Cornell Notes

The Bulldogs fell to the Big Red on Saturday in a disappointing 21-23 contest to open the Ivy season. Yale is now 0-2 heading into another tough game versus Morgan State.

While the poor weather conditions were a factor, the offense never quite found the consistency needed to secure a win. The offensive line was unable to control the linebackers in the run game and struggled against the blitzes and stunts in pass blocking. There were flashes of Grooms’ dominance, but Cornell was able to neutralize him as he finished with just 129 passing yards (38.9% completion rate), 76 rushing yards, 2 passing TDs, and an interception. Much of the blame lies with the offensive coaching staff who have failed to put Grooms in good positions on short and medium passing plays. Far too often the offense fell into the stale rhythm of seasons past with short runs up the middle and low probability shots downfield to stall drives. The running back duo of Peterson and Alston did not find much success against a stingy front seven of Cornell. Pitsenberger was sorely missed in the running game as was Pantelis in the passing game. Tipton and Nenad made the most out of their targets each with a long touchdown reception. The Grooms to Tipton touchdown on 4th and 20 was a phenomenal play that will be overshadowed by the loss. The offense still has the pieces in place to succeed but the mental mistakes and poor play calling need to be cleaned up with haste.

The starting defensive line was shuffled with Jordan and Gulley at defensive tackles and Patterson and McDonough at ends. The defense had a strong showing on the first drive capped off by a nice stop by McDonough on 3rd down. Cornell was able to expose cracks in the defense on the second drive as they marched downfield methodically before a jarring hit from Vaughn forced a fumble that Yale recovered. Patterson played well but no other defensive lineman has become an every-down nuisance for opponents. Egodogbare appeared to be suited up on the sidelines, so hopefully his return can be expected at some point this season. Vaughn led in tackles with 12 and was a bright spot for the defense. Moore has had a rough start to a season in which he was expected to dominate. Baker made a few nice plays splitting time with Ayo-Durojaiye. The secondary was picked apart once again and became thinner with an injury to Hickey that left him on crutches. Freshman Brandon Webster filled in for Hickey and was no match for Cornell’s talented wideouts. Guyton or Da’Quan Gonzales would have seemed to be natural replacements for Hickey if healthy. The safety position seemed to be in constant flux with Reno assessing various athletes such as Daniyan, Haaland and Joseph Gonzales in the wake of Benn’s injury in Week 1. Tarver will need to show massive improvement at the other safety slot to build the defense’s confidence. Yale will not win contests with receivers slicing through the secondary and backs cutting through wide rushing lanes. Only two of eleven starters on defense, Patterson and Vaughn, have performed close to expectations thus far into the season.

Bosman missed two critical field goals that could have swayed the contest in Yale’s favor. This was truly a team loss with the offense, defense, and special teams all failing to perform.

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Yale 21 Cornell 23

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Game Week

Cornell Preview

The Big Red travel to New Haven to take on the Bulldogs at the Bowl on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for noon and the game will air on ESPN+. Weather forecasts are predicting rain with 16 mph winds which will certainly play a role in this contest. 

Cornell defeated Lehigh in the season opener last week by a score of 23-20. The Big Red posted 401 yards of total offense or 5.6 yards per play and dominated the time of possession holding the ball for over 38 minutes. 

Junior QB Jameson Wang (6’1”, 205 lbs.) was an honorable mention All-Ivy player a year ago and was very productive in his first outing of the season completing 20 of 32 passes for 297 yards and 2 TDs. Wang is a true dual-threat quarterback who led the Big Red in rushing yards with 85 yards or 5.0 yards per carry against Lehigh.   Cornell utilizes a committee of running backs such as senior RB Drew Powell (6’0”, 219 lbs.) but the stable of five backs only produced an additional 19 yards on top of Wang’s production. The wide receiver position is deep with the explosive sophomore Davon Kiser (5’7”, 153 lbs.) who was a 2nd Team All-Ivy returner a year ago and senior Nicholas Laboy (6’1”, 195 lbs.) who caught a 36-yard TD reception on the Bulldogs a year ago. The offensive line is a cohesive unit comprised entirely of returning starters. The line is very large averaging well over 300 lbs. across the board led by senior T Micah Sahakian (6’6”, 328 lbs.), a captain and honorable mention All-Ivy athlete. Senior TE Matt Robert (6’4”, 241 lbs.) is a dangerous receiving threat who racked up 468 receiving yards a year ago. The Bulldogs played very well defensively against Cornell in 2022 after a rough outing against Holy Cross, so hopefully a repeat is in store. The defensive line will need to step up to generate consistent pressure on Wang who has improved noticeably. Safety coverage and tackling will be as important as ever in this contest. 

