Blocked field goals coming at key moments

Columbia boasts one of the better kickers of the Ivy League in Jon Rocholl.

The sophomore, who doubles as the team's punter, had hit seven of eight attempts going into Saturday's game.

This time, though, the Penn special teams unit was instrumental in preventing him from improving on that tally.

Defensive lineman J.J. Stanton blocked Rocholl's only attempt of the game with a shoulder pad in the third quarter, keeping the Lions off the board.

For his efforts, Stanton was named Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week.

This big play happening with the special teams is only the latest in what has become of a trend for the Quakers so far this season. Numerous times this year, the team has been able to turn to its special teams when it needed a spark on offense or defense.

Penn has blocked three field goals, two by Stanton and the other by senior captain Scott Williams.

That might explain why the Quakers' opponents have only made three out of 10 attempted field goals all season.

"We try to get kids in position to make plays," coach Al Bagnoli said. "But then a lot of it is up to the kid. The kid has to have the desire."

And maybe those numbers are result of practice - field-goal blocking is an area the Penn special teams unit works on consistently.

"Every week, we work on it, every day," Stanton said. "We just take pride in it. Some teams take that off and just concede that point, but we take it upon ourselves to make sure that we give 100-percent effort."

And Bagnoli agrees about the importance of his unit.

"Special teams is something that we spend a lot of time on," Bagnoli said. "I think our kids take that part of the game very seriously."

And that effort has a big effect on the games. The Red and Blue has won every single game in which it has blocked a field goal.

And perhaps that is because those blocks played a big part in helping to keep the momentum of the game on the Quakers' side.

"It's huge," Stanton said. "It takes . at least three points off the board."

On Saturday, after Stanton's block, the Quakers were able to mount a four-play, 78-yard touchdown drive after taking possession of the ball.

In the 10-point game against Lafayette, two Leopards field goals were blocked. The first of those blocks meant that Lafayette had to play two scores down instead of one as they were trying to claw back into it in the closing minutes.

And aside from keeping the scores from getting too close, the blocked field goals can affect the mental game of Penn's opponents.

They're "coming back to the sidelines, coming off a long drive and getting no points," Stanton said. "It's really demoralizing for an offense, and it picks us up on the sidelines."

Blocking field goals is not something completely new for this season. In 2005, the Quakers blocked a total of five kicks.

And, if this year's trend continues, Penn might break that tally.

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