COLUMN: Another undefeated season?

Miles Cohen, Commentary Penn football coach Al Bagnoli is not one of those coaches. Having spent three years less than Tellier in the Ivy League, the Quakers' head honcho has already, to his credit, notched two undefeated seasons and two Ivy titles. Overall in Bagnoli's 16-year career as coach at Division III Union and Penn, he has amassed four perfect seasons. These accomplishments by Bagnoli and his staff are extraordinary. Tellier, along with many other Ivy League coaches past and present would kill for statistics like those. But with success comes the added pressure to continue building winning programs year-in and year-out. And Bagnoli is well aware of these demands. Following a tie for second place in 1995, Penn had its worst season during the East Haven, Conn., native's tenure in '96. Not only did Penn fail to climb above the .500 mark, but the Quakers also finished with a losing record in the Ivy League at 3-4. It has been two straight seasons in which Bagnoli & Co., have come up short of their annual goal of winning an Ivy League championship. That's the bad news. The good news is that it has been three years since one of Bagnoli's teams has been perfect. In other words, the Quakers are due. Why now, many Penn faithful may be asking? The answer is as straight-forward as Bagnoli's stumbling into Matt Rader to lead the Quakers offense in the offseason. This year's squad shares many of the same characteristics that helped propel the '93 squad to 10-straight victories. Four years ago, Bagnoli ushered in a talented new quarterback, Mark DeRosa. At present, Rader is doing his best to nail down all the fine points of the Penn football system. In '93, Penn had a talented defense led by Chris Johnson and Pat Goodwillie. This fall, veterans Mitch Marrow, Tim Gage and John Bishop will more than adequately fill the shoes of their predecessors. Defensive coordinator Mike Toop thinks Penn's secondary, by starting four veterans, in 1997 should be the difference between this team and the units in '93 and '94. "For us to be successful this fall, our secondary will have to make plays from the first play of the season through the last," Toop said. If -- and this is a big if -- the Quakers can remain healthy and get a couple of wins under their belts, no one, including Penn's own fickle fans will be standing around wishing Macik and Stokes were still wearing No. 2 and No. 22, respectively, for the Red and Blue. Fifth-year senior Tim Gage was on the 1993 powerhouse his freshman year, but had a limited role as a special teams player. The Quakers linebacker, who is coming off a season ending injury in '96 to his left foot, still views his freshman year as "one of the events which has shaped my life." Now Gage hopes he and his fellow seniors, in their final run can bring back to West Philadelphia the Ivy title that belongs here. "This year I hope that we -- the seniors -- can give the younger guys the guidance and in the end maybe the freshmen will be able to walk off the field with a little more swagger and a little more confidence, it would be great," Gage said. Don't worry Gage, they will.