HANOVER — Ready or not, it’s game time for the Dartmouth College football team.
The Big Green, two-time defending Ivy League champions, are 32.5-point favorites in Saturday’s season opener at home against Valparaiso. But with a revamped offensive line and an opponent that has already gone through two full weeks of game preparation, the mood at practice at Memorial Field was anything but one of a team that expects to cruise to an easy win.
“Guys are anxious,” head coach Buddy Teevens said. “I don’t want to say nervous, but you get the wide-eyed look, and it’s up to us as coaches to say, ‘Settle down, let’s go play.’ ”
The injury bug has not helped Dartmouth’s morale. Fifth-year right tackle Griff Lehman, the only returning starter on the offensive line, was in a chair during practice this week and is out for Saturday. Senior linebacker Marques White, one of just three starters back on defense, will miss the first two games with a torn meniscus, and fifth-year defensive lineman Bobby Jefferson is out for the entire season with a torn Achilles. Senior safety Sam Koscho will also miss the full year.
Even with the injuries, the defensive front is still expected to be a strength, led by linemen Shane Cokes and Luca Di Leo and linebackers Joe Heffernan and Macklin Ayers. Treyvon Erickson will likely start in place of White.
Di Leo, whose hometown of Elmhurst, Ill., is just a two-hour drive from Valparaiso, did not get an offer from the Beacons but made two tackles against them last year in a Big Green victory.
“Not being the starter last year, they didn’t really take me too seriously,” Di Leo said. “Coming back as a fifth-year and them knowing I’m a returner, they’re going to throw a lot of double teams at me. I’ve even had triple teams when I’ve been on the field. I would say I’m a little quicker than most 295-pound guys, and I have no problem getting around them or holding down the line.”
Valparaiso (1-1) opened the season on Sept. 3 with a 20-17 win over NAIA member Indiana Wesleyan — a team that defeated the Beacons, 28-10, last year. After letting a two-touchdown lead slip away, Valparaiso kicker Brian Bartholomew nailed a 50-yard field goal with less than two minutes left to give the Beacons the win.
Last week, Valpo fell, 28-21, against a solid Illinois State team featuring Minnesota transfer Zack Annexstad at quarterback. The Beacons have trotted out two signal-callers through their first two games — redshirt freshmen Mason Kaplan and Michael Appel Jr. After Appel saw most of the action in the opener, completing 13 of 20 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, Kaplan played the full game against the Redbirds, finishing 18-for-36 for 191 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
“They both have been productive,” Teevens said. “Their offense is similar. One’s a little bit more athletic than the other; one throws the ball a little bit better. It’s luck of the draw there. We’re going to be well-schooled defensively; our guys have done a good job to prepare for both.”
Aaron Dawson is Valpo’s primary running back, averaging 5.5 yards per carry so far. The Beacons have spread the ball democratically among their receivers, with seven players having caught at least three passes over the last two weeks.
Linebacker Ben Hines, a transfer from Washington, has been the star of Valpo’s defense with 23 tackles. That inexperienced Dartmouth offensive line will be up against a strong Beacons front that has already recorded nine sacks, led by Sam Hafner and Kevin Spelman.
“They’re a little bit lighter, and they run well,” Teevens said. “We’ve got to adapt to that speed.”
The Big Green have won 11 consecutive season openers, the last loss coming in 2009 against Colgate. They’ve also won 19 straight non-conference games dating back to the 2014 season, when they fell to in-state rival New Hampshire.
Dartmouth may be heavily favored to extend both of those streaks Saturday, but the banged-up Big Green are certainly taking nothing for granted.
“It’s been a weird preseason,” Di Leo said. “We’ve had some injuries, but at the end of the day, Big Green football is going to give you the best we’ve got.”
Benjamin Rosenberg can be reached at brosenberg@vnews.com or 603-727-3302.