Football begins '98 with Big Green

The Penn football team begins its quest to return to the top of the Ivy League when they play Dartmouth tomorrow. Revenge is a dish best served cold. One year has passed since Dartmouth came to Franklin Field and handed the Penn football team a hard-to-swallow 23-15 loss, yet the defeat still lingers in the minds of the Quakers who were there to see it. Penn takes on the Big Green tomorrow at noon at Dartmouth's Memorial Field, the site of a heartbreaking 24-22 Penn loss two years ago. The Quakers are eager to erase last year's game from their collective memory. The game saw Penn fall behind 20-0 at halftime and featured a 17-point scoring performance from Dartmouth's kicker Dave Regula. After a fumble set up the Big Green's second score, Regula picked up a fumbled kickoff and ran it in for six more. A Matt Rader interception on Penn's next sequence led to a Regula field goal. The Quakers made a concerted effort to improve their special teams play in practice, according to captain Joe Piela, who will be called upon to return punts in addition to his regular cornerback duties. "We've come to realize that special teams are just as important as offense or defense," Piela said. "Coming off last year's game, we've had an extra emphasis in practice on special teams." Penn coach Al Bagnoli sees special teams as the key to a Quaker victory. "In these games it always gets down to kicking game and turnovers," Bagnoli said. "Whichever defense can force the offense into making some mistakes or can capitalize on some kicking game errors will win the game." Penn's special teams will be put to the test tomorrow, as inexperience plagues the unit. Sophomore Jason Feinberg steps into the role of kicker, replacing Penn all-time leading scorer Jeremiah Greathouse. Backup quarterback Reed Warner, a transfer from North Carolina, will punt. Offense should be less of a concern. Running back Jim Finn figures to get a lot of carries, in order to set up Rader and the passing game. "We think [Finn] can do some things that weren't available to us in last year's game," Bagnoli said. "I'm hopeful that Jim can take some pressure off the quarterback and the offensive line, and then [if] Jim can run the ball somewhat effectively it opens up Matt Rader and some receivers that we think have some ability." The offensive line has been a bit banged up throughout the preseason, but Bagnoli said that situation "is stabilized." Center Carmelo Rubano was sidelined with an injury, but Bagnoli said he was cleared to play tomorrow. Tackle Jason Lebron is the only question mark on the O-line with a sprained knee, but Bagnoli said the line's inexperience worries him more than the injuries. On the defensive side, the Penn secondary has to contend with Dartmouth's new starting quarterback, Mike Coffey, who has limited game experience, and wide receiver Dylan Karczewski, who was moved there from running back. "They may try to build [Coffey's] confidence and start with short stuff," Piela said. "But they know we're young, so they might test us. "I expect them to go up top a little bit on us, and try and make some plays." Piela heads up the secondary with 25 games of experience. Strong safety Bruce Rossignol returns to the defense after a stint in the offensive backfield last year. Hasani White was slated to start last year, but was injured for the season in last year's Dartmouth game. Joey Alofaitulli, a special teams standout, rounds out the secondary. The Penn-Dartmouth opener marks another chapter in the game's recent tradition. But it's one tradition Bagnoli -- who would prefer to play the three non-conference games first -- can do without. "Penn and Dartmouth have been the two most successful programs since I've been here," Bagnoli said. "It's always tough when you're playing one of the better teams years in and year out and you've got to play them in the first game." But Finn remains unphased. "I like Dartmouth away," he said. "I like their field, their stadium, their atmosphere. It's a great trip. Some say it's too long, [but] I like long trips. "It builds camaraderie." Bagnoli hopes tomorrow's game will answer a lot of his questions. "I'm curious to see what Finn can do with a preseason under his belt, and Rader with a year under his system, and [wide receivers Doug] O'Neill and [David] Rogers having an extra year to learn the system." Despite inexperience at spots, the Quakers can make their mark as a legitimate Ivy League title contender with a victory in Hanover. And settle a score in the process.

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