AI Says

The Voy Forum Ivy League message board has a thread headlined Greatest Football Players in which one poster asked ChatGPT "to name the greatest football player from each school. Results do place some weight on impact to the game (innovations, etc) rather than merely skill." Find that thread HERE.

That got me thinking, so on a slow Saturday I asked a different AI assistant to name the top 10 football players in Dartmouth history. Given that in the early days of AI I saw my own name come up in response to a similar query and it referenced my days playing for the New York Giants (which obviously wan't true), I wasn't terribly optimistic. I didn't expect that kind of "hallucination" again, but decided to give it a shot.

Here's what AI returned and I have to admit it's pretty good. Agree or disagree about the selections, the AI does a solid job building its list and defending its choices.

If you read this down and think it's scary, here's something that's much scarier. All I asked for was a list of names. It could have taken me the better part of an hour to build a list like this, research pertinent supporting evidence, and write the story.

The AI assistant did it in 30 seconds – without my usual tpyos. (I did that on purpose ;-)

With that out of the way, here's what the computer spat out, verbatim:

Here are the top 10 players in Dartmouth football history, ranked by their sheer impact on the program and their success beyond Hanover:

1. Reggie Williams (Linebacker, Class of 1976)

The undisputed king of Dartmouth football. Williams was a relentless, ferocious three-time First-Team All-Ivy selection who anchored three straight Ivy League championship teams (1973–1975). He became a First-Team All-American in 1975 and went on to a stellar 14-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, playing in two Super Bowls and earning the 1986 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.  

2. Ed Healey (Tackle, Class of 1918)

Healey is Dartmouth’s only representative in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a dominant, bruising two-way lineman before and after World War I. He went pro in the NFL's infancy, eventually playing for George Halas and the Chicago Bears from 1922 to 1927, where Halas famously called him "the most versatile tackle I ever saw." He is also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.  

3. Bob MacLeod (Halfback, Class of 1939)

MacLeod was a consensus All-American in 1938 and finished 4th in the Heisman Trophy voting that same year. An incredibly explosive, tough-as-nails back, he was widely considered the best pure football player in the country during his senior season. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round (No. 5 overall) in 1939 and entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977.  

4. Nick Lowery (Kicker, Class of 1978)

While kickers don't always get historical love, "Nick the Kick" is a Dartmouth icon and an NFL legend. After a strong career in Hanover, Lowery went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs. When he retired, he held the NFL record for the highest field goal percentage (84.4%) and the most field goals over 50 yards.

5. Andrew "Swede" Oberlander (Halfback, Class of 1926)

The engine behind Dartmouth's legendary 1925 team, which went 8-0 and was widely acclaimed as the National Champion. Oberlander was a powerhouse halfback and an elite passer for his era. In a single legendary game against Cornell in 1925, he accounted for 477 yards of total offense and threw 6 touchdowns—a performance that stood as a national record for decades. He was a consensus All-American and a 1954 College Football Hall of Fame inductee.  

6. Jay Fiedler (Quarterback, Class of 1994)

Fiedler is arguably the greatest modern quarterback to wear the green and white. He set multiple school passing records, throwing for 6,613 yards and 58 touchdowns, and earned First-Team All-Ivy honors. He defied the odds as an undrafted free agent, carving out a highly successful 10-year NFL career, most notably starting for the Miami Dolphins in the early 2000s, where he led them to multiple playoff appearances.  

7. Murry Bowden (Defensive Back / Rover, Class of 1971)

Bowden was the emotional leader and captain of Dartmouth’s unforgettable, undefeated 1970 team. Operating as a hybrid "rover" safety, he helped the defense shut out six of their nine opponents, giving up just 42 total points all year en route to an Ivy title and the Lambert Trophy. A consensus All-American, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.  

