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Tuesday, March 3, 2026
The Daily Pennsylvanian
A three-time first team All-Ivy selection, former Penn defensive end Brandon Copeland has signed with the Detroit Lions

Brandon Copeland is heading to the Motor City. Following a standout performance at the NFL Veteran Combine in Arizona, the former star Penn football defensive end signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions late last week.


It's official: Al Bagnoli is going to Columbia. After the Columbia Spectator reported on Sunday that Penn football's all-time winningest coach had agreed to take the reins of the Lions' football program, Columbia's athletic department officially confirmed Monday that Bagnoli had been chosen as the Light Blue's next head coach. "Over the past decadeColumbia Athletics has built a new winning tradition, enhancing the collegiate experience for thousands of student-athletes and our campus community," Columbia President Lee C.

The Latest

Columbia's hiring of long-time Penn football coach Al Bagnoli to be its new head football coach sent shock waves through Penn Athletics, but it also came with strong support at Columbia. New Columbia Athletic Director Peter Pilling announced Bagnoli as his new coach two weeks ago and the Columbia Spectator caught up with alums to weigh in on the hiring. 2013 Columbia grad and quarterback Sean Brackett was positive that Bagnoli could turn things around for the Lions' lackluster program, which hasn't won a game since 2012. “Whenever you play a team coached by Bagnoli, you know they’re going to be smart, tough, both physically and mentally," Brackett said to the Spectator.


Former Penn football coach Al Bagnoli was officially introduced as head coach of Columbia's football program at a press conference in New York on Tuesday.

Columbia's hiring of long-time Penn football coach Al Bagnoli to be its new head football coach sent shock waves through Penn Athletics, but it also came with strong support at Columbia. New Columbia Athletic Director Peter Pilling announced Bagnoli as his new coach two weeks ago and the Columbia Spectator caught up with alums to weigh in on the hiring. 2013 Columbia grad and quarterback Sean Brackett was positive that Bagnoli could turn things around for the Lions' lackluster program, which hasn't won a game since 2012. “Whenever you play a team coached by Bagnoli, you know they’re going to be smart, tough, both physically and mentally," Brackett said to the Spectator.



Penn football defeats Columbia 21-7

It's official: Al Bagnoli is going to Columbia. After the Columbia Spectator reported on Sunday that Penn football's all-time winningest coach had agreed to take the reins of the Lions' football program, Columbia's athletic department officially confirmed Monday that Bagnoli had been chosen as the Light Blue's next head coach. "Over the past decadeColumbia Athletics has built a new winning tradition, enhancing the collegiate experience for thousands of student-athletes and our campus community," Columbia President Lee C.




Penn football defeats Columbia 21-7

Long-time Penn football coach Al Bagnoli retired at the end of the 2014 season, ending his 23-year tenure as the winningest coach in Penn history. But he may not be done just yet. Bagnoli, 62, had spoken about moving into a role within the Penn Athletics administration after retirement, but, according to Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, he is in talks to take over as Columbia’s head coach.




Sep 22:
Marshall at Rice

When head coach Ray Priore took over Penn Football at the beginning of December, it gave him the opportunity to look internally at the program he’s been coaching at for the past 28 years. Late last week, Priore announced the hiring of offensive coordinator John Reagan, who had previously worked in the same role at Kansas and Rice.






Four days after officially taking over the reins of Penn football, head coach Ray Priore hasn't waited long to put his own stamp on the program. With the defensive coordinator position vacant after Priore's promotion, Penn Athletics has confirmed that current Albany defensive coordinator Bob Benson will fill the same position with the Red and Blue. "I'm thrilled to add someone of Bob's experience to our staff," Priore said in a statement.


Penn Football vs. Cornell/Bagnoli's Last Game

The way Penn football celebrated at midfield after defeating Cornell, giving retiring coach Al Bagnoli a ceremonial Gatorade shower, you’d almost have thought the Quakers somehow managed to capture a 10th Ivy title for their leader on some sort of technicality.





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