A Conversation with the Daily Princetonian

This weekend, the Harvard football team will play Princeton hoping for vengeance after last year's monumental loss. Read on for a a conversation with writers from The Crimson and Daily Princetonian.

Jacob D. H. Feldman, The Harvard Crimson Football Beat Writer: The wild finish to last year's game still hasn't really sunk in for me yet--the blocked kicks, odd penalties, and that last final heave. How big was that comeback in the grand scheme of the Tigers program?

Stephen Wood, Daily Princetonian Sports Editor: I can only imagine how it must have felt for Harvard to watch that final quarter. I think that game - and particularly that final heave - told the Princeton community that its football team was back. You probably remember the back-to-back 1-9 seasons, though we'd like to forget them. After those, attendance in 2012 was dismal and the fact that the Tigers had won a few games already was not enough to generate much enthusiasm on campus.

I think coach Surace and his team already knew what they were capable of (though they were still not at their best, as evidenced by, well, the entire first half), but that game announced to the rest of campus that football games would be worth going to again.

I've always wondered how much of an effect that game had on the rest of Harvard's season. Did it take the wind out of the Crimson's sails as much as everyone down here thought it did?

JDHF: You know, that's a great question, and a tough one to answer. The week after the Princeton game, Harvard held off Dartmouth, and then it steamrolled Columbia, 69-0, much to the chagrin of Lions coach Pete Mangurian. Then it lost to Penn in Philadelphia, though it felt like the Quakers simply outplayed the Crimson, rather than Harvard suffering from any kind of letdown. If the "Collapse in Princeton" had any effect, it refocused the team, and Harvard hasn't really had any close calls since (outside of the Penn game).

Of course on the other hand, Princeton stumbled a few times down the stretch last year. Was the anticipation still there coming into this year despite those late-season losses to Cornell, Penn, and Dartmouth?

SW: I think the sense was that the Harvard game was a glimpse of things to come. That view might be corrupted by hindsight now that the Tigers are off to a 4-1 start, but I do think most fans would agree that the Harvard win was more than enough to make up for the disappointing end of the season. If people didn't know what to expect right at the beginning of this season, I think they certainly have their hopes up now.

That brings me to something else I've been wondering: how are you feeling about Harvard's offense this season? I know the Crimson lost some incredible talent to graduation (and the NFL), but it looks, from here at least, as dangerous as ever right now.

Side question: Is it weird having to write about your team's mascot in the singular all the time, or is it just one of those things you get used to? I always find myself writing "they," then having to go back and change it because Crimson isn't plural.

JDHF: You would not have been crazy to think that losing an Offensive Player of the Year quarterback, All-Ivy running back, and NFL-ready tight end would affect Harvard's offense. But you (and me and plenty of other people) would have been wrong. The Crimson has scored at least 30 points in each game, including three 40-point performances.

The most impressive thing about it all is that a backup quarterback, backup running back, and seemingly 100 different offensive line combinations have kept up that pace over the last two weeks. Obviously these guys train tremendously hard for two and three years to be ready when their name is called, but right now, it feels like Harvard coach Tim Murphy could dig up Percy Haughton and turn him into an All-Ivy player right away.

Of course, Harvard's dominant defense has had a lot to do with all of that offensive success. Defenders have scored touchdowns in a majority of games this year, and have given the offense great field position most of the rest of the time.

The Tigers defense hasn't been too shabby either though, right? In a few words, how can you familiarize Harvard fans with Caraun Reid?

As for your other question, the Crimson singular thing is weird every time. It's almost a badge of honor to be one of the sportswriters in our building who is able to catch themselves every time. I'm not at that level yet. But hey, at least Harvard doesn't have the third-most common nickname in college sports--though I guess it is the closest Princeton will ever get to being confused for an SEC team.

