It's still wicked early (as they say in these parts) but those first hints of the coming Dartmouth football season are starting to pop up. The latest is a posting of Fall 2021 Valparaiso Football, Quick Facts HERE.
Of note about Dartmouth's Game One opponent (keeping in mind "last year" actually means "this spring:"
Overall Record last year: 4-2
PFL Record (Finish): 4-2 (T-2nd/7)
Home/Road: 2-1/2-1
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost: 10/1
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
And for those of you not keen on traveling to Indiana, the Quick Facts also include this:
Video Streaming: ESPN3/+
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With recruiting visits finally starting up again this is as good a time as any to take a look at what 247Sports has to say about the Dartmouth recruiting scene and put it in perspective. To date, here are the number of "offers" the site is reporting the Big Green has out for the next recruiting class by position (LINK):
9 quarterbacks
14 running backs
13 wide receivers
14 tight ends
32 offensive tackles
19 interior offensive linemen
14 defensive linemen
3 edge rushers
16 linebackers
4 corners
15 safeties
23 athletes
And now for that perspective. Of the 157 offers 247Sports reported on the offensive side of the ball last year there are just five players coming to Hanover (LINK):
Here are the "offers" by position with the players actually heading this way:
25 quarterbacks – (1) Jackson Proctor
15 running backs – (1) Christian Benson
28 wide receivers – (0)
31 tight ends – (2) Sean Harmon, Alex Geraci
34 offensive tackles – (1) Cayman Duncan
24 interior offensive linemen – (0)
25 defensive linemen – (0)
12 edge rushers – (1) Zachary Lytle
26 linebackers – (2) Micah Green, Charis Spence
16 corners – (0)
17 safeties – (0)
26 athletes – (0)
1 kicker – (0)
2 punters – (1) Davis Golick
Green Alert Take: Have fun looking over the 247Sports and Rivals recruiting lists but understand they offer only a very, very incomplete glimpse at what is actually happening on the recruiting trail. Of the freshman class that just finished spring practice, fewer than one-third of the players were reported to have Dartmouth offers by 247Sports.
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The return of the Manning Passing Academy is another sign of a slow return to normalcy. From a FootballScoop story about the camp, of which Dartmouth's Buddy Teevens is one of the directors (LINK):
The 2021 edition will be a month later than usual. The event is usually held over the last weekend in June, but was pushed back in April to July 15-18 to give everyone ample time to get vaccinated.
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Another sign of normalcy that is much-appreciated by That Certain Nittany Lion '16 came under the headline, Penn State announces Beaver Stadium, other athletics venues to host events at full capacity this fall. From the story (LINK):
"With the latest announcement, the Penn State football team can once again host 107,000 fans at Beaver Stadium, and fall Saturdays around the university should look a little more like they did in the pre-pandemic world.
According to Penn State’s announcement, traditional pre-game festivities — including tailgating and the Lions’ arrival at Beaver Stadium — will also return this fall."
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Like the Washington Football Team, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League were under pressure to change their name. They are now the Edmonton Elks. (LINK)
Green Alert Take: Hmmm. I suppose that means if Dartmouth finally decides to go with the mascot related to the elk it could call itself the Dartmouth Mooses. ;-)
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EXTRA POINT
The sun room in our Vermont hillside house has 10 windows, each about four-and-a-half feet high and about two feet wide, and a door with a large glass panel. Each spring I replace all the windows with screens. In the fall the glass goes back in.
When the temperature hit the mid-80s a few weeks ago I was tempted to trade out the glass. High temperatures in the 50s for much of the past week made me glad I held off.
The current forecast calls for a high of at least 75 degrees here through the middle of the month with several days approaching the 90s. I think the time has come to make the change. Finally!
