This year the spotlight is on the senior class—the first group head coach Norries Wilson recruited himself. While the seniors deserve the attention they’re receiving, they’ll need the full support of talented underclassmen looking to contribute to a winning season. A crucial cog in Columbia’s defense, defensive lineman Owen Fraser, is barely 15 months removed from high school. As a freshman in 2008, he earned honorable mention all-Ivy honors.
Early in his football career, Fraser—now a sophomore—found out that he belonged on the defensive side of the ball.
“I started playing defense in junior high school, I started playing for my school and ever since then I fell in love with the game,” he said. “I feel like I’m more of a defensive-minded player anyways, you got to be a little aggressive.”
Fraser originally attended the Newburgh Free Academy, where he was named first-team All-State for New York in 2006 as team captain. After transferring to Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, N.Y., Fraser quickly made a name for himself as a talented football player and track-and-field runner. He won a New England Class A championship with Trinity-Pawling and was named an All-Conference player.
Fraser decided to attend Columbia for a number of reasons that centered around academics and football. “I decided to come to Columbia, obviously, for the opportunity to obtain an Ivy League education, and the football program is one that is on the rise and I wanted to be a part of that,” he said.
Today, Fraser is more than just a part of the program. He is a focal point on defense. In 2008, Fraser started all 10 games and accumulated 28 tackles and one sack. When asked about last season, Fraser did not mention his personal success; instead, he focused on the team’s struggles.
“Last season was a lot of growing pains. Our record did not reflect how we felt as a football team. We look to have a much more successful football season this year.”
With the team’s unsuccessful 2008 campaign in mind, Fraser remained focused over the summer, training every day. As a result, he is leaner than he was a year ago, which will give him an even greater speed advantage. Heading into camp, Fraser expected a lot from himself and from the team.
“We want to have a successful season, and hopefully win the Ivy League championship, and personally I want to be more productive on the defensive line and help our defense become better overall.”
The combination of playing heavily last year and training this past summer should not only improve Fraser’s production as an individual, but the defensive line as a whole. Even during camp, weeks before the first game of the season, Fraser noticed an improvement in the line. “Right now we are staring to gel, we are a cohesive unit,” he said. “We’re much deeper than we were last year so we will be playing a lot of guys, which will keep us fresh in games.”
Columbia will certainly need an improved defensive line if it wants to start the 2009 season off right. The Light Blue hits the road Saturday to face crosstown rival Fordham. Last year, the Lions hosted the Rams in the first week and fell 29-22. Even though Saturday’s matchup isn’t a league game, the result will give an idea of where the Lions stand early in the season.
If last year’s success and this year’s training camp are any indication, Fraser should be ready to make a major impact straight from the opening kickoff.
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