8. Myles Lane (Halfback, Class of 1928)

Lane was an absolute athletic marvel. Playing alongside Oberlander on the 1925 National Championship squad, Lane went on to score a staggering 307 points from 1925 to 1927, cementing himself as Dartmouth's all-time leading scorer for generations. He was a dual-sport star who is also enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and went on to win a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins before serving as a justice on the New York Supreme Court.  

9. William "Air Mail" Morton (Quarterback, Class of 1932)

Morton earned his nickname because of his revolutionary deep-passing ability in the early 1930s. He was a spectacular multi-threat quarterback who earned All-American honors in 1931, leading Dartmouth through a golden era of Eastern football. Like Lane, he was also a spectacular hockey player (a two-time All-American) and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

10. Jeff Kemp (Quarterback, Class of 1981)

Kemp led Dartmouth to an Ivy League Championship in 1978 and earned Honorable Mention All-Ivy honors. What lands him on the top 10 list is his remarkably resilient pro career. Undrafted out of Dartmouth, he went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, starting games for the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks, finishing his career with over 9,700 passing yards.

Honorable Mentions:

Clarence "Fat" Spears (Guard, 1917): A massive, dominant consensus All-American lineman from the pre-WWI era.  

Casey Cramer (Tight End, 2004): A modern superstar who was a two-time All-American and got drafted into the NFL, playing 5 seasons.  

Buddy Teevens (Quarterback, 1979): Named Ivy League Player of the Year in 1978 after leading the team to a title, though he is perhaps even more legendary for his two highly successful stints as Dartmouth's head coach.

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EXTRA POINT
Given what you read above, I find myself envying the fellow with the chainsaw and chipper we had doing a little work here a few days ago. Not only did he make more in a few hours than I would make in a few days, I'm pretty sure his role won't ever be taken over by an AI chatbot. Mine, I'm not so sure.

While We Wait

As we continue to wait for Dartmouth to make its incoming recruiting class official, here's a position-by-position list of the names BGA compiled this winter. To be clear, positions for some players are informed guesses at best. Given that most, if not all, of these players went both ways in high school, it wouldn't be a surprise when the official class comes out to learn that at least one of the players listed here as a defensive back is coming in as a running back, or that a defensive lineman will actually play tight end. The linebacker ranks could also grow. Stay tuned for the official list, but in the meantime . . .

Quarterback
Jack Cannon, 6-2, 210, Holmdel HS/New Jersey

Running Back
Jacob Henry, 5-11, 190, Maumelle HS/Arkansas

Wide Receiver
Blake Betette, 5-1, 185, Richard Northeast HS/South Carolina
Kareem Fisher, 6-2, 180, St. Vincent Pallotti/Maryland
George Loop, 5-11, 170, Isidore Newman/Louisiana

Tight End
Ayden Sadler, 6-5, 215, Green Hill HS/Tennessee

Offensive Line
Tim Church, 6-5, 300, Buckingham Browne & Nichols/Massachusetts
Brody McLeod, 6-4, 280, Ponte Vedra HS/Florida
Mikey McMahon, 6-4, 290, Bergen Catholic HS/New Jersey
Jake Namnum, 6-2, 292, St. Josephs Prep/Pennsylvania
Nick Schenkel, 6-4, 270, Liberty HS/Pennsylvania

Defensive Line
August Dupree, 6-3, 215/Folson HS/California
Quinn Enguita, 6-4, 215, Bishop Verot HS/Florida
Kayden Lee, 6-2, 275, Mishawaka/Ind.
Will Maloof, 6-5, 210, St. Peter's Prep/New Jersey
Roman Sosnovyy, 6-3, 245, Lyons Township HS/Illinois
Harlem Taylor, 6-3, 240, St. Paul's/New Hampshire

Linebacker
JJ Bolz, 6-2, 220, Bishop Verot HS/Florida
Gavin King, 6-4, 230, Loyola Academy/Illinois

