2. GENERAL INFORMATION
School: Yale University
Founded: 1701
Location: New Haven, Conn. 06520
Enrollment: 5,200 undergrad/6,100 grad
Nickname: Bulldogs, Elis
Colors: Yale Blue and White
President: Richard C. Levin
Director of Athletics: Tom Beckett
Conference: Ivy League
Stadium: Yale Bowl (61,446)
Captain: Will McHale, LB (class of 2013)
COACHING STAFF
Joel E. Smilow ’54 Head Coach: Tony Reno
Alma Mater/Year: Worcester State ’97
Record at Yale/Years: First Year
Overall Collegiate Record/Years:
Football Office Phone: (203) 432-1490
Assistants: (1st year at Yale unless noted)
Joe Conlin, Associate Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator - OL
Larry Ciotti, Assistant Head Coach - RB (19th)
Rick Flanders, Joel E. Smilow ’54 Defensive Coordinator - LB (16th)
Kevin Morris, Joel E. Smilow ’54 Offensive Coordinator - QB
Kevin Cahill, Special Teams Coordinator - WR
Dwayne Wilmot, Recruiting Coordinator - DL
Drew Petzing - OLB
Steve Vashel - DB
Kris Barber ‘97 - TE
Emil Johnson - Head Strength & Conditioning
Paul Rice ‘10 - Director of Football Operations
RETURNING ALL-IVY PLAYERS (2011 notes)
WR/RS Chris Smith ’13 – Second-Team (28-602, 6 TD, 6 GP)
LB Will McHale ’13 - Second-Team (59-20-79, 1 int, 2 FR)
WR Deon Randall ’14 – HM (48-523, 3 TD)
LAST SEASON
2011 Record: 5-5 Ivy Record: 4-3
Home: 3-2 Road: 2-3
THIS SEASON
Letterwinners Returning: 39 (23 offense, 14 defense, 2 kickers)
Letterwinners Lost: 17 (8 offense, 9 defense, 0 kicker)
STARTERS Returning: 16 (9 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists)
Offense (11): WR Deon Randall, Chris Smith, TE Keith Coty; FB Elijah
Thomas; RB Mordecai Cargill; OL Wes Gavin, Roy Collins, Ben Carbery,
John Oppenheimer.
Defense (4): LB Will McHale, Wes Moyer; CB Kurt Stottlemyer, CB Colin
Bibb, FS Nick Okano
Specialists (2): PK Philippe Panico; P Kyle Cazzetta
STARTERS Lost: 10 (3 offense, 7 defense)
Key Losses
Offense (5): QB Patrick Witt; RB Alex Thomas; WR/KR Gio Christodou-
lou; OL Colin Kruger, Gabe Fernandez
Defense (5): LB Jordan Haynes; DT Jake Stoller, Pat Moran; FS Geoff
Dunham; CB Drew Baldwin
2012 Yale Football Prospectus
Page 1
2012 Schedule
Date Opponent Time
Sept. 15 at Georgetown TBA
Sept. 22 at Cornell* TBA
Sept. 29 COLGATE Noon
Oct. 6 DARTMOUTH* Noon
Oct. 13 LAFAYETTE Noon
Oct. 20 PENN* Noon
Oct. 27 at Columbia* TBA
Nov. 3 at Brown* 12:30
Nov. 10 PRINCETON* Noon
Nov. 17 at Harvard* Noon
* Ivy League Games Times subject to change
HISTORY
All-Time Record: 870-346-55 (.706), 138 years
Ivy League Titles: 14 (2006, 1999, 1989, 1981, 1980,
1979, 1977, 1976, 1974, 1969, 1968, 1967, 1960, 1956)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Home Page: www.yalebulldogs.com
Press Box Phone: (203) 764-9244/9245
Radio: WELI-AM (960)
Internet Radio Broadcast: www.960weli.com
All-Access Broadcast: yalebulldogs.com
CONTACTS
Sports Publicity Director: Steve Conn
E-mail: steven.conn@yale.edu
Assistants: Tim Bennett, Sam Rubin ‘95
Statistician: Billy Garfield
Sports Publicity Phone: (203) 432-1455
Sports Publicity Fax: (203) 432-1454
Sports Publicity Address:
Box 208216, New Haven, Conn. 06520
Express Mail Address:
20 Tower Parkway, New Haven, Conn.
MEDIA CREDITS
Front Cover Image: Chris Smith and Allen Harris
Front Cover Photographer: Ron Waite
Back Cover Image: Will McHale
Back Cover Photographer: Jack Warhola
Designed by: Jason Grohoske
2012 Yale Football Quick Facts

3. 2012 Yale Football Season Outlook
The Bulldogs will have a very different look in 2012, both on and off the field. Tony Reno, the Joel E. Smilow ’54 Head Coach, begins
his first season with a very young and inexperienced squad. There are three returning All-Ivy players and 16 Bulldogs who have started
a game, but there is not one returning three-year starter.
