Hello from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., as Penn women's basketball takes on No. 4 Tennessee to open its season. Along with Sports Editor Holden McGinnis, I will be bringing you the action live from the game. Check out our preview here.
Live Blog Liveblog | Penn women's basketball at No. 4 Tennessee
It's time for some faux outrage!
Coach Jerome Allen, known for his classy suits that are arguably the toast of the Ancient Eight, was left off of ESPN writer Myron Medcalf's list of Top 10 best dressed coaches in college basketball.
Let's take a look at some great Jerome suits just to show how wrong this ranking is.

Top 10 worthy to say the least.

We should be the ones clapping for that suit.

We'll give this a high-five, coach Allen!

Classy to say the least.
What say you, Mr. Medcalf? Any rebuttal?
The DP's Sports Editors discuss what to expect in Al Bagnoli's final home game and Penn basketball's home opener. Watch to find out how Penn will honor the long-time head coach.
It's official: Jake Silpe is joining Penn basketball.
The high school senior point guard officially signed his letter of intent to join the Quakers next year as a major part of Penn's next recruiting class.
Silpe announced the signing via Instagram:
Silpe is one of four players so far set to join the Quakers' upcoming recruiting class along with AAU teammate and Lower Merion small forward Jule Brown, Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) shooting guard Jackson Donahue and Donahue's teammate, power forward Collin McManus.
Silpe officially visited Penn in October after he had already verbally committed to the Red and Blue. Here were his reasons for committing when he spoke to The Daily Pennsylvanian in September.
"What I was looking for is a school with a great basketball tradition that has high level academics," he said. "I’m looking to be a business major and you can’t get any better than the Wharton School . I was also looking for a school that’s competing to win a championship."
The beginning of basketball season is right on the horizon (aka this weekend) and both programs will take to the court with plenty of fresh faces. Our editors will be making the trip down to Tennessee on an epic #roadtrip, but the Palestra always hits close to home as well. In a rivalry as heated as Ali vs. Frazier, sports editor Holden McGinnis and senior sports editor Steven Tydings take to the ring once again to debate it out over which season opener has them more excited.
Holden McGinnis : For me, the choice is simple, and it’s not just because I love a good old-fashioned road trip. Women’s basketball’s opener at Tennessee will be the toughest matchup of the season for the Quakers, and it isn’t one coach Mike McLaughlin and crew expect to win. But what’s more exciting than opening up in a packed arena against a top-five program? The fact that the Red and Blue are coming off an Ivy League title just adds to the excitement.
This is a team that has postseason aspirations once again, and however the box score looks after Friday night, the experience of playing against a top-tier team on the road will be invaluable to this squad. While Thompson-Boling Arena may not have the history of the Palestra, it’ll definitely get louder than the Palestra has been at any time in recent memory.
Steven Tydings : You said it right there: Nothing has quite the history of the Palestra. And I am excited to see a new Penn basketball squad write a new chapter in that history against Delaware State. As you will read in our basketball supplement, this squad looks much different than last year’s team and that is a good thing, considering last season’s results.
After watching practice the last couple weeks, it is clear that junior Tony Hicks has the potential to do some special things this year. Fans remember Hicks as inconsistent, but starting on Saturday, I think they may see a new side of the now-captain for the Red and Blue.
While women’s hoops is facing the bigger name opponent, there is one thing that Penn fans are much more likely to see from men’s hoops this weekend: a win, as the Quakers face a struggling Delaware State program.
HM : You’re certainly right, this is a new Tony Hicks, but Penn men’s hoops isn’t the only team this weekend with a whole new look.
Penn has an exciting group of freshmen that will come in and contribute from the get-go. Against Tennessee, we’ll get our first look at freshman guard Anna Ross — who missed the Red and Blue scrimmage — as she takes over the point. This is a program that’s been on the upswing over the past four years and the game against Tennessee is just its latest exciting matchup.
ST : Let’s quit talking about the guards and talk about the forwards. With a relatively small Delaware State squad coming to the Palestra, it is time to see what junior center Darien Nelson-Henry can do. Let the games begin.
Verdict : The women’s game is on the SEC Network and the men’s game is a day later at home. Why not watch both?
Penn women's basketball may be the defending Ivy champions but it is very much a new year.
ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme, who rightfully predicted that Penn would receive a 12 seed last year, placed Princeton in his preseason bracket instead of the Red and Blue, predicting the Tigers as the Ivy League champions.
Creme placed Princeton as a 14 seed, playing No. 3 Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. Three of the Quakers' other opponents in 2014-15 were in the bracket as Tennessee, Saint Joseph's and Villanova were given No. 1, 10 and 11 seeds, respectively.
