Saved By The Bell: Football Finally Answers Questions

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Columbia’s athletic complex is located just off the scenic Hudson River, and a flock of seagulls began circling Wien Stadium just before the start of Saturday’s game. To the Light Blue faithful below, they must have looked like vultures.

After all, here was an undefeated Crimson team that had just come off the most exhilarating comeback in its history, finally healthy after the returns of quarterback Neil Rose and tailback Josh Staph. And here was a perennial doormat that had finally strung two wins together—only to (in all likelihood) have them stricken from the record after the discovery of an academically ineligible player.

Not surprisingly, the game was not as close as the final 12-point spread suggests.

It’s difficult to know for sure what to take from the blowout, especially going into Saturday’s clash with Penn. Penn isn’t the kind of team with players that inadvertently field kickoffs with their helmets. Penn doesn’t have linemen who are content to talk trash with punter Adam Kingston, as the Lions’ Quentin Unsworth spent far too much time doing.

Still, here are some musings from the Light Blue abusing:

How’s Rose looking? Well, when he played, he looked spectacular. It’s not just a matter of completing 14 of 16 passes in the first half—an incredible rate against any team. More impressive was just how fearlessly Rose attacked the Lions. In the game’s early stages, the Crimson faced a first-and-goal on the 5. Seeing that tight end Matt Fratto was closely guarded in the endzone, Rose held on to the ball and dove head first over a Columbia lineman for a gain of three yards.

His prodigious flight suggested just how healthy he was—and that he has never heard of a little-known quarterback safety skill known as “sliding.”

He left the game after another daring play resulted in a big hit, but Murphy says that Rose is fine. I believe him. Expect the reckless abandon to continue this Saturday.

How’s the running game? It’s been said that with its experience, skill and sheer size, the Harvard offensive line could open up enough room for anyone to run through effortlessly. This isn’t true. No disrespect to backup Rodney Thomas, but it was good to see the Crimson’s own Thunder-and-Lightning duo of Staph and Palazzo back on the field.

Staph rumbled for 68 yards and two touchdowns in limited action. Palazzo starred, relying on his elusiveness and speed around the line to average over seven yards a carry. He also showed Staph-like tenacity up the middle as he shook off tackle after tackle.

Of course, Columbia just can’t tackle. But it’s good to see both backs active again.

Who fears the Harvard defense more than opposing quarterbacks? Crimson sportswriters looking for a catchy headline. Take senior defensive end Marc Laborsky. He picked up three sacks, an interception and forced a fumble. Now, if youre writing this column and we’ve already used “The Big Laborsky” about ten times, what do you do with that? Dante Balestracci calmly grabbed another interception—and this week, it counted. “Dante’s Inferno?” Please! That is so 2000!

In all seriousness, the Crimson defense does more than turn sportswriters’ brains into Swiss cheese. They do the same to offensive lines.

The Crimson held Johnathan Reese, one of the Ivy League’s best rushers, under wraps.

The Lions’ Doug Peck, who had exploded for 180 yards the previous week, was a non-factor in the first half. Expect Penn’s Gavin Hoffmann and Kris Ryan to have to fight for every yard.

How do you pronounce Columbia receiver Jarel Cockburns last name? CO-burn.

What about the kicking game? Ah yes. Junior placekicker Anders Blewitt made yet another field goal last week, perhaps signaling the end of what had been a sore spot for the Crimson since last year. Yet in the second quarter, the Crimson opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the 20.

When asked about this, an almost serenely confident Murphy said that no kicking problem exists.

“If it takes a field goal the last play of the game to beat Penn, we’ll knock it through,” he said.

And I believe him. I really do. But Murphy’s words haunt me for one reason. I thought back to the press conference after last year’s Columbia game—another blowout, this time at home. Robbie Wright had nailed a field goal.

Here was Murphy then: “If we need to win a game with a field goal, whether

it’s at Pennsylvania or at Yale, he’ll do it.”

He didn’t.

But then again, its hard to picture this year’s Crimson losing a close game in the fourth quarter. That’s so 2000.