Spring football is right around the corner.
Yale opens its spring session on March 26 and it concludes on April 19 with the annual Blue-White scrimmage at the Yale Bowl at 2:30 p.m.
Here is a look at five topics to keep an eye on for the spring:
OPEN COMPETITION: It will be interesting to see who will be the leader of the QB competition coming out of the spring session. This is clearly the biggest question heading into 2014. Morgan Roberts did struggle at times last season, but did come in from Clemson and has elite speed. Logan Scott did a solid job, completing 26-of-47 passes for 264 yards and three TDs last season. Eric Williams, Spencer McManes and Anthony Morales will also get their opportunities.
UP FRONT: Yale graduated two starters in Wes Gavin and John Oppenheimer on the OL. That opens the door for some young talent like Mason Friedline, Khalid Cannon and others on the offensive line.
WHICH TE WILL EMERGE? There isn’t much experience here, so it will be interesting how the spring plays out at this position. Adam Conklin is the only TE on the roster that had a catch last season. Stephen Buric, Austin Carter, Leo Haenni and Blake Thompson will also be in the mix.
GETTING OLDER: On the defensive side, there are a handful of players who quickly gained experience. The front seven has promise with players like Victor Egu, Carl Kreitzberg, Copache Tyler and Darius Manora back. How much has this group improved in the offseason?
WELCOME BACK: All four starters - Spencer Rymiszewski, Dale Harris, Cole Champion and Foye Oluokun – return in the secondary. There should be a good battle at safety, however, with Oluokun and Robbie Ries. Also, keep an eye on DBs Mike Bernardez and Keith Hawk who have made strides in the offseason.
Some other notes…
Yale coach Tony Reno would not give any hint about a replacement for OC Kevin Morris and would not offer a timetable either.
TEs Keith Coty and Mike Leunen both had options for a fifth year of eligibility, but have found jobs and will not be back.
Yale’s seniors will take a trip to Gettysburg, Penn., again this spring.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for them to see how that battle showed how people can persevere in the face of adversity,” Reno said. “It’s really an eye-opening experience and very impactful.”
Stephen Buric was injured last year for much of the season but had several starts in the last two years. Chris i am curious if coach Reno failed to respond to a direct question regarding who the offensive coordinator will be.
ReplyDeleteYes, I asked him who will take over for Kevin Morris.
ReplyDeleteWho is Chris Gennaro? The website lists him the New England (ex-CT) recruiter but doesn't doesn't show him as a coach.
ReplyDeleteI am confused. Oluokun was voted onto College Sports Journal All Freshman team and he was second team All Ivy. So why would he be battling Robbie Ries for a spot?
ReplyDeleteFor those who are critical of me, this is the stupidity I am talking about where practice, off-season workout, or who knows what supersedes game production.
If Chris got his information from Reno, then for those who were critical of me calling him an extension of the Yale FB PR department and being critical of him for not asking tough questions, anyone else think he should have asked about this?
If this did come from Reno then this should disturb all Yale fans and points to what has been a recurring problem since Reno took over, which is falling in love with players based on something other than game time production.
TruthTeller
TT go to the Yale football Site Oki was nominated back in 1/18/14
ReplyDeleteWhy are you such a pain in the ass.? Jon Harris be informed
Funny how questions aren't being answered and blogs disappear. What are you hiding Reno?
ReplyDeleteJon Harris: Calm down. You obviously did not read my comment. My point is why is someone who produced in games and was a starter fighting for a spot against someone who has not. I would think that you would want to know the answer to this also.
ReplyDeleteYou obviously are biased and looking to pick a fight with anyone who isn't on the program so you saw I commented and the attack was on or you are so blind and stupid that you think the question should not be asked. IF YOU WERE A REAL YALE FB SUPPORTER YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW. THAT MEANS YOU ARE JUST A RENO SUPPORTER.
TruthTeller
The irony is it seems Ries has fallen out of favor, not Oluokon. How else to explain Reno naming ALL the freshmen who started a significant number of games last year Freshmen of the Year collectively and excluding Ries, who was a starter from game one? Knowing the way Reno "doghouses" guys, I believe Ries might already be headed for the B-list, as happened to so many of the guys Reno did not recruit. (No need to name names, everyone close to the program knows who those guys are/were.) This was acceptable coaching behavior to some because those weren't "his" guys. Fine. But this will be the interesting thing going forward with Reno: What happens when he starts to freeze out his own recruits? If treating guys that way is your style, it will begin to happen with his own guys soon enough, maybe already has. Then what will the reaction of the Reno supporters be? And more important, how does the team respond?
