MAKING HIS MARK: Princeton University football player Marco Scarano surveys in the action in a 2024 game. Senior linebacker and co-captain Scarano, a second-team All-Ivy League selection last fall, was recently named as one of the top 25 FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) returning linebackers according to HeroSports’ Sam Herder. Scarano and the Tigers kick off their 2025 season by hosting the University of San Diego (1-2) on September 20. (Photo by Sideline Photos, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)
By Bill Alden
During his sophomore season with Princeton University football team in 2023, linebacker Marco Scarano benefitted from great role models.
“We had some great linebackers, Liam Johnson, Ozzie Nicholas, and Will Perez, they were great mentors for me,” said Scarano. “It was learning from them and how they got to where they got and using that to up my game has been huge for me. I can’t thank those guys enough.”
Applying those lessons, Scarano produced a breakout season that fall, making 35 tackles, including five for a loss, adding a sack, two passes defended and a forced fumble.
In 2024, Scarano built on that progress, contributing 68 tackles, 11.5 for loss, adding four passes defended and a forced fumble as he earned second-team All-Ivy League honors.
“The coaches helped with that a lot with the little things,” said Scarano. “I focused on the process, not getting too worried about stats or anything like that. It is about what you do day in, day out and everything will work out and it did. It is just work really hard and the plays will be made from there.”
Heading into his senior season, Scarano is looking to be a mentor in the mold of Johnson, Nicholas, and Perez.
“That is what I am trying to be this year for the younger guys and hopefully pass along that lineage,” said Scarano, who was elected as one of the team captains this fall along with fellow seniors Blaine Hipa, Nasir Hill, and Kai Colon. “I am excited to have a bigger leadership role on the team. We have good guys in our senior class; being that group of guys that helps set a standard is really important for us. I think being in that role is going to be important for the entire team and especially for me. I take a lot of pride in it.”
Scarano also takes a lot of pride in his commitment to fitness.
“Conditioning is huge, if you are tired on the field, you are never going to make plays,” said Scarano, a 6’0, 200-pound native of Berlin, Conn. “I worked on speed and physicality. I gained some weight because I will be playing a little bit inside and outside this year. All aspects of my game can get better so it is just focusing on everything and trying to be the best player that I can be.”
Princeton head coach Bob Surace will tell you that Scarano’s conditioning and athleticism made him a legend at Avon Old Farms (Conn.) during his scholastic career.
We were at his high school recruiting in the spring…their coach says we have levels of how we grade guys with five being the highest level, except for Marco,” said Surace. “Marco was the standard since he left; they have had nobody to reach that level. That is their highest standard. You are like this guy is really, really special in how he thinks about things.”
The Tigers are looking to raise their standard of play this fall after going 3-7 overall and 2-5 Ivy in 2024.
“You have got to learn from your mistakes,” said Scarano. “A lot of the guys that played last year are back and learned from what happened last year. Everybody is excited about all of the different work we put in the summer and the offseason. We are ready to just show it on the field.”
Princeton is excited about the decision by the Ivy League to allow its teams to participate in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs.
“I don’t think it really changes much for us, we are focused on the day to day and what we are doing in practice,” said Scarano. “We are focused on the process. It is super exciting that we can do that now and show our talent on national television to a national audience.”
Scarano is already on the radar nationally as he was recently named as one of the top 25 FCS returning linebackers by HeroSports.
“It is definitely good to have your hard work be recognized and stuff like that,” said Scarano. “But it is preseason and everything needs to get foretold. I focus on making plays and hopefully everything works out.
In assessing the Princeton defensive unit, Scarano believes it will make a lot of big plays this fall.
“We have a lot of guys returning,” said Scarano. “We have a lot of versatility, a lot of guys can move around. We have a lot of speed on defense. I am really excited for the different things we can do and the different looks and just the amount of guys that are going to contribute and the love on the team. We talk about the great love, discipline and sacrifice on our team for our core values. Our defense really embodies those. Guys are really bought in. I think that is going to show on the field.”
Surace, for his part, points to Scarano’s versatility as a key plus in his game.
“He started the year last year at SAM (strong-side linebacker) and was playing as well as any guy at that position in the league,” said Surace. “We had a lot of injuries at inside backer and it culminated in the Thursday before the Dartmouth game. We had a guy who was dealing with a season-ending illness and we go in after practice and say we have to move Marco. He learned the defense that night and played the Dartmouth game. I think he had 12 tackles with one day of practice at that position. He is a really good athlete. We are hybriding him with some SAM as outside backer and some inside backer just because of the depth inside.”
Looking ahead to this season, Scarano believes that he and Chase Christopher, an honorable mention All-Ivy choice last fall, are poised to make a lot of tackles this fall from the backer spot.
“Me and Chase work well together; we played the last few games together when I moved inside,” said Scarano. “Chase is a great player, I am excited to see what he does this year. I know he has been working super hard. We are trying to help each other and just build on each other’s momentum in a sense. Him making plays, me making plays.”
With Princeton kicking off its 2025 season by hosting the University of San Diego (1-2) on September 20, Scarano is chomping at the bit to get going.
“We went to San Diego as a sophomore; it was a great trip and I am excited to see them here,” said Scarano. “We are not focused on them, we are just focusing on how we can get better day in and day out. I am super excited for the season and the opponents that we have. We are going to take it week-by-week and focus on San Diego when that week comes.”