Joe Sandberg is back in the lineup -and will start Saturday at Dartmouth -- but that doesn't mean he'll be carrying the ball at the clip he was before his injury.
Coach Al Bagnoli said yesterday that he will be reluctant to give the running back more than 25 carries on Saturday.
Before coming out with a hamstring injury in the second quarter, Sandberg had tallied 17 carries in just the first half against the Leopards. He sat out at Villanova altogether.
"He's still a little rusty, but he's healthy, that's the important thing," Bagnoli said. "We can get the rust off of him."
Sandberg was practicing with the team yesterday for the first time in about a week and a half. Bagnoli said last week that Sandberg had spent some of that time up in northern New Jersey with a massage therapist to loosen up the hamstring he originally injured over the summer.
"It's feeling a lot better," Sandberg said. Yesterday "I took all my reps normal speed, so I feel pretty much ready to go."
But even with the hamstring looking better, Bagnoli still has some concerns for his running back, particularly with his cardiovascular strength and endurance after having time off. That's why he's chosen to ease Sandberg back in with fewer carries.
The coach said the fifth-year senior would have played in this weekend's game regardless of the opponent and was not pushing up his return because of the start of the Ivy slate.
"He didn't need another week, just that week," Bagnoli said. "Luckily for us it fell with a non-conference opponent."
"It was definitely tough," Sandberg said. "I mean the guys played so well in the first half and [to] see 'em fall apart in the second half, you just wish you could be out there."
So with Sandberg taking it easy, the offense will still be relying on its other backs for a good portion of the production on the ground.
While Kelms Amoo-Achampong is listed as backup to Sandberg, Bagnoli was impressed with the work of freshman Mike DiMaggio against Villanova.
"We're in a nice position, we will not be afraid to put in either one at this point," Bagnoli said. "I think we're stronger at that position this week then we've been in a while."
DiMaggio had 24 of the 45 rushing yards Penn put up. He didn't find a hole and have a breakout play - his longest was for a gain of six - but he didn't have negative yardage either.
Amoo-Achampong's yardage was in the red this weekend and he struggled to find a pace against Lafayette as well. But Bagnoli seems to value the time Amoo-Achampong has seen on the field and his familiarity with the offense.
"Right now we've got two options there," he said. "Mike is one option, but he is still a little inexperienced. Kelms gives you some better experience and leadership out there."
Another option the Quakers have at the position is junior back Chris Ashley. He has seen time on the field year, but Bagnoli indicated he was lower on the depth chart than Amoo-Achampong and DiMaggio.
But when Bagnoli evaluates his running backs, it's the all-around player he's looking for to step up.
"You can have a spectacular day running the ball, but if you don't know your assignments and you're not picking up the right guy on pass protection . that becomes a detriment."
- Staff writer David Bern-
stein contributed to this report.
