Hunter Roman has received an offer from Yale, according to the Norwich Bulletin. Roman is a 6-5, 205-pound DE from New London. He was a second-team All-ECC pick as a sophomore last season.

Also, Yale freshman Peter Gerson (former Hand standout) has been named one of 33 finalists for the 2013 National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame High School National Scholar-Athlete Awards.

There will be one winner from each of the five regions. Winners will be announced the week of Oct. 9.

This Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage has been changed to 3 p.m. at the Yale Bow.

Here's a feature on Clemson transfer Morgan Roberts. He's one of seven competing for the starting QB spot. And I'd be surprised if he didn't win the job.

• First thing first, WR Chris Smith is officially back. He isn’t at full strength because of hamstring injury, but he is back.

Smith declined comment on Monday.

“I don’t really have a comment yet,” he said. “I haven’t really been back yet, so I’m just going to head on in.”

Reno later explained, Smith doesn’t want to take any attention away from his teammates wants to get re-acclimated first.

I can respect that, I guess.

Meanwhile, WR Deon Randall is also back after missing last season.

“That’s huge,” QB Henry Furman said. “The speed of those two guys is really going to stretch defenses and allow us to exploit what they have to offer.”

TE Keith Coty is also back and should make an immediate impact.

• Tony Reno continues to praise captain and defensive end Beau Palin for his leadership and the way he’s been playing early in camp. DE Dylan Drake and DB Charles Cook are also two others that have stood out early in camp. The secondary is filled with a bunch of young players.

“It’s a work in progress back there,” Reno said.

• Led by seniors like Wes Gavin and John Oppenheimer, the offensive line has looked good and will be a strength of this year’s team.

• Reno won’t say much about the QB battle and noted guys were start to separate after the first scrimmage on Saturday. All of the seven QBS are getting reps. Clemson transfer Morgan Roberts looked good. He’s very fast with a pretty strong arm. Look for a feature on him later tonight/tomorrow. Eric Williams is still dealing with a shoulder injury (non-throwing shoulder).

Interesting quote from Roberts…

“Top to bottom, I don’t think people realize how good this team is and these players on this team. I hear that a lot. People ask me, ‘how’s the competition here compared to Clemson?’ Really there’s not much drop off at all. I don’t think people realize the type of athlete, the smarts, the instincts they have.”

• Reno says Varga is a more complete back coming into camp. He’s really improved his route running and understanding concepts.

• Keep an eye on Candler Rich. The 5-11, 190-pound freshman was getting a lot of reps in the backfield.

“He’s had a good couple of practices and shown some nice things,” Reno said.

•  And for scrimmages, there will be an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Yale Bowl. Scrimmage is open to the public. Then Yale will travel to play Brown on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m.

The Yale Football Radio Network will make its debut on Sept. 21 when the Bulldogs travel to face Colgate in their opener.

The new network includes Talk of Connecticut/Buckley Radio Stations WDRC (AM 1360 Hartford), WWCO (AM 1240 Waterbury), WMMW (AM 1470 Meriden), WSNG (AM 610 Torrington) and WDRC (FM 102.9 HD -3 Hartford).

Yale and Buckley Radio, an independently owned and operated broadcasting company, announced a three-year contract with former Yale coach Carm Cozza and Ron Vaccaro. Cozza and Vaccaro will call the action. The five stations will pick up the feed of all 10 Yale games this season from ESPN Radio AM 1300.

Yale has announced a three-year deal with ESPN Radio (AM 1300) to broadcast Bulldogs football games.

Carm Cozza and Ron Vaccaro will call the action. All 10 games will be aired this season.  Some games can be heard simultaneously on WELI (AM 960). That schedule will be released in the fall.

The Bulldogs open their season on Sept. 21 at Colgate.

PRINCETON 

Last year: 5-5 (4-3 Ivy League)

About the Tigers: Princeton will have one of the top defenses in the league and Sr. DL Caraun Reid will lead the way. Reid is a preseason candidate for FCS defensive player of the year. The 6-2, 305-pound Reid is simply a force on the defensive side for the Tigers, who ranked No. 3 in the Ivy League in scoring defense last season.

He was a second-team All-America pick last season, recording 40 tackles, including 9.5 for losses, and 5.5 sacks.

“He’s been a terrific player,” Princeton coach Bob Surace said. “Before I got the job, I watched film and you see this young freshman with a lot of talent. Every year he’s become a better player: his pass, rush, his motor, all those things have increased. What I’ve seen in his maturation is he’s becoming a leader. See him take this team under his wing – I just love to see guys grow. It’s very fulfilling.”

Reid’s return will help ease the loss of DE Mike Catapano, last year’s Bushnell Cup recipient as the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

Surace also said he likes Princeton’s depth at QB, adding there will be times when the Tigers have multiple QBs in the game at the same time. Juniors Connor Michelsen and Quinn Epperly are the top two on the depth chart.

