Quakers look to attack stifling Lehigh defense

The magic number for Lehigh's defense is 2.7.

When No. 21 Penn (1-0) travels to Goodman Stadium tomorrow for a 1 p.m. contest against the 19th-ranked Engineers (3-0), it will face a team allowing opposing running backs fewer than three yards per carry.

Penn coach Al Bagnoli is well aware of the task the offense has ahead of it.

"It's going to be a long day if we can't run the football at all," Bagnoli said. "I don't think we're coming in with the intention of having to throw the ball 70 times.

"We're going to have to run the ball to at least neutralize what they do up front, to at least slow down the pass rush and to at least get us into manageable down and distance."

Another 89-yard day by Penn running back Sam Matthews would take the pressure off quarterback Mike Mitchell.

Beyond that, the Quakers' defense has a vested interest in Matthews hitting the holes.

Lehigh, meanwhile, will look to give a large dose of its own runner, Jermaine Pugh.

The 165-pound senior slasher is averaging over 120 yards per game. Last year, he amassed 1,752 yards between his roles on offense and special teams.

Against the Quakers in 2002, Pugh tallied 112 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 Penn win.

That was Lehigh's only loss to an Ivy League opponent over its last 19 games against Ancient Eight foes. But the sting was even worse -- Penn's victory knocked the Engineers from their No. 4 national ranking.

"The last couple years we've played them have been hellacious games," Bagnoli said.

"We know we're going to have our hands full. [But] we also like to think that we have pretty good players."

The Engineers, however, might be even tougher than they were last year. A new threat has emerged to rival Pugh as the centerpiece of the Lehigh offense.

His name is Adam Bergen.

"He's been a surprise to the outside people," Bagnoli said. "Their tight ends were good last year, but certainly did not have the numbers that he has.

"He's kind of a new dimension to an offense that already has some very productive people. He's one more headache you have behind Pugh, and behind [quarterback Chad] Schwenk. Now you've got to deal with the tight end that's made some real big catches for them."

Bergen leads Division I-AA receivers with an average of 8.33 catches a contest. Last weekend in the Engineers' 28-13 win over Princeton, he came up with 12 catches for 173 yards.

The Quakers, however, should be able to move the ball, too -- especially through the air.

Lehigh has allowed opponents over 230 passing yards per game, and has registered only five sacks and two interceptions so far this season.

Last year, Mitchell lit them up for 277 yards passing.

"I'm just going to do whatever I have to do to win," Mitchell said. "I'm going to get the ball to the running backs' and receivers' hands, get my job done and let them make plays for us and put points on the board."

He added, however, that the offensive numbers against Lehigh are deceiving.

"From what I've seen, their defense is really good," Mitchell said. "They've got a bunch of guys who played against us last year.

"They know what it's going to be about coming into this game -- it's going to be a battle."

Win or lose, one thing is certain -- this will be no blowout.

No one, especially not the Quakers, is anticipating d‚j… vu of last weekend's 51-10 massacre of Duquesne.

"I don't think [an emotional letdown] is going to be a problem," Bagnoli said. "Our kids understand what Lehigh's all about.

"They know the quality of athlete they're going to face [and] they know about the pedigree of the program."

All things considered, the matchup will be close.

"The only advantage that I see," Bagnoli said, "is that the game's being played at their stadium."

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