The Bulldogs travel to Princeton this week to take on the Tigers in a 1 PM showdown on Saturday. The game will be aired on ESPN+.
Princeton’s offense is lead by senior quarterback Kevin Davidson. Davidson is a very efficient passer completing 68.6% of his passes this season for an average of 281 yards per game. He has thrown 20 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions. When Princeton’s offensive line has provided Davidson with ample time in the pocket, he has made opposing defenses pay with his arm strength and accuracy. Davidson spreads the ball around to a number of talented receivers as 6 Tigers have over 100 yards receiving. Junior wideout Jacob Birmelin is Davidson’s favorite target with 663 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. Sophomore Dylan Classi and senior Andrew Griffin are having fantastic seasons averaging roughly 16 yards per reception. Senior tight end Graham Adomitis (6’4”, 255 lbs.) and sophomore tight end Carson Bobo (6’5”, 240 lbs.) are big targets that are effective at run blocking and pass catching. Aside from Princeton’s games versus Harvard and Dartmouth, the offensive line has been dominant keeping defenders away from Davidson and paving the way for running backs Colin Eaddy and Ryan Quigley. Eaddy has rushed for 547 yards (4.9 yards per carry) while Quigley has rushed for 353 yards (5.4 yards per carry). From top to bottom, this is the most explosive offense in the Ivy League.
Princeton’s defense does not possess the sheer size and strength of Dartmouth’s defense, however, the Tigers are very fast, swarm to the ball, and blanket receivers. Senior defensive lineman Joey DeMarco seems to be a lock for a 1st Team All-Ivy selection with 26 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and 3 blocked kicks. DeMarco’s fellow defense linemen Samuel Wright and Jake Strain are top-notch defenders that have combined for 11 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. If Dartmouth’s Traynor did not return for his fifth year, the discussion for top linebacker in the league would center around Jeremiah Tyler and James Johnson. Tyler has been a game-wrecker racking up 53 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. Johnson leads the team in total tackles with 58 drawing comparisons to his brother and former Tiger, Tom Johnson. Senior safety TJ Floyd was an All-Ivy selection a year ago and has lived up to the high expectations for his final season. Junior cornerback Delan Stallworth has shutdown the top receivers that he’s faced, although his hands will be full this week versus Shohfi and Klubnik.
Freshman punter Will Powers has shown incredible leg strength averaging 41.4 yards per punt with 2 punts over 50 yards. Senior kicker Tavish Rice is just 3 for 6 on field goal attempts this season. Birmelin is an above-average punt returner averaging 9.9 yards per punt return. Sophomore Trey Gray is a serious threat at kick returner averaging 23.3 yards per return.
22 replies on “Princeton Preview”
Are you that Princeton sports the “most explosive” offense in the Ivy League? Our offense has put more points on the board through five league games than Princeton’s offense has amassed.
Our pass defense, however, is simply non-existent. That is the problem!
That’s not true, it’s inconsistent. But they do shine every now and then. They need to step it up. #6 needs to learn how to wrap up the ball carrier.
Rouse , Johnson,Benne are playmakers Hickey is good also. Good Luck against P’ton. If your beat do a pass interference penalty. Rather have 15 yarder. Than a TD
Davidson will pick us apart if he is allowed to stand tall in the pocket. He is not a dangerous running threat. We need to bring 5 defenders and get pressure and hits on him as much as possible. When Yale brings the extra pressure from unexpected they punish quarterbacks..
We’ll see if our offensive coordinator has some surprises for those great Princeton LBs.
Go Elis!
YALE RECRUIT :
TRE PETERSON, WR / CB , 5′ 10 ” , 178 LBS. , 4. 56 40 YD DASH,
COLUMBUS H.S., COLUMBUS ,GA.
Where are the big offense and defense line man we need.We do not need any more little people playing WR.Whats going on with recruiting we get lineman who are supposed to be great and the sit on the bench for 4 years. Tyler Jost three star recruit Grant Neagli who has ben hurt on and off the last few years and others who stand on the side lines and watch the games.Will these players and others play next year there not much talent in the wings for next year on offense or defense.Thats why i wish they still had freshman football to developed these players for the next four years.Yale is saying good bye to 25 or 26 SR next weekend good players they will be hard to replaced.Good luck today Yale 28 the other team34 only because of our DB.
