Penn football's young D-line Cope-ing with inexperience

Less than 90 seconds are left as Colton Chapple steps back to pass. Harvard trail by just seven to the upset-minded Quakers, and 97 yards sit in between the Crimson’s quarterback and a tie game.

But within five seconds, Harvard’s Ivy title hopes are effectively crushed, as All-Ivy defensive end Brandon Copeland puts Chapple on his back in the endzone, providing the Red and Blue with a game-clinching safety.

Now, as Penn football begins its quest for another Ivy League title, there is no longer that major cog known as Copeland on the defensive line.

Copeland, along with fellow linemen C.J Mooney and Taylor Brown, graduated, turning one of Penn’s top strengths into a definitive question mark as 2013 begins.

“My problem is two-fold in that I only have one senior and no starters returning so in the preseason,” defensive line coach Jim Schaefer said. “You really have to work to make sure the kids are getting better every single day because we’re not sure what is going to happen when the bullets start flying.”

When the battle begins Saturday, the Quakers will start Austin Taps, Jimmy Wagner and Alex Kahn, a sophomore, junior and senior respectively.

Second-year success?

The 6-foot-3, 275 lb. Taps, who played in just three games a year ago, represents the solid potential of a physically-imposing sophomore class. Along with the 6’3 Dan Connaughton and 6’5 Tanner Thexton, the second-year defensive linemen have had a lot of praise thrown their way.

“Those sophomore guys really impressed us this spring. They did an absolutely fantastic job,” Wagner said. “We had a bunch of injuries and they really filled the gap. I’m excited to see what they can do.”

Schaefer added that he thought the three sophomores “physically have all the tools” and was more focused on catching them up on the mental side of the game: learning the plays and mastering the right technique.

And while the second-year players continue to work on those mental tasks, they are also giving their full effort on the field.

“Coach has been emphasizing that all our steps might not be there, and you might not do the right thing every play,” Taps said. “But as long as you go full speed and you beat the guy in front of you, it works.”

Leading the charge

While the sophomores provide solid potential and physical prowess to the defensive line, the junior and senior class bring experience and some talent of their own to the table.

Wagner and fellow junior Feerooz Yacoobi are two of the Red and Blue’s returning sack leaders, combining for 4.5 sacks a year ago. And that doesn’t take into account the line senior, Kahn, who Schaefer raves “looks better than he’s ever looked.”

“A lot of people are doubting us,” Yacoobi said. “There’s a big chip on our shoulders and obviously we have some great players up front, young guys who can step up, so we’re gonna make some plays.”

With Copeland gone, it has fallen to the upperclassmen to provide leadership on an inexperienced D-line, with Schaefer leaning on them during the preseason.

“They work well with the younger guys,” he said. “Those guys I have to lean on a lot and they’ve done a real good job with the younger guys, taking them in. They’re a tight knit group.”

While the front three haven’t received the chance to play at full game speed so far, they did get a chance to prove themselves in a scrimmage against Stony Brook. And the group held their own.

“The kids did a really good job of not getting knocked off the ball, despite being outweighed by probably 50 pounds apiece,” defensive coordinator Ray Priore said. “It was a really good test, and it was very promising.”

Wait ‘til you see them play

Flashing back to last November, just a play before Harvard’s Ivy hopes were snuffed out by Brandon Copeland, Colton Chapple stepped back to pass on second down.

As he would be a play later, Chapple was punished into the ground by a defensive lineman. But it wasn’t Copeland. It was Yacoobi, who struck down the Harvard QB for a seven-yard loss.

And Yacoobi is just one of the players returning on the defensive line, ready to prove that while the defensive line is a question mark now, it will be a strength when another Ivy title is on the line.

Wagner, the man in the center of the line, has a message for those who still doubt the ability of the 2013 front three.

“To those people I say wait until you see our first game,”

SEE ALSO

Penn football’s fight for four

Young backs carrying the load for Penn football

Penn’s defensive backs are oldies AND goodies

Tony | Not so fast, my friend

An in-depth look at the depth chart for Penn football

Ivy teams at a glance

30 Second with junior linebacker Dan Davis

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