Editor's note appended.
After Columbia football's most successful season in a decade, head coach Norries Wilson and his staff have been busy recruiting members for the class of 2011. Those players who have already verbally committed to coming to Morningside Heights address many of the Lions' problems from last season and display Wilson's ability to find talent in the Northeast.
The most pressing need for the Lions this past off-season was the offensive line, and Columbia has picked up a 255-pound, 6-foot-2 offensive tackle named Bryan Kipp from Boston's Xaverian Brothers High School. Xaverian has sent many players to the NFL in the past, most notably Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Wilson also added 6-foot-3, 295-pound lineman Ian Quirk from Tuscarora High School in Frederick, Md.
When it comes to skill-players on offense, Wilson has made strides at the tight end position, where he has already received a commitment from 6-foot-5, 225-pound target Clifton Pope. Pope, Iona Prepatory's leading receiver last season, was actively recruited by Brown and Patriot League powers Lafayette and Holy Cross. It was the genuine nature of Wilson and his staff, however, which played a big role in bringing him to Columbia.
"The coaches were definitely a main reason why I decided to come," Pope said. "They were more personable and while football is a big priority, they were more like real people than football coaches. The players also were happy to be there and were positive about the direction of the program, so that factored into my decision as well."
At the wide receiver and kick return positions, 6-foot-2, 185-pound Nico Gutierrez from New Canaan High School in Connecticut has committed to the Lions, but his impact as a freshman is questionable as he is currently recovering from an ACL injury. With a full backfield that includes sophomore running back Jordan Davis, freshman Ray Rangel, and freshman Pete Stoll, the only running back to commit to Columbia is 5-foot-10, 195-pound Zack Kourouma from Minnechaug, Mass.
Wilson and his staff were also able to pick up 6-foot-4, 215-pound sophomore-transfer quarterback Shane Kelly from Temple University. Since Kelly will be making the transfer from a Division I-A to a Division I-AA school, he will not have to sit out this season, a situation that would not be possible had he transferred between two I-A programs.
The majority of recruits who have publicly committed to Columbia play on the defensive side of the ball, especially at the defensive end and linebacker positions. The highest-profile defensive recruit so far is 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end Andrew Kennedy from Staples High School in Westport, Conn.-the same high school that produced Columbia power forward John Baumann. Kennedy was named to the All-State team and was actively pursued by Holy Cross, but in the end chose the Lions.
Joining him on the defensive line will be 6-foot-2, 230-pound Mike Egley from Ford City, PA., and Matt Stotler from Yorktown High School in northern Virginia.
A key ingredient to the success of defensive coordinator Lou Ferrari's 3-5-3 defensive scheme is the play of the spur linebackers on the outside. So far, three linebackers have publicly committed to Columbia: 6-foot-1, 220-pound Marc Holloway of West Catholic, Pa., 6-foot-2 Matt Moretto of Cornwall, N.Y. and Greg Fontela out of Miami.
The leading tackler for the past two seasons at Columbia has been defensive back Tad Crawford, but with his graduation in May, Wilson was forced to find players who could take over his role. Calvin Otis, a 6-foot, 180-pound defensive back out of Lawrenceville Prep in Princeton, NJ could be just what the Lions need as Otis also received interest from James Madison University and Duke. Michael Murphy, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound tight end from Staten Island will make the transition to strong safety once he steps onto the field for the Light Blue.
On special teams, Columbia found one of its most promising recruits in kicker and safety Joe Stormont from Stillwater, Minnesota. It is rare to find a kicker who also plays safety, but Stormont was highly successful in both-he was named both Associated Press first-team All-State kicker and first-team honorable mention defensive back.
Although the official list of Columbia football players from the class of 2011 will not be available until May, it is evident that Wilson has made strides to improve the speed and hands of his team on offense as well as the strength of his defensive line and secondary.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article included several errors and misleading statements that warrant correction or clarification.
At several points, the article stated that some of the 15 prospects named "will play for" and have "publicly committed" to attending the University. This language is misleading. While all but one of the prospects have been cited in local and national media outlets as having verbally committed to play for Columbia if accepted, these commitments are not binding, and the players' admission to the University will not be decided until April.
The article also incorrectly stated that "Norries Wilson and his staff were also able to pick up 6-foot-4, 215-pound sophomore-transfer quarterback Shane Kelly from Temple University." This information, taken from an online source, cannot be independently verified and is speculative at best.
Spectator should have disclosed the fact that, with the exception of tight end Clifton Pope, who was quoted in the piece, the names of the prospects were verified only through outside media sources. In addition, Spectator should have sought comment for the article from a representative of the Athletic department.
As reported in the article, the official list of football recruits for the class of 2011 will be released in May, after the students have made their matriculation decisions.