3) Will the offensive line be excellent?
Creating a great offensive line has been the hardest of all the tasks the Bagnoli staff has had to undertake since coming on the scene at Columbia in 2015. Not only is it hard for any Ivy team to build strength and depth at the position, but the previous coaching regime had emphasized a disastrous lower weight regime which wasted whatever time and talent the Lions had at the time.
Columbia returns the most veteran O-line probably in its history this fall with four of five starters back and a fifth player with one start under his belt.
Yet those players gave up too many sacks last year and were a bit inconsistent in the run blocking. Perhaps the sacks can be excused somewhat because the Lions frequently threw the ball deep and QB Anders Hill need a lot more protection time.
But excuses aside, with Columbia breaking in new starters at QB and RB this year the offensive line needs to step it up. This has to be a breakthrough year for this crew.
2) Who's the New Corner?
Just how much of an impact did once-in-a-generation CB Cameron Roane make? Count me among those who say it was a massive impact and replacing him should get almost as much attention as the QB spot.
Throw in the fact that Columbia has a new secondary coach, as Andrae Murphy is replacing Jon Poppe, and there's a chance the stellar pass defense the Lions enjoyed in 2017 will drop off this fall.
Keeping up the high standards will have a lot to do with who gets the starting CB position and fills that hole left by the graduated Roane.
1) Will the New QB Deliver?
The obvious #1 question is: who will be the new Lions starting QB and will he be able to keep the team's winning ways going?
No one needs any crib notes to figure out why this is so important. But on top of the QB position being so pivotal for any football team, Columbia has its most talented receiver corps in the history of the program. That talent can't be allowed to die on the vine.
As of right now, it appears sophomore Josh Bean has the inside track to the job. His passing seems crisp and we know of his running abilities from last season.
I'll have more to say about Bean and the position in my full 2018 Columbia preview, but we all know that the stakes are at QB.
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