ReplyDeleteRead the Spring Football blog with great interest. Coty and Leunen will be in school this Fall. They just do not want to play for Reno.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of TEs, can someone explain why we have a soph TE playing that obviously cannot block and since the offense does not use the TE in the passing game, it makes no sense. With our OL and RBs, we should be a running team and playing a TE that can block. I notice that 86 plays when we get close tro the goal line. Why isn't he in more to help the OL take on the opponent's front 7 rather than keep them out numbered. I've been watching Yale football for a long time, since my college days, and I've never seen anything like it. It looks like Reno really does favor his recruits over the others.
ReplyDeleteRies is not in any doghouse and played well including the games he started.Competition is good for any team. We have at least three capable running backs who will fight for playing time. Having quality backups is necessary because there is always injuries.Spring practice will be interesting to see if any of the QB's have improved or will improve. The tight position is wide open and I do not think either Coty or Leunen will be missed in the least.
ReplyDeleteTT I am always calm.I just to be blunt.Ries had a ankle injury either Dartmouth or Fordham.he was hobbled the rest of the way.
ReplyDeleteHe was supplanted by Ryzemski( sorry if I butcherd the name.
Who I thought played better than Ries.
calm down you snake,I'm playing with you TT Jon Harris
To 12:30: A) Why was Ries left out of the freshmen award? and B) Coty will definitely be missed; according to his own teammates, he was a superb blocker. To 12:20: You seem to have concluded objectively that Reno favors his recruits. Many who have "a dog in that fight" so to speak, and who are perhaps not objective, figured that out quite a while ago. To 2:31: You have an interesting relationship with the English language.
ReplyDelete4:29 I am challanged, especially on blogs.But when Iam not in a rush.I can convey a special note of refrence to you. Kiss my Blarney stones.
ReplyDeleteCheers Jon Harris
Ries started seven games at strong safety. Ries was replaced by Oluokun when Harris started at cornerback. Rymiszewski statrted every game at cornerback. Good news all are returning.alpit
ReplyDeleteBuric is an excellent, big target receiver with great hands, as he demonstrated his freshman year. He has played and/or practiced with the first squad for most of the last two years.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Oluokun and Ries, it is important to note that the awards are made by PR flacks who only read the stats and don't have a clue about how to play the game. Yes Oluokun had a great freshman year, but he also gave up the long ball way too much, failed to look for the ball, and sometimes was just nowhere near his receiver. Ries made some of the same mistakes, but his technique is more developed. Both will be great players for the next three years.
The coach has not mastered the skills and doesn't have the confidence he needs to deal with the press. He made some pretty big mistakes in terms of personnel the first two years (like hiring an OC to run another assistant's offense). But for the most part he moved to correct those mistakes, and he is clearly getting better at his job. There is a huge gap between being an assistant and being a head coach, like going from VP to CEO. The fact that he is improving should give all Yale fans reason for optimism. Injuries to Smith, Furman and Varga cost at least two wins; 7-3 would have been an enormous turn around.
And finally, Tony Reno has always been one of the strongest recruiters around. And athletes win titles.
To 3:50 Which two games would that be?
ReplyDeleteChris; Maybe you could suggest to coach Reno to get rid of those hideous pants and go back to the classic double stripe.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they taught english or public speaking at the Mass State school Reno attended.
ReplyDelete4:47: Dartmouth & Penn
ReplyDeleteThan you, 3:50. You post was articulate and informative, a welcome change from what usually appears on Portal 31. Keep 'em coming.
ReplyDeleteChris; nice job on spring outlook it would be nice to hear what the coaches have to say and who will be named the OC. Any word on position changes?
ReplyDeleteIs there any doubt that the OC will be Conlin and that he'll have his hands full. Two new and inexperienced OLs, no proven QB, injuries at RB, a starting TE that can neither block or catch and only one wide receiver that can stretch the field. The defense also has problems. Undersized and outmanned at DL, no LBs of note and inexperienced DBs that did not really perform well last year despite their accolades. 6 and 4 may be a reach.
ReplyDeleteLet's not get crazy here. We still have a great o-line and a monster at RB. If Conlin is smart he will build an offense that will feature and not diminish these strengths and not get stupid with the silly spread. If you don't have the QB and receivers to threaten the defense do not make your power game weak by pretending!
ReplyDeleteHey 3:50 PM
ReplyDeleteI think that you are overlooking the fact that Reno was, at best, the third choice for the Yale head coaching job. Is that how far down the Yale football program has fallen. Yale should be a destination job for a select group of coaches not striving to coach a top 20 team. In terms of recruiting, Yale has the advantage over the other ivies except for H and Princeton. There are plenty of qualified Ivy caliber prospects out there and when's the last time we lost a recruit to Dartmouth or Brown. Lots of assistants are great recruiters, we need a head coach that can coach.
Chris:
ReplyDeleteWhat's up at spring practice? The faithful want news, preferably good news, but any news will do. Who's looking good? What's the story on last year's wounded? How's Mr. Varga running? Tell someone to update the web site. Thanks.
Chris: Are you planninng on attending and reporting on any of the spring practices?
ReplyDelete