Versatile Klein provides Sprint 'D' with leadership

Penn senior Dave Klein, a former cornerback, has become one of the top linebackers in the CSFL. Dave Klein has a real nose for football -- a nose that he fractured just last week in practice. This is merely one example of the kind of intensity Klein brings to the Penn sprint football team. Last year, Klein, a linebacker, was selected as a first-team All-Collegiate Sprint Football League honoree and was named the Quakers' Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Klein also has impressive stats to back it up, leading the team in tackles a year ago with 36 (17 solo), recording two tackles for losses and breaking up one pass attempt. The four-year defensive starter is also one of four co-captains this year. All this for someone who did not move to his current position until his sophomore year in college. During his freshman year, Klein started at cornerback and earned All-Eastern Lightweight Football League honorable mention. At the end of the season, however, he moved to strong safety, but that was not where he would end up. He moved again to linebacker at the beginning of his sophomore year. After the switch to linebacker, Klein earned second-team All-ELFL honors and was named the Quakers' Most Improved Defensive Player. Needless to say, Klein has found success at each position, something that his coaches attribute to his awareness, speed and athleticism. According to Penn coach Bill Wagner, Klein is a sure tackler with excellent speed, which gives him the ability to take on a lead block and still get to the ball. Wagner and defensive coordinator John Amendt, Klein's position coach, rank him as one of the top linebackers in the conference. "We need him to rally our other veterans, who in turn will rally the freshman players, which is a key to our continued winning," Wagner said. One of Klein's duties is to "field call" the defensive plays at the line of scrimmage for the front seven players in the box, which requires being able to read the offensive formation and make a split-second decision. As for his speed, Klein is still quick enough to keep pace with opposing receivers. Klein's athleticism and strength have made the position switches easy for him as he played both fullback and strong safety at Weston High School in Weston, Conn. "He is such a value to this team," Wagner said. "He brings the whole defensive unit to life. But he's not a screamer like [senior noseguard Steve] Schickram or [senior running back] Tim [Ortman], instead he does by example." Klein has been playing football since he was in the sixth grade. In fact, playing football has become somewhat of a family affair. Klein's brother played lightweight football at Cornell for one season until he outgrew the 165-pound weight limit. Klein attributes much of his football skills to his brother. "He used to beat the crap out of me when we were younger, which made me a lot tougher," Klein said. So, did Klein ever consider playing for the regular football team? "Not really," Klein said. "I'm really too small to play on that level." "But I wouldn't mind running or blocking occasionally on offense," Klein added. "The offense always gets all of the attention." Given his natural strength and athleticism, it is not out of the question that Klein could make another position switch that could get him that attention.