GROUND AND POUND: Princeton University running back Charlie Volker carries the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star Volker rushed for a career-high 163 yards and four touchdowns to help Princeton defeat Brown 53-0. Volker produced a highlight of the day, setting a program record with a 96-yard TD run in the second quarter, breaking a 65-year mark for longest rushing score in program history. The previous record was a 93-yard touchdown by Homer Smith, set against Yale on November 15, 1952.  Princeton, now 4-1 overall and 1-1 Ivy League, plays at Harvard (4-1 overall, 1-1- Ivy) on October 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Even though it won three of its first four games this fall, the Princeton University football team was still searching for consistency as played at Brown last Saturday.

“As I told them during the week and then reiterated on Friday night, in each of our games we have had 10-15 minutes where we have played extremely well,” said Princeton head coach Bob Surace.

“There is another 30-40 minutes of competitive play, two good teams going at each other, back and forth, typical football. Then we have 10-12 minutes where we just don’t execute very well; it is just sloppy and we have to get rid of that.”

The players took the message to heart, rolling to a 53-0 rout of Bears before a crowd of 3,028 at Brown Stadium as the Tigers improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 Ivy League.

“I thought this is one of the better games we have had at being consistent for 60 minutes on all sides of the ball,” said Surace, whose team outgained Brown 538 yards to 170 and led 16-0 after the first quarter and 36-0 at halftime.

Junior running back Charlie Volker produced one of the better rushing performances in recent years for the Tigers, gaining 163 yards on 16 carries with four touchdowns as Princeton out-gained Brown 284-55 on the ground.

“He had a great camp this summer but at the end of camp, he had an illness and had to miss the
opening game,” said Surace of Volker, a star for the Tiger track team and an Ivy champion sprinter.

“I think it took a lot out of him. He looked great in practice last week and we feel like we have the same guy now who was running the ball in camp and that is a real positive thing.”

Volker displayed his sprinter’s speed in the second quarter, racing down the sideline for a 96-yard TD run, breaking a 65-year mark for longest rushing score in program history.

“It was the longest run in Princeton history and that is 148 years, it was the great Homer Smith’s record before that,” added Surace of the legendary Smith, who had a 93-yard touchdown run against Yale on November 15, 1952. “At that point we were backed up and to go 96 yards, that was impressive.”

The Tigers got an impressive passing performance from senior quarterback and tri-captain Chad Kanoff as he completed 21-of-27 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns on a rainy afternoon in Providence, R.I.

“They are one of the top teams in the country in sacks and tackles for a loss and I thought we really executed that area very well,” said Surace.

“Our routes were crisp, we got great yards after the catch. It wasn’t the easiest day to throw the ball downfield but we really executed a mid-range pass game throughout the game very well.”

On the other side of the ball, senior tri-captain Kurt Holuba, led the defensive charge, picking up two sacks and a team-high six tackles.

“Kurt played terrific; I think he had a couple of sacks and his run defense was good,” said Surace.

“I think we gave up about 50 yards rushing again that was a real positive. I thought all three lines, our pass rush, our second level, and our pass coverage was pretty strong throughout the game.”

This Friday evening, the Tigers face a strong test as they head to Cambridge, Mass. to take on Harvard (4-1 overall, 1-1 Ivy) in a game to be televised nationally on the NBC Sports Network.

“Harvard has had some terrific blowout victories and a couple of nail-biter losses, very similar to our year,” said Surace.

“We have had some really great victories and then one game for us where we lost a back and forth game (a 28-24 defeat to Columbia on September 30). It has always been a terrific challenge to play them. They are extremely talented, they don’t beat themselves. Their special teams unit is one of the best; in five games, they have three returns for touchdowns.”

Princeton will need a special effort on offense and defense to overcome the Crimson.

“You have to be able to drive the ball and finish drives,” said Surace. “You can’t give up explosive plays to them; you have to get off the field on third down to be able to beat them.”