Princeton has been selected No. 1 in the Ivy League preseason media poll for the first time since 1992.
The Tigers, led by Sr. QB Quinn Epperly who became the first player in conference history with 40 TDs in one season (25 passing, 18 rushing), finished 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the Ivy last season.
Yale was voted fifth.
| Rank | School | Points |
| 1. | Princeton (9) | 128 |
| 2. | Harvard (8) | 127 |
| 3. | Dartmouth | 91 |
| 4. | Penn | 79 |
| 5. | Yale | 68 |
| 6. | Brown | 65 |
| 7. | Cornell | 34 |
| 8. | Columbia | 20 |
Pretty much squares with my earlier speculation about how to evaluate Reno if our only Ivy League wins are Columbia and Cornell (want to throw in Brown, go ahead) and finish 3-7 or 4-6 (maybe Colgate for the fourth win?) with finishing the season losing to Harvard and Princeton again. So this question: Are the people who make these polls "Reno-bashers" or just people looking objectively at this Yale team as I believe I am.
ReplyDelete12:16
ReplyDeleteHow about playing the season before you pat yourself on the back.
Well said John Walsh. Facts 12:16PM, facts.
ReplyDeleteThe ranking is fair. Princeton and Harvard given their finish last season should be at the top. At this point, Yale, Dartmouth, and Penn are all “pick em’s” in the middle there, and appropriately so. With Brown, Cornell, and Columbia rounding out the bottom.
3-7 or 4-6 are worse than the 5-5 we went last year. If we end with either of those records chances are it was a bad job done by Reno and staff (minus a rash of team crippling injury or something). It is absolutely fair to expect an increase in wins this season. And beating those teams appropriately placed in the same “vicinity” as we are in the rankings is imperative.
It will be interesting to see how the schedule plays itself out and how we play within it. The toughest games are interesting the first 2 and last 2, so it is imperative to start and finish strong. However the games that are going to possibly “make or break” the season are the games in month of October. A good month there could write a wronged ship if the start is bad, and could build momentum into an exciting finish if it starts off well. Conversely if we struggle in the month of October and are not established as a team it could make for a hard hitting ending.
Will be interesting to watch…
TNC
At all levels of football, talent is important, but coaches win football games. I think that most savvy Ivy Football observers believe that Yale will, once again, be outcoached in most of their games. And, unless we have a significant talent advantage, we will lose. Been watching Yale football a long, long time and this is the worst I've seen.
ReplyDelete4:58
ReplyDeleteI doubt you know anything about what "most savvy Ivy Football observers believe". You are certainly not one of them. Talent is far more important than game day coaching. A college coach will rise and fall much more on his ability to recruit TALENT, rather than his x's and o's.
Exhibit #1 is Carm Cozaa. never a great game day coach, but, before the Giamatti de-emphasis speech a great recruiter and a winner.
Please point out to me the game Yale lost last year when they had far superior talent.
I don't think that's the right question. The question is what they do when they have similar talent to the opponent. Isn't that when coaching has the most impact?For example, no one will think it's a big deal if they lose to Army next year.
ReplyDeleteBut using the similar (or lesser) talent question I would submit the Penn and Dartmouth games last year as an answer to your question. From the year before I would cite Columbia, Lafayette, Cornell (we were dismantled by a team that just wasn't that good) and Georgetown, which we won but only by virtue of a miracle TD to squeak by a team that was terrible. The only game I can cite in two Reno years that bucks the trend is Cal Poly. That was a great win. But they turned out to be a mediocre team themselves.
The Penn game was a result of erratic quarterback play not coaching Princeton and Harvard had more talent. The tackling at the Princeton game was awful. The win at Cal Poly was great but in reality we got all the breaks they had a touchdown called back and had two wide open receivers for touchdowns that the Qb overthrew.
ReplyDeleteErratic QB play and bad tackling have nothing to do with coaching? What exactly can we hold coaches accountable for? How about the team essentially having two OC's last year with opposing philosophies both in the inexperienced QB's head with different messages? Might that lead to "erratic" play? At least maybe we finally have that sorted out.
ReplyDeleteAh, for the days of freshman football. It was the best indicator of how Yale stood up to its Ivy opponents in recruiting - and it gave the kids a chance to settle into college while developing their skills. Even then - as my father (Y'29) used to say - for every sophomore who starts on the varsity the team will lose a game.
ReplyDeleteRichard Patrick 57. I agree freshman football in the Ivy’s is a great institution that definitely helps players adjust to all that their new environment entails on and off the field. However with all due respect that philosophy you mentioned sounds like it is straight out of 1929 and doesn’t really apply anymore.
