This Saturday, the Dartmouth football team will open its home schedule against Cornell in hopes of setting the stage for a successful Ivy League season.
Besides all the tradition basked in this 112th home opener to Dartmouth football, the contest between the Big Green and The Big Red will be crucial in setting the season's tone for these two teams.
"Cornell is in a similar position to us in terms of their record,"Coach John Lyons said about the upcoming contest, in which both teams enter the grudge match 1-1 in the season and winless in the Ivy League.
For Dartmouth, this momentum-setting game is that much more important when stacked up against its play in the past.
Last year's 2-5 finish was the team's worst record since 1987, and the first time since the Ivy League of Football was born in 1956 that Dartmouth finish in last place [tied with Harvard]. For years, Dartmouth owned the Ivy's, compiling a total of 16 championship titles in the league's 39 year history, upping the ante for a Big Green resurgence.
Dartmouth may also have a score to settle with Cornell, who robbed victory from the Big Green last year with a touchdown in the last 49 seconds to give Cornell the 17-14 win.
Many of Cornell's weapons from that game return this year, including the top-rated rushing duo in the Ivy League, running backs Chad Levitt and Terry Smith.
"I think first of all we have to do a good job up front, stopping their run game," Lyons said. "Levitt is a big strong hard runner, and Smith is a smaller, quicker runner."
Levitt, arguably the best running back in the league, is averaging 127 yards and two touchdowns a game this year. Last year, Levitt and Smith compiled 249 yards on the ground against Dartmouth.
Dartmouth's defense, which permitted minus one total yards rushing last week against Fordham, seems primed for the test against the best backfield in the Ivy's. Inside linebackers Mark Abel '97 and Brian Schmidt '97 have emerged as the defense's top performers, and fiery outside linebacker Jack Walz '98 also has 20 tackles on the year.
But Lyon's is doubly concerned. "I think we have to do a good job up front getting off blocks and tackling well, but at the same time they have the ability to throw the ball successfully, and we just can't afford to give up a big play against the pass."
On offense, Dartmouth will have their work cut out for them as well. The team will most likely not only have to cope with its inconsistent quarterback position, but it will also face one of the strongest rushing defenses, according to Lyons.
At quarterback, mobile southpaw John Aljancic '97 and veteran sharpshooter Ren Riley '96 may both get playing time.
"We will play both of them," Lyons said. "We aren't sure yet who is going to start at this time but both of them will play."
Chances are, however, Aljancic, who led Dartmouth to its 34-14 victory over Fordham after Riley got clocked on a busted play and did not return, will likely start the game and get the majority of the snaps.
Whoever handles the hide will surely be wary of Cornell cornerback Doug Knopp, last week's Ivy League defensive player of the week, who snagged three interceptions in the second half to boost Cornell in its victory over Holy Cross.
On the ground, look for Dartmouth to feature a number of its talented rushers in the backfield. Last week, 10 Dartmouth players gained rushing yardage, and according to Lyon's, his rushing by committee tactic will probably continue this week as well.
"Our plan is to play a lot of backs and we are going to stick with whoever gets hot, but I think that we want to be able to play several people and also keep them fresh at the same time," Lyons said.
As of now, co-Captain tailback Pete Oberle '96, a key force in the big Green backfield in the past, has been relatively ineffective. Oberle, who averaged 104.2 yards rushing last year, had his season cut short last year by a severe knee injury, and Lyons and his coaching staff have been careful not to give Oberle too much of a load too soon this season.
"He [Oberle] is getting more and more healthy every day and he is coming along. Pete will get more time and more carries than he has gotten up to this point," Lyons said.
Dartmouth looks to record its first Ivy League victory of the year and gain early season momentum at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Memorial Field.
