ITHACA, N.Y. -- Seniors George L. Holm III and Jelani Taylor will serve as team captains for the 2019 season it was announced recently by David Archer '05, the Roger J. Weiss '61 Head Coach of Football. The dup will provide steadying leadership as college football celebrates its 150th season this fall.

Holm, a 6-4 offensive lineman from Richmond, Va., emerged as a starter late in the 2018 season and saw action in each of the team's 10 contests to earn his first varsity letter. Holm helped the Big Red rush for 1,561 yards and 13 touchdowns, the most rushing yards in a season since 2006 (1,821). The team allowed 18 sacks, down from 28 the previous year and the fewest by a Big Red offensive line since surrendering 17 in 2006. All of that came despite the fact that Cornell played seven teams ranked in the top 20 nationally against the run.

Taylor, a 5-11 safety from Beecher, Mich., was a first-team academic all-district selection after leading the team in tackles (72) and passes defended (nine) a year ago. He added a pair of tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Taylor has broken up 17 passes and registered 104 tackles in his last two years, including breaking up four attempts against Dartmouth in a 2017 contest - one off the school's single-game record.

Holm, Taylor and their Big Red teammates open the 2019 campaign at Marist on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 12 p.m. before beginning Ivy play the following weekend at Yale. The Big Red's home slate kicks off with the Homecoming contest against Georgetown on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field.