Defensive Back
David Brown III, 6-1, 162, Cypress Woods HS/Texas
George Duggins, 6-3, 200, Mona Shores HS/ Michigan
Kiyanté Ingram, 6-0, 195, McEachem HS/Georgia
Emory Jones, 6-1, 180, Cass Tech/Michigan
Trey McFadden, 6-3, 190, Montgomery HS/New Jersey
James Rush, 5-10, 175, Saline HS/Michigan

Special Teams
Will Hester, 6-1, 215, Lexington Christian/Kentucky (Longsnapper)
Tanner Pidwell, 6-2, 175, Park City HS/Utah (Kicker/punter)

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Official Ivy League recruiting classes:

Brown

Harvard I and Harvard II

Penn

Yale

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A South Dakota season preview reposted by FCS Football Central lists three quarterbacks bidding for the starting job with the Coyotes and includes this (LINK):

(Jackson Proctor) spent most of his career at Dartmouth, where he was the full-time starter in 2024, throwing for 1,564 yards, 13 TDs, and 3 INTs. He's dangerous with his legs, posting 352 rushing yards on 6.5 yards per carry. He was an effective deep-ball thrower, averaging over 13 yards per attempt with 11 TDs and only 1 INT on throws 10+ yards downfield. Proctor represents the most proven, steady option.

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Craig Haley has a story on the Opta Analyst site headlined What Are the FCS Conference Realignment Changes in 2026? (LINK)

Green Alert Take: How does Chicago State fit as a new member of the Northeast Conference? How does Sacred Heart fit with New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Albany and Stony Brook in the CAA? Neither of those moves seems natural.

By far the most logical 2026 moves were made by Villanova and William & Mary, who are joining the Patriot League one year after fellow expat Richmond made the same move. Similar to the Ivy League, the Patriot is made up of likeminded schools, and with the addition of the three former CAA members, the recent success of Lehigh and Lafayette, and the tradition of Holy Cross, it is positioned now to be one of the top conferences in the country.

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EXTRA POINT
Fresh off our trip south, Mrs. BGA and I give thumbs up to hush puppies, but neither of us needs to revisit boiled peanuts. For the record, I did enjoy the signature dish when we had breakfast at Grits Grill in Nags Head on North Carolina's Outer Banks, but please remind me to bring some good Vermont maple syrup the next time we go to a Waffle House. ;-)

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

Dartmouth has named Catherine "Cat" Palmer as its new Football Recruiting and Operations Coordinator. A former softball player at Wesleyan, Palmer served as director of operations at Wesleyan for the past three years, and completed an internship with the Kansas City Chiefs. (LINK)

Palmer replaces Erin Brennan, who had been in the role for two years before moving on to work for the St. Louis City Soccer Club.

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It's a little under the radar, but the Buddy Teevens UFL Coach of the Year award has gone to Anthony Becht, who led the expansion Orlando Storm to an 8-2 record and the top seed in the UFL playoffs this season. Find a release HERE.

Green Alert Take: It might be of interest to just a few of us, but Becht is the father of Penn State starting quarterback Rocco Becht.

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Dartmouth has posted a release about its incoming women's soccer players. That follows stories about the incoming men's soccer, women's hockey and volleyball players. Hopefully that means the official announcement of the incoming football players and the 2026 roster will finally be coming, right? 

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HERO Sports continues its countdown to the 2026 FCS season by choosing another Ivy Leaguer. With 71 days until the first game, the site lists Harvard offensive lineman Thomas O'Brien as the top No. 71 in the nation. Other Ivy Leaguers (and Dartmouth opponents) honored thus far as the best players wearing their number:

96: Yale DT Jaylin Tate

86: Cornell TE Ryder Kurtz

85: Columbia WR Titus Evans

79: Lehigh OL Aidan Palmer

77: Harvard OL Spencer Doan

75: Penn OL Luke Sacchetti

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Tapping into numbers reported by the media and elsewhere, FootballScoop has worked up a rough estimate of how much money players in the Power 4 earn, position-by-position. While these are educated guesses, they are a reminder that college football at its highest level is not what it used to be. (LINK)