Penn and Princeton were tied in the Ivy League's preseason media poll for first place, although the Tigers received more first-place votes. The two squads fought for the Ancient Eight crown until the final day of the season last year as the Quakers took a winner-take-all matchup at Jadwin Gym in March.
Whether it takes until the final day to decide this year's Ivy title remains to be seen. But the early predictions seem to be leaning in Princeton's favor.
In this week’s installment of Penn alumni Q&A, I had the opportunity to speak to Alex Grendi (2010), a former all-Ivy midfielder/forward. After finishing third in Penn’s all-time career assists list with 20, Grendi left school early in 2008 when he was selected by the Columbus Crew in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft in the third round. After a stint in professional soccer, Grendi started his own company, AX Soccer Tours, which aims to give American soccer players the opportunity to play the game overseas. I had the opportunity to speak to him and listen to him recount his time on Penn’s soccer team.
Daily Pennsylvanian: How was playing soccer at Penn?
Alex Grendi: Playing at Penn for me was the most incredible experience. The most important thing about selecting a school and the path for my college career was finding something that fit me both academically and athletically and Penn was at the top of both when I was there, so that was exactly what I was looking for.”
DP: Do you have a favorite memory with the team?
AG: Senior year, when we won the Ivy League championship in overtime against Harvard at home. That’s definitely one of the best moments of my college career. The Ivy League is always really tight and certain games are always really difficult especially when you’re away and senior year, I was walking up to a score a goal against Dartmouth away and we kind of snuck away with the win when maybe we shouldn’t have … and it ultimately helped us win the Ivy championship.
DP: How did Fuller help the team to be successful? Was he a strong locker room presence?
AG: I’d say that’s probably his best asset. He was incredible at speaking to the team and motivating us when we needed it most. He always found a way, sometimes a story, before a game, that completely ignited us and focused us in a way that a coach needs to and that’s definitely his best asset. He always found great ways to motivate us and get us up for games.
DP: At Penn, you averaged almost two shots a game and an assist every three games. Did you trust yourself more as a passer or shot-taker?
AG: I’d like to say that I like to be a passer, and I’m selfish, but unfortunately, I think the answer is that I wasn’t that great of a goal-scorer. I had a very strong shot but never seemed to keep it on target but as a wide player, going at players 1-on-1, there’s a lot of opportunities to dish off the ball and get crosses in. We always had a great supporting cast to help finish those plays.
DP: Do you think your assist totals would have been higher with an established scorer like senior forward Duke Lacroix, who has 24 career goals?
AG: I can’t say but we had some really good goal-scorers. We had guys that had ten-goal seasons sometimes. Twenty-four is a lot of goals. I think that could have contributed to more assists but I can’t say.
DP: What was the draft process like?
AG: Things happen really fast. You never know if you’re going to be selected for the MLS combine. You don’t know really how to prepare for that. It’s a little bit of a waiting game. Once you do get the call, as opposed to online, the light switches on. You have to prepare, get in shape. You only have so much time and the season’s over so you have to do a lot of training on your own and be sharp and you have 30 days to impress with players you’ve never played before in your life and sometimes a new position. So it’s definitely a difficult process. Immediately after those three days, you’re sitting around.
DP: And playing in the MLS versus the atmosphere at Penn?
AG: It’s completely different story. I went to not only an MLS team, but a former MLS champion so it was a star-studded cast of guys. They didn’t necessarily need me. I was just another player to add to the roster and was given the chance and opportunity to prove myself. And that was a whole new process. Being a rookie, starting from scratch, learning what it means to be a pro, and unfortunately for me, it probably took me the full year to figure out what that meant and what it was going to mean for me to play and by then it was a little too late.
DP: What are you up to now?
AG: I started a company call AX Soccer Tours. We help American players get signed overseas and in American clubs. It’s a global scouting agency for soccer.
Penn football looks to salvage a win during its late season slide, as the Red and Blue take on Princeton. Ian Wenik and I will bring you the live action from Princeton Stadium.
Live Blog Liveblog: Penn football (1-6) at Princeton (4-3)
Winning the Ivy League title in football is something that few coaches ever accomplish. For Penn coach Al Bagnoli and Princeton coach Bob Surace, it took less than four years to win their first Ivy titles. On Saturday, the two will go head-to-head as Bagnoli travels to Princeton for the last time as a coach. In preparation for Saturday’s showdown, The Daily Pennsylvanian had the chance to speak with Princeton coach Bob Surace. Though he is the shortest-tenured Ivy League coach, Surace has already left his mark in the Ancient Eight by winning the title in 2011. Now second in the Ivy League race, Surace looks to take down Penn to keep Princeton's title hopes alive.
