Why Yale Won
Eli QB Nolan Grooms had a masterful night, completing long bomb after long bomb with no interceptions. The defense also turned in an amazing 2nd half performance.
Why Columbia Lost
Almost every member of the CU secondary was burned by one long Yale pass or another, while the Lion special teams made more crucial errors as well.
Key Turning Points
-With Yale leading 17-16 late in the 1st half, two straight Columbia possessions ended with blocked punts. The second one led to a Yale TD and the Elis coasted the rest of the way.
Columbia Positives
-The run defense is still excellent.
-Caden Bell is playing pretty well for a guy suddenly thrust into the starting role.
Columbia Negatives
See below
Takeaways
1) The Lions are still playing sloppily despite extreme focus on tightening up special teams errors, etc. That's a red flag.
2) The offense continues to play sideways football, with more than an unhealthy number of sideline passes that almost never work. Either the coaches won't learn from their mistakes here or the players are unable to execute a north-south offensive attack.
3) The defense still plays excellently against the run. But the secondary has been exposed.
53 comments:
I don’t see Columbia winning another game. Everyone now knows to go over the top on the defense, and even grandpa knows what the offense is going to do. Out of Gas is spot on.
We seem to have a number of tall WRs who never get into the game and a number of short DBs who get burned with great frequency. Looking ahead to next year we should think of converting some of those WRs to DBs, because right now we are getting killed by opposing WRs.
Columbia isn’t a bad team, injuries factor into a season. Remember those bad years when Columbia went 0-10 or 1-9 . Coach Bagnoli, is a blessing to this program. Has done well to keep this team , where it’s at presently. Roar Lion
A blessing or a curse? He who is at the helm must steer the ship AND avoid the rocks! It's time to call it a career.
Then enter at your own peril
What’s Pete Mangurian doing these days?
I believe he is/was with Tampa Bay Vipers
Unbelievable commentary on here. Oh let’s move these pieces here, and these pieces there😂😂😂😂
I find that most former football players or current football players do not get so heated about the need for a coaching change. And they are far more knowledgeable about what is going on than parents of players who are sitting on the bench
I saw that Jaden “Sweet Feet” Campbell, a very promising and large OL, has just committed after withdrawing a prior commitment to Georgetown.
Al has done an exceptional job resurrecting our program from the dead. This season has been very disappointing, mainly because of the lack of basic execution -- punting, delivering snaps to the QB, fielding punts and kicks cleanly -- and the psychological fragility of this group. Because expectations were high that we would contend for a title, it hurts worse. Al's first two teams, which went 5-15, were more fun to watch than this one mainly because they played their butts off and never pouted.
Special teams has been a nightmare and we have gotten worse in all phases as the season has progressed. It will be interesting to see what changes in the offseason; I, for one, am not sure the needed change is at the HC level but if he's leaving the week to week coaching to the assistants, I would think several of them will need to go. If you have 7-3 talent and you go 3-7 (or hopefully 4-6), that's a fail.
Parents pay the bills for the players to play at CU…they have all the right to voice their opinions. Players who are not playing also have the right. They show up and practice just like the starters. This is not a revenue generating football program. Far from it.
And not sure u are in contact with many current players….
Lol. Thanks for confirming that you are a parent of a player
I don’t have a kid on the team…too expensive
First, I've never had respect for those posters who have not the guts to "own" their beliefs by hiding behind anonymity (see plenty above).
So many of the over 40,000 College alumni in the 1990s worked their butts off to make the College even better than it had been the succeeding year.
I was one of 25 selected from that group to serve three two-year terms (1990-1996) as a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia College Alumni Association.
To date, no full and honest report of Columbia's dishonesty has been released worldwide, and, to my mind, with each succeeding second, Columbia's shame (illegality?) increases exponentially.
All Columbia alumni, students, faculty, and administrators innocent of these egregious misdeeds were betrayed by those few who cheated them all.
To date, no full and honest report of Columbia's dishonesty has been released worldwide, and, to my mind, with each succeeding second,
Columbia'shame (illegality?) increases exponentially.
It takes an extraordinarily long time to build a sterling reputation worldwide, but only a day or two to destroy it.
TOD HOWARD HAWKS
I get it. No one can argue that Coach Bagnoli did an amazing job restoring life to an expired program. Even with taking away the “cupcake” wins, he has more “signature” wins than his predecessors of the last forty odd years. He did not disappoint. At least, not until this season.
