Brown Bears Look to Hibernation

QB Michael Dougherty is gone to graduation

I thought Brown was the best team in the Ivies last year. They had a high-powered passing game, a very good defensive line, and a killer secondary.

It's a shame we don't have tie-breaking rules in the Ivies, because the Bears bear co-champ Harvard in second week, and I just think it's wrong for a team to have to share a title with an opponent they defeated on the field.

But that was last year, and in 2009 Brown faces some severe losses due to graduation that could be too much to keep the Bears a top the league.


1) Who is coming back and who is lost?

Brown retains a solid core of linemen on both offense and defense. The offensive line boasts three returning starters, led by 1st Team All Ivy Paul Jasinowski. A fourth starter, Matthew Adkins, could be returning as a 5th year starter because he missed most of his junior year to injury.

The Browns also the best overall returning defensive player in David Howard, a first team All-Ivy defensive lineman. He'll be joined up front by second team All-Ivy James Develin.

The other strength area is at wide receiver, where stars Bobby Sewall and Buddy Farnham return.

But then things look a little, if not a lot, iffy up in Providence.

The biggest loss is two-year starting QB Michael Dougherty (and I still think Head Coach Phil Estes hates himself for not starting Dougherty as a sophomore in 2006 over the interception-prone Joe DiGiacomo). Running wasn't really a primary focus for the Bears in 2008, but veteran tailbacks Dereck Knight and Jon Edwards are also gone.

The biggest loss on offense may be tight end Colin Cloherty, a first team All-Ivy menace who could have helped by presenting a nice big passing target.

The defense loses its entire starting linebacking crew, including a big star in Steve Ziogas. 75 percent of the fine secondary also departs including corner Darrell Harrison.


2) Back to the QB position, who's in the running?

It looks like three sophmores with no varsity experience. But if there's anyone in the league who could pull a rabbit out of his and get his team a good new starting QB, it's Estes.

Still, it's a stretch to think that his successor will play up to Dougherty's level, at least not right away. Don't be surprised if a freshman gets a chance to start some point this season.


3) Can Brown Surprise?

The Bears might be able to put together a contending team by mid-season, but that will be well after the bid showdown at Harvard. I don't think Brown will suffer the way they did in 2006, when they fell to 2-8 a year after the great Nick Hartigan graduated, but doing much better than 6-4 will be a tough stretch.