It's no secret that the Dartmouth football team had a tough time on the field last fall, posting the program's first winless season in 125 years. The Big Green finished the 2008 season in last place in the Ivy League in both scoring and total offense and defense, leaving the team, as well as fans of the program, frustrated.
However, the beginning of spring practices this past week has many already looking forward to next season.
When asked about the main deficiencies of last year's squad, head coach Buddy Teevens was quick to respond.
"Last year, a big problem was consistency," he said. "On any play, we would have nine guys doing it right and two doing it wrong, or ten doing it right and one doing it wrong. For a football team, you can't operate effectively that way."
Teevens said that a lot of these consistency issues can be mitigated simply by maturity.
"A lot of our players were very young in 2008, but this year's team has much more experience and has really gelled together," he said.
There has already been a noticeable shift in attitude both on and off the field this spring, he said, thanks in part to the intensified off-season weight-training program. The coaching staff is also making sure that there is no mental hangover from the troubles of last season.
After practice on Friday, Teevens said that keeping his team motivated has been far from difficult.
"These guys are competitors," he said. "We've been running more physical practices, and the guys have shown up and responded very well."
Statistically, the most glaring problem with the 2008 Dartmouth team was the lack of an effective running game, as the team's 27.1 rushing yards per game and 1.2 yards per attempt were by far the lowest in the Ivy League. The second-worst rushing team averaged well over two times the Big Green's total yards, and bettered Dartmouth's per-attempt output by one yard.
The offense's inability to rush the ball helped the Big Green's opponents average roughly ten more minutes of possession per game (again, the Big Green was last in the Ivy League in this statistic), which in turn tired out the defense, and put an inordinate amount of pressure on the success of the passing game.
Both the coaches and players should realize that in order to improve as a team this fall, they must place emphasis on the improvement of the rush offense. While many of Teevens' assistants are coaching different position groups than they did last year, arguably the biggest coaching shake-up was the hiring of Keith Clark as the new offensive line coach. Clark was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Yale for the past 10 years, and coordinated the run game at Columbia for five years before that. He has enjoyed much success at the Ivy League level, producing more than 20 All-Ivy offensive linemen over the past decade.
Dartmouth's coaches have already started to implement multiple new rushing packages in the first few practices of the spring. The rushing offense is looking to become more diversified in 2009, increasing the role of the true fullback with additional I-formation isolation plays to complement the existing spread offense zone-read plays run extensively last season.
Teevens said that four or five running backs seemed ready to contribute this season, mentioning returning rushers Nick Schweiger '12 and Rob Mitchelson '10. Teevens also said that TJ Cameron '11 is looking to rebound from a lingering ankle injury he suffered his senior year of high school, and could contribute at the position as well.
Cameron expressed his enthusiasm for the hiring of Clark.
"The offensive linemen are already learning a lot from coach Clark," Cameron said. "And that's obviously exciting for us running backs."
The problem with Dartmouth's 2008 run game was, however, not purely schematic. The offensive line was hurt by untimely injuries, forcing unprepared players into starting roles and devastating the unit's chemistry. Hopefully, with a more stable personnel situation and Clark's new blocking schemes, the offensive line will perform better, opening up holes for the running backs, giving the quarterback time in the pocket and dominating the line of scrimmage. Right tackle John O'Sullivan '11 is already encouraged by the line's progress so far this spring, he said.
"Coach Clark is a great coach, and he's made our assignments really easy to understand," he said.
The team's passing attack, which ranked fourth in the Ivy League with 187.1 yards per game last year, will also seek to improve. All of Dartmouth's top passers are returning from a year ago, including Alex Jenny '10 and Conner Kempe '12, who both have starting experience. Jenny, the projected starter for the first game of the 2009 season, will look to significantly raise his total of five passing touchdowns last season, while Kempe has been flashing his strong arm in the first couple days of spring ball.
Kempe took over the starting role near the end of last season, and was productive -- especially for a true freshman -- throwing for 655 yards while showcasing his ability to toss the deep ball. However, he also raised questions about his consistency, as he threw six interceptions and just two touchdown passes, while completing 53.7 percent of his passes. Kempe's arm shows plenty of promise, but still may not be ready when the team's first game rolls around.
Also returning is top offensive threat Tim McManus '11. Originally recruited as an athletic dual-threat quarterback, McManus has transitioned to wide receiver successfully. The sophomore amassed over 600 yards in 10 games during the 2008 season, highlighted by hundred-yard outputs in three of the final six contests. A large part of next season's offense will be dedicated to getting McManus the ball in space. At the end of 2008, McManus was selected by his teammates as a captain for the upcoming campaign.
Dartmouth's pass offense will need younger, still-unproven wide receivers to improve throughout the spring and summer and be ready to contribute in the fall. After McManus, tight end John Gallagher '12 is the next most productive returning pass catcher, with only 12 catches for 111 yards last year. Wide receivers Phil Galligan '09 and Eric Paul '09, the second and third receivers from the 2008 team, and former co-captain Milan Williams '09, the starting running back and fourth-leading receiver from a year ago, will all graduate this spring. Kyle Battle '11 and Will Deevy '11 are outside wide receivers that will both be counted on to make up some of the lost production on the field.
The defense also has some holes to fill, as defensive back Ian Wilson '08 and linebackers Andrew Dete '09 and Joe Battaglia '09, the team's top three tacklers from a year ago, will all be lost to graduation. The next-best returning tackler is defensive back Pete Pidermann '10, who will serve as a 2009 co-captain. The defensive unit, coming off of a season in which it allowed over 31 points and 430 yards per game, will need to be helped by an improved running game, better offensive time of possession, and a strong group of incoming recruits, particularly in the secondary.
A long load lies ahead beforeDartmouth's first game against Colgate on September 19, but if the team maintains the high intensity and focus seen in the first few spring practices, football fans might see a vastly different product taking the field for the Big Green this fall.
