QB Suspended

The Valley News reports this morning that Conner Kempe, Dartmouth's starting quarterback all last season and for six games as a sophomore, has been "suspended indefinitely" for a marijuana violation. Find the story here.

With Kempe out the Big Green's practice options in the first spring under new quarterback coach Chris Rorke are junior Dan Rooney and freshmen Cole Marcoux and Andy Gay. Senior Tim McManus, a former quarterback who began playing in the wildcat formation last year, could also see time under center as could sophomore Greg Patton, who had a couple of big games rotating in at quarterback as a freshman.

*

Spring practice is/was supposed to kick off this afternoon dependent on the field conditions. As of yesterday afternoon it looked doubtful the Big Green would be able to make use of Memorial Field just yet but no decision has been made as of 9 this morning.


Several weeks ago the field was ready to go but periodic snow flurries and partial melting followed by refreezing combined to make the field a problem.
A low but icy mound covers the U and T in the Dartmouth end zone.
Efforts to clear the field included chipping, shoveling and even breaking the ice with a pickaxe.

*

The updated spring practice schedule (subject to change):

Thursday, April 7 – 4:45 p.m. (helmets)
Friday, April 8 – 4:45 p.m. (helmets)
Saturday, April 9 – 8:45 a.m. (helmets)

Tuesday, April 12 – 4:45 p.m. (full)
Thursday, April 14 – 4:45 p.m. (full)
Saturday, April 16 – 8:45 a.m. (full)

Tuesday, April 19 – 4:45 p.m. (full)
Thursday, April 21 – 4:45 p.m. (full)
Friday, April 22 – 7 a.m. (full)

Tuesday, April 26 – 4:45 p.m. (full)
Thursday, April 28 – 4:45 p.m. (helmets)
Saturday, April 30 – 10 a.m. (Spring Game)

---

The local daily had a story today about the college going before the Hanover Planning Board to pitch the plan for permanent lights on Memorial Field. While the main impetus for the initiative is being able to practice on the field late in the season after the start end of daylight savings time, the college is also hoping to play an occasional night game. From the story:

College officials commissioned a parking and traffic study that shows the impact of night football games on Hanover will be less than for daytime contests, (Deputy Athletic Director Bob) Ceplikas said.

Hanover High School, across the street from Dartmouth's Memorial Field, has been playing night games for several years.

*

The Columbia Spectator has a story about the Lions starting spring drills.

*

In a somewhat curious move, Princeton men's basketball coach Sydney Johnson has accepted the head coaching position at Fairfield. The Trentonian has a story. Johnson's move parallels that of Paul Cormier, who went from Dartmouth to Fairfield 20 years ago. He guided the Stags to a 1996 NIT appearance and a 1997 NCAA appearance before being let go after seven years and an 86-111 record.

*

The Yale Daily News has a story about the lasting impact of former hockey player Mandi Schwartz, who died Sunday morning of cancer.