Cornell’s defense is led by 3-time All-Ivy LB Jake Stebbins (6’0”, 231 lbs.) who has been the cornerstone of the defense for years. The linebacker position is very deep from inside to outside. Senior LB Holt Fletcher (6’4”, 257 lbs.) intercepted Lehigh twice last week and has started since 2021. Senior LB Connor Henderson (6’2”, 232 lbs.) was another honorable mention All-Ivy player in 2022. The Bulldogs match up well against Cornell’s defensive line with the Big Red returning one starter in senior Connor Morgan (6’3”, 279 lbs.). Beyond Stebbins, senior CB Paul Lewis III (6’2”, 212 lbs.) could be the next most talented defender with the size and speed to lock onto receivers. The three other starting defensive backs are all seasoned veterans who didn’t make many mistakes against Lehigh. It’s a very stingy and aggressive defense that will try to pressure grooms with a variety of blitzes. Yale will need to focus on consistency for four quarters and open the playbook to secure a win.

The Big Red had a tremendous day on special teams last week. Senior K/P Jackson Kennedy was 3 for 4 on field goal attempts and averaged 47.7 yards per punt. Davin Kiser demonstrated his elusiveness with 55 yards on 3 punt returns. Cornell blocked a PAT to cap off a solid performance.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Big Red!

Holy Cross Notes

The Bulldogs fell to the Crusaders 24-49 in a disappointing opener in front of roughly 5,000 dedicated fans at the Bowl.

The offense came out firing on all cylinders with big holes paved for Pitsenberger and ample pass protection provided for Grooms to work through the ground or air. The starting offensive line consisted of Amegadjie at LT, Sullivan at LG, Durand at C, Mendoza at RG, and Session at RT. Tipton, Lindley and Shipp started at WRs with Hawes at TE. Notable offensive players we did not see included Alston and Pantelis. The early offensive line play was very encouraging with the Bulldogs getting great movement against the Crusaders’ front. Peterson racked up 95 yards on 17 carries while Grooms and Pitsenberger added another 68 and 36 rushing yards respectively. Grooms finished 12 of 17 for 112 yards and a TD in the passing game. The offense was fairly crisp in the first half and if it weren’t for an illegal man downfield penalty, could have put the Bulldogs into position to be tied with the Crusaders heading into halftime. The second half was a different story for the offense as mental mistakes piled up and Holy Cross’ superior conditioning became evident. The ground attack stagnated with defenders running free into the backfield and Grooms made mistakes under pressure. The pieces are in place for a high level of offensive success this season, but the errors will need to be cleaned up in a hurry heading into league play.

While the offense showed its promise early on, the defense struggled from the very first snap with Coker catching a 37-yard bomb from Sluka. Holy Cross moved the ball at will as Yale failed to control the line, set the edges, cover wideouts or wrap up ball carriers. The starting defensive ends, Larry and McDonough, combined for only 3 tackles and aside from the occasional pressure from Patterson, the defensive line was ineffective in closing gaps and rushing the passer. Safety was an area of concern heading into the season and has become even more worrisome following the loss. Benn started alongside sophomore Josh Tarver and the duo struggled mightily against the talented Crusaders. Benn was injured and sported a sling on the sideline as freshman Osize Daniyan filled in for a rude awakening in his first collegiate snaps. Owens and Hickey started at the corner positions and did not play up to their expectations, appearing to be a step out of position on passing plays and did not display their typical physicality. Growing pains were expected for the defensive line and secondary, yet the linebackers had no excuse for the poor play. Vaughn led in tackles with 10 although many tackles were downfield. Moore and Ayo-Durojaiye were bullied by Holy Cross’ line as they failed to shed blocks, missed tackles, and were effortlessly dragged for additional yardage. Shoring up the defense is the main priority this week when the Big Red come to town.

Bosman had a nice day averaging 47 yards per punt and was perfect on his 3 PATs as well as his single field goal attempt from 29 yards out.

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Yale 24 Holy Cross 49

Holy Cross Preview

The #5 ranked Holy Cross Crusaders visit the Bowl on Saturday in Yale’s season opener. Kickoff is set for noon and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Expect windy conditions with gusts up to 25 miles per hour.