SW: Princeton's defense has definitely done a great job considering it lost Mike Catapano, last year's Defensive Player of the Year, who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. Losing him may have hurt its reaction time - several times this season, the defense has come out sluggish only to figure out the offense and dominate the second half. Still, linebacker Mike Zeuli is helping replace Catapano in a breakout season, leading the team with 41 tackles. With the exception of the season-opening loss to Lehigh, the pass coverage has looked better this season thanks in part to young cornerbacks Anthony Gaffney and Dorian Williams (last week's Defensive Player of the Week).

I would use "frightening" to describe Caraun Reid, though he's a very nice guy in person. I'd also go with "huge" and "dangerous." He's the kind of guy who makes his presence felt on every play, and in addition to his ability to sack the QB he also has a penchant for blocking kicks - he blocked three in each of the last two seasons and already has one block this year.

He's also a frighteningly talented musician.

I'll grant that the Tiger is a common mascot, but picking a wild animal at random is still a better way to name a team than putting your finger down on a random spot in a book of paint samples. Plus, LSU and Auburn were copying us.

JDHF: Great video. Would it be wrong for me to interpret his song choice of "A Change is Gonna Come" as a message to Ivy leaders Penn and Harvard. #BulletinBoardMaterial?

Don't get me wrong: I've never been on board with Crimson. To be fair though, it wasn't chosen at random.

But enough mascot talk, let's get to some predictions. Do you think Princeton can pull off the upset two years in a row, or will Harvard reassert the superior position it held for half a decade?

SW: You'd have to ask Caraun about the song, but I assume that's what he was talking about.

This game is going to be crazy, but I'm predicting (shocker here) that Princeton will win. It looks like it'll be a toss-up, and, though Quinn Epperly won on a literal toss-up to Wilson last year, he's improved by leaps and bounds since. This year, the reigning Offensive Player of the Week comes into Cambridge leading the league in scoring and looking scarily accurate. Epperly has a wide range of targets, and coach Surace isn't afraid to go to ridiculous lengths (he's put three quarterbacks on the field at the same time fairly often this season) to help him confuse defenses.

Harvard is a scoring machine, but I have yet to see a defense find a way to shut Epperly down. On the other hand, Princeton's defense rarely comes out looking strong but has managed to shut down its opponent before it's too late in each of the last four games.

A few side predictions:

1) Harvard scores first

2) Win or lose, Epperly accounts for at least three touchdowns

3) If Princeton does lose, special teams mistakes will be a major contributing factor

4) There will be a lot of scoring, making it really fun to watch

I'm guessing you might have other thoughts - is the Crimson going to shake off the disappointment of last year's shocker, or will the Tigers make it two in a row for the first time in seven years?

JDHF: Are you ready for an absolute cop out?

SW: Go for it.

JDHF: I'm not ready to commit.

I want to hear how starting quarterback Conner Hempel is recovering from a bruised knee, and if he is able to start Saturday. Whether he plays or not, your prediction that Harvard will score first is a bold one. The Crimson offense has been slower than the original IBM PC to open games this year.

That said, I do agree that this game is going to be played in the 40s, if not the 50s. Both of these offenses can score, and score often. If Princeton pulls off another upset, it will likely be because the Harvard secondary gives up several big plays, something it has gotten better about this year.

Given that this is only Week Six, it is interesting that these teams have already played two common opponents: Brown and Lafayette. The Tigers beat both of them by a combined 38, while Harvard topped them by a combined 37. Anybody who thinks this game isn't going to be close must know something I don't, or maybe they don't know anything at all.

For all those reasons, I'm holding off on a pick right now (though I'm leaning Harvard given its 15-game home winning streak and the extra motivation from last year's loss). I guess you'll have to check my preview column Friday for my final prediction just like everybody else.

Anything else you want to add?

SW: Well, it sounds like we can expect some sloppy play in the first quarter and a wild ride from there. Other than that, all I have to say is I wish it weren't midterms week here because I'd much rather spend the week getting ready for the game, but I should probably spend some time studying, you know, academic stuff. I'll see you in the press box.