The Changing Game

Another quiet day in the Ivy League footballsphere, so another visit to the record book.

Curious how football has changed over the years? Check out the top-10 Ivy League scoring defenses over the years versus the top-10 Ivy League scoring offenses.

Only one team since 1974 makes the defensive list – Penn in 1994.

Conversely, the top-10 scoring teams have all been since 2000, with Brown in 2000 and '05 the forerunners of today's kind of scoring.

TOP 10 SCORING DEFENSES

Year	School	Pts	PPG	Record
1970	Dartmouth	42	4.7	9-0-0
1964	Princeton	53	5.9	9-0-0
1962	Dartmouth	57	6.3	9-0-0
1966	Harvard	60	6.7	8-1-0
1965	Harvard	62	6.9	8-1-0
1960	Dartmouth	66	7.3	6-3-0
1974	Yale	67	7.4	8-1-0
1994	Penn	68	7.6	9-0-0
1965	Dartmouth	71	7.9	9-0-0
1959	Penn	73	8.1	7-1-1

TOP 10 SCORING TEAMS

Year	School	Pts	PPG	Record
2018	Princeton	470	47.0	10-0-0
2013	Princeton	437	43.7	8-2-0
2014	Yale	411	41.1	8-2-0
2012	Harvard	394	39.4	8-2-0
2019	Yale	387	38.7	9-1-0
2000	Brown	375	37.5	7-3-0
2011	Harvard	374	37.4	9-1-0
2013	Harvard	371	37.1	9-1-0
2005	Brown	368	36.8	9-1-0
2025	Harvard	401	36.5	9-2-0

Dartmouth's top scoring offense was the 1992 team that averaged 36.4 points while going 8-2.

#

From a story out of the Tennessee Titans' camp (LINK):

Ahead of their first practice, the team announced the addition of four new coaches who have joined head coach Robert Saleh's staff for training camp as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program: D'Anthony Batiste (offensive line), Malik Davis (defensive line), Ben Wilkerson (special teams) and Lucy Phan (performance).

And . . . 

Ben Wilkerson - Special teams

Wilkerson will be joining Tennessee to work with special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassel and the special teams unit. Currently the running backs coach at Dartmouth, Wilkerson began his career as quarterbacks coach at Buffalo State in 2019, before moving to Susquehanna in the same role. He has also coached at the University at Buffalo and as a running backs coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

#

The list of Dartmouth opponents considered by HERO Sports the best to wear the uniform number representing the days until the FCS season has grown by two.

At No. 29 is Harvard placekicker Kieran Corr. From HERO's posting on him:

-2026 Junior
-2025: 39/40 PATs, 11/13 field goals, long of 53 yards (a game-winner vs. Penn)h the 
-2025 All-Ivy League 1st Team

At No. 30 yesterday was Monmouth safety Jaeden Jones. From HERO:

-2026 Junior
-6’0” 190 lbs
-2025: 118 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 INT, 3 PBUs
-2025 All-CAA 1st Team
-2025 2x FCS All-American
-2026 CAA Preseason Defensive POY

Ivy Leaguer's selected to date:

96: Yale DT Jaylin Tate
86: Cornell TE Ryder Kurtz
85: Columbia WR Titus Evans
77: Harvard OL Spencer Doan
75: Penn OL Luke Sacchetti
71: Harvard OL Thomas O'Brien
64: Princeton OL Barrett Eddlemon
37: Penn S Ty Cortes
29: Harvard K Kieran Corr

#

Curious about Ivy League players arranging their careers so they can grad transfer to the FBS? With the new five years to play five seasons eligibility rule, the formula will change, but this interview with former standout Harvard wide receiver Cooper Barkate still offers some good insight. Barkate arranged his academic load to be able to graduate from Harvard in three years. He then grad transferred to Duke, where he had a tremendous season last fall, and will play this year for the Miami Hurricanes. Interviewer Mason Shipp is a former Yale wide receiver.

