Defensive backs coach Tony Reno is the first of Yale's assistant coaches to move on.

Reno, who spent the last six years on the Yale staff and was considered by some of the search committee as the best in-house candidate for the Yale head coaching job, gave his notice and he will become the special teams coordinator at Harvard.

Sources close to the program indicate that Reno's move had nothing to do with the recent hiring of Tom Williams. Reno lives in Sturbridge, Mass. so from the family end of things, it makes sense. It is also a good move for Reno from a coaching standpoint so it is a win-win situation for him although a lose-lose proposition for Yale since they lose a bright, talented coach.

Reno came to Yale in 2003 and coached the receivers his first season before moving over to handle the defensive backs. Reno did some of his best work in the most recent season, developing sophomore Adam Money and freshman Drew Baldwin into key players in the Bulldogs' secondary.

Right now, the focus is on the hosting of recruits both this weekend and next weekend. The feeling is that Williams staff will be in place by the time Yale's captain is announced on Jan. 23. Williams is a pretty bright guy and I'm sure he realizes that firing his assistants as the potential Yale stars of tomorrow are arriving on campus is probably not the wisest business move.