Here is a look at the top candidates at each position.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Junior John Whitelaw, who served as the varsity backup last fall, is the only returning player with varsity experience after throwing just
four passes in 2011. Whitelaw is an athletic player with a strong arm and good feet.
Backfield
Senior RB Mordecai Cargill (116-530, 5 TD) is Yale’s leading returning rusher. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and was second on the
team with 42 points. His best day as a Bulldog was 230 yards (4th best at Yale) on 42 carries in a snowstorm at Columbia last October.
Junior Deon Randall (37-162), who has also lined up at receiver (15-171, 2 TD), is another elusive back with all-league potential. The
other returnee with a varsity letter is Elijah Thomas (7-34), a junior who started at FB in 2011.
Offensive Line
There are five experienced players returning with multiple starts, but only one player returns as a multi-year starter. Senior Roy Collins
(6-4, 243), junior Wes Gavin (6-6, 280), sophomore Ben Carbery (6-5, 275) and junior James Talerico (6-4, 265) all saw time at tackle.
Gavin, a starter in both 2010 and 2011, was Yale’s rookie MVP but missed most of last season with an injury. Collins, a former TE, has
great footwork. Carbery, a strong athlete, moved into his starting role and became the next freshman MVP. Junior John Oppenheimer
(6-0, 265), a tenacious overachiever for his size who moved over from the defensive line last year, started every game at center. Talerico
got a few starts when Collins was injured and filled in very well.
Wide Receivers
The most experienced depth on the team is at receiver. Senior Chris Smith (28-602, 6 TD) played in just six games last fall but still
managed to make second-team All-Ivy as a receiver and a kick returner. When healthy, Smith can be one of the most dominant offensive
weapons in the league. He had seven catches for 174 yards at Lafayette last season, while he set an Ivy League record by returning two
kickoffs for touchdowns at Brown in 2010. Another Eli with All-Ivy potential is junior Deon Randall (48-523, 3 TD), who caught eight
passes against Brown and had two touchdowns at Princeton last fall. He has breakaway speed and is a tough competitor. Adding to the
talent is classmate Cameron Sandquist (18-243, 2 TD) with four touchdowns in 21 career receptions. The Bulldogs also have senior Al-
len Harris (19-200, 1 TD), who has big-game potential (8-107 vs. Cornell in 2011) and plenty of varsity experience.
Tight End
Junior Keith Coty (12-75), a good blocker with steady hands, is the returning starter.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
This area was hit hardest by graduation. The most experienced Bulldog up front is senior Chris Dooley (6-6-12), who saw regular duty
as a backup last fall. Classmate Allen Davis (5-6-11), who moves over from OLB, brings speed to the middle. In addition, the Elis have
junior Beau Palin, who played tight end the last two years and could be a factor this fall.
Outside Linebacker
Two seniors and a sophomore are currently in the mix for starting roles. The three hard-hitting Bulldogs will bring speed off the corner.
One served in a backup role last fall, the others move up to the line of scrimmage from successful stints at LB. Sophomore EJ Conway
(6-0-6) is Yale’s returning leader with three sacks in 2011. Senior Wes Moyer (21-5-26), who is using a medical hardship waiver to come
back for his final campaign, was a starter at LB last fall. Classmate Ryan Falbo (10-6-16) also saw regular duty at LB.
Linebacker
A pair of seniors tops the list of returnees. Captain Will McHale (59-20-79), the leading returning tackler, has speed and big-play (3
career interceptions) potential. McHale’s 11 solo and 13 overall tackles at Penn were a season-high for any Bulldog in 2011. Brian Lef-
fler (13-5-18), also with good speed and a nose for the ball, fought off an injury during the first part of his collegiate career to play a big
role last fall.
Secondary
The Elis have four players who started games in 2011 back in the fold. Junior SS Nick Okano (28-7-35), a tough player against the run
and pass, returns with the second most tackles from last season. He also had two interceptions in his first year as a starter. Senior CB
Collin Bibb (19-5-24), pound-for-pound the strongest on the team, made some big plays in 2011, including two sacks. Senior CB Kurt
Stottlemyer (18-5-23) played in every game last year and started half of them. Classmate SS John Powers (15-7-22), Yale’s special
teams player of the year in 2010 and 2011 and one of the hardest hitters on the squad, had one start on defense last year and should play
a larger role this year.
KICKING
A senior and a sophomore return as the starters from 2011. Veteran PK Philippe Panico, who has been the starter the last two years, con-
nected on eight of 13 field goals last fall. Kyle Cazzetta punted 49 times his rookie year with a 35.2 average and 16 inside the 20-yard
line.
2012 Yale Football Prospectus
Page 2

4. 2012 Yale Football Spring Roster
No. Name Pos. Cl. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Highschool
2 Deon Randall WR Jr. 5-9 185 San Diego, CA/Francis W. Parker
3 Chris Smith WR Sr. 6-0 200 Midlothian, VA/Clover Hill
4 Javi Sosa RB Sr. 5-9 196 Miami, FL/Belen Jesuit Prep
5 Will McHale LB Sr. 6-1 225 Old Greenwich, CT/Greenwich
6 Kurt Stottlemyer DB Sr. 5-10 188 Bothell, WA/Bothell
7 Henry Furman QB Jr. 6-4 210 Portland, OR/Lincoln
9 Cameron Sandquist WR Jr. 5-9 172 Redmond, WA/Loomis Chaffee School (CT)
9 Ethan DeSilva DB So. 6-1 185 Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Misson Viejo
10 Charles Cook DB So. 6-3 200 Dallas, TX/Parish Episcopal
10 John Whitelaw QB Jr. 6-1 205 Hinsdale, IL/Hinsdale Central
12 Nick LaTesta DB So. 5-9 165 Wood Ridge, NJ/Bergen Catholic
13 Derek Russell QB Sr. 6-1 190 Newton, MA/Newton South
13 Jake Semones QB Jr. 6-1 164 Sanpoint, ID/Sandpoint (ID)/Loomis Chaffee
14 Kerr Taubler OLB Jr. 6-3 235 Fresno, CA/Bullard
15 Brandis Yarrington WR Jr. 5-7 165 Ann Arbor, MI/Ann Arbor Pioneer
15 Russell Perkins WR Sr. 6-0 188 Menlo Park, CA/Menlo-Atherton
16 Philippe Panico K/P Sr. 5-10 185 Boston, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols
16 Scott Williams LB Sr. 6-2 225 Portland, OR/Jesuit
18 Keith Coty FB Jr. 6-2 223 La Mirada, CA/La Mirada
20 Kahlil Keys RB So. 6-0 205 Petaluma, CA/Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
20 Nick Okano DB Jr. 5-11 188 Los Angeles, CA/Harvard-Westlake
21 Collin Bibb DB Sr. 5-11 200 San Antonio, TX/Alamo Heights
22 L.J. Hunt RB So. 6-0 205 Stratford, CT/St. Josephs
23 Wes Moyer OLB Sr. 6-2 225 Alameda, CA/Alameda
23 Wynston Bouknight RB So. 5-9 170 Upper Marlboro, MD/Landon School
24 Robby Coury DB So. 6-1 195 Westlake, OH/Saint Edward
25 Ryan Falbo LB Sr. 6-3 210 Moon Township, PA/Moon Area
25 Victor Hicks WR So. 5-10 185 Ipsilanti, Mich./Plymouth
26 Kyle Aberton DB Jr. 5-10 185 Holladay, UT/Cottonwood
27 Jordan Buxton-Punch OLB Sr. 6-0 208 Alpharetta, GA/St. Paul’s School (NH)
28 Mordecai Cargill RB Sr. 6-1 215 Cleveland, OH/Glenville
29 Grant Wallace WR So. 6-0 180 St. Louis, MO/John Burroughs
31 Max Napolitano DB Jr. 5-11 187 Westlake Village, CA/Oaks Christian
32 Elijah Thomas RB Jr. 6-2 235 Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili
33 Chris Brady DB Jr. 6-0 208 Wayne, NJ/Don Bosco Prep
34 John Powers DB Sr. 6-0 200 Hamden, CT/Hopkins
35 Tate Harshbarger RB Jr. 5-9 170 Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho
36 Everett Johnson LB So. 5-10 195 Union, NJ/Union
37 Kyle Cazzetta K/P So. 6-0 190 Slate Hill NY/Minisink Valley
39 Jack Bechert WR Jr. 6-0 180 Fairfax, VA/Fairfax
40 Beau Palin TE Jr. 6-3 240 Oconomowoc, WI/University School of Milwaukee
40 William Vaughan LB So. 6-1 205 South Orange, NJ/Columbia
44 Brian Leffler LB Sr. 6-0 230 Skillman, NJ/The Hun School
45 Allen Davis DE Sr. 6-2 250 Grand Prairie, TX/South Grand Prairie
46 Kolu Buck DE Jr. 6-3 225 Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School
48 Parker Toms K/P So. 5-11 195 San Carlos, CA/Junipero Serra
49 Greg Carlsen P Jr. 6-0 190 Orlando, FL/William R. Boone
51 Patrick Murray OLB So. 6-2 210 Westport, CT/Staples
52 Max Fink OLB So. 6-1 215 Miami Beach, FL/Gulliver Prep
53 Jeff Schmittgens DL So. 6-4 255 Naperville, IL/Benet Academy
54 Dylan Drake DE Sr. 6-3 245 Plantation, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas
55 Tyler Manu LB So. 6-2 210 Meridian, ID/Rocky Mountain
56 Obinna Nwakeze DL Jr. 6-0 260 New Rochelle, NY/Rye Country Day
57 Roy Collins OL Sr. 6-5 260 Carbondale, IL/Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
58 Michael Anderson DL Sr. 6-3 250 Palo Alto, CA/Palo Alto
59 John Sheahan OL So. 6-2 265 Chicago, IL/St. Rita
60 John Oppenheimer OL Jr. 6-0 265 Menlo Park, CA/Sacred Heart Preparatory
63 James Talerico OL Jr. 6-4 265 Boca Raton, FL/Pope John Paul II
65 Luke Hartwig OL Sr. 6-7 275 Portland, OR/Lincoln
66 Willy Moore OL Jr. 6-2 235 Kenilworth, IL/New Trier
67 William Chism OL So. 6-3 280 Ridgeland, MS/St. Andrews Episcopal
70 Ben Carbery OL So. 6-5 275 Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest
71 Kyle White OL Jr. 6-7 275 Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Township
73 Jeff Marrs OL Sr. 6-3 270 Garden Prairie, IL/Boylan Catholic
75 Davis Frank DL So. 6-4 245 Clinton, TN/Grace Christian
76 John Dunion OL So. 6-3 265 Santa Barbara, CA/Dos Pueblos
79 Wes Gavin OL Jr. 6-6 280 San Diego, CA/Francis Parker
80 Allen Harris WR Sr. 6-1 195 Detroit, MI/Detroit Country Day
81 John Runk WR Sr. 6-3 205 Cincinnati, OH/Anderson
82 Ryan Stanney TE So. 6-3 230 Oviedo, FL/Bishop Moore
83 Alex Flanders P Jr. 6-0 160 Madison, Ct/Daniel Hand
84 Jackson Liguori WR Jr. 6-1 190 Pacific Palisades, CA/Harvard-Westlake
85 Kyle Wittenauer TE/LS Jr. 6-4 240 Richmond, VA/St. Christopher’s School
86 Adam Conklin OLB So. 6-3 230 Dover, MA/Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
87 Michael Leunen TE Jr. 6-7 235 Portland, OR/Westview
88 Matt Spillane DE So. 6-5 230 Healdsburg, CA/Healdsburg
90 Charles Holmes DL Sr. 6-3 245 Portland, OR/Lincoln/Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
91 Stephen Shoemaker DL So. 6-2 290 Bronxville, NY/Bronxville
94 Chris Dooley DL Sr. 6-2 278 Massapequa, NY/Chaminade
95 EJ Conway OLB So. 6-2 225 Lutherville, MD/McDonogh
97 Nick Daffin DL Sr. 6-2 270 Cincinnati, OH/Elder
2012 Yale Football Prospectus
Page 3

5. Tony Reno
Title: Joel E. Smilow ‘54 Head Coach of Football
Phone: 203-432-1490
Email: anthony.reno@yale.edu
Anthony (Tony) Reno, an assistant coach at Harvard the last three seasons and a former Yale assistant coach, was named the Joel
E. Smilow ‘54 Head Coach of Yale Football on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. The 34th head coach of the Bulldogs has a history of
transforming his charges into nationally recognized units.
Reno was introduced at a late afternoon press conference in the Champions Room at the Kenney Center overlooking Yale Bowl and
the Class of 1954 Field. Nearly 100 media and supporters of Yale Football attended, including approximately 30 current players.
Yale Athletic Director Tom Beckett kicked off the press conference by presenting flowers to Reno’s wife, Toni, and daughter Angelina and a goodie
basket to his sons Dante and Vince. Reno and his family later posed for pictures with Handsome Dan.
Reno, the Harvard special teams coordinator and defensive secondary coach from 2009 to 2011, helped engineer last fall’s undefeated Ivy League Cham-
pionship team, which earned a No. 14 Football Championship Subdivision National Ranking. Three of his Crimson special teams units were ranked
statistically among the nation’s top 20 in 2011.
“I want to thank President Levin, Tom Beckett, the entire Yale community and alumni for this opportunity,” said Reno. “I understand the honor and tradi-
tion of Yale Football. I understand the challenges at Yale, and I understand what makes Yale great.”
The 37-year-old Oxford, Mass., native and a 1997 Worcester State College graduate, helped develop 10 All-Ivy players and an All-American over the
last two seasons in Boston. His defensive backs enabled the Crimson to lead the league in scoring defense while earning impressive national rankings
in numerous categories.
