Yale Athletics

When asked, every football coach will say that “the players on the field decide the game.” Ahead of the 2024 Ivy League football season, the News previews every position in all three phases of the game. 

Quarterback

One of the most important positions on the field for the Bulldogs is also one of the most uncertain. Following the graduation of two-time Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year Nolan Grooms ’24, a full-fledged quarterback battle has taken place since the spring. 

The two leading candidates appear to be Brogan McCaughey ’26 and Marshall Howe ’26. McCaughey was a three-star recruit coming out of high school, while Howe transferred to Yale from the University of Wisconsin after the 2022 season.  

Running Back

This will be a serious position of strength for the Bulldogs, with two All-Ivy quality players surrounded by serious depth. The lead back will be Joshua Pitsenberger ’26, a Preseason Second Team All-Ivy selection that churned up defenses last season for 448 yards and eight touchdowns. He’ll be followed by a running back that would start on most teams in the Ivy League in Tre Peterson ’25, who averaged 4.6 yards a carry last season. 

Wide Receiver

This is a position filled with talent, but the Elis need someone to step up as the bonafide number-one receiver. Someone will need to fill the big shoes of Mason Tipton ’24, who recently made the New Orleans Saints roster now that he has graduated. 

The key players seem clear though, with a trio of returning seniors who saw success last year. Mason Shipp ’25, David Pantelis ’25 and Chase Nenad ’25 all bring different skill sets to the receiving corps and should help the new quarterback drive the ball immensely. 

Tight End 

Tight end is another position of strength for the Bulldogs filled with seniors. The position group is deep with Ry Yates ’25, a Second Team Preseason All-Ivy selection, Luke Foster ’25 and Ryan Belk ’25 all likely to see significant time on the field this year. 

Offensive Line

Early scouting on the offensive line shows an area that will likely need some players to step up to the challenge. The biggest question marks will be the meshing of the new line and the adjustment to a new style of quarterback with Grooms gone. 

The star on the line is likely to be 6’3”, 306-pound Bennie Anderson ’25, who played in all 10 games last season.

Defensive Line

The other side of the ball starts and ends with the line, as the defensive front has been the tone-setter for the Bulldogs for years. That doesn’t seem likely to change this year either, as defensive linemen Alvin Gulley Jr. ’25 and Dylan Yang ’26 were both Second Team All-Ivy Preseason players.

Linebackers

Linebacker is a position that lost two of the best players on last year’s Ivy Championship-winning team in Hamilton Moore ’24 and Joseph Vaughn ’24. Stepping into those shoes won’t be easy, as the pair made numerous game-winning plays in 2023. 

The Bulldogs will certainly have experience leading the linebacker corps though, as team captain Dean Shaffer ’25 will be sure to make plenty of noise in the heart of the defense with his 6’1”, 240-pound frame.

Defensive Backs

The secondary may turn out to be the strongest position group on the field for the Bulldogs, as players with valuable experience will aim to neutralize opposing passing attacks. Leading the way will be cornerback Sean Guyton ’25, a Preseason Second Team All-Ivy selection. If Damian Anderson ’25 can return from last season’s injury, the tandem could prove to be among the best in the league. 

The safety duo will also be incredibly strong with last year’s starting strong safety Joshua Tarver ’26 returning and hard-hitting Brandon Benn ’25 looking to return from injury along with Anderson.

Specialists

Place kicking and punting will be a question for the Bulldogs following the graduation of Jack Bosman ’24 who handled both for the Elis last season. The true special teams star will be First Team All-Ivy Preseason kick returner Joey Felton ’25, who led the Ivy League with 29.38 average kickoff return yards last season.

The first game for the Bulldogs will be against Holy Cross on Sept. 21.