Receiver Peter Balsam, the second-leading receiver on the 2009 Yale squad, was expected to suit up for his senior season after taking a year off. However, Balsam is not on the updated roster. I was able to confirm that Balsam is planning to enroll at Yale but will not be playing football.
Balsam had 45 catches for 520 yards and three touchdowns in 18 career varsity games.
Let's be honest, receiver might be Yale's deepest position in 2011 with the return of Chris Smith, who had a team-best 46 catches in 2010 and Gio Christodoulou, who led the Bulldogs with 563 receiving yards last season. Add in Allen Harris, one of the most impressive players during spring drills, highly-touted rising sophomore Deon Randall as well as talented youngsters Cameron Sandquist and Brandis Yarrington and Yale quarterback Patrick Witt won't lack of talented receivers to throw to. However, other than the 6-1 Harris the Yale receiving corps is on the smallish side. A player like the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Balsam could have added a different dimension to the Yale squad.
There are no other players missing from the roster although there is a new incoming freshman. Andrew Sutphin is a linebacker/defensive end from Indianapolis who played last season at Deerfield Academy. That brings the incoming freshman class to 32.
That's too bad. He was a big and very dependable receiver. I think they'll miss him.
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