Weather – that’s more like it!
Performance – that’s more like it!
Gentlemen (and Ladies, if any): We are in the odd posture of having to root for our ancient Big 3 enemies today. Princeton is about to beat Cornell — it’s in garbage time. If the abhorrent Cantabs beat Dartmouth today in Beantown, we have a clear path to an Ivy title tie at 5-2… if we can run the board.
Princeton 14 Cornell 3
Hard to believe, but if Harvard beats Dartmouth, Yale controls its destiny. The fortunate thing is there is no reason Yale shouldn’t win the next three. Unfortunately, they could just as easily lose the next three.
Let’s whip Brown and head into Y-H-P with a shot.
The Brown offense will be a big test for our D. And they will be up for Yale after the blowout last year. It may take 35-45 points to win.
I watched a bit of Princeton-Cornell and some of Dartmouth-Harvard today. This may come as a shock to Yale nation, but there are teams out there, in our own league, that play pass defense. Really!
Even though I knew it was in our best interest to have both Princeton and Harvard win today, I had to keep reminding myself not to pull for Cornell and Dartmouth. It just went against my nature to hope Pr and H win.
Gentlemen; good performance, by our blue on both sides of the ball. We will need a similar performance against the Bears next week.
Harvard had over 22k attendance today for their semi night game against Dartmouth.
They marketed it heavily as their homecoming game. Yale should do the same thing against Dartmouth next year. Yale can learn a lot from Harvard on how build attendance.
Yale could learn something from Harvard.
Yale had it , it all comes down from the present administration. WHO implemented the changes . That quite frankly turned people away.
Even on a nice day, there are other options to do with the family.
To the idiot who writes, Shakes fist at GD Vicky Chun. “you have no idea jerk”.
She’s isn’t the only idiot in this matter.
No you don’t need a a homecoming game. Rescind some of the rules . That this administration put in place.
Make it a welcome , safe and fun place to bring the family. Open the the restrictive atmosphere. Come on .!! Man
Signs of life for Ivy League football as a spectacle. Shows fans can be drawn to Ivy games in 2023. Bottom line, Yale needs to overhaul their marketing and game-day experience.
Pitsenburger got the vast majority of RB carries today. He responded with his best game of the year. He seemed to get stronger as the game went on. I think he’s going to break out against Brown.
Lindley was replaced as the punt returner late in the game. Did anyone notice him get hurt?
I just noticed Lindley as on the field for the on side kick attempt at the end of the game so I guess he’s ok.
I was told after game Lindley hit a hard spot on turf on his punt return right before halftime and injured his heel so coaches held him out in prep for next week.
Reno afterwards: “Today… we could put our team in a good position moving forward, and our guys took it and ran with it. Still, we can get so much better. The exciting thing for me wasn’t the success we had today, but what we can do in the future. The candle is lit, and now it’s time to go. I promised the team that I am going to push them to be the best football team we can be, and I know they are going to join alongside me.”
I like it. GO BLUE
Brown’s offense is going to pose a tough challenge for us. I hope our team has rediscovered its Moxy and will put together another solid performance to stifle the Bears and keep building our momentum. Princeton has struggled to score, averaging less than 17 points a game this year. That will be a very winnable game. In my opinion, Harvard is the top team in the league. However, when we play at the Bowl in a big rivalry game, anything can happen. We need to take it one week at a time, but I’m feeling a serious sense of hope.
Harvard has a strong team and a strong defense. Their offense has not been putting up points in the last two games the way they did earlier in the year. Maybe the coaches have gone to school on their speed option.
Time for a reality check; the opponent was Columbia, a team as inept as Morgan State and Sacred Heart. Yale has yet to show that they can compete against a team with a QB that can throw the ball down the field; need I mention Holy Cross, Cornell, and Penn. Each QB had a field day with what is unfortunately this year’s Yale pass defense. Brown and Harvard have offenses that are capable of scoring a lot of points and Princeton has been playing some good defense. Will Yale’s predictable offense of runs up the middle on 1st down and sideline passes for two and three yards work against the three remaining teams on the schedule? One more loss and it’s over for Yale for this year. Is a loss what it will take to get playing time for next year’s players or will it be the old retreads through the end of the season?
