With Penn football’s Ivy opener against Dartmouth coming up on Saturday, the team’s intensity has hit a new level. Here are a few takeaways from Tuesday’s practice:
Don’t count on Lyle Marsh returning anytime soon…
The senior running back was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA, but has not been able to do much with it so far. After rushing for 30 yards on five carries against Jacksonville in the season opener, Marsh missed last week’s 41-7 loss to Villanova with a right forearm issue. Marsh was on the sidelines at Tuesday’s practice out of uniform, with his right arm wrapped and immobilized. He has already been declared out for Saturday.
But Dan Davis could be a different story.
Davis, a senior linebacker, was forced out of the Villanova game early after suffering a concussion. The captain was not in uniform at Tuesday’s practice, but the Penn coaching staff is optimistic that he’ll be able to practice on Wednesday. Davis’ status is dependent on him passing a number of neurological tests, and could be up in the air until gametime.
“We'll see what happens,” coach Al Bagnoli said. “Right now, it's not certain what's happening, but [Davis] worked out today, and we'll let the doctors decide the rest.”
The identity of Davis’ fill-in is no secret
With Davis off on the sidelines in a baseball cap, there was a new face to fill the second linebacker slot alongside junior Nolan Biegel : sophomore Donald Panciello . Panciello received the majority of first team reps during seven-on-seven drills, and showed good lateral movement while doing so.
Panciello is credited with three total tackles on the season, all of which came against the Wildcats last Saturday.
Spinal Tap’s new drummer may wear a yellow practice jersey
While the offense and defense worked on 11-on-11 drills, Penn’s kickers and punters found a way to add some fun to their kicking practice on the side. Senior kicker Connor Loftus was spotted enthusiastically air-drumming along to Cake’s “The Distance” before he booted a football deep into the end zone stands.
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