2018 College Football Team Previews: Dartmouth Big Green

Dartmouth Big Green
Location: Hanover, NH
Coach: Buddy Teevens (87-91-2) 19th Overall Season at Dartmouth
Stadium: Memorial Field (Capacity: 15,600)

CSJ Projections:
2nd: Ivy League
2nd: New Hampshire
41st: FCS
161st: Division I

2017 In A Sentence: Two games – two unfortunate, close, agonizing single-digit losses to Columbia and Harvard were the difference. Had only one of those games been flipped, the Big Green would have been Ivy League co-champions; instead, their terrific 8-2 season ended up falling agonizingly short of the ultimate goal.

Biggest Shoes to Fill: Like conferencemate Princeton, Dartmouth needs to replace last year’s starting quarterback, QB Jack Heneghan. The efficient passer from California had a completion percentage of 63.14% and had only 6 interceptions on the year, but it’s his steady hand at running the offense that will be difficult to replace.

Key Player: Buddy Teevens‘ defense should continue to keep the Big Green in the Ivy League title hunt, and No. 51 LB Jack Traynor is the meat and potatoes of that unit, leading the team in tackles with 98 and forcing one fumble, nabbing one interception, and notching 5 tackles for loss. It is hoped that Traynor will provide tremendous leadership for another great defensive year.

Fearless Prediction: Even though the game with former rival Princeton won’t be occurring at the end of the season anymore, Dartmouth seems like the mirror image of the Tigers: whereas Princeton needs to find a consistent defense, the Big Green needs to establish a consistent offense that doesn’t turn over the ball. If Dartmouth can find a way to beat Yale in the Yale Bowl in October, the Big Green could be Ivy League champs this year.