NOTEBOOK: Defensive Line Dominates During Second Half

NEW YORK—The Harvard defensive line looked like the dominant Crimson unit of a year ago during the team’s 27-12 win over Columbia on Saturday, as the front four punished the Lions offensive line to the tune of six sacks for 40 lost yards and a net rushing total of -5 yards for Columbia.

Captain defensive end Brad Bagdis and junior defensive tackle Carl Ehrlich had two sacks apiece, while junior defensive end Peter Ajayi and junior linebacker Eric Schultz added one each.

The amount of Harvard pressure increased substantially after halftime. Five of the six sacks came in the final two quarters, when the Lions ran for -32 net yards on the ground.

“We came out after halftime, and Coach [Carlton] Hall, our defensive line coach, just laid the challenge out there and said, ‘You guys gotta have a better second half,’” Bagdis said. “I think athletically we were a little more prepared than they were, and we weren’t using our advantages in the first half.”

The most telling sequence came early in the fourth quarter. With the Crimson holding onto a 20-6 lead, Columbia completed with a 38-yard pass that took the team deep into Harvard territory. The ensuing two plays were an Ajayi sack and an Ehrlich sack that caused a fumble that was recovered by Ajayi.

“The first half, these guys were really kicking our butts good,” Ajayi said. “But that second half we managed to finish some plays and took things a step further.”

The turnover set up the fourth of the Crimson’s touchdown drives.

“The quarterback had not a lot of time to throw against a defensive line that probably has the best get-off of any defensive line that we’ve faced this year,” said Lions head coach Norries Wilson.

SITTING DUCK

Though he was outgained through the air by almost 60 yards by the opposing quarterback, senior Chris Pizzotti had his most accurate outing of the season, completing nearly 80 percent of his passes for 217 yards, one score, and no turnovers.

The 23-of-29 performance came against a Columbia defense that allows the fewest passing yards per game in the Ivy League—a misleading stat considering that the Lions are dead-last in rush defense.

“Our receiving corps stepped up big today—they were just in the right spot,” Pizzotti said. “For as many times as I dropped back today, I didn’t get touched, really, which is a great credit to our offensive line. I think one of the keys is just being able to stand in the pocket and have confidence that no one’s really coming after me.”

The only hits he took all day came when he tucked the ball in to run. Pizzotti carried the ball eight times for 11 yards and scored a touchdown on a quarterback sneak early in the third quarter.

“We’ve got to find a way to get more pressure on the quarterback,” Wilson said.

DRY AND MIGHTY

Sharp winds and heavy rain beset Cambridge most of Saturday afternoon, but the storm barely missed New York, marking the second straight week when the forecast called for worse weather than actually occurred.

The swirling winds in Wien Stadium, however, did make things difficult for sophomore punter Thomas Hull, who averaged just 31.7 yards on seven kicks.

Both teams’ kickers, Patrick Long and Jon Rocholl, missed extra points.

Harvard head coach Tim Murphy stopped short of blaming any of his team’s deficiencies on Mother Nature.

“It wasn’t [a factor],” he said. “If you look at the forecast, you’re ready for these hurricane winds and torrential rains, so you get that psychology in your mind and you come out...and it’s pretty typical for [the Columbia game].”

EXTRA POINTS

The league’s top two rookies faced off in the first meeting between Lions linebacker Alex Gross and Crimson running back Gino Gordon. Both have won multiple Ivy Rookie of the Week awards this year, and Gross had the better outing on Saturday, registering 10 tackles while Gordon, who left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury, was held to just 34 total yards...Senior wideout Corey Mazza bounced back from a one-catch outing last week, making nine grabs for 96 yards and a score in the win. With two games to go, he’s now just one score shy of tying the team record for career touchdown catches...A Cincinnati Bengals scout was in attendance for the first half. Former Crimson great Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 is currently the backup quarterback in Cincinnati.

—Staff writer Malcom A. Glenn can be reached at mglenn@fas.harvard.edu.