Fitting with the season, the Quakers traveled to Yale on Saturday, only to find themselves immersed in a horror story. For what it lacked in blood and gore, this tale made up for in psychological torture.
The Red and Blue faced two possible outcomes: taking the Ivy League by the horns, or making their last four contests — against the toughest of competition — must-wins.
They chose the latter, and the Red and Blue’s terrifyingly passive play-calling stands as proof.
On the second drive of the game, after moving the ball 57 yards with ease on the first eight plays, Penn stood on Yale’s 12-yard line with a 1st-and-10. It’s here where the horror begins.
First down: Ragone completes an eight-yard pass to Ryan Mitchell. Just two yards separate the Quakers and a brand new set of downs; four yards stand between them and the end zone.
Second down: Ragone goes for six, but his pass to Conner Scott falls incomplete. That’s okay, though — they still only need two yards.
Third down: Ragone rushes for a yard, making it 4th-and-1 on the Yale 3. Momentum is on the Quakers’ side — even the Bulldogs wouldn’t bet on themselves to make the stop.
Fourth down: Loftus attempts a 21-yard field goal. And to add insult to passivity, Loftus misses.
You could just hear the ghosts of football games past laughing in Bagnoli’s face over the Yale Bowl crowd.
Bagnoli deserves the flack. For an offense that runs on fumes just as often as it clicks on all cylinders, he should know better than to let one of the times when his offense is in sync go to waste.
But by the fourth quarter, down 10, he’s sure to have changed his mentality, right?
The Quakers, who had moved 37 yards in four plays, began the fourth quarter on the Yale 28 with a Jeff Jack rush for 11 yards. Both Jack and Lyle Marsh ran well on Saturday, each averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
First down: A Ragone pass falls incomplete. Aggression is good. They need to put points up quick.
Second down: Ragone completes a pass to Scott for six yards. Alright, Bagnoli can either take a shot downfield, and if it fails, kick a field goal, or he can call a play that’ll put Penn in good position to make a conversion.
Third down: Ragone finds Marsh in the slot, where he gains just a yard. Sure, a run may have been a smarter move, given the way the Quakers have run the ball, but that’s okay.
Fourth down: Not surprisingly, Bagnoli sends out the field goal unit. Loftus drills one through the uprights for three.
From there on out, Penn was unable to match the Bulldogs’ bite, never reaching enemy territory for the rest of the game.
When a coach is unwilling to take chances, to play with his heart rather than his head, then his team will follow suit. That’s what happened on Saturday.
Bagnoli has shown an inability to instill in his team the energy it needs to win too many times this season. That’s what makes it so horrifying.
In two vital situations, Bagnoli opted not to lose rather than taking the chances necessary to win.
The ghosts of games past never reward such a mentality.
If you find yourself walking past Franklin Field as we draw closer to All Hallows’ Eve, stop and listen. You’ll still hear them laughing.
JOHN PHILLIPS is a junior English major from Philadelphia. He can be reached at dpsports@theDP.com.
SEE ALSO
Soisson | Penn’s defense needs an energy boost
Penn football drops first Ivy contest at Yale
Tony | Penn defense falters against inferior Lions
Phillips | Penn football needs to pick up the pac
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