While those programs seem completely dissimilar and are hard to imagine working in unison at first glance, the final product is simple—an aggressive defense that brings the pressure straight at an opposing offense.

In keeping with his high level of competitive energy, Shoop is willing to take chances to procure victory.

“[When] he coached for Carm, Bobby always wanted to onside kick on the first play of the game,” Siedlecki said. “Kids buy into that. He’s willing to take some risk.”

Sure enough, Shoop tried to steal the ball right out from under the Bulldogs’ nose on the opening kickoff last weekend.

That is what Shoop’s defense is all about—calculated risk. With a defensive corps that lacks the talent and depth to just sit back and wait to respond to what an opposing offense presents, Columbia has been transformed into a squad that brings the pressure and brings it often.

“They play a lot of two-deep coverage,” Princeton coach Roger Hughes said. “He does a great job of working his scheme to the talent of the players he has. He [isn’t] putting kids in positions where they can’t make plays.”

Instead, with his style of four-three defense, he’s putting them in a position where they can’t help but make them.

“They’re playing with a lot of blitz and a lot of blitz stuff coming out of the secondary,” Siedlecki said. “They’re trying to do a lot of movement up front. He’s got them playing and they’re making some plays.”

Though the chances of being burned deep with single coverage dramatically increase, on balance the rewards the Lions are reaping have more than covered the cost of the damage.

“I’m sure they’ve created more turnovers than they have over the last couple of years,” Siedlecki said. “The one thing they haven’t done is created interceptions. But they have created a lot of fumbles.”

The assertiveness of his defense, however, has not been unleashed haphazardly thus far, but has been complemented by the meticulousness which Shoop brings to the program.

“There’s not a stone unturned,” Skrosky said. “We’re 2-5 and on a little slide, but there’s no question we’re a better program.”

Described as the first one in the office in the morning and the last one out that evening, Shoop has thrown more than his full weight behind propelling Columbia back towards respectability. From rehabilitating winter workouts from their joke status prior to his arrival, to walking through the first practice with his team in the Dodge Fitness Center, to making sure somebody’s in charge of socks at practice, minutiae are Shoop’s priority.

“He’s obviously very bright,” Skrosky said. “He does his homework and everything. I don’t think he’s ever unprepared for anything.”

And that has trickled down not only to his team’s performance on the field, but also to the way in which both players and coaching staff carry themselves.