Every year, every team in organized football usually ends up with one or two players who make an impact despite very few fans and analysts ever expecting it based on the prior year's performances.
This is especially true for college football where even the best players have to turn over more often due to graduation.
Last year, I'd say the biggest and best under-the-radar impact player was DE Justin Townsend. Justin didn't play at all as a freshman in 2021, and I only heard about how good he was during training camp in 2022. He turned out to be 2nd Team All Ivy at his position, (and I think he deserved 1st Team honors).
Not too far behind Townsend as far as impact was WR JJ Jenkins who came out of nowhere after two previously quiet seasons to catch 38 passes for 440 yards and three TD's. (*By the way, can whoever updates the Columbia football roster please include Jenkins' 2022 info? As of now it ends with 2021.)
I know there are a number of other players who made unforeseen impacts last year, like QB Caden Bell, and maybe a freshman like LB Jack Smiechowski but freshmen and those who come in due to the injury to the starter in front of him are not "dark horse" contributors as I define them. I'm talking about a sophomore or upperclassman who suddenly becomes a regular player with puts up stats.
With camp still 3-4 weeks away, there isn't much to go on when it comes to identifying potential dark horse candidates. There never really is. But from time to time, we can take a few guesses.
Based on his size, high school highlights, and the small amount of time we did see him on the field last year, I'd say Jr. LB Shawn Riley could be one of those dark horse guys if he can stay healthy.
Another player who could make an impact is So. WR Edan Stagg. It's a VERY crowded and talented WR room for the Lions, but Stagg looked good in the spring game and perhaps could do some damage as a kick returner.
Odds are someone on the revamped offensive line will be a good dark horse contributor, and whoever replaces Luke Painton at TE will have a chance to make a mark too.
Speculation is always part of being a sports fan. Add to that the very long off season and the higher level of secrecy we see in the Ivies, and you have little left to do during these dog days of summer other than speculate.
15 comments:
In terms of last year's dark horses, Joey Giorgi has to be near the top of the list. He was completely off the radar in a highly touted backfield coming into the season and turned out to be our most productive RB.
Very true!
All the players mentioned in the Blog today certainly could make a big impact this season. Still, when you look at the Columbia roster the player who stands out as super special is our wide receiver Bryson Canty. If I recall correctly, he was the only sophomore in the Ivy League to make First Team All-Ivy last season. After Canty, there are several other outstanding wide receivers on the roster. I really like Marcus Libman and JJ Jenkins, but Wills Meyer is also very talented I have heard great things about Edan Stagg, but have not seen him play yet. Look for Malcolm Terry to be this year's Joey Giorgi and some. As far as the defense is concerned, my impact picks are Pat Passalacqua snd Malachi Mercer, two very good football players from New Jersey.
Why did the move baby Gronk from TE to tackle?
All the players mentioned, each of whom was a terrific contributor last year (Justin T was an absolute beast), weren't completey "off the radar", given where they stood on the depth chart, reputation and stats coming in, where they played in HS or transferred from. I'd say what really distinguishes CU in the Bags era is how much depth the staff has recruited, how well the coaches have coached, and how many unsung players are absolutely game-ready when given a chance. This is a phenomenon that I have not witnessed in the past, when we would have some talented players but a huge drop off as you went down the depth chart, and I've been following the team since my freshman year (the Doug Jackson/Tim Towler era, two very fine players who definitely didn't have the supporting cast they deserved). Watching the last three games of last season, I kept thinking to myself, how did a talent like Caden Bell not see any playing time for almost four years? The other thing that has changed so dramatically for the better is the affect of the players. As my wife--no expert on football but an expert on people and performance--said before a game I dragged her to at Baker Field: "They look like team that expects to win". Amen. Go Lions. Can't wait for the Leopards.
Ultimately, it was Painton's decision to move top OT ... Besides deciding to make the switch, he also needed to decide to drop out of school this past Spring (and not graduate) to make the move .... I suspect in the back of his mind might be the thought of playing in the NFL .... He wouldn't be a likely candidate as a TE, but if he can make the transition and play well at OT he could have a shot .... the pro's seem to like tall OT's like the Eagles 6'8" Jordan Mailata who transitioned from being an Australian pro rugby player to the LT in the NFL ....
Bad Hands
Brian O’Neill of the Vikings is one of the best right tackles in the NFL. His bad played for Dartmouth as I recall. O’Neill was a TE at Pitt. Before his senior year, he got soem advice from some NFL people that he should switch to offensive tackle. He did, was drafted and now makes a fortune. Painton is an excellent blocker with bad hands and the frame to be an NFL tackle. I’ll bet he got the same advice.
As far as dark horses, will be see John Martin emerge this year as an interior DL?
Meant his dad
If Luke Painton is moving from tight end to tackle doesn't that automatically make his replacement(s) dark horse candidates to make a huge impact. Teams trying to defend against Columbia's talented wide receivers will have a very difficult time trying also to stop a big, mobile tight end.
Our TEs are all around 6’3” or so and around 230-240; The las great TE we had was back in the Norris’s Wilson days; his name slips me right now but he was from Ct as I recall (I used to see his parents at our games) and he was smallish for a TE but very fast an a great, great receiver. Now we are seeing more huge TEs who are primarily another OL, sort of like Painton last year. So he should make the transition to OL pretty naturally although he’ll have to gain 30 or 40 pounds.
I believe that Norries-era TE you're thinking of is Andrew Kennedy. He was very good.
Kennedy was a very good tight end with outstanding quickness off the line. In the last few years we have utilized our tight ends primarily as offensive linemen and that has helped our running game, but not necessarily our passing game. We do have several very good tight ends on the roster including three guys from Northern New Jersey who were highly recruited. However, the player to watch could be a freshman from Dublin, Ohio named Braden Daugherty. He's very big, at 6'5 235, but he has also has Kennedy like 4.8 40 speed. While I do not reside in Dublin,, I know the area very well, and if you want to recruit really smart kids who are good athletes that's a good place to go.
Yrs, it was Kennedy I had in mind—first team all Ivy. His parents told me that after his senior year he took off around 40 pounds that he had added to play the TE position. I remember a blow-out of Princeton at Princeton in which Kennedy and Knowlin had monster games.
Slightly off point, but on voyforums I keep on reading about the huge number of all-world D1 level recruits from 2024 who have committed to Yale and Penn. Are we active with 2024 yet, and do we have any notable commits?
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