Holy Cross enters the contest with a 1-1 record after falling to Boston College by 3 points in a thrilling contest that came down to Holy Cross’ final offensive possession. Holy Cross dominated Merrimack in their season opening victory 42-20.

Back in control of the offense is senior QB Matthew Sluka (6’3”, 216 lbs.) who has terrorized teams on the ground and through the air over the years. Sluka posted 131 rushing yards with 2 rushing touchdowns and 130 passing yards (66.7% completion percentage) against an FBS opponent this past weekend. The Yale defense has possibly its toughest test of the season squaring off against a top FCS quarterback with a deep veteran core. Junior RB Jordan Fuller (6’0”, 231 lbs.) is a load to bring down with surprising speed. Fuller put together two tremendous performances to start the season with 120 rushing yards and 5 TDs in the win over Merrimack followed by 109 rushing yards and 2 TDs in the loss to BC. 1st Team All-Patriot League WR Jalen Coker (6’3”, 213 lbs.) is back and off to a hot start with 21.0 yards per reception. As talented as the skill position players are for the Crusaders, the offensive line could be the strength of the team. All starting offensive linemen have prior starting experience in 2022 or prior and 4 of 5 have garnered All-Patriot League honors. Senior LT Luke Newman (6,4”, 310 lbs.) could be the best of the bunch and was named 1st Team All-American by several publications. The Crusaders had no trouble opening holes against Boston College and will really test our defensive ends. Senior TE Sean Morris (6’4, 250 lb.) is yet another option for Sluka and hauled in a 20-yard grab against the Elis a year ago.

Holy Cross has a disciplined defense headlined by LB Jacob Dobbs (6’0”, 237 lbs.) who has racked up 36 tackles in 2 games and was named a preseason All-American. Junior LB Frankie Monte (6’0”, 233 lbs.) started 8 contests a year ago and forms a formidable corps with Dobbs. Senior CB Devin Haskins (6’3”, 209 lbs.) is the star of the secondary for Holy Cross as another All-American candidate and posted 8 tackles last week versus BC. Another large CB for the Crusaders is senior Terrence Spence (6’2”, 200 lbs.) who had an interception versus the Bulldogs last season and had an impactful day against the Eagles with 5 tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble. The safety position is relatively inexperienced for Holy Cross with freshman Stu Smith (6’1”, 198 lbs.) starting and junior Jake Jarmolowich (6’2”, 200 lbs.) returning with just a single start in 2022. The Crusaders’ defensive line could be the weakest unit for the squad with only one full-time starter returning from a year ago in senior DT Dillon Springer (6’2”, 281 lbs.). Besides Springer, senior DL Brian Vaganek (6’4”, 263 lbs.) started just one game due to injury in 2022 and the other starters are a freshman and a sophomore with no prior collegiate experience. This presents a favorable matchup for our offensive line, particularly the interior of the offensive line, as Grooms adjusts to a new center and the line makes early season adjustments. Given the overwhelming talent on the offensive side of the ball for Holy Cross, the Bulldogs will need to score quickly and often to stay in the hunt for a victory. Controlling the line of scrimmage and getting blockers on Dobbs need to be the focal points of our preparation.

Sophomore K Luis Palenzuela (6’0”, 201 lbs.) has been perfect on 10 PATs but has yet to attempt a field goal this season. Senior P Patrick Haughney has started since 2020 and has averaged 40.8 yards per punt over his career.

Go Bulldogs!

Preseason Rankings

Here are our preseason rankings excluding the favored Elis:

Princeton– QB Stenstrom is the best pure passer in the league and while the Tigers suffered losses at RB and WR, they have a long history of reloading at those positions. Princeton graduated two All-Ivy offensive linemen but return with LT Jalen Travis (6’7”, 300 lbs.) who is drawing interest from NFL scouts. Surace has enough talent on defense with 1st team All-Ivy LB Liam Johnson returning among several others to make Princeton the top contender.

Dartmouth– Injuries hampered the Big Green in 2022 but they return a bruising 1st Team All-Ivy QB and will be playing with more emotion than any squad this year in the wake of Teevens’ spinal injury. Reliable WR Paxton Scott is back along with four of five starting offensive linemen. The defense returns three solid fifth year players and the league leader in tackles in LB Macklin Ayers. Dartmouth was plays away from knocking off Ivy foes such as Yale last year and will get back on track if they stay healthy. 

