Princeton's field general directing plays for different sports

If Princeton quarterback Matt Verbit isn't the most gifted athlete in the Ivy League, he may certainly be the busiest.

That's because when the football season ends, Verbit exchanges his shoulder pads for gym sneakers as a guard for the school's basketball team.

"It's not easy," Verbit said of his double duties. "I take a couple of weeks off after football to get ready for basketball."

But while the multitalented Verbit fills a somewhat modest reserve role for hoops coach John Thompson, he's emerged as the offensive linchpin for a resurgent Princeton football program.

When then-junior signal caller Dave Splithoff was injured against Harvard last year, Verbit assumed the reins of the Orange and Black offense. His first career start -- on a snowy afternoon at Cornell's Schoellkopf Field, where the Tigers hadn't won in a decade -- was a tumultuous one.

The Tigers battled both the Big Red and the adverse weather conditions in the first half, allowing a blocked punt, a safety and three fumbles. They trailed at the break, 25-10. Things did not improve in the third stanza, as the snow accumulated and Verbit's offense continued to stall.

But Verbit negotiated the Tigers down the field on the first drive of the fourth quarter, scoring on a quarterback keeper and cutting the deficit to eight. After the defense twice denied a Big Red response, Verbit rallied the Tigers. He drove them 61 yards down the field for another touchdown, then tied the game himself by running for the two-point conversion.

Verbit's touchdown pass in overtime to receiver Blair Morrison sealed the Princeton comeback -- and served as the Newtown, Pa., native's effective coronation. In the fourth quarter and overtime, he was 8-for-14 for 93 yards and a touchdown, and rushed twice for 13 yards and the key conversion.

In the last game of the 2002 season, Verbit repeated his 11th-hour heroics -- leading the Tigers to another fourth quarter comeback victory over Dartmouth. Verbit's two wins after assuming the starting job helped the Tigers claim their first winning season since 1997.

So it was understandable that hopes were high for this season.

But the breaks that fell Princeton's way in 2002 have eluded the Tigers this fall. Both of the Tigers' losses in the league have come on the game's final play.

It looked as if Princeton was headed to overtime on Oct. 4 against lowly Columbia, who had not won at Princeton since 1945. The teams were tied at 27 with just seconds remaining. But Columbia's Wade Fletcher snatched down an improbable Hail Mary touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Otis -- a 49-yard connection with no time remaining.

Against league power Harvard, Verbit had a career afternoon, completing 18-of-34 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. But the game was tied, 37-37, at the end of regulation. Princeton's offense went first in the extra period, but could muster only a Derek Javarone field goal. Harvard's Garrett Schires hit Rodney Byrnes on a crossing pattern in the end zone to win the game.

Following the defeat, Harvard coach Tim Murphy greeted the Tigers in the tunnel -- and told them that they deserved to win the game.

"It's not good," Verbit said of his teams' near misses. "We feel like we played pretty good in a couple games and lost. We haven't made the plays we've needed to make to win the games."

But despite their hard luck, the Tigers are still -- mathematically -- alive in the championship picture.

With Saturday's victory against Cornell, Princeton moved into a tie for fourth place in the Ancient Eight standings. Three games remain in the season, and the Tigers sit two games behind the undefeated Quakers.

If the Tigers can spoil Penn's Homecoming this weekend, Princeton would pull within a single game of the current league leaders and defending champions.

However, they face a daunting task. Penn has won 12 consecutive Ivy League contests -- and 21 of its last 22.

"We've positioned ourselves alright," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "You play the games and try to control your own destiny so you don't need anyone to help you. So far we've been able to accomplish that."

It's clear, however, even beyond its importance in the standings, that the Penn-Princeton game means a little more.

"I think there's always a great rivalry between Princeton and Penn," Verbit said. "Every year our team and their team gets up for the game."

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