Columbia Football is Off to a Good Start

After an inept loss to the Princeton Tigers on September 30th, the Columbia University Football Lions bounced back by defeating Iona University 24-0. And despite Iona's inferior talent and ability, the Lions, and new Coach Norries Wilson, proved something that has not been proven by the Lions during this century: they can rebound after a loss.

In the Lions' victory over Iona, the defense carried the team from start to finish. Coach Wilson has this year's Lions' team playing with an edge on defense that is probably one of the biggest edges in Division 1-AA college football this season. Not only has the defense been efficient in keeping the other team out of the end zone, but they have been just as efficient at putting up points on the scoreboard themselves. Two defensive touchdowns in the Iona game was two more than the Lions had all last season. And interception return for a touchdown by cornerback, Chad Musgrove, was the first in about 3 seasons.

The key to defense can of course be attributed to having the right players on the field, but much of it has to be attributed to the coaching job that has made the defense not only fast, but unpredictable. Giving credit to the 3-3-5 scheme, the real coaching job has been that the players hide and disguise their coverages in an effective and deceptive fashion that has not been done on prior Columbia teams. There have been times in Columbia's past where the defense was just too predictable. Under Coach Bob Schoop the Lions' cover 2 scheme was exposed to underneath plays and plays over the middle and rarely did much to counter that. However, Coach Wilson's 3-3-5 scheme has eliminated any notion that any team can attack one area of the field and be successful. And that's something that is needed on every football team.