Elis turn to freshman to power run game

Most freshmen sit on the sidelines on Saturdays, hoping that their number might be called for a play or two during garbage time. Yale freshman tailback Mike McLeod, however, already knows he will start tomorrow -- just as he has five times already this season.

Entering the season, McLeod was second on a short running back depth chart for Yale. Ahead of him stood senior David Knox, who had 732 career rushing yards and did not play his junior season. But Knox is now sitting out this year as well, due to an injury suffered in the preseason.

This means that McLeod has an even bigger hole to fill.

The Elis' backfield had already lost plenty with the graduation of Robert Carr, who was the all-time attempts and yardage leader at Yale, carrying the ball 738 times for 3,393 yards.

Carr's classmate, quarterback Alvin Cowan, was also good on his feet -- in addition to being the all-time Yale yardage and touchdowns leader.

Even with those losses, Yale's coaching staff believes that McLeod is well-equipped to do the job.

"He brings speed, he brings toughness in his running skills," Yale assistant coach Larry Ciotti said. "Mike [equals] or exceeds the skills [Carr] had as a freshman."

McLeod entered Yale with impeccable football credentials. In his senior year at New Britain High School in New Britain, Conn., he rushed for 1,860 yards and 39 touchdowns -- including eight in one game.

He helped his team win the state football championship for the third straight year. His accomplishments on the field won him numerous accolades, including all-state team honors. Most impressively, he was named Connecticut's 2004 Offensive Player of the Year.

According to Yale head coach Jack Siedlecki, Ciotti is a big reason why the talented McLeod stayed in his home state to go to school.

Ciotti "is a Hall of Fame former Connecticut high school coach and he developed a great relationship with Mike," Siedlecki said. "Larry's son graduated from Yale and now runs his own business -- I think all of these things were a factor in recruiting Mike."

So far McLeod is making Ciotti's predictions look accurate. Over five games, McLeod has rushed for 391 yards on 106 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per game. His 78.2 yards per game average is fourth in the Ivy League. He also caught eight passes for 63 yards.

While he has already had 100-yard games against San Diego and Holy Cross, he was stymied in the last two weeks against Dartmouth and Lehigh. McLeod ran for just 113 yards combined against the Big Green and the Mountain Hawks.

Ciotti chalks up McLeod's challenges over the last two weeks to the weather.

"The last two games were played on [a surface] like quicksand, so they are no indication of what he can do," Ciotti said. "Mud is the adversary."

Penn coach Al Bagnoli, who presides over the nation's top-ranked rush defense, has been impressed by what he has seen of McLeod on film.

"He's a pretty good package, enough size, good speed and good vision," he said. "About the only thing he lacks right now is what you expect a freshman to lack -- that's a little bit of upper body strength, and ... he's not comfortable in that system."

Penn senior linebacker Ric San Doval also had praise for McLeod.

"From what we've seen on film, the kid is a good running back, big guy," he said.

The Yale coaching staff is aware that its young back still has a lot to learn, but they are comfortable having McLeod on the field.

"Mike has picked things up very quickly -- he is an excellent pass blocker, which allows us to keep him in the game in all our one back formations," Siedlecki said. "He is still a work in progress,"

Indeed, he is a sizable back, standing 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds -- and likely to only get bigger and stronger.

McLeod might not dominate the strong Penn defense this year, but the experience and yardage he earns now can only help him become a better back in the future.

Which might be why Bagnoli called him "legitimately good."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.