Three Penn football defensive storylines to watch

After finishing the 2021 season around the middle of the pack on defense, the Quakers — especially eighth-year defensive coordinator Bob Benson — have high hopes for their upcoming campaign to improve that side of the ball. Here are the three biggest storylines to watch from Penn’s defense this season. 

Replacing Prince Emili

Over the course of his six years with the Red and Blue, Prince Emili fashioned himself into a force to be reckoned with. Across 36 starts, he tallied 155 total tackles, 28 TFLs, and 9.5 sacks from his defensive tackle position. Emili’s presence anchoring Penn’s defensive line also extended to plays where his impact isn’t reflected on the box score. All of this led Emili to earn a spot with the Buffalo Bills during training camp and just miss the final roster. 

“I don’t know if we can replace Prince with one person,” Benson said. “But we’ll hopefully do it by committee.” 

Fortunately for him, there are multiple players ready to step up. Defensive line coach Hank Hughes suggested four who could see significant time inside: senior Micah Morris, junior Travis McFarling, senior Will Seiler, and junior Joey Slackman. Of these, Hughes noted that Morris has the most game experience, as he played in all 10 games last season, tallying 35 total tackles, six of them for loss. 

Benson mentioned many of the same names, and he’s also confident that Penn’s defense will be able to rebound from Emili’s departure. 

“I think our plan to replace him has been good in terms of planning,” he said. “We have a little bit of depth there and a replacement [plan] that we feel good about.” 

Stopping the Run

Last year, the Quakers allowed 133.2 rush yards per game and 3.5 yards per rush, both figures which landed them solidly in the bottom half of the Ivy League. As a result, stifling opponent rushing attacks is a major focus for Benson and the defense this season. 

“You can always improve every aspect of your game,” Benson said. “But if we can stop the run …it’ll be alright.”

To do that, the Quakers need to rely on senior linebacker Garrett Morris, who Benson called “the leader of the second level.” Last year, Morris was productive, finishing in fifth on the team with 45 total tackles, and also had one interception which he returned for 42 yards. Alongside Morris will be fellow seniors Jonathan Melvin and Adam Conyer. Both saw significant playing time last year, combining for 58 total tackles, including Conyer contributing five for loss. 

Can Experience Pay Off?

One of the biggest factors both Benson and Hughes mentioned is the continuity present on Penn’s defense. The Quakers return many of their key defensive contributors from 2021, with Emili, linebacker Brian O’Neill, defensive back Jason McCleod, and defensive lineman Matthew McElroy being among the only key Quakers who departed. 

In all of those spots, however, the coaches were confident that people would be able to step up. Jack Plank, who tallied seven tackles and 0.5 sacks as a backup linebacker last year before switching to defensive line for the 2022 campaign, was one of the names mentioned by the coaches. 

Another piece who Benson hopes will make an impact is senior defensive back Kendren Smith. Before suffering a season-ending injury in the fourth game of the season, Smith notched six tackles, including one for loss. Now healthy and playing alongside fellow senior Chris Rankins, the Penn coaching staff has lofty expectations in 2022.

Benson acknowledged the talent of his defensive unit, and summed up his job succinctly. 

“As long as these players know what they’re doing, we’re talented enough to play some decent defense,” he said. “And I’m just trying not to mess it up.”