKE YOU GAVE HIM THREE YEARS TO PRODUCE SO I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT HOW NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WHEN ITS ONLY THE SECOND SEASON! Pete came in december 2011 which means he hasnt even been here a whole two years. Jake you posted the above exactly a year ago from yesterday.. i think you need to stick with your original thoughts sir.
It seems that Jake's outing of AD employees as anonymous commenters is making them lose their grip. Their angry attacks on Jake sound desperate. Well-run football programs do not have their employees defend their bosses on fan blogs. How pathetic. It shows the depths to which Lion football has sunk.
Does anybody really know if members of the Athletic Dept. are posting here? The posts are anonymous so how could you prove it unless you have personal information? Do you??
Bottom line, the offense stinks and it doesn't look like it's going to get better under the current OC and/or Pete, and right now Hilinksi doesn't look like the young savior we hoped he would be. Pete has the same problem that Norries had with Vinnie Marino, he brought the OC in so he feels obligated to protect him. Don't forget that Elizondo replaced the original OC who left for the pros, which was just more bad luck for the Lions, like losing Nottingham and Adebayo in the first game. We need a "lucky" coach who not only knows his stuff and is a good motivator, but has that extra something that makes him a winner.
Coach M . Does not strike me as someone who would protect his coach. At this point I would think he would do anything to get the offense going. Including firing the OC.
Yes, Rome wasn't built in a day, but as Mitch pointed out some days ago, it was burned to the ground in a day and guess what is happening to CU football. What does it matter if this "team" looks like football players? That is just assanine. I have seen a ton of guys look like football players and when they showed up they were a joke.
This guy has done more damage in short order than an std does at prom.
I don't know why you say that, I would agree with you only if it happens.
Above post refers to poster who said that Coach M. would like to fire the OC.
Pete should fire himself. He won't of course because he needs to either make this work or come up with some really good excuse to leave at season's end. He needs to save face for his next job.
the freshman qb is not going to be the savior after starting one game again the reigning Ivy League Champs? after going up 7-0 in the first qtr... wow…with all the other problems you throw out the newest QB after one game? he was throwing bombs from his end zone 4 times from his own end zone…you've got to be kidding…
while you are at it throw out the receivers for not getting open and dropping perfect throws and lineman for missing blocks and defense for missing tackles.--
and the coaches of course for atrocious play calling with our personnel ooops and MG for not gaining 200 yards
tough group…lol
last anony: getting more sarcastic?
altogether too much blovating about almost anything here.
we need a couple of good football games and some wins.
Clearly a lot of the ill will towards Pete originates with the coach's own boasts. He was on the record in preseason saying a turnaround program shows its largest improvement in the second year and that we are stronger and faster than a year ago. He raved about the strength coach. If you actually attend the games you know we are smaller and weaker than all of our opponents. The defense is game, but the offense is completely inept, despite having the best RB in the league. All those freshman and sophomore skill players on the field do not show great promise (sorry parents), especially if one recalls how Brackett or AK or Chris Connors played as first years. The big guys take time to get stronger, but good skill players ought to at least show flashes of ability right away.
When the coach boasts about how much better the team is going to be and the team promptly implodes, it's hard to sympathize with him when the criticism mounts.
One would think that the team's overall effort and ability to play hard and stay in games would start showing by the end of M's second season.
Hard to describe but if the team is on the right track we should be seeing little things in the team that give us the feeling that we are about to turn the corner and coming together.
Not that we would need to be suddenly winning games, but we should be showing more consistent effort, playing smarter, more as a team, etc.
Norries program had so many of us with that feeling that we were on the verge. The feeling was there for a couple of years until that Penn Homecoming game that we gave away. That was the beginning of the end for him and everything seemed to go downhill from there.
I am not sure I'll be able to catch even one game this season because of coaching my own kids, so I am relying on Jake and this board more than most years, but does anyone get the feeling that the team is slowly starting to come together yet?
Jake, I would love to take a poll of those who think M is the right guy and those who don't.
And I still think it is ridiculous that posters don't have at least a nickname on here. I never know which anonymous I am reading from the next...
To all of you people who support Bill and Pete, good for you. Now, please tell me what is an acceptable record for year two, year three, and year four? Again, for everyone that is supporting the program, please provide your two cents... I just want to know what the benchmaork is in the 4-year plan?
OldLion-
Can you please tell us what record over the next three years is acceptable (2013 inclusive). Basically, what keeps him and what makes hm go (if not sooner)? thoughts?
Jake, same question to you...
I think Pete has every reason to rave about the strength and conditioning coach. Have you seen him? I wish our guys would drink whatever he is drinking.
I am most concerned with the blowout losses, but the record the first two years is irrelevant, in my opinion.
Year three needs to be close to .500, though, to show me that the coach is on to something, if you ask me.
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