If the Elis hope to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1980-'81, they will have to fill huge holes at wide receiver and on the offensive line.
The Bulldogs graduated All-American tackle Ed McCarthy '07 and guard Brett Crandall '07 along with all three of their starting wide receivers, including All-Ivy first team selection Ashley Wright '07. As a result, the Elis have spent most of their preseason rebuilding their offensive line and trying to find answers at wide receiver. Currently, the de facto go-to wideout is Chris Denny-Brown '08 who missed all of last season due to injury. Joining him as starters are Jarrett Drake '09 and John Sheffield '10.
The Bulldogs will move Sheffield around the field from halfback, tight end, to wide receiver in order to exploit different situations and mismatches.
Despite the uncertainty on the offensive line and at wide receiver, the rest of the Bulldog offense looks poised to pick up where it left off. Matt Polhemus '08 gives the Elis a dual threat at the quarterback position with his athleticism as he averaged over 40 yards rushing per game last year, good for eighth in the Ivy League.
At running back, All-Ivy first team Mike McLeod '09 hopes to build on his record-breaking performance last season, when he set new team highs with 20 total touchdowns and 19 rushing scores.
On the other side of the ball, the Elis return six All-Ivy players and nine starters. The Bulldog defense, headlined by Hollander and first-team All-Ivy linebacker Bobby Abare '08, hope to continue the progress they made at the end of last season and will look to establish themselves as the Ivy League's most dominant defensive unit.
The secondary returns all four of its starters and will look to improve a pass defense that finished dead last in the Ivy League, giving up more than 233 yards per game.
