Senior quarterback Jeff Terrell completed one of the most remarkable seasons in the long and storied history of Princeton Tiger football by picking up the league’s ultimate individual honor, the Asa S. Bushnell Cup. Terrell was also one of five first-team All-Ivy selections for a Princeton football team that picked up the league’s ultimate team honor last weekend, the 2006 Ivy League championship.

Terrell joined senior punter Colin McDonough and senior cornerback J.J. Artis as unanimous first-team All-Ivy selections, while senior defensive back Tim Strickland and junior wide receiver Brendan Circle were also first-team selections. Senior defensive lineman Jake Marshall, senior linebacker Brig Walker and senior offensive lineman Kyle Vellutato were each named to the All-Ivy second team, and sophomore defensive lineman Pete Buchignani picked up All-Ivy honorable mention honors.

Terrell is the sixth player in Princeton football history to win the Asa S. Bushnell Cup, and he is only the second quarterback to win the honor for the Ivy League Player of the Year. His predecessor at the position, 1989 graduate Jason Garrett, came via The University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio. On that school’s web site is a testimonial from the newest Bushnell Cup winner, Terrell, a 2003 graduate from the University School.

Terrell will now share company with Garrett and some of the other legendary names of the Princeton football program, thanks to one of the most memorable individual performances in Orange and Black lore. Terrell completed 195 of 331 passes (58.9%) for 2,445 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he rushed for four other touchdowns, including one that will never be forgotten by any in attendance. His 2,445 passing yards rank fifth in a single season, and his 2,717 total yards (rushing and passing) rank third in a season.

Of course, Terrell’s heroics go far beyond numbers. In a season when Princeton was picked to finish sixth in the Ivy League and never led a game by more than 14 points, his poise and presence carried the Tigers to a 9-1 record. He led fourth-quarter comeback wins against Lafayette, Colgate, Harvard and Yale. He guided Princeton to overtime wins over Colgate and Penn, with the latter featuring his dramatic fourth-down touchdown run off a pitch from running back Rob Toresco.

Terrell ends his career fourth on the all-time passing list with 4,166 yards and third on the all-time total offense list with 4,759. He stands either one spot ahead or one spot behind Garrett on both lists, a fitting place for a pair of University School quarterbacks turned Princeton heroes and Bushnell Cup honorees.

Artis ended his season with nine passes defensed, including three interceptions, and 27 tackles, including 22 solo ones. The Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week after a two-interception performance against Lafayette, Artis made arguably the most athletic defensive play of the season with a diving interception in the win over Brown. His numbers might not have been as impressive as other players in the league, but the reason for that is clear based on his unanimous selection by the Ivy League coaches. He was so well-respected that teams simply stopped throwing at him, and his ability to cut off a portion of the field played a major role in the success of the defense.

The third unanimous selection was McDonough, who became the first Princeton football player ever to be named to four All-Ivy teams. McDonough led the league in punting with a 43.6-yard average, second-best all-time at Princeton and fifth-best in Division I-AA this season. His career average of 39.6 yards per punt is second-best in Tiger history. McDonough’s best performance came in the thrilling 31-28 win over Harvard, when he averaged 48.5 yards per punt and booted three kicks over 60 yards and a fourth that went 59 yards.

Strickland also completed a career honor this season; he became the only Princeton football player to ever start each game of his four collegiate seasons. The defensive back and 2005 All-Ivy selection saved his best for last, leading the nation with 17 passes defensed. Like Artis, he earned Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors after a two-interception performance against Lehigh, and he finished third on the team with 46 tackles, including 31 solo stops. Strickland and Artis have been starters since their freshman seasons and were at their best in the second half against Yale, when Princeton completed its most dramatic comeback in a season filled with. Both were assigned to man coverage with little help as the Tigers stuffed the box to contain the run, and both were near perfect in those final 30 minutes. Strickland ends his career with 12 interceptions and 43 passes defensed.

The only first-team selection who will return next season will be Circle, who led the Ivy League with 83.5 receiving yards per game and finished second in both receptions per game (5.7) and touchdown receptions (7). Circle shined in the biggest games, catching two touchdowns apiece in the wins over Penn and Yale and catching the winning touchdown in the final five minutes against Harvard. His best game came in the 34-31 win over Ivy co-champ Yale, when he caught 12 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns and added a two-point conversion catch. His 56 catches this season rank ninth-best all-time at Princeton, and he will enter his senior season tied for 12th on the all-time Tiger receptions list with 78.

Leading the second-team All-Ivy selections is Walker, who led the Ivy League with four forced fumbles this season, including a dramatic one in the season finale against Dartmouth. Walker, the only linebacker with starting experience entering the season, served as both a team leader and playmaker on the defense and tied for the Princeton team lead with 52 tackles. His 11 tackles for loss also gave him a team high, and his 28 solo tackles were second only to Strickland.

Marshall was a force on the defensive line, especially early in the season before injuries really began to take their toll. He finished the season with 35 tackles, including five for losses, and was the leader of a dominant three-man front. His toughness was shown clearly in the final game, when, despite nagging back injuries, he ran down a screen pass from well behind to keep Dartmouth out of scoring range. Marshall had a sack and a pass breakup during the season as well.

The lone All-Ivy player from the offensive line was Vellutato, who made the most of his first year as a starter. After missing the 2005 season with an injury, Vellutato was viewed as the leader on the line and helped guide a highly inexperienced offensive front to a season that would end with Princeton ranked first in passing offense and total offense and third in scoring offense. Vellutato started all 10 games at right guard and teamed with freshman Mark Paski to protect Terrell’s blindside all season.

Buchignani earned All-Ivy honorable mention after serving as another key figure on the defensive line. He finished with 27 tackles, including five for losses, and added a sack and a pass breakup in his second season. With the likes of Tom Methvin and Matt Koch returning, Buchignani will be a leading force on a strong defensive line for the next two years.