And His Decision Is . . . In

It was the same thing every day. After hitting my usual haunts in the never-ending search for BGA Daily material I'd stop by offensive tackle/tight end hybrid Jake Guidone's Twitter to see if he had made a decision about what he would do next year. Would he return to Dartmouth as a "super senior," or would he be heading elsewhere as a grad transfer?

Turns out he's doing the former while leaving the door open to the latter. Here's his Twitter:

In case that's a little hard to read on your phone, here's what it says:

My Decision:

Over the past several months, I have had the privilege of talking and meeting with many different coaches and institutions. I would like to begin by thanking these coaches for their time, effort and patience throughout this entire process. After serious consideration, I have decided to return to Dartmouth College for my last year of Ivy League eligibility, while still retaining the option for a graduate transfer year at the conclusion of this coming Fall season. I am excited to come back and play with/for my teammates and coaches that I have grown, matured and developed with over the past four years... both as a player and as an individual. I can not wait to get back to work. Let's run it back (to back)!!!

Green Alert Take: The 6-foot-3, 270 (?) Guidone is a key member of the Dartmouth offensive line whether he is playing tackle or once again lining up as a blocking tight end. There have to be a lot of smiles in Floren Varsity House wherever the Big Green coaches are these days.

Green Alert Take II: Guidone's "option for a graduate transfer year at the conclusion of this coming Fall season," is a reminder that Ivy Leaguers are starting to take advantage of the NCAA rule enacted in 2018 (LINK) that allows Division I football players to retain a year of eligibility if they don't play in more than four games in a season. Former Dartmouth running back Caylin Parker used that rule to be able to play this year at Albany. (The Ivy League does not follow the "four-game" rule and in non-pandemic times allows seniors to return for a fifth season only by petitioning for a medical redshirt."

Green Alert Take III: Because junior varsity games count toward the four-game threshold an Ivy League freshman playing a four-game jayvee schedule along with mop-up duty in even on varsity game would burn up the "redshirt" year even without making much of an impact on the varsity. But with jayvee teams going bye-bye smart Ivy League coaches on the recruiting trail can pitch – or already are pitching – the promise to sit a young recruit after four appearances so as to protect the chance to do a grad transfer elsewhere. That offers the best of both worlds: The chance to play three meaningful years (plus four games) in the Ancient Eight, earn a coveted Ivy League degree, then experience a year of FBS (or FCS) football while getting your masters paid for. It's called a win-win.

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I can't take any credit for this somewhat cruel April Fools graphic shared with me via email:

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EXTRA POINT

With the temperature here on our Vermont hillside a balmy 16 degrees and a fine dusting of snow on the ground this morning I found myself remembering when the biggest question at the start of "spring football" was always with regard to the first word, not the second. 

As April kicks into gear this is the calendar on the wall at the BGA World Headquarters: