Penn looks to change narrative after subpar 2014

Don’t forget about the new guy.

It’s fair to say things didn’t go anywhere close to planned for Penn football in 2014. Predicted to finish near the top of the Ivy League standings, the Quakers instead posted a 2-8 record, with the squad’s lone victories coming against a pair of teams — Columbia and Cornell — that ended the year a combined 1-19.

The overarching storyline for Penn in 2014 — and, admittedly, thus far in 2015 — undoubtedly focused on Red and Blue coaching legend Al Bagnoli. Last April, the nine-time Ivy League champion announced his decision to retire following the 2014 season before taking an administrative position within Penn Athletics.

The thinking was that head coach-in-waiting Ray Priore would officially take over at season’s end, while many figured Bagnoli would recede into the background following a successful final act.

Not so fast my friend.

Three months into his new role as director of special projects, Bagnoli stunningly un-retired in February to take over at Columbia, a team that hasn’t won a game since 2012. Now, rather than having their offices remain a few feet from one another, Priore and Bagnoli will instead face off when the Quakers and Lions meet on Oct. 17.

Entering his first season at the helm, Priore and his players could easily get caught up in the narrative surrounding the Ancient Eight this year, one that has not been terribly kind to the Quakers. After all, not only is Bagnoli back on the sidelines elsewhere, but Penn is also predicted to finish sixth in Ivy play in 2015.

However, less than a month away from the Red and Blue’s opening contest on Sept. 19 against Lehigh, Priore is preparing for his opening act as the boss with aplomb.

“It’s easy being the co-pilot for so many years,” Priore said during Ivy League Media Day. “Now, you’ve got the power in your hands and it’s your job to make the right decisions and keep everyone focused.”

Despite Penn’s struggles over the past two seasons — the team endured an eight-game losing streak that bridged the end of 2013 and the first four games of 2014 — there are reasons for Priore to feel optimistic about his first campaign.

Junior quarterback Alek Torgersen finished with nearly 2,900 total yards last season, including two separate contests in which he completed 40 passes, a school record.

Penn was also decimated by injuries in 2014, and nowhere was that more apparent than in the backfield.

But with sophomore back Tre Solomon on the road to recovery after an ACL injury, he, a handful of talented receivers that includes sophomore receiver Justin Watson and an upperclassman passer could test even the conference’s most stout defenses.

The Quakers’ strength comes up front on both sides of the ball, as the team’s offensive line returns 43 career starts among five starters. Meanwhile, Penn’s front seven on defense is highlighted by four seniors — Austin Taps, Tyler Drake, Jack Madden and Dan Connaughton — who should be able to both pressure opposing quarterbacks while taking pressure off the squad’s secondary.

The Red and Blue were decimated by deep passes in 2014, giving up 25 touchdowns through the air while allowing 31.9 points per contest.

As the Quakers attempt to move on from a disappointing past 12 months both on and off the field, the defensive coordinator turned head coach knows the formula for changing the narrative that looks at Penn unfavorably in 2015.

“Win. If we can win, we can get people to believe in us.”

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