Despite not seeing a single snap last season, sophomore cornerback Tyson Maugle is already contributing.
If it hadn't been for Maugle's two interceptions last week against Dartmouth, the underdogs could have seen their first win over Penn in a decade.
But with the Quakers lagging, the pair of picks provided just the boost the team needed in the second half.
"I thought those were two huge plays," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "It's always good to create short field and some momentum shifts, and I thought both of [his interceptions] did that."
For his first pick of the day, Maugle jumped his man's route to intercept a pass from Dartmouth quarterback Mike Fritz in the third quarter, returning the interception for 14 yards to the Penn 39.
Maugle's second interception came in the fourth quarter, after he read the play correctly and stepped in front of the receiver to make the pick inside his own red zone.
Despite the inability of the Quakers' offense to capitalize on the turnovers, Maugle's plays were critical to ending Big Green drives deep in Penn territory and maintaining momentum at the end of the game.
Maugle's interceptions, along with a pass break-up, earned him Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week.
His ability to make big plays has been critical to the success of a relatively young secondary that lacks experience, as safety Scotty Williams is the only senior.
"Tyson's an exciting player," Williams said. "He's a hard worker, brings consistency, and makes good plays in the clutch. . That's a huge attribute for the young secondary."
Maugle also had an interception in the win against Lafayette - his first game starting for Penn - to bring the total to three in as many games.
The cornerback attributes the ease of his adjustment into a starting role in large part to having a year to familiarize himself with the team's defense.
The transition was also facilitated by the upperclassmen on the team - Williams in particular.
"A lot of the upperclassmen on this team made the younger guys feel really comfortable," Maugle said. Williams "has been a big help to me; on and off the field, he's been a real inspiration."
The Penn secondary graduated seven seniors last year, and is currently in a state of transition.
"We're still a work in progress," Bagnoli said. "You've got so many young guys, and back there is a little bit different because of the communication that's needed. He's having a terrific year and is one of those young guys that needed to step up and he's done that."
Bagnoli attributes Maugle's success to his work ethic, as well as the hard work in the off-season that sealed his position as a starter.
With the way Maugle has started off the season, coupled with his youth, Quakers fans and opposing receivers alike should get used to seeing him line up in the secondary.
