Tim Tai, Senior Photographer

The Yale football team has been hard at work over the summer with their sights set on a third straight Ivy League Championship. 

After sharing last season’s championship with Dartmouth and Harvard and winning the 2022 season outright, the Bulldogs will look to three-peat for the first time since Yale’s run from 1979 to 1981. 

Despite the Bulldogs great run of form, for team captain and linebacker Dean Shaffer ’25, the message is all about 2024. 

“It’s something we identified early on,” said Shaffer. “Our first day back for the spring semester was ‘Hey, you know coming off two championships, those are great things that we had done in the past, but that’s exactly what they are. They’re great things we did in the past.’”

Those two championships came on the backs of some great players who are now gone. Most notably, the departure of quarterback Nolan Grooms ’24 leaves a massive hole in the Bulldogs offense.

The now graduated quarterback was one of only six players to ever win Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year award twice. Grooms finished his career second in Yale history in both passing touchdowns and total offense. 

The number one question for Yale fans will be who takes his spot, with Head Coach Tony Reno offering little insight into the competition beyond mentioning that all four quarterbacks spent the summer in New Haven to train. 

The options to lead the offense for the Bulldogs in 2024 are Marshall Howe ’26, Grant Jordan ’25, Brogan McCaughey ’26 and Bradyn Fleharty ’28. It’s unclear who will rise to the top of the depth chart, with Howe having transferred from the University of Wisconsin after the 2022 season and McCaughey having been the highest rated out of high school, a three star according to 247 Sports. 

“I’m excited to see them compete,” Reno said of his quarterback options. “One of the things that is important at that position is being able to compete and someone being able to win the team. That’s happened every year since I’ve been here and I’m looking forward to it happening again in the preseason.”

Grooms isn’t the only one the team will need to replace. Standout offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie ’24 was drafted in the third round of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears while wide receiver Mason Tipton ’24 is also gone, competing in training camp for a spot with the New Orleans Saints. 

The Bulldogs’ defense was also hit with losses in the offseason as the three top tacklers from 2023 are gone and playing their final years of eligibility elsewhere. The top two Bulldogs in sacks also left, with Clay Patterson ’24 transferring to Stanford University for his fifth season and Ezekiel Larry transferring to San Diego State University after two years in New Haven. 

Despite the losses of these high caliber players, the Bulldogs are confident that the players remaining are ready to fill their shoes. 

“We have a lot of young guys stepping up, a lot of older guys that have experience that’ll step into those roles and I think they’ll do a phenomenal job,” tight end Ry Yates ’25 said to the News. “We have a very talented group, a group that has gotten to learn from, and play alongside, some very talented players in the past and I think all of those lessons will transfer over to this season.”

While the losses may seem big, expectations for the Bulldogs remain sky high. Yale was picked first in the Ivy League Preseason Poll with 114 points, edging out Harvard who had 108 points.

Several players have also been recognized by Phil Steele’s preseason All-Ivy League Teams. Kick returner Joey Felton ’25 was named to the First Team and Second Team honorees included Yates, running back Joshua Pitsenberger ’26, defensive lineman Alvin Gulley Jr. ’25, defensive lineman Dylan Yang ’26 and defensive back Sean Guyton ’25.

Both as a team and individually, the Bulldogs have a lot to live up to this season. Roster battles will take place at nearly every position while the Elis chase down the three-peat.

In the Ivy League Preseason Poll, Yale, Harvard, Penn and Princeton all received at least one first place vote.