Gentlemen; not to be a contrarian but the reality is Sacred Heart, Morgan State and Columbia are hardly stiffs. The leopards on top of the patriot league beat Sacred Heart 19–14; Columbia 24–3; Princeton 12–9; Holy Cross 38-35. Morgan State beat Richmond and Columbia has been in every Ivy League contest except for the recent one against our blue. I expect the lions to pull an upset in one of their last three games. Our blue under performed against the cornelians and Ben Franklins both of whom probably played their best games of the season. In my minds eye the reality is our blue can run the table if they play to their potential including coaches on both offense and defense being creative like they did in the Lion contest.
Old Blue I agree, this has Been a Jekyll and Hyde season. With a tremendous amount of injuries.
The underclassmen are starting to jell. The new coaching staff game planning is starting to be effective. A lot of progress and still more to be done. #21 seemed to with a lot of desire and heart. Jet sweeps and some toss sweeps. Maybe a wishbone . Or even a jumbo package with a 300lbs. Running lineman like the the Bears with the fridge . Or what UConn does with its Defensive lineman for Goal line or short yardage.
Good Luck Go Blue
Sacred Heart (1-8), Morgan State (2-5), and Columbia (2-5; 0-4 Ivy) are weak teams at best. All failed to display any resemblance of an effective offense in their games with Yale and it wasn’t because Yale played spectacular defense in any of those games. For the most part, their passing games were non-existent; the same goes for Dartmouth in Yale’s other win. It has been very clear this season that any team with a good passing QB can score on Yale with ease. Expecting Yale’s coaches on both offense and defense being creative in the next three games is probably a reach at this point in the season. The win against Columbia was hardly creative; run on 1st down, sideline passes on 2nd and 3rd downs. Columbia was hardly a test of Yale’s predictable offense. Columbia never tested Yale’s passing defense until their last drive. Columbia was terrible. The next three games will not be a “walk in the park” as in the Columbia game.
A reminder that A Realist’s proposed course of action involves benching the upperclassmen starters, including the reigning Bushnell Cup winner, and essentially giving up on the rest of the season to focus on developing the team for next year. I appreciate A Realist’s candid contributions and his commitment to keeping a realist’s perspective. However, we shouldn’t forget that our biggest games of the season are still ahead, and an Ivy Championship is just three wins away. While this year’s team may not be perfect, there’s a non-insignificant chance that they can still succeed. It’s important to remember that nothing is guaranteed for next year, and it would be unwise to go for a full rebuild at this stage. We should give the current team a chance to prove themselves and fight for success in the remaining games.
Success is the offspring of unwavering belief. That’s true this year and next year. Belief doesn’t come with a switch; you must invest your faith in this team and its players, no matter what. Let’s choose to believe, consistently and wholeheartedly, in our team and its potential for greatness.
The recruiting class that Coach Reno brought in this past off-season is potentially the highest rated class he has ever recruited at Yale. Yet, most stand on the sidelines each week and watch upperclassmen underperform week after week. Yale led Columbia 28-0 early in the 4th quarter. It was the perfect opportunity to give the younger players valuable experience while protecting the starters from possible injury. The OC sent the starters, including Grooms, back out on the field. Did he want to run up the score on Columbia to make himself feel good or was he “asleep at the wheel”? Based on his offensive play calling to date, I would guess the later. Not excited to see his play calling or personnel decisions over the next three games. Just my opinion.
Yale will run the table and win the title. Reno teams always perform their best in second half of the season
I’d like to see Biggs blitzing from the blind side, like Opplinger did in 2017.
This is a excellent blog, would you be involved in doing an interview about just how you designed it? If so e-mail me!buy backlinks
We have Nolan Grooms the league’s best qb and Brown has Jake Wilcox the leading qb in terms of passing yardage. Expect a high scoring contest with a victory for the Bulldogs if our pass rush is effective and our freshmen DBs bring their A game.
