This year will provide many challenges for Cornell, including the loss of the team's all-time leading passer and receiver. Still, eight of the 17 players earning a post-season CSFL honor return to lead the Big Red. Cornell also returns one of the best secondaries in the league and passing on the Big Red should prove to be a difficult task for opposing teams.

 

Offensive Backfield: With the departure of three-year starter and sprint football legend, Zak Dentes, junior Elliot Corey takes the helm as starting quarterback. Despite not being in a starting role previously, Corey has more experience and more success than many new starters. Corey has nine career touchdown passes in 59 attempts and last year, he posted a 155.02 passer rating. He will be backed up by sophomore Tim Bruhn, a versatile quarterback who is quick on his feet. D.J. Schiavetta will be taking most of the carries in 2009. Schiavetta, once a defensive player, will serve the season as one of the team's captains. Also expect junior Philip Perez to get a substantial amount of the carries. This is Perez' first year on the team, but he has quickly impressed the coaching staff. Matt Pierce, an excellent blocker, is slated to start at full back as junior. He will be backed up by sophomore Doug Famularo.

Receivers: With the departure of Michael Brennan and Josh Friedman, Corey will be counting on a new crop of talented receivers. Chris LaBerge, a senior in his first season as a starter, has excellent speed and can be the kind of big playmaker needed by the team. Last season, he caught the squad's longest reception for 61 yards. He will be joined by freshman Spenser Gruenenfelder. Standing at 6-1, Gruenenfelder will provide a lot of mismatches for opposing defenses. Senior Andrew Picciano will provide a threat from the tight end position. In just his second season with the Big Red, Picciano's size will not only help him block, but also provide a nice safety net for Corey. He will be backed up by junior Sam Aleinikoff.

Offensive Line: The Big Red returns four starters to its offensive line for the 2009 season. Last year, Cornell only allowed 12 sacks while making space in the running lane for nearly 700 yards on the ground. Michael Adler retains his position at left tackle, where he will be starting for his fourth season. He is joined by returning senior Sam Lincoln, who was named first-team All-CSFL at left guard. George Gomez, a sophomore, saw a lot of time last year as a backup and could be one of the better centers in the league. Patrick Dooley, the lone newcomer to the line, is considered one of the toughest players on the Big Red and an excellent blocker at right guard. Josh Minsky, a former player on the varsity football squad, retains his position at right tackle. Minksy is one of the best blockers on the team. Backing up the Big Red are sophomore guard Michael Porta, junior tackle Dan Konzelman, junior center Philip Shapiro, senior guard Avery Kovler, and freshman tackle John DeSantis.

Defensive Line: Cornell has had traditionally strong defensive lines, but the team lost three starters, including two All-CSFL postseason honor recipients. This year, junior Tim Kozen will have to step into a leadership role as the lone returning starting. Kozen, a member of the All-CSFL second-team, had 27 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, as a defensive end. The other defensive end is sophomore Michael Hernandez whose great speed should put a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Junior Joe Bright and sophomore Colin Lounsberry should also see a lot of time at defensive end. Bryan Murray really impressed the coaching staff, enough to earn the sophomore the starting nose tackle position. Also starting at defensive tackle is junior Matt Ferrari, who was among the team leaders with 12 assisted tackles last season. Juniors Eric Baranek and Kevin Schmidt will also see some time at tackle in 2009.

Linebackers: The heart of the defense may be Cornell's biggest strength. The linebacking duo of senior John Parke and junior Clay Hemminger should prove to be two of the best in the CSFL. Parke returns for his fourth season as a starter and looks to continue the excellence of his previous three. Last season, he led the league with 64 tackles, and he earned two CSFL Defensive Player of the Week honors and a spot on the first-team All-CSFL. Hemminger is also looking to build upon a great 2008 season. He was fifth in the league with 51 tackles and he led Cornell with six sacks. His accomplishments earned him second-team All-CSFL honors. Parke and Hemminger will be backed up by junior Ted Alexander and senior Daren Philips.

 

Defensive Backs: Opposing quarterbacks are going to have a tough time in 2009 finding an open receiver. Cornell returns two All-CSFL honor recipients, junior Pyrs Carvolth and senior Evan Levy, as the team's two primary corners. Carvolth has blazing speed which allows him to play man-to-man with some of the best receivers in the league. Levy moves back to corner from defensive end after a season that included a team-high two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. They will be joined by safeties Nick Indovina and Jeff Soffen. Indovina, a senior, returns for his second season as strong safety after a strong rookie season which included one CSFL Defensive Player of the Week award. Free safety Jeff Soffen, another returning senior starter, had nine tackles for the Big Red last year. The coaches are expecting a big season out of Soffen. Sophomore Tim Dooley and senior Robert Napolitano could also gain some experience backing up at safety.

Kicking Game: Junior Alex Perilstein joins the Big Red as the only place kicker on the roster. Although this is Perilstein's rookie season, he has gained valuable experience as the kicker for the Cornell jayvee squad the last two years. Perilstein, a former varsity walk-on, is noted for his accurate leg. John Mackintosh, one of the Big Red's most athletic and versatile players, returns as the punter. The junior could have a breakthrough year after being one of the best punters as a freshman two seasons ago when he was twice named CSFL Special Teams Player of the Week.