HANOVER, N.H -- At halftime, Penn quarterback Mike Mitchell was on pace to break the program's all-time single-game passing record by nearly 100 yards.
Something happened on the way to a career day.
Less than one quarter later, Mitchell was laying on Dartmouth's five-yard line, clutching his left leg in obvious pain after a failed attempt to run into the end zone.
He would not return in the Quakers' 33-20 win after the apparent sprained ankle.
After the game, Penn coach Al Bagnoli confirmed that it was not a knee injury. X-rays taken in Dartmouth were negative.
Last week in this space, Daniel McQuade wrote how Mitchell was playing at such a high level that we rarely even notice the quarterback position.
If Mitchell were to miss key games or even be at less than full strength, we would notice.
On a team that seems to have been hit by an injury at every key position, this might be the one it cannot afford. This is not a slight against Mitchell's backup, sophomore Patrick McDermott. He very well may be the team's starter next season and has a good arm.
However, he is an unknown -- he only became the backup after junior Jack Phillips left the team in August -- in an offense that relies heavily on the passing game.
"We're at our best when the ball is in the quarterback's hands and he's throwing the ball to some pretty good people on the outside," Bagnoli said.
Any quarterback's hands or the quarterback's hands? Can the offensive system remain the same when an All-Ivy quarterback is replaced by someone with two career appearances?
Bagnoli should use the next week -- or possibly two -- to answer those questions. The Quakers should rest their star quarterback.
Penn has what appeared to be a couple of easy games coming up to potentially sit out Mitchell. Bucknell and Columbia -- the Quakers' next two opponents -- are usually toward the bottom of the Patriot and Ivy Leagues, respectively.
However, on Saturday, Bucknell beat No. 14 Fordham, 31-10, to go to 3-2. Penn came into the weekend ranked 15th. Last weekend, Columbia beat Bucknell and is now 2-1.
The Lions and Bison, surprisingly, are good enough to pull out an upset against a depleted Quakers squad, which lost two other starters to injury against Dartmouth.
The game against Bucknell is not an Ivy League game and will not ultimately affect the Quakers' goal of winning an Ivy title. Mitchell playing on one leg and re-aggravating the injury would.
Sprained ankles, if played upon too quickly, can linger and affect the performance of a player for an entire season.
After Bucknell, Penn plays six straight Ivy games to close the season. It is not worth potentially impeding Penn's ability to beat a still-undefeated Yale team on Oct. 25 to maximize the chance of beating Bucknell. And resting Mitchell this Saturday is hardly conceding the game.
Beyond averting the risk to Mitchell, the Quakers are also presented with a chance to give McDermott -- the heir apparent at the position -- a chance to get significant game experience. McDermott did not look particularly strong against Dartmouth down the stretch -- going 4-for-7 for 31 yards -- but the rain and the fact he came into the game cold mitigate the numbers. Give him a full week to prepare and see what he can do. It can't hurt.
Playing Mitchell this week could.
So rest him.