True, we do have Nolan Grooms, but how long are you going to call a QB with limited passing abilities the best QB in the league? That may have been true last year, but I’m sure that Cornell and Penn fans would be justified to say that he was only the 2nd best QB on the field when their teams met this season. Brown may also have good reason to challenge your opinion after next Saturday’s game. The Ivy League is slow in catching up with the rest of college football; a big part of that change is to QB’s with the ability to drive the ball down the field via the passing game. The Holy Cross game, though not Ivy League, should have been a rude awakening for Yale fans. Yale’s defense stopped HC’s offense only once during that rout as HC’s QB provided Yale’s defense with a tutorial on the passing game. The QB in the Cornell game wasn’t far behind, and didn’t a Penn WR break a longtime record with 17 pass receptions in a game, and those receptions weren’t the “dinks” to the sidelines for 2 or 3 yards, the strength of Groom’s passing attack. Today’s successful QB’s are adept at going through the progressions with their receivers; Grooms looks at one receiver towards the sideline and if he isn’t open, Grooms runs with the ball. This is common knowledge among defensive coaches in the Ivy League. It may work against the Columbias, Morgan States, and Sacred Hearts, but will Brown, Princeton, and Harvard adjust? My guess is a long three weeks for Yale.
Is anyone going to Providence Saturday . I was thinking of taking a ride. Just to get out of the area.
Gentlemen; mr. realist maybe somewhat correct as to number 12 progressions but the offensive coordinator has finally hopefully figured out in the quick throws to the outside and slants down the middle set up long passes up the middle. It is up to the offensive coordinator to figure out how to stretch the field like he did against the Lions. The continuation of this progression will result in positive movement towards scoring. opportunities.
I wish Nolan Grooms all the best as he closes out his football career over the next three games, and I hope he finds a way to lead Yale to a share of the Ivy League title. That being said, the realist in me has serious doubts that it will happen. Many of those quick passes to the sidelines travelled a good distance before they reached the intended receivers. Columbia was content to give those completions. I would expect that one or maybe all of the next three opponents may be tempted to try and jump those throws rather than conceding short completions. Nolan doesn’t really throw slants or long passes up the middle. It’s probably because he lacks the height to see down the middle of the field. You know that I advocate playing time for younger players and there’s a reason besides next year’s team success. Nolan is an excellent runner, taking off frequently and often with no abandon to risk of injury, but have you considered what happens if he sustains an injury that takes him out of a game or possibly for multiple games? Not only do we have an OC calling highly predictable plays, but we also lack a backup QB with valuable game experience.
You are a complete clown. Grooms and w the freaking reigning Bushnell winner! Just an absolutely ridiculous comment
No need to get upset, but which comment in the previous post was ridiculous. You do realize that despite having last year’s reigning Bushnell Award winner, Yale has yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. And, in all three of Yale’s losses, the best QB on the field that day was not last year’s reigning Bushnell Award winner.
Wilcox has 331 attempts. Sayin 327, 245 Wang, 254 Stentinger, only 170 for Grooms.
Of those 5, Grooms is 2nd in TD passes with 15, 1st in yards per completion, 1st in rushing yards, 1st in QBR or passer rating, and has the highest completion percentage. We see what we choose, but numbers don’t lie. The ultimate number though lies in the fact that he and teammates are currently the CHAMPS.
I wouldn’t bet against these men. Our defense started rolling about this same type last year. I expect them to do the same from this point on.
True, numbers don’t lie. In Yale’s 3 losses this season, Grooms failed to pass for more than 129 yards in a game. Against Holy Cross, he was 12-17 for 112 yards with 1 TD while Sluka was 23-30, 275 yards, 4 TD’s. In the Cornell loss, Grooms was 7-18, 129 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT while Wang was 26-36, 197 yards, 1 TD. In the Penn loss, Grooms was 14-24, 121 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT while Sayin was 33-48, 364 yards, 2 TD.
Grooms’ stats are most impressive when he plays against “cupcakes” like Morgan State, Sacred Heart, and Columbia, but can we expect Brown, Princeton, and/or Harvard to be cupcakes.
To be completely accurate, when Yale played Dartmouth, Dartmouth had a winning record.
True, on the day they played Yale, Dartmouth was 2-1 with wins over Lehigh and Penn, and a loss to New Hampshire. After the loss to Yale, they then lost to a weak Colgate team before beating mighty Columbia and then losing to Harvard. Their current record is 3-4, with Brown, Cornell, and Princeton left on their schedule. A winning record at seasons end does not appear to be in the cards.
