Blog from Media Day

Here's what I typed during the media day teleconference, typos, spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, "mis-hearings," Twitter abbreviations, warts and all:

ON phone listening to classical music awaiting conference call. I wonder if Ivy had choice of "hold" music? Thankfully it's not hip-hop.

Scottie Rogers of Ivy office making introductions. Reports 4th time in 5 years Harvard is preseason favorite.

Robin Harris, executive director offering introductory remarks. Welcomes two new coaches at Princeton and Cornell.

Each speaker has 10 minutes. Intro remarks and then Q&A'S from the media.

Director of officials speaking. Two-year rules cycle. Second year of cycle. Just 2 players shoulder-shoulder on kickoff wedge.

Officials have been asked to look for signs of concussion. When player leaves for injury, can't come back even if there's a timeout.

Can't have Hi Mom, Go Ivy League on eyeblack. Also taunting can cost a touchdown. Asst. coaches can have TV in box next year.

If you have a ? for head of officials, press *1 on your keypad now. Nothing. Happened a lot with coaches last year. Not enough questions.

? on TV monitor in box. Potential for instant replay in Ivies? No. Would be an FCS decision across country.

RE: unsportsmanlike call costing a TD, does coach have recourse? No. Up entirely to the officiating crew. Won't take place until next year.

Brown coach Phil Estes up.
Lost lot of All-Ivy kids. 4 in NFL camps. Lot of skill at rcvr. RB Tronti will be back & ready. Theodosi out -ACL

Brown 5 experienced OL. Solid TE. Replace 4 DL but 1 returns who was out in '09. Several 400 benchers. Key in def. backfield. DB Cruz is key

Does your system make great QBs or is it recruiting? Estes: Both. Plus jayvee schedule. JV's undefeated last 2 years. All staff at jv game

Estes: Used to be able to look and see wins but league is such that it's not that way anymore. Well-coached league with a lot of balance.

Estes: Freshman kicker will step in and at least do KO. A problem last year. FG/PAT 2 guys had great springs. Think more settled this year.

Columbia's Norries Wilson up.
Sounds very positive. Lot of returners including some from injury. DL has to step up. Need +prod from TBs

Wilson: Depth improved such that injury won't result in major dropoff. Says lot of guys have been around this summer for 7on7's.

Columbia concerns? Kicking game was bad in 09. Recruited punter and 2 combos. Job wide open. 3 young OL but not huge ?'s.

Wilson on changes in style of play in Ivy: More spread makes it like hoop on turf. Some defenders not as athletic as kids trying to defend.

Wilson: A lot may go back to TE and power game on third and 1 or 2 or goal line.

Wilson talking about FS Adam Mehrer and LB. Alex Gross. Lauding Gross as a leader. Nice words about LB Evan Miller as well.

Cornell coach Kent Austin up.
Expectations simple. Play for one reason: to be a champion. That's our challenge and working hard to get there

Cornell coach says everyone knows coaching in the Ivy League is very, very good. ? Cornell look like CFL or Ole Miss? Blend of both.

Austin: Believes in power running game. Will also bring his CFL passing game. More creativity in that area than he had at Ole Miss.

Cornell def. scheme? A 4-3. Stop the run. In pass situations gonna get after QB. Did not do great job vs. run in 09.

Austin: Outsiders would be surprised at level of Ivy talent. Kids play hard through whistle. Coaches do great job. Outstanding league.

Austin: What about QB? Will be young and inexperienced. Talent on D a little better than on O. Rctg. class concentrated on skill.

Who's in mix at QB? Chris Amhrehin, Adam Currie leaders in spring. Frosh form CA also in mix. Chris quick arm, accurate. Adam intelligent.

Frosh fr CA Jeff Matthews. Big, good arm. Gym rat will study. Accurate. Good decision maker. But wide open. Transfer Vick tore ACL.

Buddy Teevens up.
Return lot of players w 34 frosh/soph starters or key contributors. Depth has added appreciably since new facility.

Teevens: need steady QB. mentions Patton, Kempe. New coordinators. Number of kids around this summer. Adjusted schedule.

Schedule change. Mentally a plus for our guys. Don't know much about Bucknell, Sacred Heart. Schwieger is fine. Here this summer.

McManus and where he'll play. Broke leg night b4 camp. Productive in spring at WR. Feel have QBs. Tim electric. Get ball in hands.

BT: Getting guys down field a goal. Tim, Tanner Scott, Niles Murphy. Michael Reilly. Lot of competition.

Teevens: Tough run better part of last yr. 17 games w/o win wears on you. Win over Col helped lessen pressure. More solid end of year.

Teevens: Maturing offensive line with snap time. Had to play young guys who made young mistakes. Getting win last year was important for us

Teevens: To close gap on Hvd, Penn – strength, size impt. Unmonitored drills in summer. Have to bring A game every Saturday.