One of the difficulties of evaluating Yale’s recruiting lies with the impact of the Academic Index. For all we know the “little guys” we have recruited fit into Tier 1 of the AI (meaning they have SATs and high school records like the top quarter of the prior year Yale freshman class). The higher the Tier, the fewer the available recruits. And if we don’t add Tier 1 recruits, we lose the space.
Watching the freshmen games against P and H used to provide a preview of the talent that would impact the varsity for the next three seasons. I agree there is very little spotlight these days on highly recruited players that seldom play any downs.
As for today’s game, unless the Yale defense can perform well beyond expectations the Tigers will prevail this afternoon under a beautiful autumn sky that makes me reminisce of some of the glorious games between Yale and Princeton in years past.
Remember it well, I’d like to sit down with you here some of those stories. I’ll bring the congac .
YALE RECRUIT :
BEN MANN , DE : 6 ” 4 ” , 230 LBS. , MANHEIM TOWNSHIP H.S., MANHEIM, PA.
I’m apprehensive about today’s days game because it’s a toss up. Then I remind myself after the Dartmouth game I would have given Yale zero chance of beating Princeton. I feel like this Yale team has grown tremendously since then. Offense is now hitting on all cylinders. The pass rush has greatly improved and the defense has made some pivotal stands during this four game win streak. They’re still not where they need to be but they’re getting close. Today might be the day this team grows up to realize its full potential. My prediction Yale 35 Princeton 31. Go Bulldogs!
SOE , I’m feeling better about this team every week. Ever since the Richmond Game.
I was privileged to be at the Richmond game. An historic comeback like that can fuel a team for the rest of the season. I think Yale is still running on the positive vibes of that game. Hopefully it will carry them all the way to a HYP title.
Son of Eli: ” Today might be the day this team grows up to realize its full potential.” Holy Crap were you right about that! Go Blue!!!!!!!!
YALE RECRUIT :
TEO FALK , D/E , 6 ” 7 ” , 250 LBS . PREMIER PROSPECTS INTERNATIONAL , SWEDEN
Big bad blue defense will show up today and be consistent. Against Princeton offense
The Yale offense has been producing and will continue to do so. Even last year they almost pulled it out at the end against PTon who had an outstanding defense
Lets go Bulldogs Beat them up but don’t hurt the little fellows
So far, so good up by 23 at half time. Can’t imagine P-ton not making a run second half as these games have tended to be a shoot out.
By the way, happened to mistakenly wander into the Yale Football Family tailgate at the Brown game. I was welcomed to join them and was treated to a great lunch. I ended up sitting with them at midfield on the Yale side. What an enthusiastic and fun group!
Does anyone know if the Yale Football Association has ever had a joint outing with the Yale Football Family group? I’ve been a YFA member for years, and I can’t remember that ever happening or at least advertised. Seems like a natural. If Yale fans had a fraction of the enthusiasm of the Football Family group, they’d fill the bowl every week.
I make a point of visting with the football parents the Friday evening before games and at their parent tailgate before games when in New Haven. Terrific people and, sadly, among the very few who loyally attend the games.
As for the YFA leadership, most are posing for pictures with the AD or President in the empty Kenney Center.
There is always a strong group of football alumni who come back for the final home game and will tailgate not far from the parents.
If you make it next week where a win against Harvard secures a Co-Championship….ask for directions to the Skoronski Tailgate and the Football Parents Tailgate. Both are throwbacks to better times of support.
Will do. Try to make every home game when possible. Sad to see the bowl so empty these days.
Good job Cornell, Harvard should’ve beaten Dartmouth but failed to do so due to coaching and or a player having a moment not concentrating on the outcome of the game. At this point in time I believe Yale is the best team in the ivy inn if they continue to play Like they have over the past five weeks they will come Out with the share of the championship. Unfortunate they don’t play Dartmouth later in the season otherwise they would have an undisputed I think championship
Don’t count Brown out next weekend against Dartmouth at home. They have a very impressive offense and seem on the upswing and Dartmouth doesn’t.
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