Harvard– DT Thor Griffith could be the best defender in the league and if Murphy can develop a talented QB, the sky is the limits for the Crimson. 1st Team All-Ivy TE Tyler Neville returns along with two offensive linemen that garnered All-Ivy awards in Jacob Rizy and Austin Gentle. Junior WR Ledger Hatch is a lanky target with high expectations this season. Senior DE Nate Leskovec is a two-time All-Ivy honoree that will forge a stiff defensive front with Griffith. This is a squad that should be ranked atop the league on paper, but Murphy and staff have been unprepared and outcoached too many times to ignore in recent years. Will Harvard’s Athletic Director move on if Murphy can’t win a title this season?

Penn– No team dominated the trenches against the Bulldogs last year like the Quakers. QB Aidan Sayin is back along with Penn’s leader in touchdown receptions from a year ago, WR Josh Casilli. Priore might be getting on a roll again after several disappointing years prior to 2022. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Priore’s squad led by Justin Watson pounded Yale in a haunting Friday night game at the bowl. The top five teams (Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Harvard and Penn) all seem to be very close in potential and one lucky bounce of the ball could decide the season. 

Columbia– Bagnoli has stepped aside for an administrative role at Columbia due to health concerns. While Penn had a very accomplished assistant waiting in the wings in Priore, the Lions are not as fortunate relying on Mark Fabish to lead them into a tough Ivy schedule. They do have some pieces in place to make it interesting such as DE Justin Townsend who had 6 sacks in 2022 and QB Caden Bell who started the final 5 contests, but it will take a monumental effort for the Lions to beat a squad like the Tigers.

Brown– The Bears had several close Ivy losses and even beat the Quakers before the season unraveled versus the Bulldogs. Another full recruiting cycle and off-season should do wonders for the Bears, but the league will still outpace them in talent. QB Jake Willcox is back after seven starts in 2022 and WR Wes Rockett is easily a top 5 WR across the league. A much improved defense could move Brown closer to the middle of the league standings.

Cornell— Shifty QB Jameson Wang is back but so is Head Coach David Archer. The Big Red finished 5-5 last season, the best record for them since 2005. Returning the starting QB in Wang, their best defender from 2022 in LB Jake Stebbins, 6 offensive linemen with starting experience and a very talented CB in Paul Lewis III should boost them higher on this list, yet outside of contests versus Columbia and Brown, it’s hard to envision the Big Red competing in a very difficult division this year.

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3.5 Weeks Out

The Bulldogs open the season in under four weeks squaring off against an imposing Holy Cross team. It seemed as though Reno intentionally showed caution in the contest last season as he rotated in many players at key positions to limit injuries. You can’t argue with the results considering how the team continued to ramp up performance week over week on the path to an outright title. Yale was overwhelmingly favored in the recent preseason Ivy poll but depth will always remain an issue across the Ancient Eight.

Reigning Ivy League MVP Nolan Grooms returns at QB for his final season at the helm. Grooms made giant leaps in the passing game last season to complement his dominating rushing attack. He still has room for improvement in faster recognition and tighter ball security but no player in the league possesses his instincts in the open field. 

The backfield should be a special one for Yale with Pitsenberger returning after claiming the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and Peterson coming off a season in which he was third in the league in rushing. To round out the trio is Alston who was dominating in the last action seen from him. How Reno and Seitu Smith manage to balance the talent at this position will be a major storyline this season. With three starting caliber backs and a true dual threat QB in Grooms, expect a lot of rushing yards in 2023!

The wide receivers and tight ends for the Bulldogs will make life difficult for defenders focused on shutting down the rushing attack. Tipton, Nenad, Pantelis, Lindley and Shipp all return at WR with starting experience. Tipton has been one of the most electrifying athletes on the squad since he stepped foot on campus. He’s been the go-to deep threat for years but can also turn short screens into long touchdowns. Nenad is the prototypical wide receiver with the size, speed, and hands to become a QB’s favorite target. Pantelis is another physical specimen that the offense really leaned on last season in the short passing game. Lindley is a sharp route runner with exceptional quickness while Shipp is a well-rounded, explosive receiver. 

Hawes was a 2nd Team All-Ivy TE a year ago and is a clutch playmaker. The Grooms to Hawes TD pass in the 4th quarter of the Harvard contest could be the top highlight from the championship run. Yates was a pleasant surprise last season after transferring to Yale giving the Bulldogs a fierce double TE set. The sky is the limits for the skill position players offensively, but the pressure as always will be on the offensive line.

