Few players embody the spirit of Dartmouth football like captain and tight end Chris Corbo ’26. After a stellar career with the Big Green in which he notched 86 receptions, 912 yards and 13 touchdowns and earned a 2024 All-Ivy First Team selection, Corbo has transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology to use his postgraduate eligibility to make plays for the Yellow Jackets in the competitive ACC.
Was there anything specific about Dartmouth football culture that you were looking to replicate when you were searching for a new school?
CC: I was looking for a place that has a locker room, culture and standard that Dartmouth has. Our standard is to compete and win championships every year. After meeting with the coaches here, I could tell that their vision for the program, their morals and where they see this team going align with what we had [over] the last four years.
With the departure of quarterback Haynes King, Georgia Tech is in a transition year. How do you think your college football experience, with four years under your belt, will help the younger guys and coaches on offense?
CC: I think my experience, although it’s at a lower level, is vital. I’ve been grateful enough to play a lot of snaps. The Ivy League has produced a lot of guys who are going to big-time schools over the last few years. Playing against them and having been in a lot of situations, whether it’s a two-minute drill or just game management, I think is something that I can teach the younger guys and bring them along.
In the tight end room, have you talked with Josh Beetham, J.T. Byrne or Brett Seither about their experience playing for the Yellow Jackets? Did you connect with them going into this process?
CC: I’ve gotten pretty close with J.T. I went to dinner with him and a couple of people on my official visit, had talked to him a couple of times before I got down here and even saw him yesterday while I was getting everything ready to go. He gave me a lot of great insight on what the standard is in the tight end room. Obviously, they’ve produced a lot of good tight ends in the last few years. For example, Jackson Hawes is from the Ivy League, and he’s now played really well with the Buffalo Bills. He’s been a really great mentor these first few days, just getting me acclimated.
What parts of your game do you think will allow you to really succeed against this higher level of competition in the ACC?
CC: I think the biggest thing is my strength. The last few years, I’ve been able to develop as a blocker thanks to coaching. But I would also say the ability to make plays down the field, over the field and especially in the red zone. In these games at this level, you need to score points, and I feel like I’ve proven to myself that I can be a threat in the red zone. Obviously, any time you can put points on the board, that’s a good thing. I am really looking forward to helping do that.
Is there anything you’re going to miss about the Dartmouth community or Hanover while in Atlanta?
CC: Definitely two opposite ends. One thing I’m gonna miss is the community aspect, just being in tight quarters in a small town where everyone knows each other and everyone cares for each other. Going to miss the camaraderie up there, the family feel. I’m excited to be in a bigger city, to be able to explore and take advantage of new opportunities. But [I’m] definitely gonna miss Hanover, N.H.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