In that none of us are in the locker room, it is beyond our purview to know why the team so vastly underperformed. If the Coach and the Athletic Director, care about the program, and there is no reason to suggest otherwise, they will identify the cause of this season’s collapse, and hopefully address it.
However, we have to be realistic, Coach Bagnoli is not going to be at Columbia in perpetuity. One day, he will decide, provided it is his decision, to retire for real. It may be this year, or years in the future.
One thing is certain, should that time be now, the program is not poised to “promote from within” Fabish is not the answer, and the truth be known, and I have it on good authority, the players do not like him. And, that is from before this year.
If Al Bagnoli really worries about his legacy as a Lions’ coach, he has to revamp his staff. It needs to include someone, who can be the next Head Coach and offer the program continuity. Some may say, Jon Poppe.
As to the much heralded “arm around the Coach’s shoulder”, I saw it too. I instantly thought of the ending of the movie classic, Chinatown, “Forget it Jake. It is only Chinatown.”
And no, “Anonymous”, I am not, as you have repeatedly accused me, a parent of a player. I fall into that category you describe as being less willing to call for the replacement of the Head Coach.
Apologies, to Roman Polanski.
The correct last line is, “Forget it Jake. It’s Chinatown.”
I am talking about changes over the off-season; we took a WR some time ago and turned him into an all league safety who actually made a few NFL rosters.
I would agree with the reset of some of the assistant couches, just understand that Fabish is Bags guy, so I don’t see that separation happening.
Are there any Young Guns out there, ready to run a program? I bet that there are! Is it like politics? Only the elderly rule? TIMES ARE A CHANGIN!
Wow your son said Fabish is not liked by his other teammates?
“I have it on good authority” is always the telltale sign of a parent
Not that I have to defend myself, but it just so happens my son shares an apartment with a former Lions’ starting quarterback of very recent vintage.
To “Anonymous”, why not give it up and take people at their word?
You want to defend the Head Coach, that is your option, but show a little respect for differing opinions.
Question. As a parent of a former player (‘17, ‘18, ‘19) what seems to be the issue with parents of players expressing opinions on the CU football program.
The amount of misinformation in this latest analysis is staggering. First of all, Bagnoli left coaching Penn on his own accord. He was tired of the process and the grind and transitioned over to athletic administration. After a few months on the job, he realized that his new position was not what he was cut out for. Piling reached out to Al, who basically took a sabbatical, got back in the game. Al got back on his terms, increased budget for coaches, improved facilities, better housing, and admissions assistance. I think that we can all agree that Al's done GREAT things! He's either going to pull the trigger at the end of this year, or do a farewell tour next year; and he's earned that.
For the individual who would like us to entertain bringing back Norris Wilson as an OC... Would that be the same Norris Wilson that (purposely) spiked the ball on fourth down? Please think before you type...
https://btn.com/2015/10/10/video-norries-wilson-accepts-blame-for-rutgers-4th-down-spike/
Yes, parents have every right to voice their opinion about the staff, however, have your son speak with the coaches about what they need to do better to get on the field. I am hearing through assistant ADs (all sports) that parents are reaching out to the AD and Assistant ADs expressing their concern about their son's playing time. GROW UP! If you have a concern about the program, call Al. If there is a concern with a coach, reach out to him/her. If you are not satisfied with their response, THEN reach out to the administration. What lessons are we teaching our children for goodness sakes.
I don't know Mark Fabish, but I have heard (through administrators) that he works very hard. Don't get me wrong, I can't believe what I see when they line up in that Wildcat offense, or the lack of creativity in the play calling, especially in the Red Zone, however, he has earned the right to correct these mistakes. I also know that there is a difference between working hard and working smart, I get it. However, I can assure you, they are not blind or deaf, so things will change in the Spring.
That comment on Norries was a goof! Just like he was the ultimate goof! Who hired him?..It's time for a change at the top since there is no change within..Don't you get it?
Norries was a great guy and recruited some excellent players. He was our third choice but looked like a home run after years one and two. He was done in by injuries and mediocre assistants, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but otherwise with a better staff and a little luck could have succeeded.
When you make the same mistakes over and over and over again, you forfeit any right you may have had to be the one to correct them. You don’t get second chances in perpetuity, in other words. There has to be some accountability. If there isn’t, then you basically have carte blanche to make as many mistakes as you want (and repeat them as often as you wish). Fabish has to go.