The Tigers hope to continue to rise in the Ivy League. “We’re building,” Surace said. “You see progress the last couple of years.”

PENN

Last year: 6-4 (6-1 Ivy League)

About the Quakers: The Quakers come in as the preseason favorite to repeat as champions in a very deep Ivy League.

Penn returns 20 starters, including eight all-league players.

How fifth-year QB Billy Ragone responds to his ankle injury may be the biggest question heading into the season for Penn.

The former Cheshire star broke his ankle late last season. He’s been cleared to play but coach Al Bagnoli noted he just has to work on the psychological part of getting through the injury.

“We know we are going to have to take things slow and we know we are going to have to integrate him back into different pace than we normally would considering the injury that he had,” Bagnoli said. “But we also think, ultimately, he is going to be fine. We just have to do a really good job of preseason and those early games of getting comfortable and having confidence that the ankle can withstand the rigors of football." On the defensive side, Penn has some good, young talent with a handful of playmakers at LB and in the secondary.

HARVARD

Last year: 8-2 (5-2)

About the Crimson: The Crimson lost several key pieces from a team that boasted the highest scoring offense in league history.

“It is going to be an interesting year for Harvard football,” coach Tim Murphy said. “We feel like we have the potential to be another very solid football team, but we have quite a few question marks on offense. On one hand, we had one of the most explosive offenses we've had here – the highest-scoring offense in Ivy League history, but lose five unbelievable players that are practically irreplaceable.”

It should be a competitive camp at quarterback for Harvard. Murphy said Conner Hempel is the No. 1 right now with Mike Pruneau a very close No. 2. Murphy said they are carbon copies of one another. Both are 6-3, 212-pound juniors, who are good athletes with the ability to make all the throws. They will look to replace Colton Chapple, last year’s Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year.

Harvard also TE Cam Brate, who has received preseason All-America accolades.

For now, the Crimson will rely on its defense.

“I think our defense right now is the strength of our team,” Murphy said. “In terms of experience, in terms of leadership and maybe personnel .”

Despite its losses, Harvard still has plenty of talent and will be a contender. This year will mark the 130th edition of The Game on Nov. 23. The game will be Yale’s 600th at the Yale Bowl.

DARTMOUTH

Last year: 6-4 (4-3)

About the Big Green: The Big Green return Dominick Pierre. The Sr. RB earned second-team All-Ivy honors last season, while rushing for 830 yards and nine TDs.

Dartmouth could use two QBs this season. The Big Green have Dalyn Williams, the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year, along with Jr. Alex Park. Williams threw for 974 yards and seven TDs, and has the ability to take off for a long run.

Meanwhile, Park threw for 1,370 yards and seven TDs.

“We are very pleased and fortunate to have Alex and Dalyn back,” Teevens said. “Dalyn came in and replaced Alex mid-season due to an injury, so we feel like we have two starters. Park established himself early on, but we certainly knew Dalyn was a gifted athlete. He played in every ball game, so he kind of developed as time went on and was fully prepared to take over as the starter. The competition between the two has been very healthy. They are both supportive of each other but highly competitive, and I think that has made the position much stronger and the depth much better.”

Dartmouth has a very strong group of LBs on the defensive end led by Sr. Michael Runger, the league’s leading tackler with 98 tackles last season.

CORNELL

Last year: 4-6 (2-5 Ivy League)

About the Big Red: Of course when anyone thinks of Cornell, they think of QB Jeff Mathews. Entering his senior season, Mathews is a preseason All-America pick, he’s looking to become the Ivy League’s all-time leading passer and he’s drawing plenty of attention from NFL scouts.

“Jeff has had some really productive seasons,” first-year coach Dave Archer said. “But he means more to us off the field. He’s a great leader and a three-time captain.

Though the Big Red has Mathews and a another All-America candidate in WR Grant Gellatty, Archer insists Cornell will have a more balanced attack.

You have to have balance,” he says. “Jeff obviously makes throws. But you have to continue to drive the ball and put it in the end zone, and you need a balanced attack.”

Cornell also has RB Luke Hagy. He was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award last season, which is given to the top freshman in the FCS. They return three starters on the OL and two more with starting experience.

Whether on the ground or through the air, Cornell has one of the top offenses in the league. They also return 10 starters on defense.

COLUMBIA

Last year’s record: 3-7 (2-5 Ivy League)

About the Lions: Like Tony Reno, Columbia Pete Mangurian is hoping the program makes significant strides in his second year as head coach.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline at Columbia is quarterback Brett Nottingham. He is a transfer from Stanford and has two years of eligibility left. He saw action in six games backing up Andrew Luck as a red-shirt freshman and played in two games as a sophomore. Nottingham, 6-4, 215 lbs., was ranked the fourth-best pro-style QB coming out of high school by Rivals.com.

