First, the big news. Chris Smith is out for the season because of “personal issues,” according to coach Tony Reno. Read the story from Tuesday’spractice.

Next, I want to apologize for the lack of coverage for the last week. I was busy covering the New Haven Open, so I didn’t have a chance to get over to practice. Now I will spend most of my time covering Yale.

Any questions about the team or if there is something I haven’t addressed, please post and I will do my best to get an answer. With that said, keep in mind Reno is much more tight-lipped than Tom Williams was.

Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage was closed to the media, as will be this Saturday’s scrimmage against Brown and the final intrasquad scrimmage of the preseason.

Yale will practice in the afternoon. Much more convenient, in my opinion anyway, than Williams’ early morning schedule.  

A reader asked why Yale will play Columbia on the road and Dartmouth at home again this year. Reno explained it was done by the Ivy League to “rebalance” the schedule. Every five years the Ivy League reconfigures its schedule, Reno said.

Here’s a couple of tidbits from Tuesday…

Reno on Beau Palin and Chris Dooley: “They are the heart and soul of our front. They are true tough guys, tough football players.”

Will McHale spoke highly of sophomore LB EJ Conway and sophomore DB Charles Cook.

Cam Sandquist on the Bulldogs trio of RBs Mordecai Cargill, Tyler Varga and Kahlil Keys:  “You look at our three backs and it makes you excited to block on the outside. Knowing the confidence we have in those guys is huge, it opens up so much. “