Can’t be touched (down)

The last offensive touchdown Penn surrendered came with 8:29 remaining in the second quarter against Columbia Oct. 17.

In the 10-plus quarters since, the Quakers have yielded just seven points and 76 net rushing yards. At the same time, the Red and Blue have eight sacks, four interceptions and five forced fumbles.

Four games into Ivy League play, Penn sits atop the conference in total defense, scoring defense, rush defense, sacks, opponent total first downs and opponent third down conversions.

To reverse the common adage: the best offense is a good defense, as Penn’s offense hasn’t exactly blown away opponents.

Against Yale and Brown combined, the Red and Blue managed just 10 points from the line of scrimmage. Without the defense nullifying the opposition and providing them so many chances, the Quakers might not be riding a five-game winning streak.

“I’m going to do what I need to do to make the plays that I need to make and nothing more,” cornerback Chris Wynn said last Saturday. “I think there’s really an unselfish attitude in our defense to have confidence in each other to get the job done.”

In their last three wins, the Quakers’ time of possession averages just short of 35 minutes per game as Penn’s ‘D’ has become a legitimate factor in the offense, getting the ball back to its quarterbacks quickly and often.

Who’s it going to be? At Tuesday’s practice, coach Al Bagnoli said quarterback Keiffer Garton worked out, but did not take any snaps. He’s likely to keep the same schedule for the rest of the practice week.

The junior has been hampered by injuries all season and is still fitted with a brace to protect his sprained knee.

While second-string Kyle Olson has been inconsistent — lacking efficiency at Yale and tossing four picks in one half against Brown — the bottom line is, he’s winning.

As Olson said after Penn’s win against the Bears, “The toughest part after an interception is to clear your mind and just think of the next play.

“Our boys said it doesn’t matter what the stats are as long as we get the win.”

Garton is officially listed as day-to-day, but who winds up under center might be a moot point; expect the Quakers to revert to the run against Princeton.

The Tigers have the second-worst rush defense in the Ancient Eight. With Penn’s propensity to keep the ball on the ground, either quarterback might be effective without having to do much at all.

A-Game. A perfect record in the Ivy League has been Penn’s goal all year, but a couple of Quakers are already perfect in the classroom.

Monday, the University recognized senior, defensive lineman Tom Castner and sophomore tight end Brian Leone for carrying 4.0 GPAs.

Leone, who hails from Randolph, N.J., is enrolled in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Castner is part of the Management and Technology dual degree program, as a mechanical engineering major also enrolled in Wharton.

Great Expectations. All signs point to a Penn rout against Princeton this weekend.

The Tigers haven’t exactly had a storybook season. At 2-5, 1-3 Ivy, they haven’t scored more than two touchdowns in any game this year, but last weekend at home they may have gained some momentum.

A 78-yard fourth-quarter passing play gave Princeton a 17-13 victory over Cornell.

The Quakers’ biggest concern this Saturday will be thinking too much about the matchup with Harvard looming next weekend.

Should Penn and the Crimson both win this weekend (Harvard plays Columbia in New York), their showdown in Boston will determine the Ivy champion.

But the first task for the Quakers is giving the alumni returning for Homecoming exactly what they want: a drubbing of old rival Princeton.

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