#

EXTRA POINT
I'm tempted not to admit this, but what the heck.

Jeopardy recently finished airing its new programs, and is now showing reruns. Because our TV is set up to record only new episodes of the quiz show, we hadn't had a chance to watch any of the reruns until last night.

Now the confession. The episode we watched last night first aired on Jan. 7. While Mrs. BGA and I both recognized all three contestants, we agree that even though we had seen all of the clues and answers previously, we did not fare any better barking out the answers, er, questions.

The Final Jeopardy clue was: "In a 21st century Pulitzer Prize winner, this character introduced in an 1876 work is biracial." Both us knew what the book was, and both of us – like all three contestants – chose the wrong character.

Massey Says . . .

You know you've been waiting for this. Yup, it's time again for the . . .

Here's where the computer has for Ivy League and Dartmouth nonconference opponents in the overall FCS landscape (LINK):

16 Yale
22 Harvard

26 Lehigh

32 Monmouth

38 Dartmouth

53 Penn

55 Princeton

69 Brown

77 Columbia

78 Cornell

90 Merrimack

Here's how Massey has the Ivy League shaking down:

Yale 7-0

Harvard 6-1

Dartmouth 5-2

Princeton 4-3

Penn 3-4

Brown 2-5

Columbia 1-6

Cornell 0-7

Green Alert Take: Keep in mind, if there's one thing we've learned about the Massey Ratings over the years it is that they don't play favorites.

Massey has Dartmouth limping out to a 1-3 start but then going 5-1 the rest of the way for a 6-4 record overall and 5-2 in the Ivy League. Here are the game-by-game predictions for Dartmouth (with the machine's confidence in the result):

At Lehigh 28, Dartmouth 21 (66 percent confidence)

Monmouth 28, at Dartmouth 27 (51 percent)

At Dartmouth 28, Penn 23 (63 percent)

At Yale 30, Dartmouth 21 (74 percent)

At Dartmouth 31, Merrimack 17 (83 percent)

Dartmouth 27, at Columbia 21 (66 percent)

Harvard 28, at Dartmouth 25 (56 percent)

Dartmouth 24, at Princeton 21 (54 percent)

Dartmouth 28, at Cornell 22 (65 percent)

At Dartmouth 28, Brown 20 (71 percent)

#

Silver and Black Pride, a site that follows the Las Vegas Raiders has a piece titled Summer Scouting: TE Rankings; Previewing possible 2027 Michael Mayer replacements in NFL Draft that has Dartmouth grad Chris Corbo, a grad transfer this fall, as its third-ranked tight end in the nation. From the writeup on Corbo (LINK):

Corbo is someone to know, and I may be a bit high on his ranking but I have faith. The former Dartmouth standout had 32 receptions, 315 yards, and 7 TD in 2024 then 45/516/4 in 2025. He has great size, incredible length, and he moves well for someone at his size as well. Corbo fires off the line of scrimmage, has a quick second step, and his explosiveness out of cuts is also exceptional which is where Corbo wins. He’s a high end route runner who uses his lower body agility, football IQ, and ability to diagnose coverages/leverage to his advantage. Corbo does a good job coming back tot he ball, has strong hands, and he can win majority of contested catches with good YAC skills as well. Corbo wins a ton in the run game, often off his athleticism but advanced technique, though there’s a question mark on his power profile. Corbo is someone to watch, and he has a chance to be a longtime NFL player, and may project best as an elite TE2.

#

On the subject of grad transfers, the Wyoming News calls Teddy Gianaris '26, one of the "likely frontrunners heading into fall camp," at defensive end for the Cowboys. (LINK) 

A story out of South Dakota suggests the Coyotes' quarterback situation "appears to center around two experienced redshirt seniors," with one being Dartmouth grad Jackson Proctor '25. From the story (LINK):

After spending four seasons at Dartmouth, including a redshirt year, Proctor transferred to Northern Illinois last season but did not use a year of eligibility. Now entering his final collegiate season, Proctor arrives in Vermillion looking to seize the starting job.

