Last Saturday, Penn coach Al Bagnoli got a sneak preview of the future of his offensive line.
When senior Keith Walewski left the game against Princeton with back spasms, the offensive line shifted around to compensate for the change, which was far from the first this season.
Walewski became the third senior offensive lineman to be put out of commission in the past few weeks, leaving Penn's comprised entirely of juniors and sophomores.
"You get a good look at the future of the offensive line about a year early," Bagnoli said.
Walewski's injury -- and the absence of a senior cornerstone of the offensive line -- seem tobe a recurring theme for the Quakers in 2005.
Trouble started for the group when senior captain Don Snyder suffered a compound leg fracture against Brown two weeks ago.
Snyder is currently still in the hospital recovering from surgery, and could be released tomorrow. He will not return this season.
"It was a little more serious than we originally thought," Bagnoli said. "It was actually a seven-hour surgery."
Center Greg Williams has also left an open spot in the unit. The senior has been battling knee problems.
Bagnoli said that he is questionable for Saturday's game at Harvard.
Walewski has not been practicing this week.
"I think he's going to be doubtful for Saturday," Bagnoli said. "The MRI was negative so there is no structural damage, but he still has trouble getting down in his stance."
Between Snyder, Williams and Walewski, the Quakers are prepared to deal with an offensive line that has been completely shaken up.
"It is not good for lack of leadership, but at the same time it is preparing us for next year," said sophomore Will Milne, who stepped onto Franklin Field to replace Walewski on Saturday.
"Myself, Jesse [Rigler], Brian [Brazinski], Marko [Grzan] and Sean [Estrada] are probably going to be the five forces up front next year. So for us to get to know each other and to play with each other now is probably not the worst thing."
Like Milne, Rigler, a sophomore, has seen more playing time since the injuries. When Walewski left the field "the whole line had to switch around," Rigler said. "We are limited in guys."
Going 0-2 the past two weeks, Penn struggled to rack up points against Brown and Princeton. Lack of leadership and experience on the offensive line could not have helped. Still, the sophomores and juniors who have stepped up to fill the open spots --- and who will be filling in the positions permanently next year -- express confidence in the line's performance.
"I think as a line we've played pretty well up front," Milne said. "You miss the captain more so than anything else. Not having a captain, especially on the offensive line, hurts when it comes to leadership and knowledge. He's been in the position for four years and we have been in here for two years. We are just kind of getting our feet wet."
Unlike Walewski and Williams, whose terms on the bench may soon be coming to a close, Snyder's football career at Penn has ended.
"Its tough when you come in for somebody who gets hurt," Rigler said. "But in that situation he's the captain and his leg was pretty bad ... You are never going to replace a senior captain."
Even while they feel that absence of Williams, Walewski and Snyder, the Quakers can only look ahead at the next two weeks when they will travel to Harvard and then host Cornell at home.
"We are not going to make excuses," Bagnoli said.
"Football is a game that is going to incur some injuries. ... Early on it was the runningbacks; all four running backs were hurt. Now it is the offensive line, so its just something we have to fight through. We have to get our young guys ready to play and they've got to step up and try to move on."
