COLUMN: Backs are the biggest question

But he has never won without a running back who rushed for 1,000 yards. Last season was the most recent example of this phenomenon. Jim Finn rushed for a school record 1,450 yards and the Quakers earned their third set of championship rings under Bagnoli. In 1993 and 1994, Terrance Stokes produced back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons (1,211 and 1,052, respectively). Penn went undefeated both seasons. It seems like a simple equation. This season, Penn will be hard pressed to find that 1,000-yard back. With the graduation of Finn, Bagnoli has moved to a quartet of backs to establish the Quakers ground game. Mike Verille, Kris Ryan, Matt Thomas and Brian Cosmello are all expected to earn a significant portion of the carries this season. Those four players produced eight carries at the college level last year, six of which came when Verille was in a Duke uniform. Quarterback Matt Rader's graduation has been eased by the arrival of Northwestern transfer Gavin Hoffman. But without a clear starter at the tailback position, the 6'6" Hoffman may double-take every time he hands off the football. "Hopefully with the four different pieces, we can find a running game that is effective," Bagnoli said. "I don't think we have any illusions that we can replace Jim Finn with just one kid. We don't have someone that can carry the ball 40 times, catch passes, pick-up blitzes and do everything that we wanted him to do." None of the four is expected to carry the ball 40 times a game like Finn did. None of the four is expected to show the ability to get to the corner on one play and carry five defenders on his back the next, like Finn did. And if all four share playing time, none of the four is expected to rush for 1,000 yards this season. But if the Quakers want to earn another title, they must establish a ground attack, or defenses will feast on the young Hoffman. Without a running game, wide receivers Doug O'Neill and Brandon Carson will have to fend off multiple defensive backs in the field. "There is a definite role that the running game plays in the sense that it is the backbone of this offense, and it has been forever," Verille said. "A good running game just makes an offense tougher. As great as it is to have a guy like Gavin come in and have a lot of receivers come back, we know that if we can't run the ball, we are not going to be successful." Still, the Quakers think they can win with a committee of running backs. Each player brings a different style to the playing field. Verille, like Rader a former Blue Devil, is expected to see the ball more than any back but Ryan. His cutback style of running led to 9.3 yards per carry in high school. In contrast, Ryan is expected simply to run people over. At 6'3" and 235 pounds, the sophomore may be more reminiscent of Finn than the other backs, though he lacks Finn's true speed. In addition to his abilities as a tailback, Ryan should see plenty of snaps as a blocking back. "At the collegiate level you have to expect a certain amount of success from a group of running backs," Ryan said. "We have some pretty decent talent in the backfield. Having a good camp has made us all better. I think we are comfortable within the system and we know what we have to do." The remainder of the carries will fall to Thomas, a sophomore, and three-time letter winner Brian Cosmello. Thomas gained experience as a junior varsity player last season and should contribute this year. Cosmello, a fullback, may be the most important piece of the equation. While Bagnoli says Cosmello will carry the ball more, his greatest asset to the Quakers will still come as a blocking back. "If you put Brian Cosmello in front of anybody, they are going to look good," Verille said. "His blocks can make any back look good." The 6'2" senior has been the starting fullback for 25 consecutive games. And last season Cosmello earned second-team All-Ivy League honors without carrying the ball once. Naturally, much of the burden will fall on the offensive line and Cosmello's ability to pick up a rushing linebacker. But the offensive line is established and deep. Starters Jason Lebron, Mike Bertolino and Carmelo Rubano are all experienced. Barring injury, the holes should open for the running backs. But will the backs hit the holes? The running backs do not have to replace Jim Finn. Bagnoli and the Quakers would welcome such individual excellence but it is unlikely they will find it. But what they do have to replace is Finn's ability to draw the defensive focus away from the passing game. If Ryan, Verille and company can establish the run, Hoffman's transition to the Ivy League will be made easy. If they can't, Bagnoli may have to wait until he finds another 1,000-yard back before earning title number four.

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