To the poster who mentioned that some time ago we had an unnamed wide receiver who moved over to the safety position with much success, I believe he might be thinking of Steve Cargile, who was recruited and coached by Ray Tellier
To the poster who questioned why Columbia does not have more student athletes from the School of General Studies, while I do not have the answer, I assume there are some restrictions fair or unfair, that prevent their participation. The poster mentioned John Robinson the very talented player who transferred to Columbia from SMU when that school had a major problem years ago. We do have one player on our football roster now who is enrolled at GS. Jake wrote about him at the start of season. I believe he is a walk-on. Men's basketball had a player from GS about two decades ago. Baseball has one very good player now and one who was outstanding a few years ago. If the restrictions on GS have something to do with academics, then those restrictions might be considered unfair given that there are obviously many students in the Columbia School of General Studies who are obviously more academically qualified than some of their counterparts at other Ivy League schools. For example, while I cannot say for certain, but I trust that a number of students at GS are pursuing a more difficult course of studies than their counterparts in Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and/or Cornell's School Of Agriculture and Life Studies.
I go with NJ Lion who has his eye on the ball! ALL THE TIME
How long before “NJ Lion” gets accused of being the parent of a player?
The immortal line from the late, great Al Davis:
“JUST WIN, BABY!”
Re GS students: a number of teams have found good athletes here, maybe not even recruited. The school appears to be doing a great job with veterans in particular, and kudos for that! The Lightweight crew had an ex-marine vet
who was in the 3rd boat, but loving it, saying it was some of the most punishing yet rewarding physical work he'd ever done, and of course the camaraderie of the whole team.
They also admit students who attended college, dropped out and are returning to finish up.
GS was for a long time (I worked in admissions there, many decades ago) a place for college grads, usually from prestigious schools, who decided they wanted to go to med school, and so were doing the requisite course work. A lot of pre-meds! If they had already graduated from a 4-year college, they are obviously ineligible for IL sports teams.
GS students would raise the IL banding issue. Most GS students would not meet the admissions criteria that the IL imposes on athletes. If the league thought that we were using GS to add ringers to our major teams they would hammer us. So this is a non-starter. Query how Cornell gets away with stocking their teams with kids from the hotel and Aggie schools.
I just don’t like a bs artist. I am absolutely certain you did not play at Columbia in the early 70’s. You have read about that era but I can prove you did not play if you would like
What do we lose by this week? What changes can we expect? Answer: Mucho and none
This weekend Harvard game is going to be hard to watch.
All depends on how the players execute. Many Columbia starters have had success against Harvard in the past ie Ryan Young
Go Lions.!!! Beat those Pilgrims
the first year Simpkins is now the backup QB according to the two deep; three other first years are on the two deep.
Word is Green isn’t hurt. Is he playing?
You been living under a rock or something? What word did you hear? Did you not watch the game Friday/listen to bags talk that said Joe has surgery & is out for the year?? I think they even showed him in a sling on Friday. Get a clue
Season making you angry? This blog is out of control. Good luck lions. Feel sorry for the players - not so much for all the parents ranting on here. Good luck Jake-
I'm attending the tailgate and the game on Saturday in Alston. Hoping for some gemutlichkeit and camaraderie in the tent, and at this rate, a miracle on the field.
Let's Go, Lions!
Green was on the sidelines last Friday evening with his arm in a sling.
Harvard game won’t be pleasant (for us).
P.S. Am not the parent of a player.
I think there are maybe 5 non parents on here. Was thinking about giving myself a name but the parent drama is more than I want to deal with. Maybe next year…
Get ready for all the “I am not a parent!” comments
What a shame, what had previously been an enjoyable, insightful and lively discourse, was hijacked by someone with an agenda that is impossible to discern! Why should it matter if someone is a parent? Who died, and made this disgruntled individual the gatekeeper of comment?
Agree with you for the most part. No issue with a parent posting on this board. But a parent perspective usually has a hidden agenda ie son Johnny is not getting enough playing time or not playing at all. Which skews the narrative on all the coaching criticism
The attacks on parents are divisive, ill-conceived, and ultimately counterproductive. Let’s focus on what matters, which is the performance of the team. I don’t care if the Pope himself leaves comments (provided that they’re relevant), and I guarantee you nobody on the analogous H, Y, P, and P blogs is engaging in the kind of internecine bickering that some of those on here are trying to waste all of our time with.
Did not even know H and P had blogs
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