Former Dartmouth linebacker/rush end Marques White had a pretty fair start in the first spring scrimmage at McNeese State, posting three sacks and four tackles for loss in live action with the Cowboys. Here he is talking with the media after the scrimmage. The grad transfer was first asked about Dartmouth about 50 seconds into the video.
(Dartmouth is) in New Hampshire, if you don't know where that's at. And it's way different than down here in the south. You know, "it's different" doesn't always mean bad. So it's been a great experience so far. And I'm, I'm excited to see what the rest has to unfold.
I'd say down here the athletes are definitely a little better as far as speed on the explosiveness, and the line is definitely a little bigger. But that's not to say that Dartmouth was worse, at all. We were a great team out there, but it's definitely a different type of speed and athleticism down here.
On coming from the Ivy League:
Yeah, I'd say I got a little chip on my shoulder. But you know, being an older guy on this team specifically, I just want to carry that, blue collar type of attitude down here. Because up at Dartmouth, we were very technical in everything we did. And I think that's the difference that that goes a long way coming down here.
On improvements he's looking for in his game:
First off, I want to stay healthy. I feel like my career has been riddled with injuries the past couple of years, unfortunately. So that's my main goal, to stay injury-free. And I just want to be more powerful and aggressive when it comes to the line, just because these are bigger boys down here. There's a lot of size. So I've got to be able to counteract that.
On what he's looking forward to coming to a team whose only win a year ago was by forfeit:
I'm looking forward to seeing the fans out here. I heard that there's a great college game-day atmosphere down here. That was kind of one of the reasons that drew me out here. I just want to see how this team responds from last year. I wasn't here last year's offseason, but based off of what we're doing now, it's turning in the right direction. So I think I believe in all these boys, and I hope they believe in me. So, you know, I'm just excited, excited for kickoff.
McNeese State's biggest challenge coming off a 10-loss season will be Sept. 7 when the Cowboys play at Texas A&M.
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Former Dartmouth longsnapper Josh Greene, like Marques White a fifth-year senior last fall, has won a spot in the NFL Rotational Program. Greene spent last summer as an intern in the league's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department. The program he'll be joining this year is described on the NFL website this way (LINK):
The Rotational Program is a highly selective, high-potential program in which participants complete up to four rotations over a two-year period across a variety of departments and office locations within the U.S. If you are an undergraduate senior (including students completing their 5th consecutive year) looking to enhance your business exposure and management skills, this program will offer you an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself into the world of professional football through a series of challenging work assignments, League events, and networking opportunities.
Former Dartmouth tight end Cole Marcoux '14, was in the league's junior rotational program for two years after graduation and today is director of football administration for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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EXTRA POINT
History could be made this month, but not good history.
A popular contest in the wonderfully named "Joe's Pond" in West Danville, Vt., began in 1988 when a couple of buddies were wondering when the ice would go out. The origin of the contest, which has now gone national, is explained this way on its website (LINK):
After considerable discussion, they settled on a simple, low-tech control system: they placed a well-used electric clock on Homer Fitts's deck and tethered it to a cinder block wired to a wooden pallet placed about 100 feet out on the ice. That was it. The clock was checked twice daily in the morning and evening. When the block went down, the clock was disconnected, stopping at the "official" ice-out time. Whoever guessed closest to the date and time the clock stopped won the contest.
The latest the ice has gone out since the contest began was May 6 in 1992. The earliest: April 5 of 2010. Last year it went out April 17.
Here's the unfortunate history piece from the website:
Due to the unusually warm winter weather, the committee realizes there is a possibility the ice will go out before the April 1 deadline. In that case the contest will immediately stop, outlets will be notified to stop collecting tickets, and all tickets will be picked up by committee members. Post marks will be accepted up to and including the day before.
Oh, and if you would like to buy the $1 tickets, there's info HERE.
