When Central Connecticut State University head coach Jeff McInerney put quarterback Aubrey Norris in for the Blue Devils’ final drive of the second quarter, it changed the complexion of the game and led to a 22-13 loss for the Columbia football team. Norris’s athleticism and ability to run the ball put the Columbia defense on its heels and highlighted its weakness at containing opposing quarterbacks.
In the Lions’ season-opening win at Fordham, Rams quarterback John Skelton ran for 62 yards and was sacked twice for a loss of 12 yards. Last Wednesday, Columbia head coach Norries Wilson emphasized that the Light Blue defense needed to do a better job of limiting the running production of opposing quarterbacks, as well as generating more pressure.
“We didn’t do a good job containing the quarterback [against Fordham],” Wilson said. “Skelton got 50 yards scrambling, and we only got to him twice.”
The defense didn’t improve in containing the quarterback against CCSU, though, as Norris ran 10 times for 75 yards and a touchdown. Though he was generally running the same plays as starting quarterback Hunter Wanket, Norris brought more speed and athleticism to the table, which the Lions were unable to curb. This was exactly what McInerney had expected and what became, in his opinion, the difference in the game.
“I thought if we got our guys out in the alleys that we were faster than them and I thought we could take advantage of our speed versus their speed in open space,” McInerney said. “Aubrey’s a little bit different out there on the edge and that seemed to be the difference in my opinion.”
Not only did Norris hurt the Lions with his legs, but he was also perfect in the air, going 8-8 on the afternoon with 135 passing yards. The Blue Devils’ ability to run the ball opened up the passing game, and when Norris rolled out, the Light Blue had to keep defenders close to the line of scrimmage and respect Norris’s ability to run—something they learned when Norris rolled out and found empty space for a 28-yard touchdown run in second quarter.
After recording just two sacks through its first two games and allowing 129 rushing yards to quarterbacks, the Columbia defense will be tested by another mobile quarterback on Saturday—Princeton’s Tommy Wornham. The Tigers’ sophomore quarterback has run for 118 yards (excluding 20 yards lost to sacks) this season, including a 68-yard touchdown run against Lehigh on Saturday.
If Jordan Culbreath, Princeton’s star running back, cannot play on Saturday after being injured against Lehigh, the offense will only go as far as Wornham takes it. If this is the case, the Lions will need to focus on pressuring Worham in the pocket and wrapping him up when he tucks the ball and runs—two things they were unable to do on Saturday.
While Columbia has struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks this season, Skelton and Norris were also special cases. Skelton is a talented player—especially as a passer—whom many believe has the ability to play in the NFL. Given that skill, the Lions needed to be solid in their pass coverage, which was evident in their three interceptions. Having fewer men in the box allocated to pressuring Skelton is a necessary evil when compared to giving him the opportunity to attack a defense that has fewer defenders in coverage.
Norris is a tremendous athlete for any position, not just at quarterback. Columbia may not face a quarterback in the Ivy League that has Norris’s speed and skills. Thus, the Lions’ speed on defense will be more evenly matched by their upcoming Ivy opponents and will not be as much of a detriment as it appeared to be against CCSU.
Only time will tell if the past two weeks are indicative of how Columbia’s defense will fare against opposing quarterbacks this season. One thing is for sure, though—there is room for improvement.
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