Colgate Gets Hammered

Season-opening opponent Colgate got whomped by Stony Brook, 42-26, in its first game Saturday but don't get the wrong idea. All it means is that the Raiders won't be unbeaten when Dartmouth goes to Hamilton, N.Y., in 20 days. It doesn't mean they aren't any good for a few reasons:

• Colgate was playing without All-America tailback Jordan Scott, suspended for the opener.
• Starting quarterback Alex Relph completed just one of two passes before being lost with an ankle injury midway through the first quarter.
• Colgate is a notorious slow-starter under coach Dick Biddle, who always brings the team around.
  
• Stony Brook, which has joined the Big South, is an up-and-comer with 63 scholarships.

Still, it's hard to ignore the fact that Colgate gave up 42 points and 444 yards of offense (Game stats) and you can't really blame that on Scott and Relph, who don't play defense. On the other hand, the absence of the two standouts handcuffed Colgate's ball-control attack, allowing SBU more opportunities with the football.

In the final analysis, Dartmouth fans shouldn't put too much stock in the fact that Colgate lost the game, but some stock in the fact that they didn't win it over an improving opponent. If that makes any sense ;-)

Dartmouth's other two non-league opponents open next Saturday. Holy Cross will be the underdog against a very talented and experienced UMass team that is among the favorites to win the FCS national championship this year. New Hampshire visits an Army squad that took a beating from Temple. Colgate will be back in action as well, playing host to Furman.

Harvard has a report on its annual media day with links to audio from select players. ... Crimson lineman Carl Ehrlich has another edition of his entertaining blog. He tells of a 7-foot-9, 340-pound defensive end named Ivan Itchndakilya. You might say he was s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the truth a little bit ;-)

The Brown Daily Herald is back up and running and has a short story on the football team down in Providence. Find it here.

I looked around this morning expecting to find some reaction to the Tennessee Titans cutting Dartmouth grad Casey Cramer. It's not that he was an impact player on the field, but he clearly made an impact in the community and with the reporters covering the team, who enjoyed talking with him. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a note or two during the coming week. And as I said yesterday, I'd be surprised if Casey doesn't get another shot in another NFL city. For a bio of Casey on Wikipedia, already updated with his being cut if you can believe it, click here.

Check Green Alert Premium this evening for a report on today's Dartmouth practice.