DP: Princeton has won against the Red and Blue once in the past five contests. How do you think this year’s team will stack up against Penn?
BS: It’s going to be two teams that fighting and scratching and playing as hard as they can and I expect it to be a well-played game on our end. We’ll have to be really good at taking care of the ball and I think some of the things Penn’s doing offensively are really tough to defend.
DP: Last year, Princeton upset Penn during the Quakers’ Homecoming. How important will it be for the team to prevent that from happening this weekend?
BS: We can’t control the opponent and coach Bagnoli has been there 20 years and his team’s played hard every game. They come out fighting and playing hard and playing the game right and everything else but what we can control is playing the best we can play and hopefully making good decisions and taking care of the ball. I played in 1989 and that game had as much relevance as the game five years ago. … Knowing that this year’s out of conference schedule was brutal, that prepares them for these games down the stretch. We’re gonna have to come out, match their intensity, and play hard.
DP: How do you think your defense will handle Penn’s rushing game this year? Princeton has a great run defense but how does going up against a running back by committee affect the gameplan for Saturday?
BS: It’s not only the running back by committee. We struggled against it last year. I know Kyle Wilcox and the rushing attack were terrific against us, Kyle especially. It’s not only the fact that they can run right at you and come right downhill, but their perimeter screen game just spreads the field out so much and it really makes it difficult to defend the width of the field because the second you cheat on a responsibility they’ll throw it out to one of their wide receivers, usually Spencer Kulcsar, and that really extends the field. We’re going to have to do a great job tackling and doing the best we can to hold the line of scrimmage.
DP: Speaking of the running game, Princeton has been outrushing teams all season. How important is it establish the running game early?
BS: I think that is an important part of what we do. Obviously when I came here five years ago, looking at trends Penn’s had the most successful program and being able to run the football in this League is important. That’s easier said then done. They have a terrific defense. Dan Davis, my goodness, it seems like he’s been there forever. He’s just making play after play and they’ve got a terrific group supporting him. We’re going to go out doing our best to get leverage and create a few creases which is very difficult to do against their defense.
DP: There are a couple of key individual matchups going into Saturday. Which matchup has been most emphasized in practice?
BS: Obviously they have terrific football players. Their record is not indicative of how they’ve played. … It’s been a bunch of things that happens on their way. We have to hope that happens one more week. … They have Dan Davis, some returning all-Ivy guys like him. Their quarterback play, [Torgersen's] gotten better. I watched every single week and he continues to get better in his decision-making. He’s a sneaky good athlete and may not get credit for it as much because he can throw the ball down the field on time, accurately, and he has a strong arm, so that really puts stress on the defense.
DP: A little bit on Coach Bagnoli: you didn’t ever play against him as a lineman but you have seen his work in play as a coach. What do you think of Bagnoli as a coach?
BS: You take from a lot of people that you work with as a young coach and I was very fortunate to have some great mentors but when you go into a league, you study the best team and what makes them successful. There’s such great admiration for the type of team that he builds year in and year out, regardless of record. They play hard, they play fast, they play physical, they run to the ball. They’re all legal hits. They represent the Ivy League with distinction, the guys on the team. You say all those things with great admiration. We try to move our program upward in the Ivy League and there are a lot of things that you see that he’s done.
DP: And what do you think of the transition from Bagnoli to Priore?
BS: The defense plays aggressive. Obviously the game changes and you make changes as the game changes. When you hire from the outside, there are usually major changes: when a program has struggled then there is that reason. In Penn’s case, they’ve been such a terrific program over a long period of time and you hire from within, there’s continuity; he knows the Ivy League, he knows the Ivy League recruiting, for him, there’s no big jump. He knows the players on the team, he knows the offseason program. All those areas, he’ll put a stamp on it; every person will. I’m sure he’ll make some minor changes that anybody would but when you’re from within and when you know the guys and the players know you I think there’s that continuity. I can’t imagine when you have the style of defense they play and how aggressive and how detailed and how exact they are in their responsibilities. That’s not going to change one iota. He’s going to continue to have them play physical and hard and all the bedrocks that they’ve hard in terms of building that solid foundation have already been established. They’re going to continue to do that and expand on it.
With two straight victories under its belt, Penn women’s soccer will look to keep its momentum up on the road against a tough Princeton squad this Saturday. However, with the Tigers (7-5-3, 3-2-1 Ivy) gunning for an Ivy League title and preparing for Senior Day, the Red and Blue (7-5-3, 2-3-1) will undoubtedly have their hands full. Let’s check out what’s up and what’s down for the Quakers as they get ready for their weekend matchup.