I appreciate ‘A Realist’s precise commentary. It’s ok to view things from an objective point of view. Bushnell Cup or no Bushnell Cup, Grooms has a skillset that this year’s (underperforming) offense can’t really lean on. Just in the way you wouldn’t ask Peyton Manning to run the triple option, you shouldn’t really expect Grooms to be a 500-attempt-per-season QB. Grooms was an amazing QB to run Yale’s smash-mouth offense last year, and he was highly productive. This year, with OL losses, RB injuries and a underperforming defense placing higher expectations on the fast-scoring capabilities of Grooms and the offense, of course Groom’s isn’t going to be the same exact player he was last year.
Also, the placement of weight on accolades in American culture is becoming very draining. If your default — when asking about the performance of this season — is to talk about the accolades of last season, you are being a homer. Trust your eyes and what they’re telling you this season — in the same way that many idiots have Yale Degrees, you shouldn’t default to saying you went to Yale if someone calls you an idiot.
This being said, I think that this team has the ability to run the table. The defense needs to diversify their front 7, utilizing more abstract looks. 3 down linemen, 5 down linemen, etc. #12 on defense can play, so have him shadow-coverage key offensive players. Not being affraid of playing their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage. Getting more rotational help at the inferior defensive line, whether that be in the form of moving Mr. Patterson back to 3 technique or looking to the younger players. #14 is not the answer.
As for the offense, I would start to attack the intermediate middle of the field. Run crossers over the middle, 7 man protection. Skill position turnover has luckily been minimized, and with Pantelis back as your #2 reciever, I would start to get more exotic with your pre snap motions and formations. Minimize the amount of time you have to have more than 2 receivers on the field at one time. I’d like to see Pitzenberger lined up in a wing-back role, lead blocking for Peterson and taking sweeps. Alston has a bit of juice left as well. Hopefully hawes can return in time for Princeton and Harvard.
You aren’t going to get much better on either side of the ball, but you have to hope that you’re Seniors show up and show out. If Yale can play how they did in the first half of the Holy Cross game, they can absolutely win these last three with the help of turnovers and big offensive plays. Brown will be a fight. Princeton will be a battle. Harvard will be a war.
When Yale wins out, and this group of kids win three titles in four years, you guys will need to disappear from the forums forever. If they lose to someone else and only win two IVY League titles during their tenure, then I guess they should be considered as failures.
Can’t wait to speak to you guys in 3 weeks. Numbers don’t lie. Buckle up, we are about to take off.
You also failed to mention how his commentary was void of facts but based on his opinion.
Look at the numbers, use some common sense, and anyone that understands the game can figure out exactly what the problems have been…and they have been many. But this week, our special teams will excel, our defense will rise up, and we will score often and WIN! This board will be two weeks closer to proving you two guys wrong.
You guys amaze me. I pray they win out so I can laugh in your face. 3 IVY LEAGUE titles in 4 years. Poor coaching, poor QB play, no pass rush, injuries, no fan support…just going to be a damn miracle right?
If the boys bust Brown in the face, they will not lose again. This game Saturday will determine their destiny. A win…all of us will celebrate 3 out of 4 except for a few of you guys.
And for the guy said that said these freshman are the GREATEST ever. This group of kids already have 2 IVY LEAGUE TITLES.. Quit being a jerk and get on board
This could be three…..sleep on those rings!
To Anonymous, I don’t believe that i ever said that the current freshmen recruiting class is the GREATEST ever. I believe that I said that they were potentially the highest rated recruiting class that Coach Reno had recruited to date.
My concern is that the coaching staff is missing an opportunity to provide this group with game time experience that would benefit Yale in the future while at the same time protecting current starters, and in particular Nolan Grooms, against injuries at a time when the game is well in hand. That’s normally what coaches would do when leading 28-0 in the 4th quarter, especially when you don’t have an experienced backup.
With rings every other year now (2017, ’19, ’22 — there was no season in ’20) I’m really not inclined to criticize Tony Reno. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Jack couldn’t beat Harvard. Tom Williams was a shitshow. Carm was great, but we had one title his last 15 seasons (1982-’96).
I am grateful for the Reno era.