1. Quarterback, $3.5 million
2. Wide receiver, $2 million
3. Edge rusher/defensive end, $1.7 million
4. Defensive tackle, $1.5 million
5. Offensive tackle, $1 million
6. Running back, $1 million
7. Cornerback, $1 million
8. Safety, $1 million
9. Tight end, $800,000
10. Interior offensive lineman, $800,000
11. Linebacker, $700,000
12. Kicker/punter, $200,000

Green Alert Take: The old saying in these parts was, "It's different at Dartmouth." Maybe the saying around football in the Ancient Eight should be, "It's different in the Ivy League." Or maybe, "The Ivy League – home of real college football."

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EXTRA POINT
It's interesting when you go away on the final day of one month and return midway through the next. I snuck a peek at the calendar just now and had to smile when I saw it still showed May. I was still smiling when I moved it ahead a month. Then again, I always smile looking at this calendar.

Gearing Up For '26 As We Gear Down

We arrived back at our Vermont hillside home around dinnertime last night. A few quick notes before the blog returns to normal tomorrow . . .

• We drove 3,593 miles with absolutely no issues charging our EV. Taking advantage of our second (and final) year of free charging on the Electrify America network, we had to pay to charge at just one location on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where we instead used the Rivian network. The rest of the charging was absolutely free and seamless.

• We spent roughly half the nights camping and the other half in an assortment of hotels, none as historic and memorable as the one we spent three night in at Nags Head on the Outer Banks.

• The only real disappointment of the trip came when we called an audible and tried to follow the Blue Ridge Parkway north. It turns out the damage done by Hurricane Helene two years ago was so immense that it won't be open for more than "section" driving until the end of the year. We managed to follow a few sections and did a couple of hikes, but unfortunately the most dramatic parts of the drive were inaccessible. (LINK)

• As required, we stopped at the Buc-ees near Harrisonburg, Va., on the way home and it was everything we'd heard and more. The bathrooms are rightfully legendary, and the brisket sandwich was delicious. That said, now that we've done one Buc-ee's, we don't have to do another. ;-)

• Per Mrs. BGA, between hiking and exploring city streets, we walked 75.4 miles on our trip.

• Our most charges were probably at Sheetz convenience stores. One of the big reasons why we bought the Ioniq 5 is how fast it charges. Many times we'd pull into a Sheetz and plug in alongside someone who had been charging for a while. We'd go inside, use the bathroom, order a sandwich, and be back on the road while the others charged on.

• This trip, combined with our 2024 drive on Route 66, should be enough to convince anyone that traveling long distances with an EV isn't the problem some people make it out to be. All it takes is a little planning.

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Mrs. BGA and I found ourselves repeating two quotes on the drive home when we were getting goofy. (Make that when I was getting goofy.)

The first was something a good ol' boy said when we crossed paths on a hike on the Outer Banks. When we asked about wildlife he saw, he looked at our binoculars, shook his head, and said, "We ain't got ya'll's vision."

The other quote we found ourselves repeating came just before the road at the northern tip of the Outer Banks turned to sand. Jeeps, pickups and SUVs pull over there and let air out of their tires to be more effective driving through soft spots on the beach. Although our car is all-wheel drive, I wasn't about to risk driving on the sand, given our relative lack of clearance.

I was making last-second, emergency K-turn after realizing I was heading for the sand when a fellow in a big truck pulled up beside me. I thought he was going to be angry that I had held him up. Instead he looked down at me and barked out, "Ya'll lookin' for somewhere to 'air down?' " I sheepishly admitted that I was just trying to stay out of trouble. Mrs. BGA and I joked about "airing down" the rest of the trip.