Three Up
Increased consistency: Throughout the season, the Quakers have — as coach Darren Ambrose has noted — struggled mightily with finding consistent play on both ends of the pitch and bringing a consistent level of focus. However, with three strong showings in its past three matches, the Red and Blue seem to have partially overcome their youthful tendencies, playing some of their most complete soccer in the latter stages of the season. An Ivy title may be out of reach, but Penn will look to finish this season on a strong note and carry some newfound consistency into next season.
Defensive resurgence: For years, the Quakers have prided themselves on stellar defense, but Penn’s calling card was showing some cracks only a month ago. After two straight losses giving up at least three goals toward the middle of the season, some questions were raised about Penn’s normally stout backline. However, due in large part to some strong play from junior goalkeeper Kalijah Terilli, the Red and Blue have given up only five goals in their last seven games.
Seniors’ last hurrah: Although they were already sent out on top last weekend on their Senior Day, the Quakers’ seniors will play their final collegiate match against the Tigers. Haley Cooper, Kaitlyn Moore and company should have some extra motivation to finish their careers off on a winning note.
Three Down
Ivy implications: The Quakers have certainly saved their best performances for last, but unfortunately for them, it will be too little and too late to put them in Ivy title contention. Meanwhile, the opposing Orange and Black sit at third place in the Ivies with a slim chance at a league title going into their Senior Day. Simply stated, the Quakers have far less to play for than the Tigers do.
Facing off against history: In a 5-3 victory over NC State earlier this week, Princeton senior back Lauren Lazo notched two assists to tie her program’s career record of 26. Going into what could potentially be her final collegiate match, she should have a little extra motivation to spark her team’s offense.
Tigers’ attack: In their past three matches, the Tigers have scored 11 goals. That’s as many as the Red and Blue have scored in their last ten. If the Quakers want to ruin their Ivy foes’ title hopes, they will need to find the back of the net a bit more than usual.
If Columbia basketball had hopes of building off its successful 2013-14 campaign in order to compete with Harvard for the Ivy title, the task has suddenly become much more difficult.
Already expected to miss the bulk of the team's nonconference schedule this season due to injury, Columbia senior forward Alex Rosenberg has withdrawn from the University and will not compete for the Lions during the 2014-15 season, The Columbia Daily Spectator reported Wednesday.
The news, confirmed by Columbia's athletic department, comes less than a month after the Lions announced that two other players -- senior guard Meiko Lyles and sophomore forward Zach En'Wezoh -- had decided to leave the team.
Last season, Rosenberg was one of the primary reasons for the Lions' success, playing a key role in helping Columbia reach a postseason tournament for the first time since 1968.
The Short Hills, N.J., native led the Lions in scoring last season, notching 16.0 points per game to go along with 3.7 rebounds per contest. Rosenberg finished third in the country in free throws attempted in 2013-14 and was named first-team All-Ivy at the end of the season.
In two games against the Quakers last year, Rosenberg averaged 19.5 points while shutting down Penn's frontcourt, particularly in Columbia's 74-55 win in March. Along with then sophomore guards Maodo Lo and Grant Mullins, Rosenberg played an integral part in helping the Lions clinch their first winning season in conference play since 1992-93.
Picked to finish third in the Ivy League this upcoming season, Kyle Smith's squad will have its work cut out for itself. Still, while Rosenberg is forced to miss the entirety of Columbia's schedule due to his withdrawal, he may be eligible to return in 2015-16 for one final season with the Lions.
Men’s Soccer
Penn draws Brown, 1-1, on Homecoming
In a match with huge Ivy League implications, Penn men’s soccer (8-7-2, 2-1-2 Ivy) played to a draw with Brown (4-5-6, 1-2-2). Junior goalkeeper Max Polkinhorne had a stellar performance with eight saves — six in the second half. Senior Duke Lacroix recorded the only tally for the Quakers in the 19th minute while sophomore forward Will Cross scored for the Bears to tie the game. With two matches remaining against league-leading Princeton and third-place Harvard, the Quakers will look to move up from their current position — tied with Harvard for third.
Columbia takes down last-place Yale, 2-1
It looked like Yale (1-11-3, 0-4-1) had all the momentum when sophomore defender Henry Flugstad-Clarke tied the match for the Bulldogs with five minutes remaining. However, a somewhat questionable penalty call in the box spoiled the comeback for Yale. With two minutes remaining, Columbia (6-6-1, 2-1-1) took the lead on junior midfielder Antonio Matarazzo’s successful penalty shot. The loss keeps Yale winless in Ivy play.