49 replies on “Yale 35 Columbia 7”
Good Job, keep up the good work
Weather – that’s more like it!
Performance – that’s more like it!
Gentlemen (and Ladies, if any): We are in the odd posture of having to root for our ancient Big 3 enemies today. Princeton is about to beat Cornell — it’s in garbage time. If the abhorrent Cantabs beat Dartmouth today in Beantown, we have a clear path to an Ivy title tie at 5-2… if we can run the board.
Princeton 14 Cornell 3
Hard to believe, but if Harvard beats Dartmouth, Yale controls its destiny. The fortunate thing is there is no reason Yale shouldn’t win the next three. Unfortunately, they could just as easily lose the next three.
Let’s whip Brown and head into Y-H-P with a shot.
The Brown offense will be a big test for our D. And they will be up for Yale after the blowout last year. It may take 35-45 points to win.
I watched a bit of Princeton-Cornell and some of Dartmouth-Harvard today. This may come as a shock to Yale nation, but there are teams out there, in our own league, that play pass defense. Really!
Even though I knew it was in our best interest to have both Princeton and Harvard win today, I had to keep reminding myself not to pull for Cornell and Dartmouth. It just went against my nature to hope Pr and H win.
Gentlemen; good performance, by our blue on both sides of the ball. We will need a similar performance against the Bears next week.
Harvard had over 22k attendance today for their semi night game against Dartmouth.
They marketed it heavily as their homecoming game. Yale should do the same thing against Dartmouth next year. Yale can learn a lot from Harvard on how build attendance.
Yale could learn something from Harvard.
Yale had it , it all comes down from the present administration. WHO implemented the changes . That quite frankly turned people away.
Even on a nice day, there are other options to do with the family.
To the idiot who writes, Shakes fist at GD Vicky Chun. “you have no idea jerk”.
She’s isn’t the only idiot in this matter.
No you don’t need a a homecoming game. Rescind some of the rules . That this administration put in place.
Make it a welcome , safe and fun place to bring the family. Open the the restrictive atmosphere. Come on .!! Man
Signs of life for Ivy League football as a spectacle. Shows fans can be drawn to Ivy games in 2023. Bottom line, Yale needs to overhaul their marketing and game-day experience.
Pitsenburger got the vast majority of RB carries today. He responded with his best game of the year. He seemed to get stronger as the game went on. I think he’s going to break out against Brown.
Lindley was replaced as the punt returner late in the game. Did anyone notice him get hurt?
I just noticed Lindley as on the field for the on side kick attempt at the end of the game so I guess he’s ok.
I was told after game Lindley hit a hard spot on turf on his punt return right before halftime and injured his heel so coaches held him out in prep for next week.
Reno afterwards: “Today… we could put our team in a good position moving forward, and our guys took it and ran with it. Still, we can get so much better. The exciting thing for me wasn’t the success we had today, but what we can do in the future. The candle is lit, and now it’s time to go. I promised the team that I am going to push them to be the best football team we can be, and I know they are going to join alongside me.”
I like it. GO BLUE
Brown’s offense is going to pose a tough challenge for us. I hope our team has rediscovered its Moxy and will put together another solid performance to stifle the Bears and keep building our momentum. Princeton has struggled to score, averaging less than 17 points a game this year. That will be a very winnable game. In my opinion, Harvard is the top team in the league. However, when we play at the Bowl in a big rivalry game, anything can happen. We need to take it one week at a time, but I’m feeling a serious sense of hope.
Harvard has a strong team and a strong defense. Their offense has not been putting up points in the last two games the way they did earlier in the year. Maybe the coaches have gone to school on their speed option.
Time for a reality check; the opponent was Columbia, a team as inept as Morgan State and Sacred Heart. Yale has yet to show that they can compete against a team with a QB that can throw the ball down the field; need I mention Holy Cross, Cornell, and Penn. Each QB had a field day with what is unfortunately this year’s Yale pass defense. Brown and Harvard have offenses that are capable of scoring a lot of points and Princeton has been playing some good defense. Will Yale’s predictable offense of runs up the middle on 1st down and sideline passes for two and three yards work against the three remaining teams on the schedule? One more loss and it’s over for Yale for this year. Is a loss what it will take to get playing time for next year’s players or will it be the old retreads through the end of the season?
