Penn was honored with the most all-ELFL picks of any Eastern squad. Giving thanks this Thursday should come easily for the players and coaches of the Penn lightweight football team. The 1996 season closed two weeks ago with the season expectations far surpassed. Distractions, like two locker room robberies and low-priority field times, were overcome. The players who brought Penn its first Eastern Lightweight Football League title since 1940 did not go unnoticed by the league. In all, 27 Quakers, more than any other team in the league, were recognized with all-ELFL honors. One of Penn's senior co-captains, wide receiver Clint Schmidt, capped off his record-breaking year by being named Most Valuable Player of the ELFL. For the fourth time, he made the all-ELFL team. Schmidt's 272 receiving yards this season brought his career total to 760 yards, eclipsing the Quakers lightweight football career receiving mark of 555 yards. Schmidt also ignited the Quakers special teams with two dazzling punt returns for touchdowns. His most crucial return helped Penn defeat Army for the first time since 1969, one year before Bill Wagner took over as Penn's head coach. "That punt return was one of the biggest plays I've seen in my coaching," Wagner said. "That was a huge run." "I got the [MVP] because I was a leader of the best team in the league,"Schmidt said. "I would not have won the award without my teammates." Wagner attributed the success of the 1996 team to the leadership of the six Penn seniors. He believes that their dedication rubbed off on the younger Quakers. The fact that Penn loses so few players would seem to bode well for next year's team, except that each of the six seniors was an integral part of the championship effort. The seniors' unselfishness contributed mightily to the Quakers' success. During the preseason, there was the immediate concern of who would play quarterback. Senior Matt Veneri volunteered to play signal-caller, a position which he had last played in high school. Then he went out and did all that was asked of him, playing mistake-free and improving every game. Joel Correia, another co-captain, sacrificed personal carries and the accompanying recognition to be the lead blocker for young running backs Greg Grabon and Tim Ortman. He did it so well that Grabon led the ELFL in rushing yardage and Ortman scored more touchdowns than anyone in the league. Senior co-captain Zach Chan moved from defensive end, where last year he was all-ELFL, to help the offense at tight end. He established himself as a trusted blocker and able receiver. When he was forced to sit out the final game of the season, against Princeton, due to a torn ligament in his knee, Chan could not remain in the stands for 10 minutes before hobbling down to the sidelines to encourage his teammates. There were also questions about who would step forward to lead the young defense. Senior nose guard Cameron Reilly surfaced quickly as a bulwark on the defensive line. He recovered a fumble against Cornell in the second overtime to seal that victory, and he recorded 11 tackles in the overtime win over Army. The senior who put the winning points on the board for Penn in both overtime wins, against Cornell and against Army, was kicker Dan Malasky. "We have six big-time replacements to look for," Wagner said. The Quakers should have plenty of players returning to offset the loss of the graduates. Penn will count on Grabon and Ortman to repeat their strong performances at running back. The key to their success will be the offensive line, which returns everyone except Chan. The addition of offensive line coach Bill Haines to the staff paid dividends this year, and next year the line should be even better under his tutelage. "Bill Haines brought a lot to the team, in terms of experience and intensity," Schmidt said. "He made a big difference." The defense, led by a strong secondary, brings back 10 of its 11 starters and will be expected to play its "bend-but-don't-break" style more stringently. Finally, Wagner will return for his 28th year as head coach. This year was Wagner's first year coaching since he retired from his teaching position. When on sabbatical in 1990, Wagner coached the team to a 4-2 record, his second-best season, surpassed only by this year's 5-1 mark. "This year, I came to Penn like I was a full-time coach," Wagner said. His extra devotion will have to show next year if Penn is to repeat as ELFL champs. For now, Wagner, the rest of the coaches and the players will be content to eat their turkey and give thanks for Penn's first ELFL title in 56 years.
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