His first head coaching job – in his second stint at Yale - includes taking over a program that was 5-5 overall and 4-3 in Ivy League play last fall.
“I’m thrilled,” said 2012 Yale captain Will McHale. “Coach Reno is the perfect man for the job. He’s a dynamic leader who knows the Ivy League and
knows what it takes to win because he’s done it.”
Reno, who spent six years in New Haven and rose to assistant head coach under Jack Siedlecki, helped the Bulldogs win a 2006 Ivy title. He was Yale’s
wide receivers coach in 2003 and the defensive secondary leader from 2004 to 2008. His 2003 receivers played an integral role in the Blue’s No. 2
national ranking in total offense. When he took over the Eli defensive backs, they helped the defense rise to new heights. The 2007 and 2008 Bulldogs
were No. 1 in FCS scoring defense, while 14 of his players earned all-league honors during his Yale tenure.
“Yale has offered `first-time leadership opportunities’ to many. Tony brings a background of numerous exceptional qualities that will serve him well as
Yale’s new head football coach,” Beckett said “I have always been impressed by Tony’s passion for the game and for the young men who play this game.
He has an extraordinary ability to connect with people. He is an outstanding coach, and I am very excited about working with him and the future of Yale
Football.”
A 2002 AFLAC/Coach Magazine National Assistant of the Year Award winner, Reno served as Worcester State’s defensive coordinator from 1998 to
2002. The Lancers, who made two post-season appearances and went 27-5 with Reno as defensive coordinator, were 2001 ECAC Northeast Champions
and made it to the title game the following year.
Reno, whose first job was defensive assistant coach at King’s (Pa.) College for the 1997 season, earned a degree in history before completing a master’s
of science in health education from WSC in 2000. As a player at WSC, Reno was a three-year starter at free safety, and his team was league champion
his last two seasons. His 1996 team led the nation in scoring, rushing and pass efficiency defense.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Tony back to the Yale family,” Beckett added. “We were looking for an outstanding communicator and an inspirational leader
of young men who understands what it takes to win. We have found that man.”
The energetic and charismatic new Yale gridiron leader replaces Tom Williams (16-14, 3 years), who resigned on Dec. 21. Reno becomes the first head
coach of the Yale team from Massachusetts since Ted Coy ‘10 in 1910 and the first who left the Harvard staff to take the job with the Bulldogs.
“We will build a tough, physical, hard-nosed football program with leaders on the field and in the community. Yale has always been a special place to
me and my family, and we look forward to returning to New Haven and becoming a part the Yale community,” said Reno.
What They Are Saying About Reno
“Tony Reno is a dynamic football coach who will bring a tireless work ethic, tremendous interpersonal skills and a new energy level to Yale football. He
is a man of integrity, a family man and he will earn the respect of his players through his everyday attention to detail and disciplined style.”
Jack Siedlecki (former Yale head coach, 1997-2008, current assistant at Wesleyan)
“Yale made a good move. Tony is good guy, has substantial Ivy experience and will bring enthusiasm and professionalism to the program.”
Tim Murphy (The Thomas Stephenson Family Head Coach for Harvard Football)
“I am thrilled, both personally and on behalf of Yale football, to have Tony back in the Yale family. I am absolutely certain that he is the right man to
continue the great Yale football traditions. With Tony as the leader, the future of Yale Football is, indeed, bright.”
Jack Ford ‘73 (Former Yale player, Emmy Award Winning TV Journalist, Visiting Yale Lecturer)
2012 Yale Football Prospectus
Page 4

6. Joe Conlin
Title: Associate Head Coach, Run Game Coordinator, Offensive Line
Phone: (203) 432-1468
Email: joseph.conlin@yale.edu
Joe Conlin, who spent the 2011 season helping Harvard win an Ivy title while setting a school scoring record, is Yale’s associate head
coach, run game coordinator and offensive line coach. Most of Conlin’s coaching experience was at FCS power New Hampshire, where
he helped the Wildcats to seven straight NCAA playoff appearances from 2004 to 2010.
During his tenure at UNH, Conlin also worked with the defensive line, safeties and special teams for a program that went 65-25 and won one confer-
ence championships.
Conlin, a three-year starter at defensive tackle at the University of Pittsburgh, coached the defensive line at West Virginia Tech in 2003, a year after
graduating. His Pittsburgh head coach, Walt Harris, selected him as a game captain four times. Conlin earned a degree in administration of justice.
He also gained coaching experience at Greensburg Central Catholic High School from 2002-03 where he worked with the tight ends and defensive ends
while also handling strength and conditioning.
Conlin and his wife, Karen, currently reside in Milford, Conn.
