Penn Buzz Picks Up

Busy day so let's get started ...

Former Dartmouth quarterback Brian Mann has broadcast several Big Green games in the past few years but with him starting as the school's Director of Football Operations on Monday, the Versus network has called in a backup. NFL veteranJay Fiedler '94, will handle color commentary. That piece of news is at the end of the official Dartmouth sports publicity release that includes these quotes from coach Buddy Teevens:

“Penn is a good team, very physical, and its record is not indicative of their ability. As usual, Penn is a very well coached team and will be prepared to play. They were predicted to finish high in the league as they return a number of starters from a good team last year. They have a very good linebacking corps and are as good defensively as anyone in the league."

and

“We are building confidence. Our guys realize that athletically they have the ability to compete with anyone, but we must eliminate mistakes, missed tackles and assignments, and turnovers. The ability is there, we just need to prove it for 60 minutes."

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Keiffer Garton, whose running ability led the Quakers to redesign their offense largely around him, is not expected to start but will play after being hurt in a 14-3 loss to Villanova in the opener. He played sparingly in last week's overtime loss to Lafayette. From the Inky:

"Keiffer is going to be limited in everything he does," Quakers coach Al Bagnoli said. "If you saw the game last week, he was in there running the ball. But he couldn't throw. He threw one pass that was in the ground.

"So we might have use of his feet. But that doesn't help in the throwing department."

Green Alert Take: Dartmouth has already faced two running quarterbacks (three actually when you count UNH backup Kevin Decker) and they've caused headaches. Garton figured to be another.

The Daily Pennsylvanian has a notebook story that includes a note about freshman tailback Lyle Marsh, who came in for banged-up starter Mike DiMaggio and carried 15 times for 85 yards in the second half of the Lafayette game. DiMaggio, who ran 21 times for 129 yards against Dartmouth last year in Penn's 23-10 win, is expected to be ready.

A writer for the New Hampshire Football Report listened in on Tuesday's Ivy League coaches teleconference and has a story that includes this quote from Bagnoli:

"Dartmouth is much improved and they have had very misleading scores. They're dramatically improved and we have to go up there and we'll have to play well."

The DP's opponent spotlight is on kickoff specialist Don Kephart. Gotta admit, I've been pushing his story with a few people myself. I don't know how many combo placekicker-shot putters there are in the country but I do know this: There can't be many.

Penn's official game preview is here and the college's game notes are here. Find Dartmouth's game notes here.

A columnist in the Daily Dartmouth predicts a 27-20 win while including these unflattering facts:

Dartmouth football is currently in the midst of a 14-game losing streak that dates back to 2007. During that stretch, the team has been outscored 494-207, and the Big Green lost last week by 30 points to the University of New Hampshire.

Missed this Monday in Dartmouth's Sports Weekly, but a writer for the Daily Dartmouth publication says the Big Green will win "at least three games in the Ivy League this year."

In addition to Brian Mann coming on as Dartmouth's new Director of Football Operations, Bob Downey '58, a former Big Green halfback, will chair the new "Friends Advisory Board," aimed at doubling the Friends' giving.

The New Haven Register's Portal 31 blog has started a weekly "chat" about Yale football. With the Bulldogs next on the slate, that bears watching next week. Find a transcript of the chat here.

Extra Point
I had to chuckle reading this morning's paper. In a short story about yesterday's Hanover-Lebanon boys soccer game, both coaches used the word, "brilliant." Now that's a soccer term. I've covered a lot of football games in my day and I can't ever recall a football coach using the word "brilliant," other than to describe a placekicker in the classroom. While we're at it, another soccer term I've never heard a football coach use: "lovely." I've had a lot of soccer coaches describe a pass to me as "lovely." Even if Alex Jenny scrambles from one sideline to the other before throwing a perfect spiral for the gamewinning touchdown with no time left Saturday I have a hunch Buddy Teevens won't describe the pass as "lovely."