ReplyDeleteHarvard won a share of the Ivy’s with a 9-1 record. They were led in rushing and tackling by 2 sophomores. Princeton had at least 2 sophomore starters on their defense alone. It is just about getting these guys to perform, regardless of their age. That is Reno and his staff’s job. How well they do that this season is to be determined. There seem to be more people than not who subscribe to the belief that Reno is no good. Hopefully he can convert all them with a great year this year.
TNC
Over a week to go to the 1st practice, over 5 weeks to the 1st game.I can not wait to see this team run.How well these young men will perform.
ReplyDeleteActually meeting truth teller sometime,at a game or practice..
Truley Jon Harris
To TNC:
ReplyDeleteAnother voice of reason it appears. Keep on with rationale thought and the Pom Pom crew will be throwing insults your way.
I thought it was the coaches job to have his team prepared also. Isn't it funny how nothing is ever Teflon Reno's fault?
TruthTeller
10:47
ReplyDeleteYou have vastly overrated Yale's talent (and disregarded injuries as well) over the last two years to try and prove your point.
I have to laugh at your choices from 2 years ago. You point to Columbia as bad (yes, it was Reno's fault that Varga fumbled as they were going in for the win)but forget about Penn as good. Everyone knows that Williams left the cupboard bare. Let's give Reno at least sometime to recruit better talent and prover he can coach them.
By the way, the similar talent thing is bull. Face it. You just don't like Reno.
Are you retarded making a comment like that. Are you claiming that it was Varga's fault that we lost the Columbia game? The guy who single handedly carried the team and upon one week notice had to step in and play QB? He only rushed for 220 yards and 3 scores. Did you miss the cape and the "S" on his jersey? If he was not in the lineup how do you think that game would have gone? I would go out on a limb and say that it would have gone the same way that all the games that he was not a part of went! Stop making stupid comments!
ReplyDelete4:11
ReplyDeleteObviously sarcasm escapes you.
Actually, to 4:11, I should have said sarcasm and CONTEXT, escape you
ReplyDeleteThe bare cupboard Reno was left with:
ReplyDelete2009-2010
Collin Bibb DB
Mordecai Cargill RB
Roy Collins OL
Nick Daffin DL
Allen Davis DE
Chris Dooley DL
Dylan Drake DE
Allen Harris WR
Brian Leffler LB
Will McHale LB
Philippe Panico K
John Powers DB
Derek Russell QB
Chris Smith WR
Kurt Stottlemeyer DB
2010-2011
Henry Furman QB
Wes Gavin OL
Jackson Liguori WR
Nick Okano DB
John Oppenheimer OL
Beau Palin DL
Deon Randall RB/WR
Cameron Sandquist WR
John Whitelaw QB
2011-2012
Ben Carbery OL
Kyle Cazzetta K/P
William Chism OL
EJ Conway DE
Charles Cook DB/LB
Kahlil Keys RB
William Vaughan LB
That does not look bare to me. Also you can't call the cupboard bare if he is playing his recruits.
TruthTeller
tt boy Actualyy they're Renos' players.He plays the best players for the team and games sake.Best chance to win.
ReplyDeleteThats what a coach does,if he expects to keep his job.
What kind of work do you do TT you stike me as a trust fund kid for some reason.
Jon Harris
What's your argument for bringing Reno back for a 4th year if they finish 3-7 or 4-6. Year 3 is supposed to be the make or break year for any coach in any sport. If you can't get it right in 3 years then simply your just not a good coach.
ReplyDeleteTT boy if you can't figure that out you never will.your last paragraph 4 to 5 years is what is needed to have your stamp on a program TT.Now go to bed.
ReplyDeleteJon Harris
09-10 was recruited by Coach Sid, NOT TW!
ReplyDeleteIf 7:55 is right this TW recruiting list is even more of a disaster than I previously thought. No need to post it for a fourth, or fifth, or ninth time (or however many times you have posted this) Truth Teller. As a Reno-basher, this is a "truth" you don't want to be telling
ReplyDeleteTruth Teller, regarding your William list, Conway quit, and Keys was recruited with the class before but had to go PG for a year to get his grades/scores up. That leaves FIVE players who will contribute in their senior season. Seven from the class before (because two of them quit) And I don't want to hear about who quit because they didn't like the new coach. Suck it up, stuff happens. On the kids who stayed, if their talent was so immense there is no way Reno would have played "his" kids over them. In a fifty-fifty situation, he obviously leaned freshman, But you have to stop with this implication that Tom Williams was a good recruiter. He was not. There is little to no argument on this.
ReplyDeleteHow has Senior Grant Wallace not been mentioned in any of the discussion surrounding the performance of "Williams' recruits?" He was the second leading receiver last year (behind Randall) and will continue to be productive this year as well.
ReplyDeleteGrant Wallace must certainly should have been listed. He is an exceptional receiver.
ReplyDeleteNo you most certainly missed him.
ReplyDeleteBut that ok it shows you are human. Jon Harris