No Lines Needed, Ivy Fans Have their Sunday Winner

In November of 2006, Norries Wilson was finishing up his first season as the head coach of the Columbia football team in Providence at the home of the defending Ivy League champions. The Lions won the game 22-21, but it was a player for their opponents that the spotlight was on.

In the press box at Brown Stadium were small pieces of paper sitting in front of chairs with the words “New England Patriots Scout” and “Arizona Cardinals Scout.” Usually Ivy League contests do not garner scouts from NFL teams, especially those against the league’s two bottom feeders, but when Zak DeOssie was on the field, people paid attention.

For his final two seasons at Brown, DeOssie was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best defensive player in the nation. DeOssie is also the son of Steve DeOssie who played for four NFL teams, including both of this Sunday’s Super Bowl contenders, and is currently an analyst for the Patriots on WEEI in Boston. With a football bloodline and one of the best defensive careers Brown history, DeOssie was given a shot to show himself at the NFL combine in 2007.

With the 116th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected DeOssie and now, in his rookie season he is getting a shot in the biggest game any football player can imagine competing in. Don’t think though, that just because DeOssie is a rookie that he has not played a significant role on this season’s Giants team.

While technically listed as a linebacker on the Giants roster, DeOssie has seen game action as a defender on kickoff and punt returns, as well as being the team’s long snapper—just like his father. DeOssie’s ability to move quickly for a player his size allows him to move down field on coverage and lay hits on the returner. During the regular season, he only recorded six tackles, but made tackles in the postseason against the Cowboys in the second half.

Still, DeOssie’s most important role for the Giants comes as the team’s long snapper. When playoff games come down to field goals, the three most important players on the field are the long snapper, the holder and the kicker. A poor snap two weekends ago on the final play of the fourth quarter nearly cost the Giants a trip to the Super Bowl as the timing on the play was thrown off. His role could be crucial on Sunday should the Giants be in a position to win the game late with a field goal kick.

DeOssie isn’t the only Ivy player to wear the blue of the Giants come Super Bowl Sunday as Kevin Boothe, a second-year offensive tackle out of Cornell, and Jim Finn, an eighth-year running back from Penn, are also on the roster. Finn is on injured reserve, but Boothe is listed as the backup to left guard Rich Seubert and in the case of an injury, it will be Boothe’s job to protect Eli Manning’s blind side.

The Ivy League is not known for putting football players on the gridiron come Sundays and last player to make it from Columbia was Marcellus Wiley, a recently retired three-time Pro Bowl defensive end. Finding representation for the Ancient Eight on the field and not in the board room is something that all Ivy League schools should feel accomplishment for and the stories of DeOssie, Boothe, and Finn highlight that.

If you are a fan of the Ivy League then your rooting interests this Sunday should be with the New York Giants. I know mine will be, and that’s not just because I’m a Dolphins fan either.