Backup set to take reins of Quakers

A vulnerable Penn football team is probably starting sophomore Pat McDermott at quarterback for the first time and faces a Bucknell squad that is no stranger to upsets.

The Bison (3-2) stunned No. 14 Fordham, 31-10, last Saturday in New York. Penn (3-0, 1-0 Ivy) enters the game ranked 15th.

And with Penn's All-Ivy quarterback Mike Mitchell likely to sit out after spraining his left ankle, an undermanned and inexperienced defense will be called upon to take the pressure off McDermott.

"With Mitchell going down, the onus is on the defense," linebacker Ric San Doval said. "A lot of young guys will play. A lot of guys have to grow up quick."

First-year coach Tim Landis' wishbone offense dominated Fordham, holding the ball for over two-thirds of the first half while mounting a 24-7 lead.

Though not a great physical specimen at 5'8" and 175 pounds, quarterback Daris Wilson has triggered the triple-option with much success in his team's three victories.

Last week against the Rams, Wilson ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns. The speedy quarterback attempted only seven passes, completing three for 44 yards.

"He's a home run threat every time he touches the ball," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "He makes good decisions on the option. He knows when to keep, when to give and when to pitch. He throws the ball well enough that you've got to be able to play some pass defense."

And now the Wilson-directed option will travel to Franklin Field to face an injury-plagued Penn squad. The Bison defeated Penn, 23-16, the last time they came to West Philadelphia in 1999.

Penn's defense has yet to face a comparable high-powered run offense this season.

Bagnoli believes that key to a successful wishbone offense is the ability to "grind it out, run the clock, maximize the time of possession and score some points."

But if the Quakers jump out to an early lead, Bagnoli is confident that his defense can "take that philosophy away from them and force them to do some things they don't practice.

"It's easier said than done," he added. Yet if Penn can get out to an early lead, they may force Wilson to throw the ball -- something he has done only 47 times this season despite a quarterback efficiency rating of over 138.

Bagnoli also stressed that it will be critical for the Quakers to limit long runs.

"It's an offense predicated on big plays," he said. "The people they have running the offense are certainly predicated on being able to make big plays. You want to try to minimize big plays. You just don't want that 60-yarder."

Judging from how the two teams fared against common opponent Duquesne, Penn appears to be the clear favorite going into Saturday. In the first game for both teams, the Quakers defeated the Dukes 51-10, while the Bison won, 28-21.

However, Mitchell started that game for Penn. Bagnoli also noted it was Bucknell's first game under a new coach running a different offense.

"A little bit better representation is what they did to Fordham last week," Bagnoli said.

Either way, the Quakers are not underestimating a potentially dangerous Bison squad.

"We're just going to step it up a little this week," San Doval said. "It's a big game for both teams. Any time you come into our house it's a big game."

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