Gentlemen; not to be a contrarian but the reality is Sacred Heart, Morgan State and Columbia are hardly stiffs. The leopards on top of the patriot league beat Sacred Heart 19–14; Columbia 24–3; Princeton 12–9; Holy Cross 38-35. Morgan State beat Richmond and Columbia has been in every Ivy League contest except for the recent one against our blue. I expect the lions to pull an upset in one of their last three games. Our blue under performed against the cornelians and Ben Franklins both of whom probably played their best games of the season. In my minds eye the reality is our blue can run the table if they play to their potential including coaches on both offense and defense being creative like they did in the Lion contest.
Old Blue I agree, this has Been a Jekyll and Hyde season. With a tremendous amount of injuries.
The underclassmen are starting to jell. The new coaching staff game planning is starting to be effective. A lot of progress and still more to be done. #21 seemed to with a lot of desire and heart. Jet sweeps and some toss sweeps. Maybe a wishbone . Or even a jumbo package with a 300lbs. Running lineman like the the Bears with the fridge . Or what UConn does with its Defensive lineman for Goal line or short yardage.
Good Luck Go Blue
Sacred Heart (1-8), Morgan State (2-5), and Columbia (2-5; 0-4 Ivy) are weak teams at best. All failed to display any resemblance of an effective offense in their games with Yale and it wasn’t because Yale played spectacular defense in any of those games. For the most part, their passing games were non-existent; the same goes for Dartmouth in Yale’s other win. It has been very clear this season that any team with a good passing QB can score on Yale with ease. Expecting Yale’s coaches on both offense and defense being creative in the next three games is probably a reach at this point in the season. The win against Columbia was hardly creative; run on 1st down, sideline passes on 2nd and 3rd downs. Columbia was hardly a test of Yale’s predictable offense. Columbia never tested Yale’s passing defense until their last drive. Columbia was terrible. The next three games will not be a “walk in the park” as in the Columbia game.
A reminder that A Realist’s proposed course of action involves benching the upperclassmen starters, including the reigning Bushnell Cup winner, and essentially giving up on the rest of the season to focus on developing the team for next year. I appreciate A Realist’s candid contributions and his commitment to keeping a realist’s perspective. However, we shouldn’t forget that our biggest games of the season are still ahead, and an Ivy Championship is just three wins away. While this year’s team may not be perfect, there’s a non-insignificant chance that they can still succeed. It’s important to remember that nothing is guaranteed for next year, and it would be unwise to go for a full rebuild at this stage. We should give the current team a chance to prove themselves and fight for success in the remaining games.
Success is the offspring of unwavering belief. That’s true this year and next year. Belief doesn’t come with a switch; you must invest your faith in this team and its players, no matter what. Let’s choose to believe, consistently and wholeheartedly, in our team and its potential for greatness.
The recruiting class that Coach Reno brought in this past off-season is potentially the highest rated class he has ever recruited at Yale. Yet, most stand on the sidelines each week and watch upperclassmen underperform week after week. Yale led Columbia 28-0 early in the 4th quarter. It was the perfect opportunity to give the younger players valuable experience while protecting the starters from possible injury. The OC sent the starters, including Grooms, back out on the field. Did he want to run up the score on Columbia to make himself feel good or was he “asleep at the wheel”? Based on his offensive play calling to date, I would guess the later. Not excited to see his play calling or personnel decisions over the next three games. Just my opinion.
Yale will run the table and win the title. Reno teams always perform their best in second half of the season
I’d like to see Biggs blitzing from the blind side, like Opplinger did in 2017.
This is a excellent blog, would you be involved in doing an interview about just how you designed it? If so e-mail me!buy backlinks
We have Nolan Grooms the league’s best qb and Brown has Jake Wilcox the leading qb in terms of passing yardage. Expect a high scoring contest with a victory for the Bulldogs if our pass rush is effective and our freshmen DBs bring their A game.
