Lions' Stellar Passing Not Enough for an Ivy Win

Head Coach Norries Wilson’s second Columbia squad will be remembered as a team that could compete with anyone in the Ivy League—for about 15 minutes. Brief glimpses of success couldn’t outweigh an inconsistent running game and a porous rush defense, resulting in a 1-9 (0-7 Ivy) record.

The 2007 Lions had a 99-man roster, the smallest in the Ivy League. While no one quit the team this year, there was a profound lack of depth and maturity on the field. The team had only 12 seniors, and the offensive line had just one. Coach Wilson frequently pointed to the dedication of his players in spite of this fundamental disadvantage.

“They finished what they started,” he said. “The seniors on this team, a lot of their friends quit the football team a long time ago. We’ve got a variety of seniors with a variety of stories who’ve never won a homecoming, never had a winning season, and broke even one time.”

The season opener against Fordham showcased the deficiencies in the Lions’ roster that would plague them all season. The defensive line buckled in the face of a strong running back, and the offensive line couldn’t open up space to support junior tailback Jordan Davis. Fordham had 323 rushing yards compared to Columbia’s 59. The surprise of the Liberty Cup loss was an unexpected start by Craig Hormann at quarterback. The senior co-captain tore a knee ligament in the spring, and his starting job was in question up until the day before the game.

The Lions’ next game against Marist was a decisive 31-7 victory, but Columbia was still outrushed by its opposition. This element of the game plan was a key concern going into the sharp increase in competition that the Lions would face in their first Ivy game against Princeton.

The Princeton game was an emotional grudge match, as the Lions battled back from an 18-point deficit to lead 24-21 in the third quarter. Both teams raised their level of competition as the minutes wore down. A forced fumble by Columbia gave the Lions the ball with a three-point deficit and 3:44 to play, but an interception on first down and a subsequent Princeton touchdown cost the Lions the game.

The Lions would end their nonconference schedule against Lafayette—a big, physical team with a standout running back. It was the Lions’ second shutout under head coach Norries Wilson.

The next week against Penn, the offense played a strong first quarter, then stagnated. Penn scored first, but Columbia answered back with a 90-yard pass to Austin Knowlin followed by a one-yard rush by Ray Rangel to tie the game. Rangel shared more time at tailback with Davis as the season progressed, but the added variety didn’t establish a consistent ground attack. The Lions netted just eight rushing yards against Penn, though 24 negative yards came from three sacks on Craig Hormann.

Dartmouth showed itself to be the closest match to Columbia when the teams faced off in Hanover. The Lions and the Big Green traded touchdowns four times in a row to set up a 28-28 tie in the fourth quarter. Tight end Jamal Russell fumbled a pass, and Dartmouth recovered to score a touchdown. The Lions took the ball with a seven-point deficit and 1:24 to play, and a botched shotgun snap resulted in a Dartmouth safety and a 37-28 score.

Hopes were not high when the Lions faced undefeated Yale at home. Coach Wilson frequently said that teams would try to run the ball against the Lions when they saw their inability to stop the ball on film. Yale’s entire game plan centered on running the ball, so it was no surprise when tailback Mike McLeod took 35 carries up the gut for three touchdowns in Yale’s 24-11 victory.

Harvard beat the Lions a week later by putting relentless pressure on quarterback Hormann. Sophomore wide receiver Knowlin still reeled in 10 passes for over 100 yards, but the rushing attack added up to -5 net yards in the 23-17 loss.

Any hope for salvaging the season came in the final games against Brown and Cornell, the two teams the Lions beat last season. Cornell scored its first touchdown on the opening kickoff return and never looked back, racking up 21 points in the first quarter. Coach Wilson benched Hormann during the course of the game, allowing sophomore transfer Shane Kelly to showcase his ability. The more mobile quarterback threw one scoring pass to Knowlin.

Coach Wilson had nothing but praise for Hormann and the long-term impact the quarterback has had on the program in his three years as a starter.

“He’s helped to show the younger kids that they can come back from an injury and be a good performer,” Wilson said. “He’s shown the kids how to be a wax paper college football player. No matter how much is heaped on him, no matter how many times he gets screamed at, he just lets it roll off his back and tries to get it done the next time out.”

Despite their disappointing final record, the Lions won several Ivy League superlatives. For the second straight year, the Lions had the best rookie in the Ivy League in freshman linebacker Alex Gross, who led the team with 80 tackles. Austin Knowlin was named first-team All-Ivy with 74 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Jon Rocholl was voted second-team all-Ivy as a punter, and nose tackle Phil Mitchell and quarterback Craig Hormann were given honorable mention awards.