Here We Go

With the NFL Draft kicking off Thursday evening, there figure to be lots of Delby Lemieux notes this week, but we start today with a very brief look at Dartmouth spring practice at the midway point in a posting from the athletic communications office HERE.

(Here's hoping you already checked the detailed BGA Overtime story after Saturday's practice HERE.)

Now on to the Lemieux news.

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What's left of the venerable Sporting News has a piece headlined NFL Draft sleepers: The best FCS, HBCU & small-school players you should know in 2026. The posting names 10 players, and Lemieux is one of the 10. From the post (LINK):

7. Delby Lemieux, OL, Dartmouth
Offensive lineman Delby Lemieux was a three-time All-Ivy League selection at Dartmouth and a two-time All-American, leading to his invitation to the 2026 Senior Bowl. He would be the first Dartmouth player drafted to the NFL since 2004, when Casey Cramer was selected.

Over his time in college, Lemieux played in 35 games, with 30 pressures allowed, three sacks allowed and a 3.1% pressure rate. He's best fit for an interior role despite playing tackle at Darmouth, technically sound but with the strength and technique to create running lanes well.

Lemieux's pass protection is a concern, despite his 305-pound frame and athleticism. He is the No. 36 consensus interior offensive lineman on the board, per NFL Mock Draft Database.

"Lemieux is very athletic and will have no issues as a pulling center or in getting to his landmarks on outside zone," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote of Lemieux. "He’s low-cut and can fit up blocks with leverage but needs to add more bulk."

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The Analyst has a piece headlined FCS Football in the 2026 NFL Draft: Who, What and Everything You Need to Know that lists Key FCS Prospects in 2026 NFL Draft. The posting takes a look at 26 prospects, with Lemieux ranked 16th. From the story (LINK):

Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth, OG/C (6-5, 305)
• Consensus Big Board Ranking: 397
• 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America First Team
• Allowed only three sacks in 950 career pass-blocking snaps, per FCS Football Central.

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An ESPN piece headlined 2026 NFL draft rankings: Jordan Reid's top 499 prospects has Lemieux as one of 60-plus players given a "sixth-round" grade. It has him listed at No. 311 overall. He is not among the site's top 15 centers. (LINK)

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It's never too early to start thinking about next season. Chuck Burton, the guru of Lehigh Football Nation, offers a few thoughts on Dartmouth's Week One opponent after the Mountain Hawks' spring game HERE. He has high praise for the team's defense and one receiver in particular, and doesn't sense any hangover from last year's 12-1 season and No. 9/10 national ranking.

HERO Sports has a piece headlined FCS Spotlight: Lehigh RB Luke Yoder that takes a look at the returning All-America tailback who has run for 3,067 yards and 30 touchdowns in 35 career games HERE. 

What the story does not mention is Yoder will be joined this fall by sophomore Trey Tremble, who ran for 3,361 yards, had 1,232 receiving yards and scored 65 touchdowns as a first-team, all-state selection in nearby Allentown. He has transferred to Lehigh after beginning his career at Army West Point.

The HERO piece ends this way:

Richard Nagy was promoted to head coach after three years as Lehigh’s defensive coordinator.

With a new head coach, plus the additions of William & Mary and 2025 semifinalist Villanova to bolster the league’s depth, can the Mountain Hawks remain atop the Patriot?

There is still a strong core of standouts returning to challenge at the top, including Yoder, quarterback Hayden Johnson, offensive linemen Aidan Palmer and Langston Jones, tight end Joseph Marranca, and safety Nick Peltekian.

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EXTRA POINT
With the temperature topping 70 degrees last week, I broke out the flip-flops I live in all summer and set this up . . . a little prematurely, I suppose. This was early in the day and the stuff kept coming . . .

These poor things hung in there the best they could:

Spring Ahead

Courtesy of Dartmouth's social media:

Perfect day for some Spring 🏈 #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods pic.twitter.com/ZVrTgC8Bcn

— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) April 18, 2026

For an overview of spring practice at the midway point, check out last night's BGA Overtime posting HERE.