On Harvard getting player like Collin Zych when HE called THEM. Harvard is Harvard. D improving w/facilities, Pres Kim, etc.

Teevens: Not going to get city guys but others want what we offer. Working hard. Had rectd. Zych but that's a battle we lost. Teevens done.

Harvard's Murphy up.
Came w/i couple of plays of another title. Bad news just weren't quite tough enough, physical enough to beat best.

First question for Harvard: Competition at QB? Despite returning 2nd team all-ivy qb will be lot of competition. Winters did good job.

Murphy: Will have Hatch, back from LSU. Good news for us. Need competition. Have to find out Hatch's decision making.

Murphy on offense: good depth at WR. Same at TE. Concern: OL with just one starter back. Def: DL could be strength of team.

Murph: 3 all-ivy caliber returnees on the DL. Depth there is foundation of defense. Any concerns about Hatch fitting in with guys?

Murph: Always a concern. Kids welcomed Hatch back but leader now is Winters. Players will support whomever gives best chance at title.

Only starting O lineman back is Brent Osborne. One of best in lg. Can be strong line but has to prove it. LT can be better pro prospect

Better than James Williams. Kevin Murphy. 6-7, 270. May be best since Matt Birk.... Hatch OK'd by NCAA 1.5 weeks ago.

Will you try 2 QB rotation after 3 consecutive QBs had pro contracts? Will do whatever needed. But Winters is No. 1 now. Will be competition

Penn's Al Bagnoli up.
Offense is deeper more experienced than it has been. Def. few graduations but lost dominant players.

Bagnoli not sure can be the same defensive team as in past but hope is a little better on offense and take pressure off. P/K both back.

Bagnoli: Nucleus for a solid team. Question how respond to death of Owen Thomas.

What about all the OL back? Young last year. 4 of 5 are back. A huge help for us. ? Contrast at QB. How does that shape up?

Bagnoli: Like where we are. Garton played 2 years. Should be a position of strength for us. Depth a help given what happened last year.

Could Lyle Marsh be 30-35 carries and get 1,000 yards? Could do it but great depth there w DiMaggio, Hampshire etc. Not sure need 30 carries

Bagnoli: Need for vertical passing attack? We have it. Lack of stability at QB's made that tough last year. Blackman, Wurst etc can do it.

Bagnoli: pieces there for good defense. Offense put points up make other team more predictable. Still try to duplicate last year. Tough task

Bagnoli: How feel about being picked second? Didn't know. DOn't pay attention to it. Seldom right. No idea how poll went. Is Harvard first?

Bagnoli on dealing with loss of Owen Thomas. Team doing well. Focused. Hopeful 4 mos separation help us. Last time in season a disaster.

Princeton coach Bob Surace.
20th reunion in spring. Exciting time to be back. Respect for Ivy League and PU football. Feel confident

Princeton: guys have worked hard. Steady improvement in spring. Watch Bengals sunday night where came from Anxious to get going.

Surace on what James Perry means to offense. Same philosophy. Off fb is about execution. Fast and physical are the key words.

Surace: transition has been great. Coaching all players, not just offense. Steve Cody a leader on the defense.

Biggest Princeton challenge? End of camp good. Can't take step back. Great energy when a new staff comes in. 5 new OL and DB all work well.

QB: Tommy Wornham has impressed. Grown during spring ball. More efficient. More accurate. Confidence, leadership solid. Command.

QB: DDrew Ellis and Andrew Dixon both have stepped up. Wornham had a challenge last year but has benefited from that.

Surace on scheduling. Would he play Rutgers? Schedule pretty set for 10 years so not something concerned with. RU now on different level.

Yale coach Tom Williams.
16 of 18 first-time starters from last year back. Feel good about progress. Installed system. Change in culture.

Williams: Some stability at QB position. I would imagine THAT will get a question and it does. Answer: Witt played FB, Brook BB. Witt solid.

Witt's position to lose. Will be competition but will get lion's share of snaps. year under belt. Confident. Great opp 2 be very successful.

Here comes question from Harvard about fake punt. Surprise. Will he take same kind of risks? Will do whatever we feel is necessary.

Folks who think that was a gamble probably have $ in a money market fund. A little bristle there, understandably.

run game: Cargill and Thomas. Feel good about those guys as a combination. Different skills. Kicking game has potential.

Yale has 8-9 starters back in kicking game. Often overlooked. ... Year's experience will make a huge difference. Watch video but not same.

Yale defense: feel good about returning guys. McCarthy back benefit as playmaker and leader. Stabilizing force. Ret. starters all positions.

To quote Bugs Bunny, Thththat's all folks.