Saluting the best of the century

Now, the Penn football team stands at the dusk of a century; nearly 100 years of football memories have passed since that game against Lehigh. Over 50 first team All-America honors have been handed out to those who have worn the Red and Blue since 1900. More than 60 ex-Quakers have tried their hand at the pros. Twenty Penn players or coaches have been inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame since it enshrined its first class in 1951. The Quakers have won 542 games this century. They played in a Rose Bowl. They have won 10 Ivy League titles. They have seen toast thrown and goal posts ripped down. Today, with Penn set to play Princeton for the 90th time since losing that all-time opener in 1876, and with the 20th Century drawing to a close, we attempt to select an All-Century Penn Football Team. This has been by no means an easy undertaking, nor is it bound to please everyone. Today, thanks to nutrition and scientific advances, players are bigger and stronger than they ever were. But in the 1940s, Penn was consistently one of the best teams in the country. In the early years of the century, the Quakers were also a national powerhouse and boasted several All-Americans, but college football was very much an East Coast phenomenon. In making the selections, players had to be culled from entirely different worlds to fit on just one squad. From three downs and the flying wedge to the single wing to special teams and AstroTurf, we have sifted through 100 seasons of Penn football to choose our team. In some cases, those who went on to become accountants or lawyers made the team while Hall of Famers and future pros were left on the editing-room floor. With a half-century of two-way players, some of our honorees made it at their secondary slots, while only one player -- Chuck Bednarik -- made it on both offense and defense. And in all instances, there are certain to be some who feel slighted or miffed. But, without further adieu, The Daily Pennsylvanian presents the All-Century Penn Football Team: Quarterback. Adept at both running and passing the ball, Francis "Reds" Bagnell seems the obvious choice. Third in the 1950 Heisman voting, he completed a national record 14 straight passes and racked up a school-record 490 total yards of offense in a win over Dartmouth. But, he was technically a tailback, as the quarterback played outside the line, then dropped back to block in the single-wing era of coach George Munger. In 1999, though, Bagnell would be head and shoulders above the rest at QB. George Koval was a pure, T-formation passer who willed Penn to a magical title in '59. It's also tough to forget Vincent Stevenson, the nation's best quarterback in '04 and '05 who introduced the notions of changing pace and hurdling tacklers to the world of football. Running back. By far the toughest position to pick, as a new star seems to emerge every few years to lead the team from the backfield. But Frank Reagan's heroic performance in the 1940 win over Cornell is legendary, and his name still stands at or near the top of many Penn records. Current Penn trustee Anthony "Skip" Minisi may have been the best wingback in the country in '47, although he did end up hurting the Quakers as a sophomore in '45 -- his one season playing for Navy. J. Howard Berry scored nine of Penn's points in a 10-7 win over Michigan in '16 and went on to play pro in baseball and football. Fullback. At 6'1", 185 pounds, William Hollenback was a monster in his day, captaining the undefeated 1908 team, which beat Michigan 29-0. E. LeRoy Mercer was a two-time All-America choice who scored 30 touchdowns. Offensive line. As the only four-time All-America at any position, for any school, this century, George Savitsky is a lock at tackle. On that note, T. Truxtun Hare -- also a four-time All-America, but just once this century -- makes it at guard. Joe Valerio had a solid NFL career, catching two touchdowns from Joe Montana on tackle eligible plays. John "Bull" Schweder earned All-America honors for his tough blocking. Chuck Bednarik, our choice at center, is unquestionably the greatest player in Penn history. Munger believed he could have been All-America at any position. Center Robert Torrey captained the undefeated '04 squad as a junior and was an innovator on defense but makes our squad as Bednarik's backup. Defensive Line. We selected six linemen, rather than differentiating by position on the line, which has evolved over the years. According to Walter Camp, inventor of the All-America team, Ed McGinley, Jr., "played no poor games." Strong and quick, Bernie Lemonick played the whole field. Frank Piekarski anchored an '04 line which allowed no touchdowns all season. All-American John Thurman was one of the bright spots for John Heisman's average Penn teams. Jack Shanafelt was Penn's last Division I All-American. Tom Gilmore achieved the impressive feat of winning the Bushnell Cup -- the Ivy's Player of the Year -- from the tackle spot. Linebacker. The top choice is Bednarik -- enough said. Ray Frick, also a great center, had three interceptions to key a win over Cornell in his final game. Pat Goodwillie was a two time All-Ivy first-teamer and a Bushnell Cup winner. Defensive back. Also a star on offense and the runner-up in the '43 Heisman voting, Bob Odell was singled out by legendary sports writer Grantland Rice for his stellar defense. Jack Welsh, a tremendous leaper, still has Penn's single-season interception record with nine. Bill Kurlish, a member of the 1936 "Destiny Backfield" on offense, earned a spot in the East-West Shrine Game for his play on defense. Tim Chambers is tied with Bednarik with 14 career interceptions and was the first Quaker to win the Bushnell Cup. Special Teams. Versatile Franny Murray all but invented the coffin corner punt. Paul Scull was one of the top drop-kick field goal kickers of the pre-holding era. The top two field goals in Penn history (both 54-yarders) belong to Tim Mazzetti, who once kicked five FGs in a game for the Atlanta Falcons. Chris Flynn set Penn marks for rushing average and was a lacrosse All-American but makes our squad at kickoff return. Adolph Bellizeare, Penn's all-time all-purpose yardage leader, makes the team as a punt returner. Coach. Our head coach is unquestionably George Munger, a man of unparalleled character, integrity and honor who led Penn to national glory in the 1940s. George Woodruff was an innovator who compiled a 124-15-2 record, but he coached just two seasons in the 20th Century. John Heisman had little success when he returned to his alma mater to coach from 1920 to 1922, but he makes our list for a certain trophy which bears his name. Al Bagnoli's .793 career winning percentage is among the top 10 of all active coaches. And no one can inspire a team like Dan "Lake" Staffieri. -- Eric Moskowitz