Larry Ciotti
Title: Assistant Head Coach, Running Backs
Phone: (203) 432-8511
Email: larry.ciotti@yale.edu
Yale’s new running backs coach is not new to the position. Larry Ciotti has 18 years of collegiate coaching experience, having worked
primarily as the running backs coach for former Yale head coaches Carm Cozza and Jack Siedecki.
Ciotti, who has not coached since the 2008 season, began at Yale in 1991 and served two seasons as the head coach of the freshman squad. Since then
he helped Rashad Bartholomew ‘01 become Yale’s career rushing leader before he signed with the Tennessee Titans. He also mentored two-timeAll-Ivy
back Robert Carr ’05, who surpassed Bartholomew in the record books. He continued the trend by coaching Ivy MVP and All-American Mike McLeod
’09, who holds every major rushing record at Yale.
Ciotti, who had an 8-4 record coaching the Bullpups, is a Connecticut high school coaching legend. In 19 seasons (1970-88) as the head coach at Daniel
Hand in Madison, Conn., he compiled a 141-41-2 record and won five state titles. Ciotti then served as director of athletics at Hand from 1988 to 1992.
In 1993, he was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
The captain of the 1965 Southern Connecticut State University football team (graduated in ‘66), Ciotti earned All-New England and All-Eastern League
honors as a center/linebacker. He was inducted into the SCSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.
His son, Mike ‘90, was a center for the 1989 Ivy Champion Bulldogs. Ciotti and his wife, Barbara, reside in Madison. They also have three daughters,
Susan, Deanna, and Cathryn and 12 grandchildren.
Rick Flanders
Title: Joel E. Smilow ’54 Defensive Coordinator (LB)
Phone: 203-432-1473
Email: richard.flanders@yale.edu
Rick Flanders, who coached his 15th season at Yale in 2011, returns to the job of defensive coordinator, a position he held under former
Yale mentor Jack Siedlecki for 12 seasons. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2007, has been on the staffs of the last three Yale
head coaches and has 21 years of experience coaching in the Ancient Eight.
Flanders has handled defensive backs and linebackers during his Yale tenure. Under his watch, Yale was ranked No. 1 in the FCS in scoring defense in
2007 and 2008.
He came to Yale from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was secondary coach for five seasons (1992 to 1996), including Ivy titles in 1993 and
1994. Flanders’ defensive backs helped the Penn defense rank nationally in both seasons, including No. 1 in pass efficiency defense for 1994.
Before heading to Philadelphia, Flanders was head coach of the undefeated 1991 Dean (Mass.) Junior College team and was the linebacker and special
teams coach at Lafayette from 1987 to 1990.
In 1986 he was the defensive coordinator at American International College, after three seasons as linebacker and defensive back coach at SUNY-
Albany, where he also served as head lacrosse coach for one year.
Flanders graduated from the University of Maine in 1979 and earned a master’s degree in education from the University at Albany.
A Concord, N.H., native, he and his wife, Wendy, live in Madison and have three children: Ashley, Lindsey and Alexander ‘14.
2012 Yale Football Prospectus
Page 5

7. Kevin Morris
Title: Joel E. Smilow ‘54 Offensive Coordinator (QB)
Phone: (203) 432-1469
Email: kevin.morris@yale.edu
Kevin Morris, the former head coach at both the University of Massachusetts (2009 to 2011) and at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1993
to 1998), brings 26 years of college coaching experience to Yale as its new offensive coordinator.
Before taking over the Minutemen program in 2009, Morris spent five years - the most successful span in the history of UMass football - as the offen-
sive coordinator. He helped UMass go 43-19, win two conference titles, reach a pair (2006, 2007) of NCAA Tournaments and play in the 2006 national
championship contest.
Morris went to UMass from Northeastern University, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for four seasons (2000 to 2003).
Morris directed one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the Atlantic 10 Conference, breaking 24 school offensive records in four years. During
the 2003 season, the Huskies led the A-10 in total offense (431.8), while ranking second in scoring offense (34.5).
Morris also had assistant coaching jobs at Stony Brook (1999), Union (1991 to 1992), WPI (1988 to 1990) and Albany (1986 to 1987) after graduating
from Williams College (1986), where he played quarterback and pitched for the baseball team.
He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Belchertown with their son, Ryan.
Kevin Cahill
Title: Assistant Coach - Special Teams Coordinator (WR)
Phone: (203) 432-1992
Email: kevin.cahill@yale.edu
Kevin Cahill, Yale’s new special teams coordinator, spent the last four years as an assistant coach at the University of Maine, the last three
working with special teams. He was a three-year starting quarterback at Springfield (Mass.) College, who led the team to two NCAA
Playoff appearances.
Cahill also coached the Black Bears’ running backs and wide receivers while serving as the director of personnel and the NFL liason. He coached two
All-Americans (Jared Turcotte, Jhamal Fluellen) and six all-conference players while at Orono.
