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Dartmouth returns to field

HANOVER — After finishing the 2021 fall season with a record 20th Ivy League title and national rankings from Stats Perform (20th) and the FCS coaches (23rd), the Dartmouth football team took to the gridiron for spring practice Tuesday to begin the chase for a third consecutive crown.

Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens will have to replace a majority of his starters with the offense and defense losing seven starters apiece. But as Teevens proved this past fall with four total starters returning from the previous season, the Big Green cannot be counted out when it comes to the title chase.

The most efficient quarterback in Dartmouth history, Derek Kyler, has finished his career in Hanover, but the Big Green still has first-team All-Ivy League selection junior Nick Howard to guide the offense after he finished third in the conference in rushing and tied the school record with 15 rushing touchdowns.

Dartmouth will also have a terrific corps of wide receivers in sophomore Paxton Scott (46 receptions, 505 yards, 4 TDs), junior Dale Chesson (21 for 259 yards, 2 TDs), sophomore Isaac Boston (19 for 172 yards, TD) and junior Jonny Barrett (12 for 152 yards, 4 TDs). And with junior Noah Roper (54 rushes, 352 yards, TD) back to help carry the load running the ball with Howard, the skill positions are in good shape.

On the other side of the ball, Dartmouth may be graduating a good number of starters, but with Teevens’ liberal substitutions throughout the year, there is more experience available that at first glance. Junior Shane Cokes (32 tackles, 4.0 sacks) will head up the defensive line while junior Marques White 40 tackles, team-high 5.0 sacks) will be the veteran of the linebacking corps.

On special teams, freshman punter Davis Golick (20 punts, 35.5-yard average) grew into the role as a rookie, but the Big Green will need to replace Connor Davis, who was essentially automatic on PATs (converted the last 75 of his career, a school record) and converted 7-of-9 field goals with a long of 51 yards.

Practices have been scheduled for four weeks on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 5 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. (weather permitting), with the week of April 18 off. The annual Green-White scrimmage will conclude the spring season on May 7.

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