Editor's Note: While at practice I had a chance to chat on the sidelines with Don Dobes, Dartmouth's recently retired defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Keep an eye out for a BGA Overtime story where the Ivy League coaching veteran explains the role he had in helping identify his successor, why now was the right time for him to stop away, and how he'll be spending his time this fall.

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One of Don Dobes' former players is back in the game. Linebacker Macklin Ayers '24, is playing for the United Football League's DC Defenders. Ayers, who grad transferred to UMass, has appeared in three games for the 3-1 DC team, posting nine tackles and recovering a fumble. He recorded five solo tackles one week ago in a 45-7 win over the Houston Gamblers.

Ayers, listed at 6-foot-3 while at Dartmouth and UMass, is listed as 6-1 on the Defenders' roster. (LINK)

Also, former Princeton defensive back Blake Williams is the DC defensive coordinator.

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While we are at it, a little Googling turned up an interesting video with Ayers running a non-football player through one of his offseason workouts. It was a bit of an eye-opener for his workout partner and may be for you as well. So you aren't confused, Macklin is the bigger guy with the white sleeves. ;-)

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EXTRA POINT
The saying is that mountains make their own weather and many times we've seen that happen with the only clouds in the sky visible from our Vermont hillside home hovering over Mount Moosilauke. Yesterday clouds on the mountain made it almost look like a volcano.

We Know Those Guys

From a pre-NFL Draft story about Josiah Green, the former Dartmouth defensive line standout who played last fall at Duke (LINK):

The Dartmouth transfer had the second most pressures in 2025 among all defensive tackles and was Duke’s “Hard Hitter” award winner. Green really caught the attention of scouts at his pro day. He was not invited to the combine, but he did had a spectacular performance at his workout. His 36 bench reps would have been second among all players at the combine and his 10-yard split, his three cone and his shuttle would have been first among all defensive tackles at the combine and his broad jump would have been second.

And the bottom line from the piece:

Green is probably a a late-round prospect. He’d be worth a shot in the sixth round.

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Another DJ Crowther story out of the Tampa Free Press quotes the former Dartmouth tailback now at South Florida talking about Buddy Teevens (LINK):

"Coach T had a real impact on me and has a special place in my heart,” said Crowther, whose full name is Darius Crowther Jr. “He was really personable. He was genuine and always cared about you as a person on and off the field. I remember he always preached about life after football. You were more than just a football player.” 

And the piece includes this about the onetime Big Green back's future:

Crowther is far, far more than just a football player. He enrolled in a master’s program (entrepreneurship) at USF and may opt for real estate when it is time to hang up his helmet.

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Look who is featured in this photo from the True North:

 No. 7 is former Dartmouth standout Flo Orimolade '17, listed on the top line of the depth chart at defensive end for the Calgary entry in the Canadian Football League.

Unfortunately, that depth chart is probably a little premature. Orimolade, who missed the entire 2019 season with a quadriceps injury and seven games in 2021 with a high ankle sprain, is trying to make his way back from a torn Achilles suffered last September.

The Stamps open training camp on May 10 and have their first preseason game one month from today. They open the season June 5. From the story (LINK):

Here’s hoping Folarin Orimolade can return from a season-ending Achilles injury and be his normal, explosive self.

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A reminder that I’ll be at practice this morning and will have a story up on BGA Overtime tonight wrapping up the first half of the spring football season. 

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EXTRA POINT
It's only about three minutes from our driveway to the trailhead where I park before heading up the mountain every day, and I should not have turned the radio for the short drive yesterday. You are not going to be happy with me when I tell you what I heard. It was this:

1-877-Kars for Kids

K-A-R-S Kars for Kids

1-877-Kars for Kids

DoNATE your car today

I apologize if you can't unhear it now.