Replacing Gargiulo is the most pressing issue heading into the schedule. Luckily the Eli’s return 1st Team All-Ivy selection Amegadije at LT and the gargantuan Mendoza at RT. Karhu returns at RG and Session filled in solidly for Mendoza at tackle late in the season, so should be a top contender at LG. Sullivan appeared in 8 games as a freshman and could contend for a spot on the inside. Durand may have the inside track on the center position filling in for Gargiulo at times last season. Hopefully Grooms and his new starting center will be on the same page with shotgun snaps as the early season snapping issues last year were headscratchers. The lack of depth along the front is a cause for concern but on paper, this should be one of the top units in the league.

The defense is every bit as star studded as the offense. Patterson, Gulley, and Egodogbare wreaked havoc on offensive linemen in 2022. Patterson has the strength and speed to dominate on the inside or outside. He was the clear MVP for Yale in the 2021 season but seemed to be overshadowed by the productivity of Nickerson and Oso when schemed against in 2022. Gulley is stout at the point of attack while Egodogbare looked like a seasoned veteran at defensive tackle as a freshman before suffering a serious injury. McDonough is a likely starter at DE and showed serious potential last season and in the spring. 

All three starting LBs from a year ago return. Moore was the heart of the defense en route to 2nd Team All-Ivy honors. Vaughn got progressively better as the season went on and delivered crushing blows on the Tigers and Cantabs. Durojaiye is a great defender in space that always seems to be in on the action. Schaffer made a few excellent plays last season and should figure into the mix at ILB.  

The loss of Ellis and Oldacre at safety is massive but Yale appears to have enough talent to shore up the secondary. Captain DB Wande Owens was a 1st team All-Ivy CB and led the team with 63 tackles. Hickey was a day one contributor that is returning for a fifth season after suffering a season-ending injury in 2022. Guyton stepped up when Hickey was injured and became a major contributor to the success. Gonzales has the potential to be a shutdown corner playing on an island with continued elevation of his game. Benn made game saving plays with forced fumbles and interceptions at critical moments but will need to make another leap to prove that he’s an every-down safety.

Continuing with the trend, Bosman returns as both kicker and punter while Felton returns at KR and Lindley returns as PR. This could be the top roster that Reno has ever assembled.

Chris Ostrowsky takes over the Offensive Coordinator position after serving as Pass Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach in 2022. Ostrowsky has an impressive resume leading high-flying offenses at Northern Michigan as Head Coach and Central Michigan as Offensive Coordinator. McGowan and Jay Anderson will be Co-Defensive Coordinators. Tim Janecek will coach the defensive linemen after a lengthy stint at the successful DIII program North Central College. David Josephson joined the Bulldogs as TE Coach after three seasons of serving as the Offensive Coordinator at Johns Hopkins. Reno added Marcus Knight as Wide Receivers Coach after two years coaching at Ball State. Stefon Wheeler, Offensive Line Coach, is another new addition to the staff joining the Elis after four seasons coaching the O-line at Rhode Island. The level of coaching turnover is not a positive sign, however, the new coaches have ample amounts of talent to make the transitions seamless. Reno will need to drown out the SEC noise as his son, Dante, will be suiting up for the South Carolina Gamecocks along with Gargiulo. Interestingly enough, former Head Coach Tom Williams also has a son that will also be joining a storied D1 program as his son, Tre Williams, will be playing OLB at Stanford.

Much more to follow in the coming weeks.

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Official Recruiting List

Cooper Austin, 6’2″, 280 lbs., DL, Loomis Chaffee/Mt. Lebanon (Pittsburgh, PA)

Zavier Avera, 6’5″, 270 lbs., OL, Jones (Orlando, FL)

Joseph Barry, 6’3″, 220 lbs., LB, Bergen Catholic (Saddle River, NJ)

Kevin Cassidy, 6’6″, 285 lbs., OL, Mountainside (Beaverton, OR)

James Cave, 6’6″, 240 lbs., DL, Parish Episcopal (Dallas, TX)

Osize Daniyan, 6’2″, 175 lbs., DB, Mt. Juliet (Mt. Juliet, TN)

Dylan Darville, 6’1″, 180 lbs., DB, Emmaus (Macungie, PA)

Garon Duncan, 6’1″, 195 lbs., WR, Dripping Springs (Driftwood, TX)

Babawale Fadeyibi, 6’3″, 255 lbs., DL, Blair Academy (Blairstown, NJ)

Joey Fortner, 6’2″, 215 lbs., LS, Marist (Tinley Park, IL)

Dylan Garrity, 6’4″, 245 lbs., OL, Bergen Catholic (Old Tappan, NJ)

