While it is not yet official, Pat McDermott appears ready to start this Saturday's football game against Princeton. However, it will officially be a gametime decision.
"We're hoping Pat will be starting," offensive coordinator Andy Coen said. "So far he looks like he will be full speed again."
McDermott missed last week's game at Brown and most of the previous week's game against Yale with a bruised shoulder. Sophomore Bryan Walker filled in during McDermott's absence.
McDermott himself says he is feeling better, but believes that this Saturday's starter is still up in the air.
Last week it was relatively clear that McDermott would not start.
"Pat didn't throw most of the week," Walker said. "I went into it knowing I would be the guy."
McDermott has increased his repetitions this week, but he is on a closely monitored regimen.
"We restricted him with the throws he had: We stopped him at 25," coach Al Bagnoli said. "We try to be somewhat judicious in what we ask him to do."
Even though Penn certainly missed the senior quarterback's leadership on the field, especially against Brown, Walker got valuable experience.
"The more he plays, the better he will be," Bagnoli said.
Walker has already been thrown into tough situations multiple times in his young career. He made his first career start against Harvard last year. The game was for all intents and purposes the Ivy title game.
"With somewhat lack of experience, every game means a lot, because it is a huge percentage of the total number of games I have played," Walker said.
Snyder finished
Senior captain and offensive lineman Don Snyder has effectively finished his football career at Penn after breaking his right leg last week at Brown. Snyder started every game since the 2004 season.
On the play where he was injured, Snyder was blocking ahead of the running back. The defensive pursuit came from behind him and as the play ended several players landed on top of Snyder causing the injury.
He will have surgery tomorrow to repair the broken leg with plates and screws.
"Donny is one of the captains. He does a tremendous job from the leadership standpoint," Coen said.
Snyder's leadership will continue from the sideline, which is where he will be standing on Saturday following his surgery. His first act in his new role was an e-mail to his teammates wishing them luck for the rest of the season and thanking them for their warm wishes.
Preparing for Princeton
When the Quakers went to Providence, R.I., last weekend they led the nation in rushing defense, allowing a minute 50.2 yards per game. Brown did not care, plowing through the Penn defense 49 times for 236 yards -- an average of 4.8 yards per carry.
The defense has a new and different task at hand with the Princeton offense. Linebacker Ric San Doval emphasized that the team has to forget about their Brown experience.
"I think we're doing alright," San Doval said. "One night to think about it, one day to dwell upon it, and look ahead to next week."
Princeton's offense does not offer the firepower of a running back like Nick Hartigan. Princeton features a two-headed rushing attack of Rob Toresco and Cleo Kirkland who have rushed for a combined 660 yards on 155 carries. This rushing attack is complemented by mobile quarterback Jeff Terrell who has passed for 1187 yards and run for another 215.
San Doval called them a "little more multi-faceted than line-em-up and run-it-down-their-throat."