Harvard draws first-place Dartmouth, 1-1
In a matchup between top conference contenders, the score did not reflect the game. Despite the draw, the Big Green (9-4-2, 3-1-1) outplayed the Crimson (9-4-2, 2-1-2), outshooting Harvard 12-1 on the night, including a few shots off the crossbar in overtime. Nevertheless, Harvard’s one score and strong defense kept the team in the match, making things interesting in the Ivy League race as the top five teams are within three points of one another.
Princeton beats Cornell, 2-1
Princeton’s late heroics matched those of Columbia-Yale. The Tigers (8-3-3, 3-1-1) and the Big Red (9-5-1, 2-3-0) stayed close for almost all of regulation. However, Princeton, now tied for the Ivy League lead, scored the winning goal in the 88th minute of the contest off the foot of senior defender Andrew Mills. Looking ahead, Princeton takes on rival Penn in a matchup with major Ivy League implications.
Women’s Soccer
Penn beats Brown on Senior Day, 2-0
Playing in their final home game on Saturday, the seniors of Penn women’s soccer (7-5-3, 2-3-1) went out in brilliant fashion against Brown (6-7-3, 1-3-2). The Quakers took the field with high energy and enthusiasm from the beginning. Only five minutes into the match, senior forward Clara Midgley netted a goal off an assist by freshman forward Juliana Provini. In the 40th minute, senior Kaitlyn Moore extended the lead for the Red and the Blue, sending a beautiful shot off her left foot just inside the far post. All six seniors — Haley Cooper, Lauren Hammond, Nikoletta Georgalis, Katherine Myhre, Midgely and Moore — were honored before the game.
Dartmouth takes down Harvard, 2-0
Dartmouth (7-4-4, 3-0-3) stayed hot, winning their fourth straight with a shutout of league-leading and defending Ivy League champion Harvard (9-4-2, 4-1-1). Junior forward Corey Delaney led the way for the Big Green, scoring two goals in the upset. The outcome makes things interesting in Ivy League play as Dartmouth and Harvard are separated by only one point with one game remaining. Harvard controls its own destiny, but Dartmouth undoubtedly has the momentum.
Columbia finishes in scoreless draw with Yale
Columbia (7-3-6, 2-2-1) and Yale (7-4-4, 1-1-3) played to a rare nil-nil draw after 110 minutes of play. The defensive battle that took place on a windy, rain-soaked afternoon was rather uneventful. Overall, the game was evenly matched with both teams taking 11 shots; however, the Bulldogs failed to convert on any of their 12 corner kicks.
Princeton beats Cornell, 2-1
Princeton women’s soccer (6-5-3, 3-2-1) rebounded after last week’s disappointing loss to Harvard with a 2-1 victory over Cornell (7-9-0, 1-4-0). The victory brings the Tigers into sole possession of third place, three points behind league-leading Harvard with one game to play. Cornell, on the other hand, remains an Ivy League bottom-feeder with only one win on the season. Princeton will look to finish the season strong against rival Penn.
This weekend, the AP came out with its first top 25 poll for the 2014-15 men's basketball season. For the first time since 1975, an Ivy League team made the preseason top 25, but it wasn't Penn this time: It was Harvard, led by high-profile coach Tommy Amaker. The Crimson were tied for 25th and will have a lot to live up to being a ranked Ivy squad. Our editors debate what this means for Penn and the Ivy League:
Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings: Hello #TwoBidIvy? Not quite, but an editor can dream. This is a fantastic development for the Ivy League. It displays a level of respect to the Ancient Eight that hasn't been handed to any of its teams for a while. The Crimson will now need to carry the Ivy torch in nonconference play and show that this ranking was no fluke.
But is this a good thing for Penn? That's a little bit more murky. The Quakers are projected to finish near the bottom of the Ancient Eight in the way too early preseason Ivy League poll. And it would seem to me that Harvard's ranking both helps and hurts Penn. It helps in displaying the level of talent in the Ivies is much higher than it was seven or eight years ago. But it hurts because with a higher profile for the league comes higher expectations for everyone. Can Penn live up to it? It remains to be seen.
Sports Editor Colin Henderson: Overall, I’ve got to agree with you, Steven. It can’t be denied that it is great for the Ivy League as a whole to feature a talented team getting recognized on a national level. However, I think the Quakers are finding themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Coming off of last season — which was, by almost all accounts, close to disastrous — a year with low expectations spent outside of the spotlight is exactly what the doctor would prescribe for Penn basketball. In fact, a relatively uneventful year that lands them in the middle of the Ancient Eight could be considered a success for the Quakers. So this increased spotlight being shone on the Ivy League courtesy of the Crimson could not come at a worse time for the Red and Blue. With more eyes on the conference, Penn will feel additional pressure to keep the ship afloat.
