1) Princeton
The Tigers controlled the Bears for just about the entire game, responding strongly after Brown finally put up a momentary challenge. Now, the big test vs. Harvard.
2) Yale
The Elis seem to get stronger every week.
3) Harvard
The Crimson can finally prove their preseason accolades true with a win over Princeton Friday night. But a loss will be crushing.
4) Penn
The Quakers have a real "moment of truth" game vs. Yale this Saturday, and it's at home.
5) Cornell
The Big Red are a scrappy team winning the games they can win.
6) Columbia
Lions still have the talent to challenge any team, but seem unfocused.
7) Dartmouth
The Big Green are now dealing with even more injuries. But the defense is improving.
8) Brown
The Bears just don't have enough tools.
17 comments:
Did you notice last week that the Hurry Up and Wait concept spread to the defense too? For the first time all year D looked hesitant initially, confused, and a little startled... Get the D in fast and set..
Yes I did. Stovall needs to be replaced!
Needed this laugh because you have to be joking? Stovall is doing a tremendous job, especially in run defense. Our defense is definitely one of the best in the league other than our third down and long miscues.
We're eighth until we show up and play a decent game. Brown played Princeton better than we did. Very disappointing year. I don't ever remember a QB regressing like Joe Green but he is not the only one who's struggling. A test of character to see if they come out of it or pack it in.
Roar Lion gets it. I don’t think we’re going to beat Harvard or Yale. Realistically, I think we win one or two in conference (Cornell and maybe Dartmouth). Under .500 in Ivy play seems likely to me. The disappointment to end all disappointments would be our not winning another game this season, but I actually think that could happen if we lose to Dartmouth and the wheels come off. Hope I’m dead wrong and we go 4-1 or 5-0 down the stretch.
Off with their heads! The Lions lost 2 very disappointing Ivy League games and some folks are ready to fire the Head Coach, sack the O and D coordinators and bench the QB. Poor execution by student athletes was the main reason for both losesm After decades of extreme futility the progam has comooleywly been turned around b6 Coavh B.
Well said
I think I have seen this movie before. Or, to quote a certain New York Yankee catcher, this may be, “Deja vu all over again”.
The 1971 Lions, dubbed the “Cardiac Kids”, for the closeness of our first seven games, played up to our potential and pulled off some mighty feats. We were 5-0 at Baker Field, beat Princeton for the first time since 1945, beat Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth all in the same year, broke Dartmouth’s 30+ game unbeaten streak, and finished 6-3, 5-2 in league play. We lost by 2 in Cambridge as a result of “chasing points early”, and lost by three in Ithaca on a shanked field goal that just cleared the cross bar.
Going into the ‘72 season, we were the favorites; the team to beat. We finished the year, 3-5-1; having vastly underachieved.
It appears as if Coach Bagnoli is much like the late Frank Navarro. Not particularly warm to the players during the game, very aloof, and completely trusting of his coordinators. One huge difference. Coach Navarro employed some very bright and dynamic coordinators. The OC, Thom Breshnahan, though a bit eccentric, eventually went on to be the OC for the Buffalo Bills for their three straight Super Bowl appearances. Norm Gerber, the DC, eventually ended up coaching linebackers for the New England Patriots after being the DC, at the then powerhouses Boston College and Syracuse.
I propose that we declare a moratorium on bashing Messrs. Fabish and Bagnoli, at least for the time being. It is disheartening to read people blindly laud the coachs’ performance, because, “Yes, Virginia”, many of us understand the game quite well, having played and coached at the collegiate level. Internal squabbling, among all of us who greatly care for Columbia Football accomplishes nothing.
I am a firm advocate of being vocal. We, afterall write the checks. If the Administration does not listen to us, whom else can be an influencer? I cannot speak for anyone else, but my heart goes out to the players and what they give up to be part of the team. I feel I speak for them.
But, why not let the season play out?
We have harangued Fabish, ad nauseam, and to what avail? His offense remains facile, and his players not ready to play.
Coach Bagnoli, is who he is. In game, he would rather talk to the Line Judge than his quarterback.
We are not going to change these men.
Even if we win out, this season will be difficult to swallow.
Saturday’s game will tell all of us what we need to know. If it is another debacle, we have every reason to question the direction of the program.
And by the way, with two games left in the ‘72 season, Frank Navarro told the team, he would not be back in ‘73.
“Deja vu, all over again?”
disappintiang Ivy League games and some folks are ready to fire the Head Coach, sack the O and D coordinators and bench the QB. Poor execution by and mtal mistakes by student athletes was the main reason for both loses. After decades of extreme futility the progam has completely been turned around due to the coaching staff, AD and long term CU committment.
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In the Princeton game we were out coached. In the Penn game we were outplayed. But to me the biggest issue is lack of offensive production against good teams. We can’t have a first unit offense which scores 0 points against two quality opponents (the two CadenBell scores notwithstanding). We have enough talent on the offensive side to be better than that. I don’t know if it is coaching or execution. All I know is it has to be fixed.
Just curious, who was your closest friend on the ‘72 team?
Great call, anonymous. The fact is that in conference our first-unit offense laid two goose eggs. That’s simply not acceptable given the talent we have.
The “look how far we’ve come” refrain doesn’t really address this fundamental point. Better programs hold themselves to higher standards and do not make excuses for poor performance. That’s what we need to do. But let’s see how we respond against Dartmouth before we say anything else.
As one of the cardiac kids indicated, we’ll know much more about the direction of the program after that game, and we can go from there. I personally won’t say anything more about Bags or Fabish between now and Saturday (and for what it’s worth, I’m a big fan of Stovall.)
Here’s to hoping we see an excellent performance from our Lions this weekend, and let’s let that be our focus right now.
Hear, hear NJ Lion!
Although I have been critical of the team's play in the out of conference games as inauspicious harbingers, for all the reasons cited here so trenchantly, it does pain me to read the level of criticism we are reaching now. Let's hope for better discipline and execution, that comes from focused practice. The coaching staff have obviously tried to change some things, with a modicum of success in the final quarter of the Penn game; let's look for them to build on that. Let's support the fellows on the team. Let's go, Lions!
No one criticized Stovall earlier in the postings, just pointed out that the defense, for the first time all season, looked confused and disoriented... I give myself a "Thanks, Captain" for stating that Stovall is picking up where Ferraro left off!... NJ Lion succinctly states it!
Is there TV coverage Saturday? If so, where?
Some changes in the two deep—injuries?
Pknight, it looks like Saturday’s game will be on ESPN+ at 1:30. Go CU!
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