Cornell football 2024

[Local Motion]

I am sure new head coach Dan Swanstrom will have some growing pains with Cornell football, but he's both an experienced head coach and offensive coodinator.  One of the reasons he has seven quarterbacks as those are usually the best athletes on most high school teams and are often converted to other positions like WR, TE, and Safety in college.  See roster article below.

In terms of Schoellkopf Field, I am hopeful the new coach wants to make some upgrades like bringing back the West Stands.   Obviously they do not need to be 4,000 seats, but during Swanstrom's tenure at Penn they completely renovated Franklin Field and it's beautiful.   One of my suggestions for the West Stands is a smaller set up with an awning for rainy football and lacrosse games.   Having an awning over a new West Stands would also help lacrosse when the weather is often wet in March and April.  I have sat through too many drizzely lacrosse games over the years at Schoellkopf.   Besides Cornell clearly needs those West Stands seats for graduation.   Having an awning on a hot Memorial Day weekend would also cool our admins.   Go Big Red!  



https://cornellbigred.com/news/2024/9/9/cornell-football-adds-26-to-2024-roster.aspx

https://cvmprofessional.com/news/cvm-continues-franklin-field-rehabilitation/

[Swampy]

Part 3 of the Sun's interview with Coach Swanstrom has been posted.

Of the three parts, I found this one most informative. He makes it very clear that the returning players were never taught how to prepare at a level appropriate for the Ivy League:

We got to get bigger, we got to be stronger. [We] gotta get more explosive, gotta get faster. You know, there's some decent athletic pieces in the program. But overall as a program, we're just behind with our strength. We're behind with the development in our bodies and you see it with some of the injuries that we're going through. And we're a very banged up football team. But a big part of why we're banged up is because the development of our players isn't where it needs to be to compete in this league. And so these players got beat up playing the game because they weren't in the shape that they needed to be to compete at that level.
...

Until our guys develop their strength, until they develop their endurance, their conditioning, until they develop their explosiveness, it's going to be a challenge

You can't accomplish this physical kind of training overnight or at the last minute. If you start just before the season starts, you're not ready for the season. So, we're probably looking at 2025 before we even begin to see much improvement. OTOH, he seems to have the right attitude.

The interview reminds me of an interview with a Yale lacrosse player the year they won the natty. He said players, especially underclassmen, were required to send photos of their meals to team captains. In turn, the captains would police the team's diet: "John, that pizza with french fries is not how this team eats." Without even this level of knowledge among the seniors, Swanstrom might have to have the photos sent to him or the other coaches for a while.

[Ken711]

Part 3 of the Sun's interview with Coach Swanstrom has been posted.

Of the three parts, I found this one most informative. He makes it very clear that the returning players were never taught how to prepare at a level appropriate for the Ivy League:

We got to get bigger, we got to be stronger. [We] gotta get more explosive, gotta get faster. You know, there's some decent athletic pieces in the program. But overall as a program, we're just behind with our strength. We're behind with the development in our bodies and you see it with some of the injuries that we're going through. And we're a very banged up football team. But a big part of why we're banged up is because the development of our players isn't where it needs to be to compete in this league. And so these players got beat up playing the game because they weren't in the shape that they needed to be to compete at that level.
...

Until our guys develop their strength, until they develop their endurance, their conditioning, until they develop their explosiveness, it's going to be a challenge

You can't accomplish this physical kind of training overnight or at the last minute. If you start just before the season starts, you're not ready for the season. So, we're probably looking at 2025 before we even begin to see much improvement. OTOH, he seems to have the right attitude.

The interview reminds me of an interview with a Yale lacrosse player the year they won the natty. He said players, especially underclassmen, were required to send photos of their meals to team captains. In turn, the captains would police the team's diet: "John, that pizza with french fries is not how this team eats." Without even this level of knowledge among the seniors, Swanstrom might have to have the photos sent to him or the other coaches for a while.

Cornell hired a strength coach Anthony Deckers just charge of the football program back in early March, so they have had the spring and summer to work towards the goal of getting the present class improved in the areas of strength training for this season at least.  But I agree, in 2025 you would have a whole year to improve those areas going forward.