Phoenix Grant, 6’2″, 185 lbs., DB, Gunter (Sherman, TX)

Zairion Jackson-Bass, 6’3″, 235 lbs., DL, Julius L. Chambers (Charlotte, NC)

Brice June, 6’3″, 190 lbs., WR, Maret (Potomac, MD)

Abu Kamara, 6’1″, 190 lbs., DB, Interboro (Prospect Park, PA)

John Kemp, 5’11”, 180 lbs., DB, St. Ignatius (Chicago, IL)

Quinton Lewis, 6’4″, 290 lbs., OL, Northside (Warner Robins, GA)

Donovan McKoy, 6’5″, 210 lbs., WR, St. Joseph Regional (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)

Spencer Mermans, 6’6″, 245 lbs., DL, Charlotte Country Day (Charlotte, NC)

Jesse Schutzman, 6’2″, 220 lbs., LB, Brunswick (Norwalk, CT)

Graham Smith, 6’5″, 220 lbs., TE, Lyons Township (Western Springs, IL)

Jackson St. Aubyn, 6’5″, 284 lbs., OL, Palmer Ridge (Colorado Springs, CO)

Jaylin Tate, 6’4″, 245 lbs., DL, Woodward Academy (Atlanta, GA)

Robby Tattersall, 6’5″, 205 lbs., TE, Wilmington Friends (Wilmington, DE)

Aidan Warner, 6’3″, 205 lbs., QB, Winter Park (Winter Park, FL)

Brandon Webster, 6’0″, 180 lbs., DB, St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH)

Lukas Witt, 6’5″, 285 lbs., OL, Cheshire Academy/Norris (Stuttgart, Germany)

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Spring Game Notes

We caught our first glimpse of the 2023 squad on Saturday in the Bowl on an overcast windy day in New Haven. Attendance seemed to be higher than in previous years likely due to senior parents in attendance to watch the ring ceremony.

Reno aired on the side of caution sitting or limiting many of the familiar names on the roster. Those who did not suit up included Mendoza, Patterson, Egodogbare, Pantelis, Nenad, Shipp, Hawes, and Sullivan. Benn, Guyton and Peterson were suited up but did not see action. Grooms and Alston played only the first series, while Pitsenberger was only seen on a handful of special teams plays. Spring games under Siedlecki and Williams were far more entertaining, but we prefer Reno’s approach to keep the team healthy heading into the summer offseason.

With Mendoza out of the lineup, the starters along the offensive line were Amegadijie, Anderson, Durand, Karhu and Session from left to right. Yates started at tight end with Hawes out and the starting wide receiver corps featured Tipton (in red non-contact jersey), Lindley, and Brunelle. Grooms and Alston started at QB and RB respectively. The starting offense marched effortlessly down the field for a score led by two big runs from Alston (including the TD scamper) and a nice completion on a crossing pattern to Lindley.

The starting defense was very young with only a handful of major contributors from 2022 appearing in the exhibition. McDonough and Ezekiel Larry started at defensive end with Gulley and #98 (Yang or Ugbaja?) at defensive tackle. The starting linebackers were #7 (Biggs?), #40 (Shaffer or Warncke?), and Melik Williams. Gonzales and Barnes were at the cornerback positions and #32 and #35 (Haaland?) were at the safety positions.

Pass coverage was poor early on but improved as the day went on. McDonough and Yang both had sacks yet the defensive play of the day came on a big hit from #37 (Joseph Gonzales?) who dislodged a completion to Thompson. #30 (Michalik?) also had a terrific play stripping Eboboko on a running play.

The stars on offense were WR CJ Thompson and RB Wilhelm Dahl. Thompson was by far the most active member of the receiving corps and held onto a ball in the first half despite a crushing hit. Thompson had a long reception called back in the 2nd half and later beat Gonzales on a deep route but the pass from Grant Jordan was off the mark. Dahl showed great vision and cutting abilities and could factor into the kickoff return game alongside Felton.

Bosman still appears to be ahead of the competition in the kicking and punting schemes. Bosman nearly connected on a 50-yard field goal in the wind that hit the goalpost.

The defensive end and safety positions are still the largest uncertainties heading into the fall. If McDonough and Larry are to be the primary contributors at the defensive end slot, they will both need to continue to bulk up to square off against much larger offensive tackles. Beyond Benn, there is no safety with ample experience, so Reno could opt to shift an experienced corner to safety or let the youngsters such as Haaland, #32, Di Ienno and Joseph Gonzales battle it out for the top spot.