Sports Editor Holden McGinnis: What it means for the Ivy League? Surprise, Harvard is good again this year. What it means for Penn? Absolutely nothing.
Harvard flirted with the top 25 for much of last season and yes, it is nice to see the Ivy League get some recognition in the national sports spotlight. But Harvard has been a top program for years now and received plenty of attention after a few tournament upsets in recent years. A ranking might be nice, but really this is just more of a signal that the Crimson are head and shoulders over the majority of the Ivy League.
For Penn, I don't think this changes anything. The Quakers are in a state of rebuilding and while this may shift some slight attention to the Ivy League, I see very little of that attention leaving Cambridge. Just because Harvard is ranked, doesn't mean there's any more pressure on this team to perform — there's already enough of that after the past few years. As coach Jerome Allen likes to say, he doesn't pay attention to the periphery. This is definitely on the periphery for the Red and Blue.
Happy homecoming, Quakers fans! Stay out of the rain and follow along as myself and Sports Editor Emeritus Riley Steele give you all the action for Penn's contest against Brown:
Live Blog Penn Football (1-5) vs. Brown (3-3)
Live Blog Penn Football (1-5) vs. Brown (3-3)
Live Blog Penn Football (1-5) vs. Brown (3-3)
Live Blog Penn Football (1-5) vs. Brown (3-3)
Why will Brown beat Penn football and spoil homecoming? Brown Daily Herald staff writer Andrew Flax explains why:
The 2014 season has been a bit of a roller coaster for Brown. It began with a thud, when the Bears lost at traditional punching bag Georgetown. But Bruno nearly upset Harvard just a week later, holding a fourth-quarter lead before falling apart. A few more up-and-down games later, the team finally put it all together last week against Cornell, grinding the Big Red into a fine powder in a 42-16 win that was not as close as the score indicated.
If Penn loses, it will be because the Bears are at the height of their powers.
A major part of the Bears' early-season inconsistently was the anemic offense, which was to be expected after the team replaced all 11 starters from last season. But the attack has finally hit its stride, setting a season high in points against Cornell.
Senior quarterback Marcus Fuller — who drew a comparison to Johnny Manziel from coach Phil Estes before the season — has embodied this growth. He completed barely 50% of his passes in the season’s first five games, though that includes an exceedingly strange 29-for-71, 454-yard performance against Princeton. But he had his breakout game against Cornell, completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 306 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. A wide receiver remarked that he had finally found his confidence, and if that’s true, watch out.
Since falling asleep in the first quarter against Princeton, the stout Brown defense has found its footing once more. It limited the Tigers to three points after the first drive of the second quarter, and was pitching a shutout against the (admittedly anemic) Cornell offense until the second-team squad gave up a few long plays.
With stud senior linebackers Xavier Russo and Dan Giovacchini anchoring the middle and senior cornerbacks Patrick O’Neill and Jacob Supron locking down the outside, this group is arguably more talented than the one that shut out the Quakers last season.
Now, this all seems fine and dandy. The Bears have the talent to defeat Penn and claw back to .500 in the Ivy League. But Bruno is not without its weaknesses, and the confidence and composure that it found last week could disappear again in a moment.
The key to victory for Penn will be to harass Fuller. Though their offensive line is strong, the Bears’ run game is weak, averaging a measly 84.6 yards per game on the ground. If the Quakers can accomplish the relatively easy task of stuffing the Bears’ tailbacks and sit back on the pass, they can make Fuller uncomfortable and perhaps force him to revert to the bad habits of a quarterback in his first year starting.
On offense, the best way to move the ball against the Bears is through screen, swing and bubble passes. Bruno has struggled to get to the edge to wrap up speedy running backs and wideouts, and if Penn can successfully establish the pass game behind the line of scrimmage, it will open up the middle of the defense for downfield passing.
To live up to the name of this article, I feel compelled to predict a Bruno victory and a spoiled homecoming, though all signs point to a close game. These teams have similar resumes, with Penn’s tougher strength of schedule but worse record. But come Saturday, only one will be back in the thick of the Ivy League race.
Despite the recent struggles of Penn Football’s 2014 campaign, with Brown in town this weekend for homecoming we look back to 2012 when Penn inched a win out of Brown
On October 27, 2012, the Quakers hosted the Bears. Though the Red and Blue sat near the top of the Ivy League, the team’s homecoming matchup was Brown, which held one of the league’s top defenses.
Penn didn’t dominate on either side of the ball. Fortunately for them, neither did the Bears.
The game was run not by the offense or the defense, but by the special teams as the matchup featured 14 total punts between the Ancient Eight foes.
Fortunately for the Red and Blue their special teams was that much better.
