Yale University's star running back Mike McLeod, last weekend's Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week, along with quarterback Matthew Polhemus, were provoked into a brawl last Sunday morning in New Haven, Conn., with several members of the Bulldogs' hockey team.
McLeod and Polhemus were arrested, with McLeod being charged with breach of the peace in the second degree and criminal mischief in the third degree. Polhemus garnered just one count of breach of the peace in the second degree.
However, with Yale's head coach Jack Siedlecki fighting for his job this season and a win over the Dartmouth Big Green (0-3, 0-1 Ivy League) expected, both will probably take the field this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Hanover.
Yale will discipline none of the perpetrators until the legal process is finished.
"The investigation is in the hands of Yale University and the New Haven Police Department, as they gather the facts associated with this incident," said Yale athletic director Tom Beckett. Whether or not the two pugilists play this Saturday, the Big Green will have their hands full with the Bulldogs.
Polhemus, the only new starter on Yale's offense, has thrown for 489 yards and rushed for 139 more to help the Bulldogs bolt out of the gates this year.
Wide receiver Ashley Wright is averaging 25.4 yards-per-catch on nine receptions. He scorched Lafayette's secondary last weekend, with 151 yards on just four carries, including a spectacular 63-yard grab for a touchdown.
Yale will look to contain the Big Green's passing game with the help of stellar defensive back Steven Santoros, who has two interceptions, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and 16 tackles for the Bulldogs this season. Linebacker Bobby Abare has also had a very productive season, as he is third in the nation with 9.0 tackles-per-game.
But the place where the Bulldogs have truly torn through their traditional opponents has been on special teams. The Bulldogs lead the Ivy League in kick returns with an average tally of 23.2 yards-per-return. Santoros had a 94-yard kick return for a touchdown, and there have been many times that an opposing kicker has had to prevent a Yale touchdown.
Andrew Kempler '08 and Brian Scullin '09 should be kept busy by the Bulldogs' special teams unit all game long.
The Big Green will look to establish a rushing attack that is currently ranked dead last in the Ivy League and ranked 108th out of 117 teams in Division I-AA with 252 total yards on the season. This would be the week to get the ground game going, as Yale's rushing defense sits at the dregs of the Ivy League at 103rd out of the 117 Division I-AA clubs with 577 total yards allowed. This has caused the Bulldogs to be last in the Ivies in time of possession, as the Bulldogs average 26:56 per game.
The Big Green passing attack will most likely be led by senior quarterback Mike Fritz '07, who passed for 255 yards and ran for 64 against Penn last Saturday afternoon. The 319 yards of total offense that Fritz compiled ranks 21st on Dartmouth's all-time charts. Ryan Fuselier '06 and emerging sophomore Phillip Galligan '09 will look to haul in Fritz' rockets.
This Saturday's game will mark the 90th meeting between these two historic teams, with Yale leading the all-time series 47-36-6. The Big Green will hope to avenge last year's 13-0 shutout at the Yale Bowl at the hands of the Bulldogs.
The game can be heard on WDCR and WFRD, with the pre-game show starting at 12 p.m.
