Fordham's Fade Out

The FCS playoffs begin today, and none of Columbia's non-Ivy opponents are participating. At the beginning of the 2008 season, Fordham was picked to be in these playoffs by the writers covering the Patriot League.

But, it didn't work out that way.

The Rams finished the season a disappointing 5-6 and just 1-5 in the Patriot League. That was despite 1,090 rushing yards from speedy sophomore tail back Xavier Martin and a super season from junior QB John Skelton, who finished with almost 2,500 yards passing, with seven TD passes against just six interceptions.

The defense was not as good in 2008 as it was in 2007, but it's just not easy to figure out why Fordham laid an egg this year. They certainly were beatable when the Lions played them in Columbia's season opener, but a week later they gave eventual league champ Colgate one of their stiffest challenges of the season in an eventual 31-24 loss to the Raiders in the Bronx.

The Rams had a 14-0 lead in that game at the end of the first quarter. Superstar Colgate runner Jordan Scott toasted them for 272 yards rushing by the end of the game, and the Raiders scored 10 unanswered points to overcome a 24-21 deficit with 11 minutes left.

I think the level of play in the Ivies, especially at the top of the league, is usually good enough to send a real semi-final contender to the FCS playoffs. I say semi-finals, because after what I saw from Colgate's run to the finals in 2003, I'm not sure the Ivies have produced a team as good as that in the last 10 years or so. But of course, I am among those who think the Ivy presidents should relent and allow the Ivy football champs to advance to the playoffs.

Speaking of opponents in the FCS playoffs, Dartmouth played not one, but two teams in the playoffs today in Colgate and New Hampshire. They also played the Patriot League runner-up in Holy Cross. Is it any wonder the Big Green went 0-10? Dartmouth's very tough non-conference schedule is a long-standing thorn in the fans' side up in Hanover.

Of course, the Lions didn't exactly get a visit from the scheduling fairy either this year. Columbia had to play each of the top four teams in the Ivies on the road this year. It will be interesting to see how the Lions play against those same opponents at Wien Stadium next year.

Inspiration from ESPN?

So, I'm watching the Virginia-Virginia Tech game on ESPN today and I see the heavily favored Hokies getting a run for their money from the Cavaliers shuttle QB system. The running QB, Vic Hall, looks like a smaller version of M.A. Olawale, and Virginia has been using him on most apparent running downs, and they're using another QB on most apparent passing downs.

It's a lot like the system Columbia used very successfully in 1994 with running QB Mike Cavanaugh and passing QB Jamie Schwalbe. That offense was the best the Lions have had in the last 25 years.

Might we see more of a shuttle QB system in 2009? I have absolutely no idea. But, watching the Hokie-Cavalier game (Virginia Tech eventually pulled out a 17-14 win) brought back nice memories and hope for the future.