Scouting Penn

Aidan Sayin

There are some interesting things that stick out at you when you look at Penn's 4-0 season. 

The headline facts are that the Quakers are undefeated, have been stronger on defense than on offense, and they have faced four weak or weaker-than-expected opponents. 

Digging deeper, and if you got a chance to watch any of those four games, you see a team that's still looking for some real offensive star power and leadership, while its defense already has both in senior DL Jake Heimlicher who is throwback to the kind of Penn defensive stars we used to see in the 80's-2010's. 

The biggest change you can see a lot easier is Penn has an entirely new situation at QB with sophomore Aidan Sayin completely at the helm and not splitting duties at all. Simply put, he's doing pretty well if not spectacularly. But given the overall production Penn has had from the QB position for the last few seasons, this is a step up. 

The Quakers are running the ball less by committee this year than they have in recent years, and are leaning more on senior Trey Flowers as a primary RB right now. He too has done generally well, if not spectacularly. 

Penn's receivers are a corps of mostly newer faces, but I still think senior Rory Starkey is the most talented of them all. He's one of Sayin's primary targets this year but the Quaker passing game uses a short range attack mostly.

Penn's strongest attributes are on defense. Like the Lions, the Quakers have been stingy against the run, although Dartmouth's QB Nick Howard did run pretty wild over them two weeks ago in that double OT Penn win. 

Penn's pass defense hasn't really faced too much of a challenge, but the Quakers have only allowed one passing TD all year so far. 

All of the above is standard stuff, but I am happy to report there's real news when you look at Penn's special teams:

1) Penn's kickoff returner, senior Jonathan Mulatu, is dangerous. He's averaging 29.7 yards per return, meaning Columbia's PK Alex Felkins will definitely want to boot balls deep to get touchbacks every time on Saturday. 

2) Penn's PK Graham Gottlieb is a short range kicker, who has only even tried to attempt FG's from 29 yards or less. So, keeping the Quaker offense from getting inside the 15-yard line on any drives could likely mean a defensive stop. And it could also mean Penn will go into 4-down mode with regularity. 

3) Penn uses a kickoff specialist, freshman Chase Meyer.  But neither he or the other freshman kickoff specialist the Quakers used before him have recorded a single touchback this season. So, Columbia's kick returners need to be ready to cleanly receive and effectively return the ball.