Camp Confidential

One play.

In many ways, the 2018 Columbia Football season final judgment came down to one play.

One miraculous play.

The difference between what many of us would have considered a disappointing 2018 season, and one that proved the football program is continuing to transform for the better, was one crazy kickoff return for a touchdown that gave the Lions a 24-21 win over Cornell and clinched a winning 6-4 season record.

It shouldn't have come down to that. Columbia shouldn't have been so severely bitten by the injury bug that it needed an extremely rare special teams miracle to secure a winning season.

But after losing the top offensive player on the team, the top three QB's on the depth chart, the top two RB's on the depth chart, the most talented LB, a starting CB, etc., etc., etc., the team showed that the one thing that wasn't injured in 2018 was its heart.

Now, the anticipation to see what this gutsy team can do with its injured players back on the field in 2019 is the clearest and most dominant story line going into this new season.

Columbia Football preseason training camp doesn't start for another 18 days, but the three key goals and questions that need to be answered are clear enough.

QB QUESTIONS: Not so much of a mystery anymore

The mystery level surrounding the CU QB situation was Agatha Christie or higher at this time last year as the Lions were set to start a new signal caller who had never started a game at the collegiate level.

That QB was Josh Bean who ended up only starting four games in 2018 because of injuries he sustained in weeks one and six. Because Bean didn't even play half a season, there's still some mystery surrounding him and his abilities. But that mystery grade is now down to the easier-to-solve Encyclopedia Brown level.

Unlike last year, we now know that Bean can make all the throws. We now know that he can run well, (but he'll have to protect his head better). We now know that he has a good rhythm with the talented receiving corps that returns for this season.

Is Josh Bean an All Ivy level QB? That we don't know yet, just like we don't know if Bean will do a better job protecting himself this season. But compared to 12 months ago, there is a lot of new light on the QB subject. The goal is to make sure Bean can learn to lead the team relying more on throwing and less on running in the middle of the field.


WOUNDED LIONS: Full Recoveries?

It shouldn't take long in training camp to determine if key injured Lions from 2018 like WR Josh Wainwright and LB Justin Woodley are at or close to 100%. All reports in the off season that I've heard say they are looking good, but it'll take scrimmage time to know for sure.

It's important to remember that Columbia actually came into 2018 pretty nicked up from a training camp that left Head Coach Al Bagnoli worried about manpower even before the season opener against CCSU left the Lions without Wainwright and promising RB Alexander Filacouris for the rest of the season.

Whatever the coaching staff needs to do to protect the recovering Lions and prevent new injuries in this training camp has to be a major priority.


THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS: Safeties and DT's

Graduation hit every unit of the team, but not really very hard except for two possible areas.

Losing Landon Baty and All Ivy Ryan Gilbert at safety may be an issue... or maybe not considering the development of S Ben Mathiasmeier and  the fact that the overall secondary is blessed with three very talented CB's returning in Will Allen, Ben McKeighan and Fara'ad McCombs. 

The interior defensive line is more of a challenge, as it seems to be for every Ivy team. Returning seniors Arman Samouk and Alex Robin need injury-free strong seasons. But the Lions also need some new names to step up in the middle. It's going to be very important to fill that hole with some viable options this summer.