True, we do have Nolan Grooms, but how long are you going to call a QB with limited passing abilities the best QB in the league? That may have been true last year, but I’m sure that Cornell and Penn fans would be justified to say that he was only the 2nd best QB on the field when their teams met this season. Brown may also have good reason to challenge your opinion after next Saturday’s game. The Ivy League is slow in catching up with the rest of college football; a big part of that change is to QB’s with the ability to drive the ball down the field via the passing game. The Holy Cross game, though not Ivy League, should have been a rude awakening for Yale fans. Yale’s defense stopped HC’s offense only once during that rout as HC’s QB provided Yale’s defense with a tutorial on the passing game. The QB in the Cornell game wasn’t far behind, and didn’t a Penn WR break a longtime record with 17 pass receptions in a game, and those receptions weren’t the “dinks” to the sidelines for 2 or 3 yards, the strength of Groom’s passing attack. Today’s successful QB’s are adept at going through the progressions with their receivers; Grooms looks at one receiver towards the sideline and if he isn’t open, Grooms runs with the ball. This is common knowledge among defensive coaches in the Ivy League. It may work against the Columbias, Morgan States, and Sacred Hearts, but will Brown, Princeton, and Harvard adjust? My guess is a long three weeks for Yale.
Is anyone going to Providence Saturday . I was thinking of taking a ride. Just to get out of the area.
Gentlemen; mr. realist maybe somewhat correct as to number 12 progressions but the offensive coordinator has finally hopefully figured out in the quick throws to the outside and slants down the middle set up long passes up the middle. It is up to the offensive coordinator to figure out how to stretch the field like he did against the Lions. The continuation of this progression will result in positive movement towards scoring. opportunities.
I wish Nolan Grooms all the best as he closes out his football career over the next three games, and I hope he finds a way to lead Yale to a share of the Ivy League title. That being said, the realist in me has serious doubts that it will happen. Many of those quick passes to the sidelines travelled a good distance before they reached the intended receivers. Columbia was content to give those completions. I would expect that one or maybe all of the next three opponents may be tempted to try and jump those throws rather than conceding short completions. Nolan doesn’t really throw slants or long passes up the middle. It’s probably because he lacks the height to see down the middle of the field. You know that I advocate playing time for younger players and there’s a reason besides next year’s team success. Nolan is an excellent runner, taking off frequently and often with no abandon to risk of injury, but have you considered what happens if he sustains an injury that takes him out of a game or possibly for multiple games? Not only do we have an OC calling highly predictable plays, but we also lack a backup QB with valuable game experience.
You are a complete clown. Grooms and w the freaking reigning Bushnell winner! Just an absolutely ridiculous comment
No need to get upset, but which comment in the previous post was ridiculous. You do realize that despite having last year’s reigning Bushnell Award winner, Yale has yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. And, in all three of Yale’s losses, the best QB on the field that day was not last year’s reigning Bushnell Award winner.
Wilcox has 331 attempts. Sayin 327, 245 Wang, 254 Stentinger, only 170 for Grooms.
Of those 5, Grooms is 2nd in TD passes with 15, 1st in yards per completion, 1st in rushing yards, 1st in QBR or passer rating, and has the highest completion percentage. We see what we choose, but numbers don’t lie. The ultimate number though lies in the fact that he and teammates are currently the CHAMPS.
I wouldn’t bet against these men. Our defense started rolling about this same type last year. I expect them to do the same from this point on.
True, numbers don’t lie. In Yale’s 3 losses this season, Grooms failed to pass for more than 129 yards in a game. Against Holy Cross, he was 12-17 for 112 yards with 1 TD while Sluka was 23-30, 275 yards, 4 TD’s. In the Cornell loss, Grooms was 7-18, 129 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT while Wang was 26-36, 197 yards, 1 TD. In the Penn loss, Grooms was 14-24, 121 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT while Sayin was 33-48, 364 yards, 2 TD.
Grooms’ stats are most impressive when he plays against “cupcakes” like Morgan State, Sacred Heart, and Columbia, but can we expect Brown, Princeton, and/or Harvard to be cupcakes.
To be completely accurate, when Yale played Dartmouth, Dartmouth had a winning record.
True, on the day they played Yale, Dartmouth was 2-1 with wins over Lehigh and Penn, and a loss to New Hampshire. After the loss to Yale, they then lost to a weak Colgate team before beating mighty Columbia and then losing to Harvard. Their current record is 3-4, with Brown, Cornell, and Princeton left on their schedule. A winning record at seasons end does not appear to be in the cards.
