Penn drops opener to Lehigh, 42-21

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Penn's season opener against Lehigh at Goodman Stadium on Saturday was a game to remember for Quakers fans. Just not for the result on the scoreboard.

The 42-21 loss was the first game of the Ray Priore era. Priore succeeded Al Bagnoli, who left after 23 years as coach and later took over the program at Columbia.

The Quakers defense could not stop Lehigh quarterback Nick Shafnisky Jr. He threw for 250 yards and ran for 95 yards and two second-half touchdowns.

Priore said his team will have to revamp its strategy when it comes to defending dual-threat quarterbacks such as Shafnisky.

"We've got to be better at the point of attack, stopping the spread, and fitting in our plays," Priore said.

He noted Penn's lack of athletic ability and hinted that some lineup changes might be in the works before Penn's Thursday night matchup against Villanova. In the meantime, Priore hopes to refocus his team in the five days that remain before the next kickoff.

"This is a 10-round fight that you go through year to year," he said. "This is simply Round 1."

Penn tied the score at 7 five seconds into the second quarter, when junior quarterback Alek Torgersen capped a 95-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. It was all Lehigh (2-1) from that point.

Throughout the first half, Torgersen and the Penn offense struggled to convert on third down, punting on three of their four possessions. Sophomore wide receiver Justin Watson heated up in the third quarter, pulling in a 74-yard touchdown reception, but that drew the Quakers (0-1) only to within 14 points, 28-14.

Watson was one of Torgersen's favorite targets in 2014. After one game this season, it appears not much has changed. Watson had 143 receiving yards on Saturday, the first time he has crossed the century mark.

"I knew it from the beginning that I was going to have to increase my role," Watson said. "It's just kind of natural."

Torgersen completed 30 of 42 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception.