Here are some additional notes off of Tuesday’s media luncheon.
Also, note that Tony Reno has closed practice to all media this week.
Coming off a 59-23 loss to Princeton, the Bulldogs head into the 130th edition of The Game. The Bulldogs host Harvard at the Yale Bowl on Saturday at noon.
The Crimson have owned the Bulldogs, winning the last six meetings. Harvard (8-1, 5-1) is looking to keep its hopes of a share of the Ivy League title alive with a win on Saturday. The Crimson have a ton of speed at RB led by Paul Stanton. Up front, they are strong and move teams off the ball well. Reno says QB Conner Hampel has improved every week, which has been key. Players like Ricky Zorn, Seitu Smith and Cam Brate pose problems because they stretch the field both vertically and horizontally.
Defensively, LB Josh Boyd is a force in the middle. DTs Zach Hodges and Nnamd Obukwelu lead the way up front.
RENO ON YALE’S IMPROVEMENT
“It’s been pretty incredible to be a part of the process and seeing the change,” Reno said. “I can’t tell you how much credit goes to Beau Palin for leading that and seniors for buying into that. We have a football team now.”
He later added: “The things we’re seeing, it’s really exciting for me, because I had the idea that this is what we can be and I’m starting to see it come alive.”
FURMAN ON THIS WEEK
“We’re really not focused on Harvard at this point,” QB Hank Furman said. “We really want to put together a complete week of practice and have a great walkthrough and a great game. We’ve flirted with that a couple of times this year. Coach Reno has been talking about setting the standard on how to prepare for a football game and for the teams to come.”
ROBERTS AT WR
Clemson-transfer QB Morgan Roberts played some WR on Saturday. He didn’t get a full week of practice in because he was banged up and Reno felt his speed could help on the perimeter. He had two catches for 15 yards, including a 13-yd TD.
SCOTT WITH SOLID DAY
Sophomore QB Logan Scott made his first career start against Princeton. He finished 22 of 39 for 240 yards, three TDs and an INT.
“A solid effort,” Reno said. “He threw the ball well. He plays with his feet. He made good decisions, good decisions in the option game. He’s a cool character. Nothing is really going to rattle him. He did a nice job.”
PALIN ON PLAYING IN THE GAME
“It’s the pinnacle of our athletic career,” Palin, Yale’s captain said. “It’s truly an honor and privilege to be a part of a game that’s so rich in tradition. I remember coming and watching my brother play, so I’ve seen both sides of it. It’s really an honor to be a part of it.”
Gee - to listen to Reno, you'd think we BEAT Princeton 59-23...
ReplyDeleteI guess, your a glass half empty kinda guy.?
ReplyDeleteChris which field is the Yale JV Game, gonna be played on.?
ReplyDeleteI hope we beat Harvard. If not, the record over the past two years will be 7-13, a far call from being a factor in the Ivy League. If we do not beat Harvard, there has been no uptick over the past two years, and we should take a long look at the program and perhaps change direction. Enough mediocrity.
ReplyDeleteHow about playing Harvard at a neutral venue since we do so much better when we do? Maybe Yankee Stadium?
ReplyDeleteOr Fenway Park?
ReplyDeleteReno is in the wrong profession. He should be a politician or used car salesman.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of "change" are we witnessing? There has been change, but not positive change.
What "things we're seeing" are suppose to have us excited about the future of Yale football?
His teams have performed worse than the previous coach. He lacks the ability to be honest about the current state of the team. He offers platitudes as a substitute for honesty.
You can be a supporter of a team and view that team objectively at the same time. Supporting a team does not have to mean closing your eyes and buying every piece of garbage the coach is selling.
There are some major issues with how this team is constructed, how it is coached, and how game time decisions are made. Saying so does not make anyone a hater.
TruthTeller
I have to be impressed with the way the team played against a very good, experienced Brown team, which started as many seniors as Yale did freshmen. The same can be said for last year's game against Penn.
