TOUCH OF CLASS: Princeton University football player Dylan Classi goes up for a catch in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore receiver Classi made seven catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns to help Princeton defeat Harvard 30-24. The win improved the No. 13 Tigers to 6-0 overall and 3-0 Ivy as they extended their winning streak to 16. Princeton will look to keep on the winning track at it plays at Cornell (2-4 overall, 1-2 Ivy) on November 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

John Orr didn’t play a down, but he helped set the tone for the Princeton University football team as it hosted Harvard last Saturday in an Ivy League showdown.

Having been sidelined when he suffered a leg injury in the preseason, senior linebacker and tri-captain Orr was asked by Princeton head coach Bob Surace to speak to his teammates before Princeton took on the Crimson in battle of rivals that were both 2-0 in Ivy play coming into the game.

“John means so much to this program and he is out; it is a horrible feeling to have a guy out that put so much into it,” recalled Surace.

“I said to him that I would love to have you address the team and he gave this amazing speech last night. It was about the guys being strong and the whole group of 100 guys playing together and showing grit. That was the message. I repeated the message at halftime. We had a little adversity and I said are we going to stay together and are we going to show grit.”

Taking that message to heart, Princeton overcame a 14-10 halftime deficit to pull out a hard-eared 30-24 victory over the Crimson before 9,028 at Princeton Stadium. The triumph improved the 13th-ranked Tigers to 6-0 overall and 3-0 Ivy as they extended their winning streak to 16.

Sophomore receiver Dylan Classi played a key role in the victory, scoring the first touchdown of the game as Princeton went ahead 7-0 and then tallying the final TD of the afternoon as the Tigers extended their lead to 30-21, giving them a cushion as Harvard made a late charge.

In reflecting his second TD which came on a diving grab with 3:16 left in the fourth quarter, Classi credited his connection with senior quarterback Kevin Davidson.

“Working with Kevin all year round, plays like that have to be routine in order to win big games like this,” said Classi, a 6’1, 190-pound native of Englewood Cliffs, N.J. who ended up with seven catches for 107 yards in the win.

“Coach [Bob Surace] came into it all week, saying we have to make plays. All of the receivers and everyone on the offense did their job. We all made plays when we needed. to.”

Trailing 14-10 headed into the second half, Princeton knew it needed to come up with some big plays to turn the tide.

“We were moving the ball, but we were kind of shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Classi.

“The mentality at halftime was just to put the foot on the gas and keep going. If we do what we do, we should be in good shape. Hats off to them, they are a tremendous team with a great defense. It was a hard fought game.”

Davidson, for his part, had to scramble away from the Harvard defense to find Classi on the final Princeton score of the day.

“I had to use my athleticism and jump over someone,” said a smiling Davidson, a 6’4, 225-pounder who is known more for his strong arm than quick feet.

“Since Dylan and I have worked together so hard this past seven, eight months, we are on the same page. I gave him a look and said go. It is going to be fun to watch on film tomorrow.”

For most of the afternoon, it wasn’t fun dealing with an inspired Crimson team determined to knock off the Tigers.

“They have a pretty talented front, their linebackers and their defensive linemen are big, talented, and physical,” said Davidson.

“I think our offensive line did well with what we asked them to do. We knew we were going to have to pass the ball. They gave us some coverages that we liked and we took advantage of, especially on third down, so that was successful.”

The Tiger defense, on the other hand, came up with three interceptions that proved absolutely crucial to the team’s success as the picks resulted in 17 points for Princeton.

Junior linebacker Jeremiah Tyler made the first interception early in the game, resulting in a Tiger field goal. Midway through the third quarter, linebacker Daniel Beard came up with the pivotal pick of the contest, corralling a Harvard aerial after Princeton had been stopped on a fourth and one. One play, later, the Tigers scored on a 31-yard TD pass to Colin Eaddy to take a 16-14 lead they never relinquished. Then with Princeton clinging to a 23-21 lead with five minutes left in regulation, defensive back Matthew Winston got into the act, picking off a Jake Smith pass, leading to the final TD by Classi.

“They did just an amazing job all game, whenever we had to come off the field, they were right there to pick us up,” said Davidson.

“That is the team aspect. During the offseason, we are battling back and forth. Once it is game time, it is come together and work for each other. That is what this team is about.”

Sophomore defensive back Winston picked a good time to come up with his first career interception.

“I read my keys; I just sat on it and waited for the quarterback to declare and just played the ball from then,” said Winston, a 6’0, 200-pound native of Hoschton, Ga. “I got a great break on the ball. I think the ball was a little bit high but it just allowed me to make a play on the ball.”

In Winston’s view, playing together is what allowed the Tigers to come through with the win.

“It was just an all-around team effort. Our offense came out swinging,” said Winston.

“They punched the ball down their throat over and over. We just kept fighting. That was the message through halftime, not only as a defense but as a team.”

In the view of Surace, sticking with a running game that was getting stifled for much of the contest exemplified Princeton’s fighting spirit.

“We have a gritty team, we weren’t getting yards,” said Surace, whose ground attack ended up gaining just 103 yards on 28 carries with 47 yards of that total coming on one run by Eaddy.

“First down was going for two yards. There is something to continuing to run the ball that way because it does have an effect later in the game. That drive at the end was probably reminiscent of that. You get more pull from the defensive backs when there is a better running game.”

Surace was not surprised to see Classi culminate the final drive with a clutch reception.

“Dylan is a competitor; when we recruited him, his coach Fred Stengel (of Bergen Cathlolic) said you are taking this guy, he is Yogi Berra,” said Surace.

“Casey Stengel wouldn’t start the bus until Yogi Berra got on because he is the winner. Yogi won and he said this guy wins. If this guy is on your bus, you win. The guy comes up with some really key plays. That was not an easy catch in the end zone, he had to fully lay out.”

Sophomore Beard’s superb catch on his interception proved to be a turning point in the win for the Tigers.

“That was a little bit of a boomerang of points and change of possession,” recalled Surace.

“We go from having something we feel we are very good at and they stopped us. Credit them, they submarined their defensive linemen and we didn’t get any push. On the interception, it was one hell of a diving catch by Beard. Colin had dropped one earlier that he usually catches; I think it is a good sign of confidence, you go back to guys that way.”

In the final analysis, Princeton had to live up to Orr’s words in order to subdue the Crimson.

“You tip your cap to the players, they made some plays, we made some,” said Surace.  “We have played Harvard 10 times since I have been here and, take away a few of them, most of the games have been like this. You have a respect and you tip your cap to the opponent. You respect them because they are giving their all and we are giving our all and it is win or lose. As a competitor, this is what you are living for.”