Mangurian describes Nottingham as a pocket passer. He has strong pocket movement and awareness, but not the type of QB that will rush for a bunch of yards. He’s a good decision maker and capable of making a lot of different throws.

“Coming from a great program (at Stanford) and his background and all the things he’s accomplished and the way the young man handles himself, I thought he was the perfect fit for us. He’ll have an opportunity, but he needs to learn our system. It doesn’t come over night. It takes time. I know he’ll diligently work at it. We’ll see how it turns out and we’re not going to make any conclusions until things are proven.”

BROWN 

Last year’s record: 7-3 (4-3 Ivy League)

About the Bears: Head coach Phil Estes says this group reminds him of the 2008 squad that won the Ivy League title.

“It’s a group of players, not a lot of big-name stars, but blue-collar kids who worked hard over the past couple of years,” he said. “I really think they’re going to gel. We have a good balance of experience and talent.”

QB Pat Donnelly leads the way. He was the second-ranked QB in the league last year. Estes says he’s very underrated. And while Cornell QB Jeff Mathews will get most of the preseason accolades, Donnelly is right up there with him. Estes added, Brown “took the handcuffs off” of Donnelly late in the year and he really showed his talent over the last three games.

Also, keep an eye on Ludovic Richardson. He’s a local kid, a former Register All-State selection while at Notre Dame-West Haven. He’s a big, strong and physical defensive lineman. Richardson, a sophomore, is listed at 6-2, 285. Estes expects him to be a starter this season.

“He’s a plug,” Estes said. “He does a lot well. He surprised us and stepped in and got a lot of snaps under his belt as true freshman. He’s a good run stopper and he’s in great shape. I think he really transformed his body and he can really be a dominate player inside for us.”

Here are some quotes from Tony Reno during the Ivy League conference call.

On entering camp: “We’re excited to get everything started. It’s my second year in the program. Guys are in the system now for two years. Things aren’t as new as they were last year. Your expectations of them on campus, how they work, the process they need to go through to get where they need to be, that’s been a great piece of the growth cycle here at Yale the last 12 months. It’s been a great summer. The majority of the team was here over summer. We’re excited and encouraged with their growth. They’re getting faster and stronger. They really improved drastically in areas we needed them to improve in.”

On offense: “We’re going to be very young in all three phases. Offensively, we’re returning five guys who played a lot of downs on the offensive line. Four who started most of the games for us. Our running game, we have a tremendous RB coming back in Tyler Varga. He’s a great player and might be a better person. We’re excited about his leadership and ability. The offense continues to grow.

On defense: “Defensively, as much of a leader Varga is and a great player, we have one on defense on our defensive line in captain Beau Palin. He did an extraordinary job over the summer. He’s everything you would want in a captain and more. How he acts on campus to how he practices to how he plays. 110 percent effort guy all time. He’s been great influence on team. He will lead the defense. He and Dylan Drake return on both ends. Secondary and LBs, we have a lot returning, who didn’t play a lot. We have a lot of work to do. It’s a young group coming back.

On QB situation: QB battle going on. The best guy is going to play. We’re excited to see that go on. As everyone knows we had a unique situation where we lost all three QBs in the Penn game last year. We had to run the wildcat for two weeks with Tyler Varga. Through that Furman stepped up and moved over from WR and did a good job the last two games. He returns, along with Eric Williams and Derek Russell. We also have transfer Morgan Roberts. Those are the leaders in the competition. They will get equal reps and see who rises to the top.”

On Roberts, QB transfer from Clemson: He can run and throw. He’s a big kid. He’s strong, athletic, can throw and threaten with his legs. Those are the two things he can do on film. We’re looking forward to see him run around and throw football when we start.”

On passing game: “We want to throw the ball more and take some pressure off the O-line and RB position.”

On loss to Harvard last season: “One of those things, we weren’t happy with the outcome. Harvard played extraordinary and made plays at the end. We played a full 60 minutes at a high level and in a big atmosphere. That was good for our team and the growth of the program.”

Here's more on Yale recruit Cody Arledge, a left tackle from Texas. Story from SCNTX.com.

Here is a link to some notes off of Tuesday's Ivy League teleconference.
I will have some more notes on Yale and the rest of the Ivy League later in the week. The full teleconference can be heard here.

Rank	School	Points
1.	Penn (11)	129
2.	Harvard (5)	121
3.	Brown (1)	88
4.	Dartmouth	76
5.	Princeton	73
6.	Cornell	57
7.	Yale	46
8.	Columbia	22

RB Tyler Varga and P Kyle Cazzetta have been selected to Phil Steele's preseason All-Ivy League first team. OL John Oppenheimer, Will Chism and Wes Gavin were named to the second team.
Those five, along with WR Cam Sandquist, TE Michael Leunen, DL Dylan Drake and DB Cole Champion were picked by Collegesportsmadness.com's All-Ivy team.
The Bulldogs open preseason camp on Aug. 18 and kick off their season on Sept. 21 at Colgate.