For what it's worth, the Kars4Kids website has a history of the jingle. From that posting (LINK):

Some love it, some profess to hate it and it’s become an art to rail creatively against it, but one thing is certain: all who hear the Kars for Kids jingle remember it.

One more thing. Mrs. BGA crushes me all the time for getting song lyrics wrong. Unfortunately, this is one jingle I can't forget. 

Grad Transfers In The News

Dartmouth football wraps up its first two weeks of spring practice tomorrow before the coaches head out for a week of recruiting. Then it's back on the practice field for two more weeks. Be sure to check out BGA Overtime tomorrow evening for a look at spring practice at the halfway point.

If you missed last night's post centered around rebuilding an offensive line that graduated four starters, you can find it HERE.

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Ivy League grad transfers are a horse of a different color to the media covering a lot of FBS schools. Here are two examples featuring Dartmouth alums:

From this Tampa Bay 28 story (LINK):

Thursday, the USF football team held one more practice before Sunday’s spring game at Corbett Stadium. One Bulls running back took a unique path to Tampa, where he looks to find continued success.

Northern California-native D.J. Crowther played his first four years of college football at Dartmouth. He graduated early from the Ivy League school while playing a sport, a feat he attributes to prioritizing his schedule.

"I would say the biggest thing is just time management. You gotta learn how to manage your time," Crowther explained after practice. "Be the best football player you can be, and also being the best student you can be."

More from the story: 

"Really good downhill back. Smart. Never really gets flustered. Not a very emotional guy. Centered. When he makes a mistake, moves on," (USF coach Brian) Hartline said. "He’s very mature. He’s doing a really good job of building his basis of trust and competitive excellence. Making the play when the ball’s in his hands. The more and more he can keep building that, the more and more the team will continue to trust him as well."

The story includes a video with comments from the former Big Green back.

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And then there's this one:

A Wyoming Tribune Eagle story begins this way:

Thaddeus Gianaris is a big fan of physical science.

The 6-foot-2, 244-pound defensive end transferred to the University of Wyoming in January after earning a bachelor’s degree in astronomy at Dartmouth. While he was a star in the classroom, Gianaris also earned All-Ivy League honors last fall with 44 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks.

Gianaris comes to Laramie with 76 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, nine sacks and four pass breakups during his four-year career with the Big Green.

From the story (LINK):

Gianaris credits longtime Dartmouth defensive coordinator Don Dobes for his development in the Ivy League. Dobes is going into his 45th year as a college coach.

"He did a really good job with me," Gianaris said. "He recruited me back in high school, brought me in, and I was in need of a little bit of discipline as a player. Coach Dobes definitely helped with that. I have a lot to thank him for."

And . . .

As far as goals, Gianaris wants to continue his winning ways in Laramie after earning Ivy League titles twice at Dartmouth.

"I'd love to be an all-conference player," Gianaris said. "That's kind of what I'm shooting for now. As an individual, that's my goal. As a team, I want that (conference) championship. I want another ring. I'm hungry for it.

""I got two already during my time at Dartmouth, so I want to keep it going. I'm not here to lose. I'm here to compete. I'm here to win. That's what I'm about."

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Regarding Tuesday's post (LINK) about Villanova seeking a waiver to allow a QB who began his career at Kent State before playing at Mississippi Gulf Coast, Nicholls State and Villanova to have a second grad transfer year at Villanova, an emailer shared that the Patriot League grandfathered in eligible grad transfers from its new CAA members. Otherwise, the league has not changed its stance on grad transfer participation.

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The Analyst has a story attempting to answer the question, Who Are the Best FCS NFL Draft Picks in Every Round Over the Last 10 Years? Turns out, two of them are from the Ivy League and, interestingly, both are from Yale. From the column (LINK):

Round 5 (26 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Jackson Hawes, Yale/Georgia Tech, TE – Buffalo Bills (2025, pick 173)
In his 2025 rookie season, Hawes rewarded the Bills in blocking and pass-catching situations. While not all of his contributions showed up in box scores, he had 16 receptions, including 13 that went for first downs, for 189 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills led the NFL in rushing and were just one of five teams to have three tight ends with at least 16 catches.

