Four receptions for 50 yards.

Last season, that line would sum up a pretty average half for Matt Luft. After the senior wideout served as a talented understudy for star Harvard receiver and fellow Thousand Oaks High School grad Corey Mazza ’07-’08 for two years, Luft broke out on his own last season with a stellar junior campaign.

He hauled in 54 catches for 914 yards in 2008, making the All-Ivy First Team and helping the Crimson to its second-consecutive Ancient Eight championship.

But this season, Luft has been all but invisible, those four receptions and 50 yards accounting for his total statistical output. His only real highlight came in the night game against Brown two weeks ago, when he made a twinkle-toes touchdown catch in the back of the endzone.

So why has Luft suddenly fallen from prominence? A big part of it is that opposing defenses know all about him now, and they’ve been sticking their top corners on him while hounding him with double coverage.

Another factor could be the absence of graduated quarterback Chris Pizzotti ’08-’09. While junior Collier Winters has done a fine job behind center, his game revolves around short passes and long runs. Pizzotti had more of a tendency to air the ball out, and at 6’6, Luft is a prime deep-ball target.

Not to mention that Luft has been somewhat banged up—Harvard coach Tim Murphy chose to sit his No. 1 receiver last week in an essentially meaningless non-conference game against Lehigh.

But tomorrow at Cornell, Luft returns to the field, and don’t be surprised if he turns in a vintage performance. Junior Chris Lorditch has proven himself a viable option at receiver, and has been Winters’ favorite target this season. In addition, senior Mike Cook, junior Marco Ianuzzi, and sophomore Adam Chrissis—among others—have provided solid depth at the wideout position. What all this means is that the Big Red defense won’t be able to sit on Luft, and the well-rested big man should have some room to run.

Let’s make some picks for Week 4.

COLGATE (5-0) AT PRINCETON (1-2, 0-1 IVY)

These two teams faced off last night, after this column was written. Judging by how awful Princeton has been (the Tigers lost 38-0 to Columbia last week) and how Colgate has made its bones this season by destroying bad teams, you can give me the benefit of the doubt when I say that my prediction remained unchanged following the end of the game.

Prediction: Colgate 35, Princeton 20

DARTMOUTH (0-3, 0-1 IVY) AT YALE (1-2, 0-1 IVY)

In The Crimson’s football season preview issue, I picked Yale to finish second-to-last in the Ivy League this season. At the time, I was half joking, half trying to be different than everyone else. I didn’t actually think that Bulldogs were the worst team in the Ivy League (non-Dartmouth division), and I’ve picked them to win every week.

Well, maybe I should’ve stuck to my guns. Besides a guaranteed W over lowly Georgetown, Yale has been an utter disappointment. Lucky for the Bulldogs, they get the Big Green in Week 4. Dartmouth did show some life last week, losing by just six to Penn. But this is still Dartmouth we’re talking about. The last time the Big Green won a game, “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and you thought knowing the whole dance was a skill that would always come in handy.