Penn's defensive backs are oldies AND goodies

For Penn football’s secondary, turnabout is fair play.

One year ago, around the time this very issue came out, the Red and Blue’s defensive backs were labeled as question marks.

They were young. They were inexperienced. But by season’s end, they were Ivy League champs.

This year, the narrative has made a 180 degree turn. Once maligned, Penn’s defensive backfield is now viewed as one of the team’s biggest strengths.

As well they should be. The top of this year’s depth chart consists entirely of upperclassmen, including four seniors.

And with a pair of All-Ivy returnees in senior cornerback Dan Wilk and senior safety Sebastian Jaskowski set to bolster the starting lineup, Penn’s coaching staff is salivating at the possibilities.

“They all come back with a fair amount of snaps under their belt,” head coach Al Bagnoli said. “So … they know the nuances, they’ve played under pressure and I think when that happens, you have depth that not only carries you on defense but also on special teams.”

Expectations are certainly high for the Quakers’ secondary, and it all starts with Wilk.

Captain of the defense, Wilk established himself as the secondary’s biggest playmaker last season. After recording only six total tackles in his first two campaigns, Wilk burst onto the scene in 2012, leading the Quakers with three interceptions (5th in the Ivy League).

For his efforts, Wilk was rewarded with well-deserved second-team All-Ivy honors.

Now, what to do for an encore? Wilk no longer has Justyn Williams and Dave Twamley on his opposite side, leaving him to lead the cornerbacks.

But Wilk isn’t about to back down from the challenge of replacing the presence of the now-graduated Brandon Copeland as a defensive leader.

“What Brandon really taught me was to take the adversity and hit the ground running with it,” he said at Media Day. “Once you get out on the field … there’s not really any other class but upperclassmen.”

That attitude has spread to his projected partner this year, junior Kevin Ijoma.

Sporting a high-top fade that would make Kenny Walker jealous and a glittering earring, Ijoma has a swagger-filled image, but speaks with the humility of a man that has worked tirelessly to insert himself into the starting lineup after suffering a devastating knee injury freshman year.

Under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Ray Priore, who has paid special attention to the cornerbacks this offseason, Ijoma has embraced being a starting-caliber corner.

“The first thing you learn when you come to college is: ‘Sink or swim,’” Ijoma said at Media Day. “Either you’re going to work hard and you’re going to swim or just let things pass you by. And after that freshman year, I learned that in order to become a starter, I’m gonna have to work really hard … because I’m starting from behind.

“So it was character-building, I’ve learned a lot, and I’m definitely more mature than I was back then.”

Ijoma’s teammates and coaches have noticed his effort.

“Kevin really has come back, he’s worked his tail off in the rehab,” secondary coach Dave Wood said.

“We’re always talking, we’re always communicating,” Wilk added. “He helps me just as much as I help him.”

Helping everybody has been the presence of Wood, a veteran who takes over as defensive backs coach after spending three years coaching the linebackers.

“He’s been doing really well,” Wilk said. “All the guys have really responded to him.”

Wood, who has spent much of his time this offseason coaching Penn’s safeties, has equally benefited from focusing in on what may be the Quakers’ deepest position.

Boasting seniors Sebastian Jaskowski (2012 second-team All-Ivy) and Evan Jackson, along with juniors Mike Laning, Drew Harris and Dexter Davis, Penn has the luxury of rostering five safeties that can start on any given day.

Wood is prepared to make full use of his arsenal.

“It’s huge [having such experienced players],” he said at Media Day. “It’s huge when you’re talking about specific coverages, specific reads, having guys that have had game experience. They’ve been through the tough situations and the coverages. They know exactly what to expect.”

With Penn switching to a 3-4 scheme this season, Wood has plenty of options as to how to utilize his defensive backs. He can drop the strong safety into the box before the snap to stuff the run. He can play press coverage right on the line with his experienced corners. The possibilities are endless.

What exactly, then, is the Red and Blue going to do?

Well, the players won’t say.

Wilk laughs nervously as he fields a question about his preferred coverage schemes on Media Day.

“Don’t tell him our secrets, all right?” Before Wilk can answer, he’s cut off by Jaskowski, who temporarily halts his own interview to protect Penn’s sacred plan from 10 feet away. “You can’t say our secrets, all right?”

Guess we’ll have to find out when the season starts.

SEE ALSO

Penn football’s fight for four

Penn football’s young D-line Cope-ing with inexperience

Young backs carrying the load for Penn football

Tony | Not so fast, my friend

An in-depth look at the depth chart for Penn football

Ivy teams at a glance

30 Second with junior linebacker Dan Davis

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