Penn managed to punt the ball within the 20-yard line five times. Which, more often than not lead to long scoreless drives for the Bears.
Following a Brown field goal in the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bears lead 17-14. Defensive back and kick returner Dexter Davis returned the proceeding kickoff to the Bears’ 49-yard line.
Unfortunately for Brown, Davis wasn’t the only special teams stud that weekend; as Connor Loftus drilled a 45-yard game tying field goal. A few minutes later he hit a 35-yard game winning field goal.
“In any close game, special teams play tilts field position,” Bagnoli said, “Ultimately it’s how tight games are won.”
The Red and Blue would go on to take the Ivy crown for the third time in four years.
If you ask anyone, Penn’s strength, and only consistent unit, that season was its special teams.
Though this time around Penn isn’t atop the Ivy League, just like two years ago, Penn’s homecoming opponent is Brown, and like two years ago, The Quakers’ special teams looks good.
Former Eagles offensive tackle and current Congressman Jon Runyan (R-NJ) came to speak at Huntsman Hall Tuesday night at an event organized by the College Republicans, touching on various issues across the political spectrum and memories from his football career. We caught up with the All-Pro after the event to talk Congressional football, Penn, and more:
Daily Pennsylvanian: You and [former New York Giants defensive end] Michael Strahan, for your entire career, it seemed like your two names were next to each other in every sentence. What was your perspective on him getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, and what was it like being at the induction ceremony itself?
Jon Runyan: It was an awesome experience, and I just took the time out to really go honor him, because when you look at it, even when I played him, he was one of a dying breed. You know, there’s not a lot of people that played the game the way he did. Let me put it this way — and I think he said it too, also: playing the Giants was a litmus test for the season to see where you were at, and if you were right with yourself. So it was just an awesome experience to go out there and see that.
DP: You’re not the first NFL player to serve in Congress. There was Heath Shuler before you, Jack Kemp a long way back, Steve Largent… did you ever go to any of them for advice entering your first term?
JR: I’ve talked to Steve Largent several times, and actually never met Jack. But I talked to his son, Jimmy a couple times about how his dad was, and he goes: “It’s more about captivating a room, and talking to people and telling stories to people to get them to like you, and then they’ll listen to your policy. Don’t just start spewing policy all the time.”
It was great advice for me from Jack’s son on that aspect, and I believe also that this is the first time in 50 years that there will not be a professional athlete as a member of Congress. [Runyan has declined to seek re-election in 2014, citing a desire to spend more time with his family]
DP: Playing in the Congressional football game with Heath Shuler, did you even come close to losing to the Capitol Police?
JR: All the time. I mean, you have a couple former NFL players on the field, but you have to realize the Capitol Police, most of those guys just came out of deployment from Iraq and Afghanistan [laughs], and they’re all in pretty good shape. They’re not the officers you see running the metal detectors and the x-ray scanners… they’re the ones running around in tactical gear doing SWAT training and all that kind of stuff, and most of them played college football. So you’re pretty much outmanned, that’s why we never have a chance in that game.
DP: What would you say is the biggest problem facing your home district right now? [Runyan represents the 3rd district of New Jersey, which includes Burlington and Ocean Counties]
JR: Well, obviously, coming down the road, the sequester is going to hit us hard with the Department of Defense, and [we’re] still trying to dig out of this Sandy hole, even two years after. We’re still trying to figure out what the rules of the game are and what FEMA’s going to do, so there’s two big challenges we have ahead of us.
DP: [New Jersey] Governor [Chris] Christie has made a big push recently to legalize sports betting, which the leagues have all come out against. Do you have any opinion on the issue?
JR: It obviously would be a huge revenue booster to New Jersey, and I’ve written letters in support of it. But there’s a lot of legal issues that you’re going to have because of the fact [that] a lot of those casinos are publicly traded and have to work through that legal stuff, so it’s not going to happen as fast as most people [would] like it to.
DP: I understand this isn’t your first time at Penn. You’ve taken classes in entrepreneurship at Wharton before. What’s your overall perspective of the University in the time you’ve spent here?
JR: It’s been an awesome experience, and I can tell you the time I spent here in the Executive Education [program], the professors we’ve had that spoke to us, I still email them to this day and ask them opinions on stuff, because they’ll have a base knowledge in some area you don’t. It’s been a great experience, and its created a lot of long-lasting relationships.
Earlier today, the Ivy League released the preseason media poll results for women's basketball and for the first time in the history of the poll, two teams have tied at the top. Penn and Princeton - who played a de facto Ivy League championship game to end the season last year - each garnered 123 points to top the poll.