Round 6 (25 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Foyesade Oluokun, Yale, LB – Atlanta Falcons (2018, pick 200)
Talk about late-round value, Oluokun was the NFL leader in total tackles in 2021 (an NFL-record 192 over a 17-game regular season with the Falcons) and 2022 (184 with the Jaguars) and led in solo tackles in both 2022 (128) and 2023 (111, Jaguars) while compiling the third-most overall stops (1,062) since he entered the league in 2018.

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EXTRA POINT
Were you tempted to take part in the Joe's Pond "ice-out" contest after learning about it in the BGA Extra Point a couple of years ago HERE? In case you are wondering when the cinder block that unplugs the alarm clock fell in the Vermont pond, here's your answer:

For the record,it was ice out at Joe's Pond one. year ago on this day at 8:41 p.m.  The latest it has gone out since contest record keeping began in 1988 is May 6, back in 1992. The earliest it has gone out is April 5 in 2010. For more about the Joe's Pond Ice Out, click HERE.  

That's A Surprise

Had a great chat with veteran offensive line coach Keith Clark at practice this a.m. Look for a story on the O-line on BGA Overtime tonight.

And now for some good stuff about one of Clark's protégés . . . 

Click this still from YouTube and advance to the 12:30 mark.

This Pro Football and Sports Network headline should get your attention:

NFL Analyst Predicts a 97th-Percentile Ivy League Sleeper Will Crash Day 2 of Draft | PFSN’s Football Debate Club; NFL analyst Ian Cummings predicts Dartmouth prospect Delby Lemieux could become a Day Two draft pick after elite athletic testing.

From the story (LINK):

At Boston College’s pro day, Lemieux posted a 5.02 40-yard dash, a 7.52 three-cone, and a 1.71 10-yard split, landing in the 97th percentile among offensive linemen. He covers ground easily, recalibrates his base with quickness, and plays with the kind of range that fits modern zone-heavy systems.

And more importantly:

In the immediate timeline, Lemieux profiles as athletic, position-versatile depth. In the right scheme, particularly one that leans on movement, angles, and leverage, there is a path for him to become an impact starter on the interior. A player who looked like a late-round flyer now has a measurable, trait-driven case to crash Day 2. 

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2026 Overlooked FCS Teams

Big Sky: Idaho State
CAA: Towson
Ivy: Dartmouth
MVFC: South Dakota
NEC: New Haven
OVC-Big South: Western Illinois
Patriot: Colgate
Pioneer: Dayton @UpdogSportsTalk
SoCon: East Tennessee State
Southland: Southeastern
UAC: West Georgia@CoachJoeDavis 📈

— FCS East🏈 (@FCS_East_CFB) April 15, 2026

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Princeton and Columbia can recruit in the fertile New Jersey area. Penn brings in talent from Philly and Pittsburgh, and points in between. Yale has had success recruiting Connecticut, and Brown always has a few good ones from Rhode Island. Ditto Harvard from Massachusetts.

Ever wonder why Dartmouth doesn't pull in more recruits from Northern New England? Go ahead and scroll down to the entries about Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in this story headlined The highest-ranked high school recruit in the history of all 50 states. (LINK)

Green Alert Take: That's not to say there haven't been very solid players from these states. Dartmouth surely would love to have had defensive lineman Thor Griffith stay in-state instead of playing at Harvard and then Louisville. And Vermonter David Ball set the FCS record for career touchdown receptions at New Hampshire before Cooper Kupp broke it. Go back further and Maine native John Huard played six years in the NFL in the late '60s and early '70s before being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

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EXTRA POINT
From the go-figure department: I have several pairs of sneakers from Allbirds, which is regularly promoted as producing the most comfortable sneakers on the market. So imagine my surprise learning the company that makes the footwear isn't just walking away from its sneaker business. It's running away from it.

