Tight end Big Green's top weapon

Something happened to the Dartmouth football team in the late 90's from which it has never recovered.

In 1996, the Big Green were at the top of the Ivy League, crushing their fellow Ancient Eight opponents in an undefeated season.

But ever since then, things haven't looked nearly as good. Last season, Dartmouth finished with one win -- warranting the team a last-place finish in the Ivy League. The season before, things weren't much better, although the Big Green were attributed two wins due to Brown's sudden and late ineligibility ruling.

However, this season there are bright spots on the Big Green football team -- and they are shining more than usual.

If Penn hopes to defend its current winning streak and open Ivy League play with a victory, it will be crucial for the Quakers to shut down a host of standout Dartmouth players when the Big Green travel to Franklin Field on Saturday.

"We've got to control a couple of kids," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "You always worry about a let-down, that's human nature.

"Human nature is to believe what you read in the paper -- how great you are, what a great game you had, everybody's wonderful and there's no way you can lose."

Part of Penn preventing a let-down will be shutting down Dartmouth tight end Casey Cramer.

Cramer, a 6-foot-2 junior from Middleton, Wis., has been stirring up the Ivy League for the past two seasons.

In 2001, Cramer was a unanimous first-team all-Ivy selection after tallying 37 cathces for 525 yeards on the year. Cramer grabbed six touchdowns and was Dartmouth's leading receiver.

And this season, Cramer is already on the right track. In just two games, he has caught 17 passes for 222 yards.

Cramer has already nabbed two touchdowns in two games, which would put him on pace to shatter his totals from last season.

He is also turning heads on a national level, as he currently ranks fourth in the country in receptions per game at 8.5. He is 10th in Division I-AA in receiving yardage with an average of 111 yards per game.

"Dartmouth's tight end is terrific," Bagnoli said. "He's probably the best in the Ivy League since Ben [Zagorski] was with us."

Zagorski, who played for Penn from 1997 through 2000, was a first-team all-Ivy pick as well, after catching 12 career touchdown passes and racking up 817 passing yards while wearing the Red and Blue.

Zagorski signed a contract with the NFL's Detroit Lions in 2002 but did not make the team.

To put Cramer in the same catagory as Zagorski is to classify him as one of the top tight ends in recent Ivy League history.

After Cramer's recent performances, he may be worthy of that comparison.

With the help of junior wide receiver Jay Barnard, Cramer has been tearing apart opposing team's defensive strategies. Together, the duo has combined for 33 passes for 416 yards.

"[Cramer] causes you schematic problems," Bagnoli said. "Because it's hard to get those inside kids doubled. We're going to have to control him.

"Last week he had a monster game and the week before he had another monster game.

"He's their go-to guy."

Thus far, Penn's defense has stayed strong in clutch situations, although the fourth quarter against Lehigh was a nailbiter.

Dartmouth may not threaten as a team, but Cramer will no doubt test Penn's defensive legitimacy.

And if the Quakers are hoping to rise to the top of the Ivy League again, they will have to learn to shut down their opponents' strong points.

That challenge continues -- in a big way -- on Saturday.

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