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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Time to catch up

This is kind of the calm before the storm with spring practice just under three weeks away from starting but I do have some news to deliver.

Yale did get a commitment from John Dunion, an offensive lineman from Dos Pueblos High in Santa Barbara, Calif. Dunion is 6-foot-4, 260 pounds who was named to the CIF Southern Section's All-Western Division first team. Here is a link to a page with two videos taken of Dunion. He is the seventh offensive lineman to commit to Yale.

It sounds like that will be the last commitment for a while and although there are some other candidates for Yale's incoming freshman class, there's a chance Yale could finish with the current 28 committed players.

I am hearing that Arizona is making a push for former Duke defensive lineman Tevin Hood. Hood, who walked on at Duke and appeared in four games as a freshman, has visited Yale and met with the coaching staff. However, at the current time it seems like Hood is giving serious consideration to accepting a scholarship to Arizona.

Spring practice opens on April 4 at Yale with the spring game on April 24. Former starting defensive lineman Pat Moran is back enrolled at school and will be taking part in drills. The biggest position switch is John Oppenheimer moving from defensive line to offensive line. Oppenheimer has some experience playing center in high school and the rising sophomore could contend for a starting spot since Yale wants to keep starting guard Gabe Fernandez where he is and Jeff Fell is expected to be in the running for a starting offensive tackle position.

Yale's pro day is March 24 with scouts coming to see fullback/h-back Shane Bannon, tight end Chris Blohm, defensive end Tom McCarthy, defensive back Adam Money and linebacker Sean Williams. Word of McCarthy's impressive workout at Fordham's pro day is beginning to spread as Yale football coach Tom Williams has heard from three NFL general managers. It's too early to tell if he will follow the path of Eric Johnson who went from sleeper to late round draft pick after strong workouts but if McCarthy improves on some of his numbers from the Fordham pro day, it's not out of the question that a team takes a flyer on McCarthy late in the draft.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:02 PM

    Is the spring game Saturday, 4/23 or Easter Sunday, 4/24?

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  2. I was told the 24th but will check to verify the date and I am sure Yale will put the schedule up on its site shortly.

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  3. Anonymous9:13 PM

    Do you have an early projection on the starting offense for next year?

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  4. It's hard to project too much until I see how the returning players look in spring practice but obviously you would have the returning players:
    QB: Patrick Witt
    TB: Alex Thomas
    WR: Chris Smith
    WR: Gio Christodoulou
    WR: Deon Randall or Allen Harris
    OT: Wes Gavin
    OG: Gabe Fernandez
    OG: Colin Kruger

    That leaves H-Back/Tight End, Center and Tackle. I think Roy Collins would be my pick at tackle although Jeff Fell could be a factor. It wouldn't surprise me if John Oppenheimer gets every chance to be the guy at center. H-Back/Tight End is anybody's guess with Keith Coty, Beau Palin and Jordan Capellino among the candidates. Also, will Elijah Thomas become a factor at fullback? That is certainly one of the positions I am interested in keeping tabs on during spring drills especially if Yale goes with a tight end and h-back as much as they did last season.

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  5. Anonymous4:53 AM

    Jim, heard there will also be a junior pro day soon for some of Yale juniors. What do you know of this?

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  6. Kevin3:16 PM

    Jim: Keep up the good work. Have been Yale football fan (and Yale graduate) since 1948. I really look forward all year to your articles.

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