That's right. Allbirds is transitioning from footwear to being an AI company. Find a story about that about-face HERE while I head off to see if they are having a clearance sale. ;-)

Missed This Last Fall

Received this email after yesterday's posting on Dartmouth's scoring leaders since 2000:

Your posting the scoring leaders today made me wonder about Owen Zalc’s career total. With a “paltry” 56 points in his junior season, he surpassed Dennis Durkin as Dartmouth’s leading kicking scorer (206-202 points). Not sure if you had mentioned this previously. With another seven points, he will surpass Al Marsters’ total and become the program’s second leading scorer behind Myles Lane, at an unreachable 307 points.

That sent me scrambling to update the Big Green's overall scoring leaders in the Ivy League era:

 Most Career Points In Ivy League Era

	Name	Years	TD	FG	PAT	2Pt	Pts
1	Owen Zalc ‘27	2023-	0	39	89	0	206
2	Dennis Durkin ’93	1990-92	0	36	94	1	204
	Nick Howard ’23	2019-22	34	0	0	0	204
4	Dave Regula ’98	1994-97	1	38	80	1	202
5	Foley Schmidt ’12	2008-11	0	33	87	0	186
6	Dominick Pierre ’14	2010-13	30	0	0	0	180
7	Connor Davis ’22	2018-21	0	19	113	0	170
8	Nick Schwieger ’12	2008-11	26	0	0	0	156
9	Alex Gakenheimer ’17	2013-16	0	19	84	0	141
10	Ted Perry ’74	1971-73	0	20	75	0	135
11	Tyler Lavin ’05	2001-04	0	28	49	0	133
12	John Short ’71	1968-70	22	0	0	0	132
	Ryder Stone ’18	2014-17	22	0	0	0	132
14	Craig Saltzgaber ’86	1983-85	0	25	56	0	131
15	Jon Aljancic ’97	1994-96	21	0	0	0	126
	Richard Weissman ’85	1982-84	21	0	0	0	126
	Jared Gerbino ’20	1960-62	21	0	0	0	126

Editor's Note: Thanks as always for the help!

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Spotted this on FootballScoop:

Dartmouth is hiring a Football Recruiting and Operations Coordinator. This full-time position is a great opportunity to be heavily involved in all aspects of recruiting and running a Division I football program. 

Find the official job posting out of Dartmouth HERE. 

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Upper Valley views. Big Green work.#GoBigGreen | #TheWoods pic.twitter.com/fb1ksmnfIn

— Dartmouth Football (@DartmouthFTBL) April 14, 2026

After seeing the above Xweet, I posted this on BGA Overtime last night:

Given pleasant weather at 6 a.m., the practice was held on Memorial Field where Zach Pierson, the Dartmouth program's manager of content services for football, put his camera to work and produced some epic photos.

These pictures were posted on the Dartmouth football Xwitter page as well as its Instagram page. 

Because a lot of Dartmouth fans do not visit those sites, the photos are reproduced here to help them get the viewership they deserve. Huge kudos to Zach for his work producing these images from the first full-pad practice of the spring. Click on the photos for a better look.

Click on the Xweet above to view the pictures. Or if you prefer, visit BGA Overtime to check out Zach's work, reposted with appreciation HERE.

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If you've been on campus over the past year-plus you've noticed Crosby Street, which runs in front of Buddy Teevens Stadium, has been closed. If you are curious about what is going on, the college has an update under the headline, Progress Continues on Dartmouth’s Energy Transition; The project has already laid 3.5 miles of hot and chilled water piping across campus. Find that update HERE.

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EXTRA POINT
Mrs. BGA and I were watching Jeopardy last evening when she noticed quite a show being put on in the sky over Mount Moosilauke.  This photo can't compare to Zach Pierson's images, but it should give you a pretty good indication of what we saw. With the sun at our backs, it is filtering through storm clouds and lighting up just one cloud in the east.

Click photo to enlarge.