Big Green offense offers Football's next challenge

Penn defensive back Vince Alexander is hoping to make wrecking havoc on opposing offenses a weekly thing.

One week removed from picking off two of Lehigh quarterback Chad Schwenk's passes in the Quakers' 24-21 upset win, Alexander is licking his chops in anticipation of another heralded passer's visit to Franklin Field this week.

The bullseye for week three is Dartmouth quarterback Brian Mann.

Mann -- who ranks third all-time on the Big Green's career passing yards list (3,771 yards) --has posted consecutive 300-plus yards passing games to start the season. Not only a gifted passer, Mann has also shown an ability to run and ranks second in the nation in total yards per game (382.0).

Alexander, however, vows that this week will be different.

"We're not going to let them get 300 yards," Alexander said. "We're going to play hard on defense and our secondary, I know we're going to come prepared."

To slow the talented Dartmouth offense, Penn will have to do more than just zero in on the Big Green's prolific signal caller. Mann's favorite targets -- juniors, tight end Casey Cramer and wide receiver Jay Barnard -- have caught a combined 33 passes for 416 yards this season. While Barnard has just begun to emerge as a talented wideout -- last year, he caught only 23 passes -- Cramer has had opposing coaches' fretting No. 82 since his arrival in Hanover.

A first team All-Ivy selection in 2001, Cramer has picked up right where he left off last year with 17 catches and two touchdowns through the first two games.

"They've got a terriffic tight end," said Penn coach Al Bagnoli of Cramer. "He's their go-to-guy."

Bagnoli said the Quakers' pass coverage and their ability to put pressure on Mann in the pocket will be the keys to hindering Dartmouth's air attack.

"There is going to be pressure on our linebackers and our strong safeties," he said. "We're going to have to generate a pass rush."

Thought to be a team weakness entering the season, the Quakers' pass rush has been more than adequate through the first two games. Penn -- led by a pair of sacks by Ric San Doval and Michael Sangobowale -- hassacked opposing quarterbacks five times.

By comparison, the Quakers vaunted defense of last season had only four sacks through their first two contests.

Penn's front four and its trio of blitzing linebackers will have to once again be on their game this weekend.

"We either have to get the ball out of [Mann's] hands right away or we're going to have to make him run and get hit."

Getting to the quarterback, will not be all that easy for Penn against a stellar offensive line. Anchored by 2001 All-Ivy selections guard Kevin Noone and tackle Bob Reeves, Dartmouth's line has played extraordinarily well, allowing Mann -- who averages 45 pass attempts per game -- to be sacked only once this season.

Mann "hasn't been hit very much," Bagnoli said. "I don't know how many sacks they've given up, but when you consider how many times he's throwing, that's impressive."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.