And this from a preview of the Abilene Christian defensive line features a familiar name that I still have trouble spelling (LINK):

Dartmouth transfer Joe Onuwabhagbe was a Phil Steele 4th Team All-Ivy selection last year, posting 18 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 3 sacks.

#

Yet another internet presence whose opinions you can buy or sell has this prediction for the FCS Playoffs this fall:

That's Yale as a 16-seed playing the Southern Illinois Salukis.

The same site has another Ivy among the "first four out:"

#

EXTRA POINT
I began my first cross country bicycle ride in Seattle and the second in Los Angeles. I started on the West Coast for two primary reasons. First was the "myth" of the prevailing westerly winds. (I say "myth" because I've never forgotten fighting the wind blowing into my face through eastern Montana and much of North Dakota.)

The second reason for starting in the west was it made it much harder to give up. I mean, seriously, you have to get home somehow, right?

Atop the Beartooth Pass outside of Yellowstone

I bring that up because I had a dream last night that I was the proud owner of a fancy, new, high-tech bicycle, and set off on my third cross country ride. This time, however, I was riding from east to west.

I hadn't gotten very far when I awoke so I'm hoping I can daisy chain a few nights of dreams together and find out if the wind is an issue, and whether I indeed stick with it starting in the east.

Unfortunately, I'm more confident that I could handle the ride than that I will be able to resume the dream. ;-)

Closing In On It

For the record, Youngstown State had its first day of preseason camp yesterday (in anticipation of its Aug. 27 opener against Mercyhurst), the Ivy League will release its preseason poll next Monday, and the Ivy football media day will be the following Monday.

Dartmouth doesn't begin preseason camp until August 22, but your true sign that football – not that futbol stuff – is right around the corner would be this:

Dartmouth has a blurb about it annual Football 101 for kids on its website HERE.

#

Four Dartmouth opponents in the preseason top-25? This poll has Lehigh at No. 13, Yale at 16, Harvard at 18 and Monmouth at 24.

But wait just a second . . .

I had to do a bunch of digging to find out that CSG refers to, uh,  College Sports Guys, whoever they are.

#

The NCAA.com website, which should be a little more credible, posted a piece headlined 49 players to know for the 49th season of FCS football that includes four players Dartmouth will face this fall. (LINK):

Quarterback

• Dante Reno, Yale

• Frankie Weaver, Monmouth

Running Back

• Luke Yoder, Lehigh

Defensive Back

• Abu Kamara, Yale

In case you are wondering, the FCS began play in 1978 as Division I-AA and was renamed the Football Championship Subdivision in 2006. 

#

EXTRA POINT

What really intrigues me about this graphic I stumbled across yesterday isn't so much when the artists, thinkers, leaders, "baddies" and more who are listed were alive, but who else was walking the earth at the same time. For example, did you know that Joan of Arc and Johannes Gutenberg were contemporaries? How about Sitting Bull and Dostoyevsky? Or Edgar Allen Poe and Karl Marx? Or Isaac Newton and Captain Kidd?

Click HERE for a clear version of the original graphic, but consider yourself forewarned you can waste a lot of time looking this thing over.

Agree To Disagree?

Your mileage may will vary regarding a USA250 piece from USA Today headlined The 10 greatest college athletes from New Hampshire ranked. (LINK)

Here's the list:

Reggie Williams, Dartmouth football

Red Rolfe, Dartmouth baseball

Joe Dudek, Plymouth State football

Jerry Azumah, New Hampshire football

Bob MacLeod, Dartmouth football

Rudy LaRusso, Dartmouth basketball 

Jay Fielder, Dartmouth football

Gail Koziara, Dartmouth basketball 

Jason Krog, New Hampshire ice hockey

Ricky Santos, New Hampshire football

For me, the most obvious overlooked athlete is runner Abbey D'Agostino '14, who won seven NCAA titles.

