Quakers to test Bulldog defense, ground game

Two weeks ago, on Sat., Oct. 7, Penn (3-2, 2-0 Ivy) played "a stinker of a game," according to Quaker Coach Al Bagnoli. In the 34-17 loss at Holy Cross, Bagnoli pulled his star quarterback Gavin Hoffman '02 midway through the third quarter after he threw three interceptions and lead the offense to only three points. This Holy Cross victory came only a week after Yale beat the Crusaders 33-27 at the Yale Bowl. The Quakers will have to look better if they hope to beat the Bulldogs in Yale's league home opener this weekend.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Captain Peter Mazza, JE '01, will try to shut down the Quakers' aerial attack in the Bulldogs league home-opener.

"We shocked them, really. It took us only a minute to score," Holy Cross defensive lineman Dave Puloka '01 said. "They never recovered." The pressure did not let up when the Penn offensive unit took the field. Puloka and the Crusader defense rattled Hoffman early and never let up. "A couple of times we hit [Hoffman] pretty good, and he's not the most mobile guy," Puloka commented. Bagnoli added, "You could tell that he was hurrying his steps." "We were just embarrassed. Hopefully we learned our lesson."

It seems they did, as the Quakers schooled Columbia 43-25 on Sat., Oct. 14 at historic Franklin Field. Hoffman regained his form, throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns. The Penn quarterback has been so good this season that, despite his horrendous stats from the Holy Cross game, he still ranks 11th in Div. I-AA in passing efficiency and 10th in total offense. Even though Puloka has seen Hoffman at his worst, he still thinks the Quakers can beat Yale on Saturday. "If Penn's offense is clicking the way it can, it's going to be pretty tough for Yale," he said. "I give the edge to Penn."

Other keen observers disagree, though. "I think it will be close, but I think we'll beat them," University President Richard Levin, GRD '74, said. "They have a good quarterback, but their running back is questionable." Indeed, the rushing attack of the Quakers, so highly touted at the start of the season, has faltered. All-Ivy running back Kris Ryan '02 has been hampered by ankle and knee injuries—whether he will play this week will be a game time decision—and the backup tandem of Todd Okolovitch '03 and Mike Verille '03 have yet to break through. The Quakers rank next-to-last in rushing offense in the Ivy League, averaging less than half of Yale's rushing output per game. Almost three-quarters of Penn's offense comes courtesy of Hoffman's arm.

Football

Record:4-1, 1-1 Ivy Recent Results: Won at Fordham, 24-17 Coming Up: Home vs. Penn. Sat., Oct. 21.

Because Penn focuses so much of its offense on the passing attack, Yale's defense will focus on getting to the Quaker quarterback. This is one of the Bulldogs' strengths; they rank second in the league in sacks and lead the Ivies in passing efficiency defense. Penn, however, will counter with an inexperienced, but nonetheless impressive, offensive line that has allowed only three sacks this season, good enough for second-best in the league.

Sacks may not be necessary to disrupt the passing attack, however, as the Crusaders showed in their victory over the Quakers. Without a single sack on the day, the Holy Cross defense broke up 10 passes and picked of four others by forcing Penn's quarterbacks to hurry. "So much of what Penn does is based on timing," Yale captain and linebacker Pete Mazza, JE '01, said. "It will be important to get quick pressure on Hoffman."

Another lesson from Holy Cross's dismantling of Penn is the importance of scoring early against the Quakers. The Bulldogs' offense ranks seventh in Div. I-AA in total yardage, but it has failed to score a point in the first quarter of the last two games against opponents that came into the games a combined 2-7. Overall, despite putting up 464 yards per game and only turning the ball over four times, Yale is only 43rd in Div. I-AA in scoring.

The Bulldogs have outscored opponents by a combined 21-0 in the first quarter of their two home games so far this season; in this, their first Ivy home game of the season, they hope to get off to another quick start. If they can,perhaps Penn, away from the friendly confines of Franklin Field, will collapse. But, as Siedlecki said, "Penn is an excellent football team that has played very well at home and very well on the road."

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