A two-year assistant at Murray State, Cahill coached the wide receivers, assisted in the passing game and served as recruiting coordinator for the 2007
and 2008 campaigns. He mentored a pair of All-Ohio Valley Conference players.
Before going to Kentucky, Cahill was a wide receivers coach for Tennessee-Martin for 2004 and 2005, helping the program engineer its first winning
season in 13 years.
The new Bulldog staff member also spent time coaching at Maine Maritime Academy (2001) and at Springfield (2002, 2003).
Cahill and his wife, Carah, have two sons, Patrick and Thomas.
Dwayne Wilmot
Title: Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator, Defensive Line
Phone: (203) 432-1472
Email: alston.wilmot@yale.edu
Dwayne Wilmot, a former star receiver and football captain at the University of Maine, is Yale’s new defensive line coach after coaching
five seasons at his alma mater and then helping Harvard win a 2011 Ivy championship.
Wilmot was the Black Bears’ defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. His 2006 unit led the nation in rushing defense. Jovan Belcher, a 2008
Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player-of-the-Year, All-American and Buck Buchanan Award Finalist, was one of three (Mike DeVito, Matt
King) Wilmot players to sign as an NFL rookie free agents.
Prior to returning to Orono, Wilmot spent three seasons as the recruiting coordinator and assistant defensive coach at Tennessee-Martin.
A 2001 graduate of Maine with a degree in broadcast journalism, Wilmot finished among the school’s top 10 career leaders for receptions and receiving
yards. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts and played in the Arena Football2 League with the 2002 Charleston Swamp Foxes, leading the team
with 80 catches, 1,100 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Dwayne and his wife, Barbie, reside in Hamden with their three daughters: Brianna, Mikaella and Chloe.
Drew Petzing
Title: Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
Phone: (781) 956-5149
Email: andrew.petzing@yale.edu
Drew Petzing, a defensive graduate assistant coach on the 2010 and 2011 Boston College football teams, is Yale’s outside linebackers
coach.
Petzing, who also served as a recruiting assistant for the Eagles, was a volunteer assistant on the 2009 Harvard football staff, helping with video and
recruiting while supporting the other coaches.
Prior to his year with the Crimson, Petzing was the student volunteer assistant defensive backs coach at Middlebury College from 2007 to 2009. He is
a 2009 Middlebury graduate who played two seasons as a defensive back but had his career cut short by injuries.
Petzing is a Wellesley (Mass.) High School graduate who captained the football team and earned the Jordan E. Sax Award for character.
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8. Steven Vashel
Title: Assistant Coach - Defensive Backs
Phone: (203) 432-1471
Email: steven.vashel@yale.edu
Steven Vashel, who has coached football at seven different schools in the Northeast and is a graduate of Springfield College, is Yale’s new
defensive backs coach.
Vashel spent three years (2009 to 2011) as the defensive backs coach at the University of Maine, where his charges led the Colonial Athletic Associa-
tion in pass defense in 2011.
He worked with the DBs and kickers at Bucknell for three seasons, from 2006 to 2008. The Lewisburg, Pa., work followed a seven-year (1999-2005)
stint as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Bates College.
Vashel also worked at King’s College (1995-98), Harvard (1994), Springfield (1992-93) and Trinity (1991), while getting his master’s degree in sports
management from Springfield in 1994.
Vashel and his wife, Cathy, have two sons, Ethan and Cole.
Kris Barber ‘97
Title: Assistant Coach - Tight Ends
Phone: (203) 432-8894
Email: kris.barber@yale.edu
Kris Barber ’97, a former Yale quarterback, returns to New Haven as the Bulldogs’tight ends coach. Barber, who spent the majority (2007-
10) of his coaching career as the passing game coordinator (one season) and receivers coach at Colorado School of Mines, helped Harvard
win a 2011 Ivy title with the second best scoring offense in the FCS during his one year in Boston.
During his four seasons in Colorado he also served as the Orediggers’ video coordinator while working with all the pass catchers. Barber helped run a
2009 offense ranked fifth in passing, 13th in first downs and 18th in total offense. The 2010 CSM squad reached the Division II playoffs. He coached
eight All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference picks in his three years, including the school’s single-season and career leader in touchdowns, Adam
Saur.
Barber, who served as an assistant football coach for the 1997 United States Coast Guard Academy team, was a player/coach for the Oslo Trolls (Oslo,
Norway) in 1997 and the 2002 Arlanda Jets (Stockholm, Sweden).
Barber played for college hall of fame head coach Carm Cozza after two seasons at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kan.
Barber, who spent seven years in the investment banking industry, was vice president of two Denver companies between 2003 and 2008.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughter, Avery, live in Branford.
