Top 10 Lion Defensive Performances Under Paul Ferraro
On a rainy and dreary Homecoming Saturday at Wien Stadium, the 1-4 Lions met up with the defending Ivy champion and 3-2 Dartmouth Big Green. 2016 was the last real rebuilding season in Hanover for a program that's been reloading ever since, so Columbia came in feeling it had a chance.
In what was just his fourth game as the Lions #1 QB, Anders Hill put together a decent performance but still finished with a sub-.500 completion percentage and did not lead the team to any TD's.
Luckily, Columbia's defense stepped up. It allowed Dartmouth just 74 rushing yards. 14 1st downs, bagged two sacks, and intercepted Dartmouth QB Jack Heneghan once.
But the sheer weight of holding up the entire team on a day when the offense wasn't clicking started to show its ill effects as the game wound down. Dartmouth's final drive of the day began at its one 1 yard line, and the Big Green started moving steadily until they reached the CU 30 with about 40 seconds left. That's when the Lion defense stiffened again and it allowed not a single yard more, forcing a desperation 47-yard field goal attempt that was on target, but fell about a yard short of the crossbar. Columbia's 9-7 win was preserved.
The Lions held Brown's juggernaut offense to a tie for its season-low in points scored. It also pushed star QB E.J. Perry's passing yards total to 79 yards below his season's average, sacked him three times, and intercepted him once.
While bad weather impeded some of the Bears' offensive abilities, it was not a major reason for the bad Brown numbers or its three turnovers.
Chronologically, this will go down as the last great defensive performance for the Lions under Ferraro.
1 comment:
Great choice. He has done very well as the Special Team’s coordinator and our linebackers over the past few years have been the backbone of the defense. Let’s wish him luck and great success.
Post a Comment