2017 Opponent Preview: Brown

Thomas Linta

Columbia's best game of 2016, in fact its best game of the Al Bagnoli era, was the 31-13 season finale win over Brown in Providence.

It was the latest example of a slow bleed in the Bears program that's been going on since 2013. And what Brown is facing this season is the biggest example of why things have deteriorated overall: The reloading mechanism is jammed.

By that, I mean a longstanding tradition on Head Coach Phil Estes of Brown being able to reload top level skill position players, especially quarterbacks and wide receivers, has become a lot less reliable.

With so many new players at the skill positions this year, we'll get an emphatic answer on whether the recruiting issues are getting back to normal or becoming a nagging problem.

OFFENSE 

Brown came around to settling on a pretty good QB last year by mid-season in Thomas Linta. But he still needs some fine-tuning to cut down on his interceptions and increase his completion percentage. In the Columbia game, the Bears also used Nicholas Duncan at QB and he was a shifty scrambler that lacked really good throwing prowess. Linta will get the nod this year and seems like a better choice.

But Brown will also try to create its own wildcat/slash type QB attack the same way Princeton does with John Lovett. Sophomore Livingstone Harriott is the guy they're going to try in that role and he could make things interesting.

Three starters on the offensive line need to be replaced, including both Matthew and Dakota Girard who each made 2nd Team All Ivy. TE Anton Casey, who started to make an impact as a sophomore last season.

But the once feared Brown wide receiving corps is without 1st Team All Ivy Alex Jette, who's gone to graduation. Also gone are Troy Doles and Swanky Garrett, who were the #2 and #3 WR's last year.

Running back Johnny Pena is also gone to graduation, but sophomore Livinstone Harriott could be an upgrade at that position after he looked good in limited duty last year.

DEFENSE

The defensive line is where the best returning talent on this Brown team can be found with DE Richard Jarvis coming back for a 5th year after leading the Ivies in tackles for a loss last year with 18.5. But standout linebackers Will Twyman and Tylki are gone to graduation.

In the secondary, impressive DB Connor Coughlin returns after a very good year defending the pass and the run. Terrell Smith also looks like he can be an impact player all season long.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The biggest loss is Jette, who was pretty lethal doing double duty as a WR and punt returner. Jette had an incredible 17 yards per punt return average last season.

But the good news for Brown is walk-on placekicker Ben Rosenblatt is back after emailing Coach Estes and getting a chance to start just a few days later and kicking a 52-yard FG in the win over Dartmouth.

Punter Ryan Kopec was a strong player last year and also returns.

CONCLUSIONS

Brown has so many key players to replace this year on both sides of the ball, it's insane to expect too much of the Bears this year, (I hope the guy who voted Brown to win the league in the media poll is listening). Anything the Bears do this season to be competitive will be a bonus and perhaps a vote of confidence in Estes to keep trying to get back to the top of the league.