For a Dartmouth Alumni Magazine listing of what it considered in 2022 to be the school's top 15 men's and women's athletes, click HERE.

#

Interestingly, Flo Sports, the streaming network that does not cover Ivy League football, has a piece headlined What You Should Know About Ivy League Football Heading Into 2026; Here's five things you should know ahead of the 2026 Ivy League football season. Among those five things (LINK):

Ivy League Offensive Player Of The Year Candidates
• Xaviah Bascon, Harvard RB
• Dante Reno, Yale QB
• Jaxton Santiago, Yale WR

Green Alert Take: I'd have to include Dartmouth QB Grayson Saunier on that list, and if Brown can win a few more games, quarterback James Murphy will have a shot with the numbers he will put up in that high-flying offense.

#

Delby Lemieux '26 and Josiah Green '25 seem to be getting the most attention but Tyron Herring '23, who spent a couple of seasons as a grad transfer at Delaware, is in camp with the Cleveland Browns. Here he is working out with the Cleveland rookies. (LINK) The Packers and Patriots had previously signed Herring to contracts.

#

Speaking of Green, the Bucs Wire had a piece several days ago headlined One Buccaneers sleeper to watch in each defensive position group and the former Dartmouth standout who spent a grad transfer season at Duke is the choice on the defensive line. From the story (LINK):

Green is the defensive line sleeper to monitor. Listed at 6-foot and 284 pounds, the rookie from Duke gives Tampa Bay another interior defender to evaluate during camp.

His challenge will be playing with consistent leverage, holding his ground against stronger offensive linemen and creating enough disruption to stand out in a crowded defensive front. Interior defensive linemen can be difficult to evaluate without pads, so Green’s most important work may come once the physical portion of camp begins and preseason games arrive.

If he can show toughness against the run and enough quickness to affect the pocket, he could earn a longer look.

#

As for Lemieux, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, which should have a better grasp of the Vikings roster than the various fan sites, has an early projection of the team's 53-man roster as training camps up. Here's how the paper of record sees the offensive line shaking out (LINK):

Offensive linemen (10)
T Christian Darrisaw, G Donovan Jackson, C Blake Brandel, G Will Fries, T Brian O’Neill, T Ryan Van Demark, C Michael Jurgens, G Joe Huber, T Caleb Tiernan, C Gavin Gerhardt

Waived: T Walter Rouse, G/C Vershon Lee, G/C Henry Byrd, OL Tomas Rimac, OL Tristan Leigh, OL Delby Lemieux

#

And in case you are wondering Isaiah Johnson '22, who saw action in four games last fall with the Miami Dolphins, was released by the team in May after failing a physical following an ACL tear in December. A corner, Johnson spent two seasons as a grad transfer at Syracuse after collecting his Dartmouth degree.

#

EXTRA POINT
Spotted this yesterday, and with the movie Coyote vs. ACME opening tomorrow (TRAILER) I thought those of you of a certain age would appreciate these rules established by Chuck Jones, who directed the original cartoons in which Wile E. Coyote chased  (LINK).

1. The Road Runner cannot harm the coyote except by going “Beep-beep!”

2. No outside force can harm the coyote—only his own ineptitude or the failure of the Acme products.

3. The coyote can stop any time—if he were not a fanatic. (Repeat: “A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim.”–George Santayana)

4. There may be no dialogue ever, except “beep-beep!” The coyote may, however, speak to the audience through wooden signs that he holds up.

5. The Road Runner must stay on the road —otherwise, logically, he would not be called “Road Runner."

6. All action must be confined to the natural environment of the two characters—the southwest American desert.

7. All materials, tools, weapons, or mechanical conveniences must be obtained from the Acme Corporation.

8. Whenever possible, gravity should be made the coyote’s greatest enemy.

9. The coyote is always more humiliated than harmed by his failures.