Experienced Penn opens against Colgate in a season with high expectations
The Quakers return much of the roster that produced their best record since 2016, including junior quarterback Aidan Sayin.
Penn football kicks off its season on Saturday with its most experienced roster since before the pandemic, fielding a team of 24 seniors and 11 fifth-year players. All of them were a part of last year’s turnaround season, in which Penn bounced back from a 3-7 campaign in 2021 with an 8-2 record, nearly finishing at the top of the Ivy League.
Now, as that class enters its final run, the window of opportunity for an Ancient Eight title is as open as it’s been in years for Penn, picked third in the Ivy League preseason media poll.
The Quakers begin their season with a road game at 1 p.m. Saturday against Colgate (ESPN+), where they’ll look to repeat last season’s opener that ended in a 25-14 win over the Raiders.
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“This is a pivotal time for us to capitalize on the development of our young players through the program,” Penn coach Ray Priore said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Leading the offense is junior quarterback Aidan Sayin, who started all 10 games last season after playing five as a freshman. Under first-year offensive coordinator Dan Swanstrom, Sayin had the most completions in the Ivy League (253), passed for the second-most yards (2,344), and tied for the most touchdown passes (18).
In front of Sayin is a new-look offensive line after first team All-Ivy center Trevor Radosevich and junior left tackle Trevor Mayberry transferred to Cincinnati and Stanford, respectively. Sophomores Jake Bingham (center) and Netinho Olivieri (left tackle) will take their place.
Fifth-year tailback Jonathan Mulatu, who was primarily a change-of-pace back last season, will step up to the lead role after the graduation of first team All-Ivy running back Trey Flowers.
Mulatu has some experience as a starter. While Flowers was out with a left foot injury for most of October, Mulatu manned the backfield for three games, posting a career-high 154 yards and two touchdowns against Brown.
Of the five captains this season for Penn, three — defensive back Kendren Smith, defensive lineman Joey Slackman, and linebacker Jonathan Melvin — are on defense. Each earned All-Ivy honors last season, and will be playing as seniors or fifth-years.
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Penn lost two first team All-Ivy players on that side of the ball, as defensive lineman Jake Heimlicher and linebacker Garrett Morris transferred to UCLA and Stamford, respectively. But the Quakers return much of the personnel that led the Ivy League in sacks (34) and allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (89.4).
One of the most crucial changes for Penn is at punter. The Quakers will have to replace All-American Ben Krimm, who transferred to Notre Dame. Krimm booted 11 punts 50 yards or more last season. The next closest Ivy punters kicked four.
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Colgate has started its season 0-2 after 65-0 and 42-19 blowouts against Syracuse and Villanova, respectively. But if last season’s matchup, in which Penn fell behind 14-3 at halftime and had to rally, is any indication, a victory will be no easy feat. Priore will lean on his experienced players to lead.
“There’s where we’re going to need those kids [the veterans] on the sidelines, when things aren’t as balanced up, when you’re down [14-3] at halftime and it’s Colgate, how are you going to respond in the second half? I think there’s where that leadership will really show,” Priore said.