PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania sprint football hosts its home opener at Franklin Field against Cornell on Friday at 7 p.m. The Quakers started their season with a strong offensive display as they defeated Mansfield, 54-21, last Saturday.
The Matchup
Cornell is the only remaining Ivy League sprint football program outside of Penn. The Quakers are 39-46 against the Big Red, but have won the previous five matchups dating back to a 24-14 win on Sept. 27, 2013. Penn and Cornell are the last two Ivy League teams represented in the CSFL after Princeton discontinued its program in 2016.
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Previewing Penn
*Coach Bill Wagner enters his 49th season as Penn's sprint football head coach. Wagner has won five CSFL championships over his career. The Quakers are coming off a 6-2 season in 2017 and were crowned the CSFL South Division champion. Penn lost the inaugural CSFL Championship Game to Army, 10-0.
*Jenkins scored six total touchdowns (five passing, one rushing) in Penn's season opener against Mansfield on Saturday and registered 366 of the team's 569 yards. He was named CSFL Offensive Player of the Week for his standout performance.
*Klaus led Penn in rushing against Mansfield with 135 yards on 30 carries and scored two touchdowns. He reeled in three receptions for an additional 37 yards.
*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.
*Console ranked first on the team in tackles against Mansfield with five.
*Coach Wagner named Console, Jenkins, Klaus, and Guiseppe Bevacqua as his team captains for the 2018 season.
*The Quakers welcome eight incoming freshmen to the sprint football roster in 2018.
*Freshman Luca Curran marked his freshman debut for Penn with two interceptions.
*Freshman Ben Klaus kicked off his Penn career with three catches for 34 yards and two touchdowns.
*Senior Aidan Kelly led the Quakers in receiving with three catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
*The Penn defensive unit held Mansfield to just 43 yards and two points in the second half.
*Drew Gardner was named to Wagner's coaching staff this off-season, taking over as an assistant coach.
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