After toiling in the shadows while Penn struggled to put up yards, the Quakers' offensive line finally has a win to show for another dominant day.
Penn unloaded an offensive onslaught on the hapless Hoyas, scoring five touchdowns before halftime with an ease that senior quarterback Bryan Walker credited to the offensive line setting the tempo and keeping the Georgetown pass-rush in check.
"It's amazing how our offensive line can just go out there and take complete control of the game sometimes," Walker said. "As a unit today, they took control of the game and that's why everything else looked so easy."
The offensive line has allowed just six sacks in four games this season for the quarterback pair of Walker and junior Robert Irvin, and helped Walker leave Saturday's game completely unscathed after not allowing a single sack.
The offensive line's pass protection has come in handy as the quarterback carousel of Walker and Irvin continues to stabilize, giving Walker a chance to take his time in the pocket and develop his passing game.
After averaging just 42 total attempts last year, Walker has already attempted 102 passes and thrown for 140 yards per contest this season, including a whopping 60 pass attempts against Dartmouth.
The running game has also taken advantage of the help. The team rushed for 253 yards in the contest, with some younger tailbacks getting in on the action.
Freshman tailback Mike DiMaggio won Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors for his 85-yard rushing performance on Saturday, while freshman Bradford Blackmon ran for 23 yards on eight carries and a touchdown in his first minutes on the field for Penn.
Despite playing through injury, senior running back Joe Sandberg was able to run for 117 yards on 13 carries in the first half.
"The line did a great job and we had a lot of younger guys get out there and run the ball well," Sandberg said. "It's just good to be able to get out and run."
While the offensive line held defenders at bay, the Quakers offense gained more than 400 yards in two straight games, although the result didn't reflect the effort until last weekend.
"They just make the perimeter position players' job so much easier," Walker said. "And I know that going forward that we can continue to rely on them."
With a healthy Irvin looking more and more like a distant mirage, Penn might have to.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.