I appreciate ‘A Realist’s precise commentary. It’s ok to view things from an objective point of view. Bushnell Cup or no Bushnell Cup, Grooms has a skillset that this year’s (underperforming) offense can’t really lean on. Just in the way you wouldn’t ask Peyton Manning to run the triple option, you shouldn’t really expect Grooms to be a 500-attempt-per-season QB. Grooms was an amazing QB to run Yale’s smash-mouth offense last year, and he was highly productive. This year, with OL losses, RB injuries and a underperforming defense placing higher expectations on the fast-scoring capabilities of Grooms and the offense, of course Groom’s isn’t going to be the same exact player he was last year.
Also, the placement of weight on accolades in American culture is becoming very draining. If your default — when asking about the performance of this season — is to talk about the accolades of last season, you are being a homer. Trust your eyes and what they’re telling you this season — in the same way that many idiots have Yale Degrees, you shouldn’t default to saying you went to Yale if someone calls you an idiot.
This being said, I think that this team has the ability to run the table. The defense needs to diversify their front 7, utilizing more abstract looks. 3 down linemen, 5 down linemen, etc. #12 on defense can play, so have him shadow-coverage key offensive players. Not being affraid of playing their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage. Getting more rotational help at the inferior defensive line, whether that be in the form of moving Mr. Patterson back to 3 technique or looking to the younger players. #14 is not the answer.
As for the offense, I would start to attack the intermediate middle of the field. Run crossers over the middle, 7 man protection. Skill position turnover has luckily been minimized, and with Pantelis back as your #2 reciever, I would start to get more exotic with your pre snap motions and formations. Minimize the amount of time you have to have more than 2 receivers on the field at one time. I’d like to see Pitzenberger lined up in a wing-back role, lead blocking for Peterson and taking sweeps. Alston has a bit of juice left as well. Hopefully hawes can return in time for Princeton and Harvard.
You aren’t going to get much better on either side of the ball, but you have to hope that you’re Seniors show up and show out. If Yale can play how they did in the first half of the Holy Cross game, they can absolutely win these last three with the help of turnovers and big offensive plays. Brown will be a fight. Princeton will be a battle. Harvard will be a war.
When Yale wins out, and this group of kids win three titles in four years, you guys will need to disappear from the forums forever. If they lose to someone else and only win two IVY League titles during their tenure, then I guess they should be considered as failures.
Can’t wait to speak to you guys in 3 weeks. Numbers don’t lie. Buckle up, we are about to take off.
You also failed to mention how his commentary was void of facts but based on his opinion.
Look at the numbers, use some common sense, and anyone that understands the game can figure out exactly what the problems have been…and they have been many. But this week, our special teams will excel, our defense will rise up, and we will score often and WIN! This board will be two weeks closer to proving you two guys wrong.
You guys amaze me. I pray they win out so I can laugh in your face. 3 IVY LEAGUE titles in 4 years. Poor coaching, poor QB play, no pass rush, injuries, no fan support…just going to be a damn miracle right?
If the boys bust Brown in the face, they will not lose again. This game Saturday will determine their destiny. A win…all of us will celebrate 3 out of 4 except for a few of you guys.
And for the guy said that said these freshman are the GREATEST ever. This group of kids already have 2 IVY LEAGUE TITLES.. Quit being a jerk and get on board
This could be three…..sleep on those rings!
To Anonymous, I don’t believe that i ever said that the current freshmen recruiting class is the GREATEST ever. I believe that I said that they were potentially the highest rated recruiting class that Coach Reno had recruited to date.
My concern is that the coaching staff is missing an opportunity to provide this group with game time experience that would benefit Yale in the future while at the same time protecting current starters, and in particular Nolan Grooms, against injuries at a time when the game is well in hand. That’s normally what coaches would do when leading 28-0 in the 4th quarter, especially when you don’t have an experienced backup.
With rings every other year now (2017, ’19, ’22 — there was no season in ’20) I’m really not inclined to criticize Tony Reno. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Jack couldn’t beat Harvard. Tom Williams was a shitshow. Carm was great, but we had one title his last 15 seasons (1982-’96).
I am grateful for the Reno era.