Teevens, Players Talk 2022 Season During Ivy League Media Day

HANOVER, N.H. — Last week, the Ivy League revealed that Dartmouth and Harvard football teams were picked to share the conference crown by the league's media in the preseason poll. Today, the media had the opportunity to speak with the head coach and two players from each Ancient Eight team on their prospects for the upcoming season, which kicks off in barely one month's time, as part of the Ivy League Media Day.

Buddy Teevens, Dartmouth's Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach, was joined on the Zoom call by senior defensive lineman Shane Cokes and senior quarterback Nick Howard. Host Jack Ford asked Teevens to give a quick overview on his team entering the preseason.

"We are excited about our team," Teevens stated outright. "After the pandemic forced us to alter our practice schedules, we're settling back into somewhat of a normal routine. We had some success last year and graduated a good number of players, but we do that every year. We believe we have some talent and some great leadership, and we are excited to get the season rolling."

Ford wondered how Teevens keeps his players from complacency having earned a share of the last two Ivy championships. Teevens responded, "The mindset of our players is that last season is ancient history. This is a new chapter, a new team, and with that comes a new attitude with new leadership. We are going to have to work hard to stay on top. We have things to prove to ourselves, about how good can we be individually and as a unit."

The spotlight fell on Howard next with Ford asking about if his preparation for games this year will be different after serving primarily as a running quarterback last year while pairing up with Derek Kyler as the only tandem of teammates ever to make the All-Ivy League First and Second Team at quarterback.

"My overall preparation has changed, but that started when the 2021 season ended," Howard said. "I will be asked to do more this year, and I'm excited about that. While I embraced the running aspect of the game last year, we had an extremely effective passer in Kyler. I am very confident in my ability to throw the ball."

Ford then turned his attention to Cokes and noted that the Dartmouth defense, year after year of late, has been among the top defenses not just in the Ivy League but all of the FCS. He asked Cokes how he expects to maintain that tradition.

"The tradition of our defense has continued every year and is passed down from the players that came before me," Cokes stated. "Now I need to be a part of passing that down to the younger players. But we can't let our past success go to our head. Focus on the details, continue to study film, continue to do the things we have done to be successful, that is how we keep the tradition going."

Valley News beat writer Benjamin Rosenberg asked questions of each Big Green member, the most revealing being directed toward the lines on both sides of the ball.

"The offensive line has some questions, but we have some players that can answer those questions," Teevens said. "The young guys are going to have to step up and play the brand of physical football we have become known for. We have good competition at all of our offensive positions, giving us a steel-sharpening-steel mindset.

"The defensive line putting pressure on the quarterback will be important," he continued. "[Defensive line coach] Duane Brooks does a great job of mixing and matching talent up front, and we rotate so many guys in on the line to keep them fresh, which gives us plenty of players that have seen significant action, ever if they didn't start. The key will be getting the players to gel on the field."

Dartmouth begins its preseason practice on Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., then opens the 2022 season on Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. when the Big Green host Valparaiso at Memorial Field. A video stream of the game will be available on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Matt Corsetti calling the action, along with a free audio broadcast featuring Brett Franklin and Wayne Young '72 through the official website of Dartmouth Athletics, DartmouthSports.com. Eight of the 10 games on the schedule will be streamed on ESPN+ with another (at home against Penn) televised nationally on ESPNU on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

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