Emil Johnson
Title: Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
Phone: 203-432-9440
Email: emil.johnson@yale.edu
Emil Johnson joined Yale as Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning in the summer of 2005. Johnson oversees a program that includes
35 varsity sports and more than 1,000 athletes. Johnson joined the Bulldogs from the University of Hartford, where he had been the director
of strength and conditioning from 2001 to 2005. Johnson served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Maine for two years
prior to that, and was the men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach at DePaul in 1998-99. Johnson is a 1998 graduate of UMass-Boston with
a B.S. in exercise physiology. He was a captain and three-year starting quarterback for the Beacons in football and also played one season of baseball.
Following graduation he spent a semester as a strength and conditioning intern at Northeastern. Johnson is a member of the National Strength and Con-
ditioningAssociation (C.S.C.S.), the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning CoachesAssociation and USAWeightlifting (Club Coach Level 1 Certified).
Paul Rice
Title: Director of Football Operations
Phone: 203-432-1490
Email: paul.rice@yale.edu
Paul Rice ’10, the captain of the 2009 Yale football team, is the program’s new director of football operations.
Rice was a four-year starter who began as one of the biggest cornerbacks in the country and finished his collegiate career as a first-team All-Ivy line-
backer. He accumulated 196 tackles, six interceptions and numerous big plays with the football in his hands while earning league honors three seasons.
The former University High School (Cleveland Heights) Ohio Division III Co-Defensive Player of the Year helped the Bulldogs lead the nation in
scoring defense consecutive seasons.
Rice played one season for the L’Hospitalet Pioners (Barcelona, Spain) in the spring of 2011. He served as a player/coach, competing on both sides of
the ball and helping the Pioners to a national championship.
Rice was a volunteer with the Yale football team last fall.
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9. Q& A With Tony Reno
Tony Reno, the newly appointed Joel E. Smilow ’54 Head Coach of Yale Football, began recruiting the moment he accepted the job. The
new leader of the Bulldogs has been spotted rented cars in Tampa, San Francisco, San Diego, Atlanta, Austin, Cleveland, Chicago and
Houston, just to name a few.
It’s been two months since he was re-introduced in New Haven and Yale fans are wondering what progress has been made with the
returning student-athletes as well as the class of 2016, and what it’s like running one of the most storied programs in college football.
Yale Sports Publicity Director Steve Conn sat down with Reno to discuss the early days of the new regime.
Q: It’s only 10 weeks into your first head coaching position, so it might not be fair to ask just yet. Has it been everything you anticipated,
and what have been the biggest surprises?
A: The first few months have been a balancing act. In two weeks, we had to put together a recruiting class, hire a staff and get
acquainted with the current Yale players. It was a whirlwind tour but we have been able to hit the ground running in all areas.
Q: What are you hearing about Yale football from prospects and their families when you are on the road?
A: The tradition of Yale football is unlike any other in college football. People from all across the United States connect to our
great game through Yale. The unparalleled academic reputation of our university stands for itself, and these facts have helped
create excitement about Yale Football.
Q: You played and coached at Worcester State and have recruited and coached at Yale and Harvard. You’ve had success at all of these
places while bringing in motivated kids who share your philosophies. What’s the best way to characterize the type of student-athletes
you want playing for Yale?
A: The common thread among championship teams is that they are made up of tough, physical football players who can handle
adversity. It is hard to win football games, and we will recruit players who will push themselves mentally and physical to achieve
greatness.
Q: Renown for his work with college athletes, Emil Johnson, Yale’s strength & conditioning coach, has been working with the Bulldogs
in the weight room, on the stairs and other places in Payne Whitney Gym since they came back from winter break. What are they focus-
ing on and how are they accomplishing what you want done?
A: Coach Johnson is an exceptional strength coach. In my opinion one of the top in the nation at what he does. Our focus is to
improve the functional strength and speed of our players. Emil does a great job of challenging our players every day and giving
them the tools to be successful.
Q: How will people describe Yale teams under Tony Reno after they’ve seen the Bulldogs for a few seasons, and what do you hope they
will say about their head coach?
A: It is our goal to produce tough, physical football teams that can handle adversity. We will be prepared mentally, emotionally
and physically for each game.
Q: Yale has a football program rich in tradition, success and significant personalities. How does the past impact your plans, and are there
things players, alumni and fans might see in the Bulldogs that celebrate its storied existence?
A: We will embrace the unrivaled history of Yale Football. You will see our program reach out to our alumni and preserve the
traditions that make Yale Football unique.
Q: You’ve been a winner on both sidelines in The Game while coaching in nine consecutive editions. What have you learned about the
schools and the rivalry from the unique perspective?
A: The Yale-Harvard Game is a Bowl Game for both schools. The schools are passionate about the rivalry and the players and
coaches look forward to the stage each year. It is an honor to play or coach in this great rivalry series.
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