Defense does indeed win games. Just take a look at the Philadelphia Eagles last February. The Eagles' defense kept the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs scoreless for nine drives and sacked the Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes a season-high six times to eliminate chances of a comeback during the blowout 40-22 loss.
Heading into this Penn football season, the strength of Penn football’s secondary was a valid concern that held back some optimistic season outcome predictions.
Last season, Penn was No. 7 in the Ancient Eight in passing defense and No. 6 in interceptions. With the key losses of Shiloh Means, Jack Fairman, and Julian Talley, it looked like an uphill battle for the defense.
At Stonehill, those fears manifested into reality. Stonehill nearly pulled off a comeback after being down 21-7 because of Penn’s blown coverages and penalties. The Skyhawks scored two touchdowns in the final quarter of that game. While I acknowledge it was the first game of the season, it was difficult to continue to be optimistic with All-Ivy senior linebacker John Lista and senior linebacker Kadari Machen out due to injury in the following week’s loss to Lehigh.
But boy, did the Red and Blue's defense prove me and all the doubters wrong.
In its home and Ivy opener this past weekend, Penn football triumphed with a statement 36-24 victory over the two-time defending Ivy League champions Dartmouth. The win marked the first one at home against Dartmouth since 2013.
And there’s no question that the defense was integral to this win.
Before the matchup, Dartmouth’s offense was ranked eighth in the nation, averaging 478 yards per game. On Saturday, Penn held the Big Green’s offensive unit to only 326 total yards. After letting up 44 points the week prior against Lehigh, this was a huge development for the secondary.
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The all-around effort by Penn’s secondary held Dartmouth quarterback Grayson Saunier to 142 passing yards after he averaged 325.5 yards in the air across his previous two matchups. The Quakers kept the Big Green from scoring a single passing touchdown.
A combination of veterans and young talent stepped up to upset the Big Green. Lista and Machen returned to the field like they never left. Lista recorded 15 tackles and a TFL while Machen notched five with a crucial sack on 3rd down. Sophomore defensive back Ty Cortes recorded a career-high nine tackles in this game alone after only recording three total last season.
Penn’s first interceptions of the season were recorded in this matchup and were crucial in turning the tables in Penn’s favor. Senior defensive back Alec Wills intercepted a long pass that set up a touchdown scoring drive that tied up the game before halftime. More young talent showed out on Saturday as freshman defensive back Ezra Fearon also got a pick just seconds into the fourth quarter.
Fearon’s interception was a huge momentum shifter for the Quakers, especially after they missed a field goal just prior. Fearon’s interception set up a short field at Dartmouth’s 28-yard line for O’Brien and company to get into the end zone. These were two integral turnovers that contributed to the lead that the Red and Blue never let up.
“We aim to get three turnovers every game, just to take the pressure off the offense,” Fearon said. “We don’t want them to feel like they have to go out there and score every drive because that means they can’t rely on us.”
That “next man up mentality” for the young guns that coach Ray Priore emphasized in the preseason certainly has had a positive impact on this side of the ball.
“We spend every day, four or five hours a day together. Being able to talk through, talk through really, anything,” Fearon said of the cohesiveness between youth and veteran talent. “If we see something at practice that we don't understand, I can always go to one of the upperclassmen and ask them about it, and they're more than willing to help.”
Similar to how the defense was clicking, the Penn offensive unit maintained its strengths into week three of the season: the pass game and red-zone conversions. Like the defense, it was an all-around effort by the receiving room. O'Brien targeted nine different receivers, including junior tight end Cadin Olsen for his first career touchdown after two years of no game action. As for red-zone conversions, the Red and Blue were a perfect six-for-six and converted their one fourth-down attempt. O’Brien ended the game with four total scores and 99 rushing yards but maintained that there are still more details to refine.
“The goal isn't beating Dartmouth, it's winning a championship, getting a ring at the end of the year,” O’Brien said. “This is a great start, but we still left a lot on the table. There's plays that we missed, reads that I missed.”
A great start may be underestimating the situation. I’d never decide the outcome of a season based on a single game. However, alongside the offense’s consistency, the confirmation of the strength of Penn’s defensive unit is the last piece of the puzzle to a winning season for Penn football.
VALERI GUEVARRA is a Nursing and Wharton senior from Wyckoff, N.J. studying nursing and healthcare management. She currently serves as DP sports editor. All comments should be directed to dpsports@thedp.com.