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All-in all, it was a great 2½ weeks. We drove the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, visited Harper's Ferry and the Appalachian Trail headquarters, toured Monticello, shared pizza with old friends and their kids in Charlottesville, toured William & Mary and Colonial Williamsburg, stumbled across a wonderful beach-side campground in Virginia Beach, spent three days exploring the Outer Banks, checked out the Wright Brothers National Memorial, had a couple of days each in Charleston and Savannah, visited Harbour Town on Hilton Head, and explored wonderful Asheville. We finished the trip with a round of mini-golf in Lake George, N.Y., (we tied) and fittingly had lunch at an A&W near the lake before returning home for a heartfelt reunion with Griff the Wonder Dog.

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And finally, help me catch up. What did I miss while I was away? Use the contact form over to the right to let me know!

Heading North

It will be a few more days before BGA returns to normal posting. In the meantime, several more pics from our southern trip, which continues today with hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina before we resume our northward drive.

The iconic Harbour Town lighthouse on Hilton Head, where we paid $10 to drive through.

Our campground between Hilton Head and Asheville, where we swam in water warmer than we'll see all summer in New England.

Sunset at the campground on Lake Marion

Asheville's Flatiron Building during an early evening visit and the "flatiron" sculpture nearby.

Still More From The Road

A little breaking news a couple of days late . . . . 

Dartmouth's game against Harvard at Buddy Teevens Stadium has been moved up one day for TV. Instead of being played on Halloween, the game will now be played on Friday, Oct. 30, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. It's one of two Dartmouth games slated for ESPN's "linear" networks this fall, joining the Saturday, Oct. 10 game at Yale.

Green Alert Take: Students will turn out for the Harvard game whenever it is played, but shifting the contest to Friday will not be popular with older alums and fans who usually make it a day trip up from Boston and southern New England

Here's the full ESPN2 and ESPNU schedule:

Friday, Sept. 25

Harvard at Brown – 7 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, Oct. 10

Dartmouth at Yale – 12 p.m., ESPNU

Friday, Oct. 16

Columbia at Penn – 7 p.m., ESPNU

Friday, Oct. 23

Yale at Penn – 7 p.m., ESPNU

Friday, Oct. 30

Harvard at Dartmouth – 7 p.m., ESPNU

Saturday, Nov. 21

Yale vs. Harvard – 3:30 p.m., ESPNU at Fenway Park

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A quick stop at Myrtle Beach on the way to Charleston.

The Custom House in Charleston.

A new building and a very old church in Charleston.

Lunch at Folly Beach during our Charleston visit.

A gorgeous park during a side trip to Beaufort, S.C.

One of the fountains from our walking tour of Savannah.

Had to shoot a VW in from of the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Shot a pic of these two with their owner.

We'll spend a good part of another day in Savannah before a side trip to Hilton Head and then wandering our way back north.

So Long To The Outer Banks

After three days on the Outer Banks, we are heading to Charleston for a couple of days, and then Savannah before turning north. Our final day in the Outer Banks began with a 5:45 sunrise at the beach, a long drive south to Hatteras, two ferry rides and a very wise decision not to stay off the sand with our four-wheel drive EV.

 

While We Are Gone

Lindy's preseason FCS college football magazine is out with predictions for the Ivy League and conferences featuring other Dartmouth opponents. Thanks to a loyal reader, here's what the magazine predicts in the Ivy and for Lehigh and Monmouth. (Merrimack is not in a conference.)

Ivy
1. Yale 
2. Harvard         
3. Penn
4. Dartmouth
5. Brown
6. Princeton
7. Columbia
8. Cornell

Patriot

1. Villanova 

2. Lehigh

3. Richmond

4. William & Mary

5. Lafayette

6. Colgate

7. Holy Cross

8. Fordham

9. Georgetown

10. Bucknell

CAA

1. Rhode Island

2. New Hampshire

3. Monmouth

4. Elon

5. Stony Brook

6. Maine 

7. Towson

8. Albany

9. Bryant

10. Campbell

11. Sacred Heart

12. North Carolina A&T

12. Hampton