[billhoward]

Having an awning over a new West Stands would also help lacrosse when the weather is often wet in March and April.  I have sat through too many drizzely lacrosse games over the years at Schoellkopf.   Besides Cornell clearly needs those West Stands seats for graduation.   Having an awning on a hot Memorial Day weekend would also cool our admins.   Go Big Red!  

Stands with an awning for students (and parents and alumni) during poor weather early in lacrosse season would be awesome. It need not be larger than 1,000 for early season games unless say we play Duke in February. Except then TV cameras will focus on almost, ah, nobody in the Crescent. Lacrosse really needs its own field. Other Ivies have non-football fields for both lacrosse and soccer. That could be Berman field, near the slowly approaching Meinig Field House, except Berman is the original kind of turf field: 70% Kentucky bluegrass, 30% perennial rye. And Cornell is running out of free space to build other than maybe the Schoellkopf Field parking lot.

[billhoward]

When Cornell football opens its season Sept. 21 at Colgate, it will be, obviously, Cornell's first game. Colgate will be playing its fourth game: narrow 17-14 loss to Villanova in August then a crushing 28-3 loss to then No. 5 (FCS) Villanova. Colgate jumped to an early lead Saturday (9/14) over Akron, 14-0, which is a reminder of what a terrible nickname Zips is when you're getting shut out. Even the dullest sportswriter has the first paragraph kind of figured out.

[Ken711]

When Cornell football opens its season Sept. 21 at Colgate, it will be, obviously, Cornell's first game. Colgate will be playing its fourth game: narrow 17-14 loss to Villanova in August then a crushing 28-3 loss to then No. 5 (FCS) Villanova. Colgate jumped to an early lead Saturday (9/14) over Akron, 14-0, which is a reminder of what a terrible nickname Zips is when you're getting shut out. Even the dullest sportswriter has the first paragraph kind of figured out.

Arkon 21- Columbia 17 in the second quarter.

[ugarte]

When Cornell football opens its season Sept. 21 at Colgate, it will be, obviously, Cornell's first game. Colgate will be playing its fourth game: narrow 17-14 loss to Maine Villanova in August then a crushing 28-3 loss to then No. 5 (FCS) Villanova. Colgate jumped to an early lead Saturday (9/14) over Akron, 14-0, which is a reminder of what a terrible nickname Zips is when you're getting shut out. Even the dullest sportswriter has the first paragraph kind of figured out.

Arkon 21- Colgate Columbia 17 in the second quarter.

You guys are drunk!

[Ken711]

When Cornell football opens its season Sept. 21 at Colgate, it will be, obviously, Cornell's first game. Colgate will be playing its fourth game: narrow 17-14 loss to Maine Villanova in August then a crushing 28-3 loss to then No. 5 (FCS) Villanova. Colgate jumped to an early lead Saturday (9/14) over Akron, 14-0, which is a reminder of what a terrible nickname Zips is when you're getting shut out. Even the dullest sportswriter has the first paragraph kind of figured out.

Arkon 21- Colgate Columbia 17 in the second quarter.

You guys are drunk!

Oops :-D

[Ken711]

Akron 28  Colgate 17 at the half.

[tycho]

Colgate's quarterback, Michael Brescia, is a dual-threat (not unlike Jameson Wang). Watched a couple of impressive pocket bail-outs followed by equally impressive speed from Brescia last evening against Akron. Watch for this next week if Cornell's secondary looks anything near as abysmal as last year's.

The interview with Swanstrom was interesting. Parts 2 and 3 (and particularly 3) offered a surprisingly candid assessment of the state of the program. While sobering, the silver lining is that Swanstrom has an idea of what a winning program looks and acts like, or at least a better one than the prior regime (which really had no idea at all, despite good intentions). The difficulty for Swanstrom initially will be achieving buy-in amongst the current players. A sea-shift in culture is difficult without the expectation of immediate results as a matter of basic human psychology. A turnaround, if one occurs, will take multiple years. But it is possible.

One improvement Cornell can focus on making this year is to stem the tide of losing games despite outgaining its opponents, and sometimes drastically so. Contain the big play and complete possessions -- matters, of course, of speed and strength. Going back to Swanstrom's points about culture and preparation.

Always look forward to the start of the Ivy season, in any case. GBR.