The Tigers earned nine of the 17 first-place votes, followed by Penn with seven and Harvard with one. As we've been saying so far this week, the race for the title will be closely contested and likely come down to the final game between the Quakers and Tigers.
Harvard finished third in the poll with 106 points, after finishing 11-3 in the Ivy League last season. Following the Crimson are Yale (90), Cornell (61), Columbia (38), Dartmouth (38) and Brown (33).
This weekend, we got our first look at the women's team, who appear to have their work cut out for them in replacing second all-time leading scorer Alyssa Baron. Meanwhile Princeton has a bit more continuity, returning four of their five starters from last year, including first-team All-Ivy guard Blake Dietrick.
Harvard will be led by first-team All-Ivy forward Temi Fagbenle after graduating first-team All-Ivy guard Christine Clark.
The Quakers will tip off their season on November 14th against presumed top-five Tennessee in Knoxville.
Women’s Soccer
Harvard 5, Princeton 4
In one of the biggest Ivy matchups of the year, Harvard (9-3-2, 4-0-1 Ivy) defeated Princeton (5-5-3, 2-2-1) in thrilling fashion. After a back-and-forth battle, the match was tied, 4-4, in the waning stages of regulation. However, in the 81st minute, sophomore forward Midge Purce parked a penalty quick to give the Crimson the victory. The win puts Harvard firmly in the driver’s seat for the Ivy title, with Dartmouth trailing.
Brown 2, Cornell 0
It didn’t have the fanfare of the last matchup, but Brown (6-6-3, 1-2-2) and Cornell (7-8, 1-4) were also in action. With two timely first half goals, the Bears were able to take down the Big Red in what turned out to be a 2-0 shutout. It is Brown’s first Ivy win on the season. Meanwhile, Cornell continues to struggle — the only team below Penn in the Ivy standings.
Dartmouth 1, Columbia 0
The Ivy second-place Big Green (5-4-4, 2-0-3) was only able to score once against Columbia (6-3-5, 2-2-1), but it was enough to procure an all-important win. In the 19th minute, senior Tasha Wilkins drilled home a free kick for Dartmouth, whose defense made the goal stand up throughout the match. The victory keeps the Big Green within (a long) arm’s reach of first-place Harvard.
Penn 1, Yale 1
The ups and downs continue for the Quakers (5-5-3, 1-3-1), as they played Yale (6-4-3, 1-1-3) to a draw after 2-OT wasn’t enough to decide a victor. Despite strong performances from lone goal-scorer Juliana Provini and keeper Kalijah Terilli and an overall high level of intensity, the Red and Blue could not make the game-winning play.
Men’s Soccer
Penn 1, Yale 1
This is not the result that the Quakers (6-6-1, 2-2-1) needed. Much like their female counterparts, the Red and Blue came into the season hoping to contend for an Ivy title, but they have faced their share of ups and downs. On Saturday, Forrest Clancy continued his breakout season with a goal, but against a Yale team that ranks toward the bottom of the nation in RPI, this result is definitely a “down.” The draw means that the Quakers no longer control their own destiny as they try to chase down Dartmouth to win the Ivy title for the second season in a row.
Dartmouth 1, Columbia 0
Penn coach Rudy Fuller likes to say that anything can happen in an Ivy matchup, and things almost got crazy in a matchup between Dartmouth (8-4-1, 3-1) and Columbia (5-6-1, 1-2-1). Key word: almost. The Lions unexpectedly took the Big Green to overtime, but a timely Columbia header provided the decisive score, giving Dartmouth a victory, 1-0. With the win, the Big Green maintain a two-point margin at the top of the Ivy League standings.
Cornell 1, Brown 0
In a weekend filled with low-scoring Ivy games, the matchup between Cornell (9-4-1, 2-2) and Brown (3-5-5, 1-2-1) was no exception. After an impressive string of passes, the Big Red was able to park a strike in the upper-90 of Brown’s goal in the 30th minute. Cornell’s defense made the goal stand up, giving them the victory by a slim margin.
Princeton 3, Harvard 2
The Crimson (8-4-1, 2-1-1) came up just short in their comeback bit against the Tigers (7-3-3, 2-1-1) over the weekend. Princeton scored the first three tallies, but Harvard came back. However, the Tigers were able to hold on for a 3-2 victory in a crucial Ivy contest. Both teams are now two points behind the Big Green for the top spot in the Ivies.
While most of Penn Athletics took their talents up to New Haven, Men's and Women's basketball are kicking it around in the Palestra. Follow along live with sports editor Holden McGinnis. Women's Scrimmage at 1:15. Men's Scrimmage at 2:00. We've got you covered.
Live Blog Basketball Red and Blue Scrimmages
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