ReplyDeleteSome weeks Yale looks like it could beat anyone, and some weeks it looks like it can';t beat anyone. Is this coaching or freshmen and sophomores?
Such expertise and insight! You guys should all be doing color commentary on the networks.
ReplyDeleteLOL
To Truth Teller:
ReplyDeleteAgree completely: this is beginning to sound like an Obama administration press release. Truth be told: we continue to need an experienced, thoughtful coach, and if not, the Yale football program will continue to be mediocre.
This is not complicated. All along,Reno has had plan to build a team and legacy "with his guys." Reno only uses "Williams' guys" if he feels as if he has no other option. He forced some "Williams' guys" to quit and benched the others. Then he claims that he had to play "his guys." Why would any young man want to quit football at Yale for any reason other than injury and academics - this is not Columbia - this Yale footbal and its great tradition. I have a hard believing the players recruited by Williams to Yale with its tradition and who are juniors and seniors are not as good as "his guys." This plan of building the Reno Legacy at Yale is at the root of all the issues with the team. It dictates all of his decisions on and off the field. His managment and leadership skills would never be acceptable in the real world - they are awful. He doesn't get it. Successful leaders know to build an organization and it is not done by having two classes of players: "Reno's guys" and everyone else. Maybe Yale will have a winning record in a few years when all of Williams' guys are gone but is the way Reno's really worth it? Is this what Yale football is now all about?
ReplyDeleteYale needs a new coach:PERIOD
ReplyDeleteYou people, need either more sleep.
ReplyDeleteOr more sex. You sound like you maybe constipated.PERIOD
Fans like you,who needs ya
2:44 - If all you can do is throw childish insults and not address any of the real issues addressed, then better to say nothing and we just think you are an idiot, than make these childish comments which confirm that you are.
ReplyDeleteTruthTeller
Hey Jake,I thought you already had a blog.Roar lion, 4:26 Mr. Truthsmeller,more like a LIAR.
ReplyDeleteAll the comments are nothing but small minded little girls gabbing.You are all jealous of the job that Coach Reno aand staff are doing.
Knock it off, Truth Slayer
Yea he's doing a great job. Losing to Columbia last year and his handling of the quarterbacks gives everyone great comfort for the future.
ReplyDeleteWow what an idiot.You are pathetic piece of work.Whitelaw could'nt stand being regulated to 2nd string.If he was a little more patient. He would have been the man.
ReplyDeleteBut he is the one, that has to live with that fate. Which will be in his head for the rest of his life. Deal with it.
As far as losing to Columbia, So what.That was last year jerk...
I hope all here are Yale fans.On this board,sounds like Columbia blog.Grow up
ReplyDeleteJon Harris
“It’s been pretty incredible to be a part of the process and seeing the change,” Reno said. “I can’t tell you how much credit goes to Beau Palin for leading that and seniors for buying into that. We have a football team now.”
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck is this man talking about?
The defense gave up over NINETY POINTS in the Big 3 games! Has that EVER happened?
And as for "mediocrity", I WISH that were the case.
This team has regressed and the coach is in over his head.
After all, he's a DEFENSIVE coach, right?
Yale '86
Regressed? All anyone on this forum talks about is Reno is playing "his" guys. Well, "his" guys just improved from 2-8 to 5-5. Looks like improvement to me. The glaring difference in the H game was the lack of talent (williams recruits) at DL.
ReplyDeleteThis is Yale, not Alabama. I believe Reno will get it done. Next year, 7-3 and in contention, then year 4 an Ivy Title.
Heck, Florida just lost to a FCS team this past weekend and Muschamp looks like he is going to keep his job. How do you explain that? Injuries to key players!!!!
And let's not forget the Columbia game was WON without a QB until Varga fumbled the game away when it was OVER! All he had to do was hold on to the ball. That's NOT a coaches fault.