COLUMN: Receivers Brandon' themselves a name

From: Kent Malmros's, "The Mark of a Golden Penn," Fall '98 Of course when Jim Finn rushes for 259 yards the previous week, 141 yards may seem like a let down. But the more likely culprit for Finn's relative silence was the play of two young receivers. On Saturday, David Rogers and Brandon Carson came out of fellow receiver Doug O'Neill's six-foot shadow and ran free up and down the middle of the football field. Carson, on six catches, nearly gained as many yards as Finn himself (116). Combined with the 84 yards of Rogers, the two were responsible for 53 percent of the Quakers offensive production. "We felt our receiving group was going to be built around Doug [O'Neill]," Penn wide receivers coach Rick Ulrich said. "We knew we'd get very steady play from him, not many big plays. It was up to the other guys to give that to us." · The four main receivers have traveled different routes to get to the point of success they all have achieved. "Basically all season I've been sitting back and being a role player, and I am not used to that," Carson said. "[Two weeks ago] against Brown I couldn't be that way anymore." Carson, a junior, came to Penn to throw passes, not catch them. Brandon took snaps his entire life, before the transfer of Matt Rader forced him to find another position. His talents were distributed in many arenas last season -- splitting time as a kick returner, receiver and even carrying the ball every now and then. But the experiment met mixed success, and Carson's progress was somewhat set back. "I was always messing up instead of being explosive," Carson said. "I was always being cautious. I can't be quiet because that's not the player I am." The flashes of brilliance that came from underneath the No. 3 jersey last season vanished with key fumbles. And they didn't reemerge until week six of the '98 season. The focus was on not making mistakes instead of making plays. Carson stepped back and realized he was helping no one, especially himself by not being assertive. "I don' think any one of us, from the head coaches to the coordinators, anyone that deals with the receivers ever doubted that Brandon Carson or David Rogers were capable of being great players in this league," Ulrich said. Carson found himself back on special teams against the Bears and the flashes of brilliance came back. In two kickoff returns Carson put together 55 yards of returns, including a 38-yarder that started the Penn drive at the 50. "In the second half [against Brown] it seemed like people came out too laid back," Carson said. "I was jumping up and down on the sidelines. I was pissed off because I want a ring." A week later against Yale, Rogers joined Carson's new-found spotlight. The emergence of both players was not only welcome but, in many ways, expected. "We've all become pretty good friends and that has allowed us to be in competition with each other, even if no one ever says it," Carson said. Rogers set a new standard for himself with a career high seven catches for 84 yards. The sophomore also found his way into the endzone for the first time in his career. "I am not the fastest guy," Rogers said. "But I feel I have really quick feet. That allows me to make my adjustments?it allows me to find my holes and get open." Rogers and Carson may have started in different places, but both of them have reached this level for the same quality -- big play-making ability. Carson's 52-yard touchdown catch and Rogers seven grabs put them into the place the Penn football coaches have expected them to reach · The success both Carson and Rogers had last season tends to overshadow the most intriguing part of the situation -- they are all young. Rogers is only a sophomore and Carson a junior. Teamed with O'Neill(junior)and his brother Dave (sophomore), Penn sports a group that should move to the forefront of a Sean Morey-less Ivy League next year. And Finn can just keep running toward the history books quietly while these other guys take turn stealing the spotlight.