Football Preseason Day Two: Secondary Preview
8/23/2016 5:47:00 PM | Football
Day Two Photo Gallery
NEW YORK—Columbia Football completed its second preseason practice on Tuesday afternoon at Robert K. Kraft Field.
The Lions underwent a two-hour afternoon practice which included skill drills and position group work. Following practice, players attended team, special teams and unit/position meetings. All practices are open to the public. Click here for a complete schedule of Columbia's preseason practices.
For the second day in a row, weather was sunny with temperatures in the low 80s.
Columbia will open its 2016 season on Saturday, Sept. 17 against Saint Francis U at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium (Broadway and 218th Street). Click here to purchase tickets today at gocolumbialions.com/tickets or call 888-LIONS-11.
SECONDARY PREVIEW
This is the first part of a preseason series previewing each of the 2016 Columbia Football position groups. On the second day of preseason training camp, we focus on the secondary:
Two senior starters return to provide leadership in the secondary in 2015 All-Ivy League honorable mention selection and cornerback Jared Katz, along with free safety Brock Kenyon. A preseason First Team All-Ivy League selection by College Sports Madness, Katz led the Lions with seven passes deflected last year, while also registering 39 tackles (24 solo) and one interception. Kenyon ranked fifth on the team in tackles last year with 44 total (29 solo). He also finished with four pass breakups, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Katz and Kenyon account for the majority of experience returning to the Columbia secondary as the Lions lost two starters in cornerback Matt Cahal (50 tackles) and strong safety Travis Reim (37 tackles, three interceptions) to graduation.
In addition, junior Cameron Roane is back at cornerback. Roane, who made one interception and 12 tackles in seven games, emerged as a key contributor midway through the season after missing the final three games with an injury.
A host of other players will battle for playing time at cornerback including Collin Early, Willie Peoples, Dylan Weldon and H.T. Minor. Peoples also returns from a season-ending injury and Weldon is in his first year as a cornerback. Freshmen Justin Hill and Ben McKeighan also could factor in.
At the safety positions, Landon Baty, Tyler Holmes, Jacob Young and Ryan Gilbert will all compete for starting roles. Three freshmen—Hunter Lunsford, Jonathan Webster and Michael Murphy—will also compete for playing time.
SECONDARY PERSONNEL ROSTER
Returning Starters (3)
CB-Jared Katz, SR, 6-2, 203, Manorville, N.Y.
FS-Brock Kenyon, SR, 6-1, 199, Austin, Texas
CB-Cameron Roane, JR, 6-0, 193, Durham, N.C.
Other Returnees (8)
SS-Landon Baty, JR, 5-11, 183, Mountain View, Calif.
CB-Colinn Early, JR, 5-7, 174, New Orleans, La.
SS-Tyler Holmes, JR, 6-0, 174, Virginia Beach, Va.
FS-Ryan Gilbert, SO, 6-0, 176, Bellevue, Wash.
CB-Dylan Weldon, JR, 5-9, 164, Las Vegas, Nev.
FS-Willie Peoples, SR, 6-0, 199, Cambridge, Mass.
CB-H.T. Minor, So, 5-9, 173, Woodberry Forest, Va.
SS-Jacob Young, So, 5-10, 185, Mesa, Ariz.
Newcomers (5)
CB-Justin Hill, FR, 5-9, 175, Springfield, Pa.
SS-Hunter Lunsford, FR, 6-1, 195, Elk Grove, Calif.
SS-Michael Murphy, FR, 5-11, 195, Tampa, Fa.
FS-Jon Webster, FR, 6-0, 190, Sammamish, Wash.
CB-Benjamin McKeighan, FR, 6-0, 190, Scottsdale, Ariz.
