PU football roles coming together

Tigers make plays for another comeback win

By: Justin Feil
   Two weeks into the 2006 season, the Princeton University football team is starting to show they have some players they can depend on game in and game out.
   Jeff Terrell is taking the lead. The senior quarterback threw for a career-high 261 yards and tied a career high with three touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 2-0 start with a 26-14 win over two-time defending Patriot League champion Lafayette on Saturday.
   Terrell had two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both to sophomores making their first career scores, as the Tigers overcame a 14-13 third-quarter deficit. Terrell guided the Tigers on back-to-back scoring drives as they went to the hurry-up offense after Lafayette took the lead. He hit tight end Will Thanheiser on a 14-yard touchdown pass on the first possession of the fourth quarter and running back R.C. Lagomarsino on an outlet pass that became a 49-yard score with 10:58 left for insurance.
   Terrell also engineered an eight-play, 76-yard drive at the end of the second quarter to answer Lafayette’s first touchdown. Terrell hit Brian Brigham, who finished with a game- and career-high six catches for 72 yards, for a 25-yard touchdown strike on the left sideline.
   "To come back after them putting it in, both of those drives ended in touchdowns," Terrell said. "We weren’t going to settle for field goals. We wanted to show what kind of team we are. I think we were able to get them a little backed up a little confused with our two-minute offense."
   In his second year starting, Terrell hit eight different receivers with passes. He was picked off once. He also rushed eight times for a team-high 39 yards.
   "To me, it’s just a natural growth progression for someone that works as hard as he does and someone who has the leadership and character that he does," said Tigers head coach Roger Hughes. "It’s not a surprise. It’s almost an expectation on my part. I expect him to play at this level.
   "If you look at our team, probably the best analogy that I can give you is (Dick) Kazmaier standing behind 10 empty helmets because all the team left before that senior year of his. Jeff is a similar situation. His whole offensive line and tight end are gone and now he’s holding the whole thing together."
   Another player the Tigers can count on is Doori Song. For the second straight week, the first-year starter at linebacker came up with a huge stop. After twice making big tackles for losses against Lehigh in the season-opening win, Song came up with another huge play in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win over Lafayette. After Princeton had taken a 19-14 lead, Song swarmed Leopard running back Jonathan Hurt for a 1-yard loss on 3rd-and-2.
   "He’s certainly becoming someone who shows he can do that," Hughes said. "We’re finding more people that are finding more roles. As our confidence arose, and we’re starting to make plays, they’re not hesitant. They’re just coming up and tackling them."
   Lafayette followed with an 8-yard punt and Lagomarsino scored two plays later to all but ice the Tigers’ first win on their new FieldTurf surface at Princeton Stadium. Lagomarsino is another Tiger fighting for a bigger role this season. Last year, he suffered an ankle injury the week before the season opener, then didn’t appear in a game until the season finale at Dartmouth. He rushed once for one yard. He ended up getting surgery to repair a sports hernia — from the same doctor that repaired Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb — and didn’t fully participate in spring practices.
   "I came in here, and obviously I want to work hard and get the starting job," Lagomarsino said. "I felt like I got better from my surgery. I felt that held me back last year, my injury."
   Lagomarsino has come back strong and been utilized more each game. He carried twice in the first half for 5 yards, but finished as the Tigers’ second leading rusher on Saturday with 9 carries for 37 yards. He had a long of 18 yards to end the third quarter and set up Princeton’s first score of the fourth quarter. Lagomarsino then broke the game open with his 49-yard reception.
   Terrell hit Lagomarsino with a side arm pass for 5 yards, but Lagomarsino broke out of one tackle and evaded two other Lafayette defenders to go 49 total yards to break open the game.
   "R.C. made an unbelievable run," Hughes said. "He made a couple people miss which is the athleticism we expect out of him. I think he’s getting his feet on the ground as well."
   Added Lagomarsino: "I feel like I can get open space. I have confidence I can get away, use my speed, my athleticism. I have confidence in our downfield blockers, like our receivers. That there showed that. I try to expect big things from me. I try to work hard and I try to make big plays to help the team out."
   It was the second straight week in which Lagomarsino came up with a big play. He had a 27-yard gain against Lehigh. And like the Tigers, he has been able to build on the performance with another big momentum builder against Lafayette.
   "Last week, Lehigh had two games (already played) before us and I think you could even tell we were a little rusty in the first half," Lagomarsino said. "We came back second half, and I feel like we are progressively getting better. Our line is getting better. They know what they’re doing. The backs are more comfortable and Jeff is more comfortable with the receivers.
   "If the defense makes big plays like J.J. (Artis) did, it helps boost our momentum and gives the linemen morale to go out there and perform."
   Artis sealed the win on the defensive side with two fourth-quarter interceptions. On the first, Artis caught a pass over his shoulder at the Princeton 12-yard line. After Princeton’s Rob Toresco was stripped and the fumble recovered by Trey Martell, Artis recorded his second interception of the game, snaring this one in the end zone. After a Princeton punt, Pete Buchignani and Tom Methvin recorded sacks to finish off the Leopards.
   "With us having the lead, the coaches were telling us they were going to air it out," Artis said. "I was getting ready to run. I knew they were going to go deep. Shaun Adair, he had a pretty nice game. He was pretty quick, a pretty shifty receiver. I was trying my best to open up and run with him and happened to be in position to make plays on the ball."
   Added Hughes: "If you want textbook defensive back play, watch his two interceptions. His body position was perfect. He played the ball perfectly. And really they did have no chance to get to the ball except to interfere with him."
   For the second straight week, it was the Tigers who had the players who came up with the big plays at the end of the game. It leaves Princeton 2-0 going into Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. game at 2-0 Columbia, and feeling a little more secure after starting to find some dependable playmakers.