PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania sprint football team closes out its regular season Friday night at Franklin Field, as the Quakers host Navy to determine the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) South Division champion.
The Matchup
Navy comes to Philadelphia holding a 4-1 record with its only loss coming in a narrow 17-14 defeat to Army. The Quakers have won two straight over the Midshipmen, posting a 29-23 overtime victory in 2016 and a 28-23 victory in 2017. Navy, however, holds a 57-11-1 series advantage.
Previewing Penn
*Coach Bill Wagner is in his 49th season as Penn's sprint football head coach. Wagner has won five CSFL championships over his career.
*Friday night will mark the last time the Sprint Football Class of 2019 suits up for a CSFL game at Franklin Field. The class includes 16 players who won 21 games for Penn, including a CSFL championship in 2016.
*Penn leads the CSFL in rushing defense, allowing teams just 36.8 yards per game after holding Caldwell to 75 yards rushing last weekend.
*The Quakers rank second in the CSFL in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert on just 28.3% of attempts.
*Penn returns three first-team All-CSFL players in junior QB Eddie Jenkins, senior OL Benji Friedman, and senior RB Jake Klaus.
*Three second-team All-CSFL selections – junior OL Matt McDermott, senior DB Tom Console, and sophomore DB Michael Doulong -- and two honorable mentions, senior WR Aidan Kelly and junior TE Matteo Murgia, round out Penn's returning CSFL All-League selections.
*Klaus leads the CSFL in rushing with 488 yards and eight touchdowns over four games. He rushed for a season-high 165 yards against Cornell on Sept. 21.
*Freshman Luca Curran leads the CSFL with five interceptions.
*Jenkins scored six total touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) in Penn's season opener against Mansfield on Sept. 15 and registered 366 of the team's 569 yards. He was named CSFL Offensive Player of the Week for his standout performance.
*Senior Aidan Kelly leads the Quakers in receiving, making 14 catches for 283 yards and two touchdowns.
*Freshman Brendan McCaffrey has become a key member of the Quakers offense, with 17 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown, and an additional 44 yards rushing.
*McCaffrey returned a punt 41 yards for a touchdown against Caldwell on Oct. 20.
*Angelo Matos ranks fifth in the CSFL with 3.5 sacks.
*Sam Smallzman is tied for third most tackles for a loss in the CSFL with eight.
*Senior James Juliano ranks fourth in the CSFL with 38 total tackles. Three of his tackles were sacks.
*Freshman Ben Klaus has had a bright start to his Penn career, reeling in 16 catches for 202 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns in three games.
*Coach Wagner named Console, Jenkins, Klaus, Guiseppe Bevacqua, and Aaron Johnson as his team captains for the 2018 season.
*The Quakers welcome eight incoming freshmen to the sprint football roster in 2018.
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