Around the Ivy: A look at PRINCETON

PRINCETON 

Last year: 5-5 (4-3 Ivy League)

About the Tigers: Princeton will have one of the top defenses in the league and Sr. DL Caraun Reid will lead the way. Reid is a preseason candidate for FCS defensive player of the year. The 6-2, 305-pound Reid is simply a force on the defensive side for the Tigers, who ranked No. 3 in the Ivy League in scoring defense last season.

He was a second-team All-America pick last season, recording 40 tackles, including 9.5 for losses, and 5.5 sacks.

“He’s been a terrific player,” Princeton coach Bob Surace said. “Before I got the job, I watched film and you see this young freshman with a lot of talent. Every year he’s become a better player: his pass, rush, his motor, all those things have increased. What I’ve seen in his maturation is he’s becoming a leader. See him take this team under his wing – I just love to see guys grow. It’s very fulfilling.”

Reid’s return will help ease the loss of DE Mike Catapano, last year’s Bushnell Cup recipient as the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

Surace also said he likes Princeton’s depth at QB, adding there will be times when the Tigers have multiple QBs in the game at the same time. Juniors Connor Michelsen and Quinn Epperly are the top two on the depth chart.

The Tigers hope to continue to rise in the Ivy League. “We’re building,” Surace said. “You see progress the last couple of years.”