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Of all the high-profile grad transfers Dartmouth football sent to the FBS this year, linebacker Jalen Mackie– a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the nation's top FCS defender last year – may have received the least buzz. He finally shows up in a release out of UMass that includes this (LINK):
Mackie played three seasons at Dartmouth where he earned his undergraduate degree and was an All-New England Team and First Team All-Ivy honoree.
(UMass defensive coordinator) Keith Dudzinski on Mackie – "He's just a football junkie. Once he decided to come here, we did a lot of Zoom calls to just try and bring him up to speed on the defense and he's done a great job since he enrolled here and got here learning the defense. He brings a nice physical play to the field, very smart, very cerebral, asks a lot of good questions and he's starting to get better and better as these camp days go on."
On the sidewalk in front of Alumni Gym after practice yesterday I took this shot of a banner featuring 2022 Dartmouth tri-captain Shane Cokes. (That's Jalen Mackie next to him in his 49 jersey).
There are banners from all of the Big Green fall sports on lightposts in front of the athletic facility.
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With NFL final cuts approaching, SI FanNation predicts edge rusher Niko Lalos '20 will end up on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. (LINK) Lalos had one tackle in last night’s 27-10 win over the Chargers.
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The going has been a lot tougher for wide receiver Drew Estrada '20 with his home state Houston Texans. From a CBSSports.com story (LINK):
Since he began to miss practice Aug. 9 due to a leg injury, Estrada hasn't taken any visible reps on the field and now will miss the entire preseason slate. The health concern likely means he's on the outside looking in as the Texans face down cut-down day Tuesday.
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As much as he tries to dismiss slights to the program he follows, Jake Novak at Roar Lions 2022; The unofficial fan blog of Columbia University football, takes issue with the Ivy League media poll picking the Lions fifth coming off a 7-3 season, and preseason all-conference teams overlooking the team's veteran line. Check out his commentary HERE.
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Perhaps you've already seen this, but even if that's the case it's worth watching again as mothers of players from the Washington Community High School outside of Peoria, Ill., take their best shot at tackling their sons. Where there some serious hits, be sure to stick around for the final tackle to get a laugh:
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EXTRA POINT
On the way to my hike yesterday morning I heard an interview on the car radio with a meteorologist from the Fairbanks Museum up in St. Johnsbury, Vt, and he was talking about how much late the sun is rising and how much earlier it is setting as summer winds down.
With that in mind I did indeed notice it was a little darker this morning during my hike. Soon I'll have to break out a headlamp or shift my hike until after BGA Daily goes up :-(
Speaking of sunset, I was sitting at my computer last evening working on the BGA Premium practice story when I looked up from the keyboard and saw what the setting sun was doing on the clouds. I shouted downstairs for Mrs. BGA to look to the west, and she proceeded to head outside and shoot this photo that accurately portrays what the sky looked like across our road:
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| (Click the photo for a better look.) |