[Ken711]

Colgate's quarterback, Michael Brescia, is a dual-threat (not unlike Jameson Wang). Watched a couple of impressive pocket bail-outs followed by equally impressive speed from Brescia last evening against Akron. Watch for this next week if Cornell's secondary looks anything near as abysmal as last year's.

The interview with Swanstrom was interesting. Parts 2 and 3 (and particularly 3) offered a surprisingly candid assessment of the state of the program. While sobering, the silver lining is that Swanstrom has an idea of what a winning program looks and acts like, or at least a better one than the prior regime (which really had no idea at all, despite good intentions). The difficulty for Swanstrom initially will be achieving buy-in amongst the current players. A sea-shift in culture is difficult without the expectation of immediate results as a matter of basic human psychology. A turnaround, if one occurs, will take multiple years. But it is possible.

One improvement Cornell can focus on making this year is to stem the tide of losing games despite outgaining its opponents, and sometimes drastically so. Contain the big play -- a matter, of course, of speed and strength. Going back to Swanstrom's point.

Always look forward to the start of the Ivy season, in any case. GBR.

Colgate always seems to have Cornell's number no matter what their current record is.  Colgate looking for the 1st win of the season is going to be playing hungry for that win, and already having 4 games under their belt, while playing at home is going to be a big challenge for Cornell.  Then coming home to face a top team like Yale is going to also be a very difficult task. If we can come away with a few wins this season while at least remaining somewhat competitive in games will be a step in the right direction.  With the lack of quality depth, this team is also going to need a lot of luck to limit injuries.

[arugula]

Kind of astonishing that he called out Archer and staff.  Not sure what that says about Swanstrom and if he's going to openly attack his students.   Not a good look.  Sounds like he's lowering expectations to cover his ass. When Al Bagnoli went to Columbia he did not do that. He let the record of the prior group speak for itself.  Classy.

A win over Columbia and one out of the league sounds like a good season.

[CAS]

Imho Coach Swanstrom is being candid & appropriately trying to change the program's culture.  Given Cornell football's history, he has no need to cover his ass.  There are few expectations.  I'm excited about our new coach (& I think the team is too).

[Ken711]

Kind of astonishing that he called out Archer and staff.  Not sure what that says about Swanstrom and if he's going to openly attack his students.   Not a good look.  Sounds like he's lowering expectations to cover his ass. When Al Bagnoli went to Columbia he did not do that. He let the record of the prior group speak for itself.  Classy.

A win over Columbia and one out of the league sounds like a good season.

It's more an indictment that Andy Noel kept Archer way way way past when it was apparent he was over his head as a head coach.  The program couldn't have sunk any lower despite all the rah rah enthusiasm that Archer displayed losing year after losing year.  Case in point, losing to Princeton 66-0 during the 2018-19 season,

[tycho]

Kind of astonishing that he called out Archer and staff.  Not sure what that says about Swanstrom and if he's going to openly attack his students.   Not a good look.  Sounds like he's lowering expectations to cover his ass. When Al Bagnoli went to Columbia he did not do that. He let the record of the prior group speak for itself.  Classy.

A win over Columbia and one out of the league sounds like a good season.

It's more an indictment that Andy Noel kept Archer way way way past when it was apparent he was over his head as a head coach.  The program couldn't have sunk any lower despite all the rah rah enthusiasm that Archer displayed losing year after losing year.  Case in point, losing to Princeton 66-0 during the 2018-19 season,

And, besides, it's true. Swanstrom's comparison to his arrival at Penn in Part 2 is instructive. Through no fault of his own, the fundamentals themselves are perhaps farther behind than even he thought. That's important for a new coach to acknowledge and for observers to understand. I'd like to think Swanstrom sees this next phase for what it is -- an opportunity to more fully mold the culture of a program as he would mold it than he's previously had, but also the most significant challenge yet of his career. Swanstrom's spent a good bit of time in successful FCS programs, but his time at Cornell will be a real test. One which I think, and hope, he very much embraces.

This [team's] got more work, this one's got more work to do [in comparison to Penn]. I think there's some want to and there's some passion, but the collective group has no clue. Like, that group at Penn was well trained. They were in shape. They were ready to compete. We have much further to go.

For this upcoming season I, much like those above me, anticipate something similar to what we have seen, as Ken deftly notes. Perhaps an exciting and unexpected win sprinkled in somewhere (a la Yale in 2023).