Yes, I should have done this earlier in the day, but I was the guy behind the camera for the Eagles video on Philly.com and I did the post-production (as such) as well.
Penn held its football media day yesterday. If Villanova's main storyline is its quarterback and Temple's is what Al Golden can do this year, the single biggest theme regarding the Quakers this season is the kicking game.
You might (or might not... or probably don't, to be honest) recall that Penn set a rather dubious mark last season by becoming the first team to ever lose three straight overtime games -- at Yale, at home to Brown and at Princeton. I covered the two road games for the Inquirer and believe me when I say that on any given kick, there was a pretty good chance of all heck breaking loose.
At Yale, Derek Zoch missed a 23-yarder in the second quarter. In the fourth, with the game tied 14-14, Bagnoli was so worried on a fourth-down play that he chose to go for it instead of having Zoch kick a 42-yarder into the wind. A bit of a hazardous kick? Yes, but wouldn't you take your chance with the points?
Does that change when I tell you that in the overtime, Zoch put one off the upright?
No surprise, then: Joe Juliano focuses on the kicking game in his story in today's Inquirer.
Mike Kern notes that it's been four years since Penn last won an Ivy League title. The Quakers' four conference losses last season were by a combined 11 points. That's less than a field goal three points a game. Or something like that.
At the I-A level (one rule of this blog: I will not call it the BCS Subdivision or whatever its name is), Dick Jerardi writes about Rutgers' renaissance under Greg Schiano, and also writes a useful info box. Meaningful college football in the Northeast Corridor is a pretty nice thing to have, isn't it?
Ray Parrillo profiles Conwell-Egan grad and West Virginia superstar Steve Slaton.
Shannon Ryan writes up Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless' suspension. In an update this afternoon, Ryan reports that Quarless could be out 3-4 weeks. The Nittany Lions also got a commitment from defensive end Jack Crawford.
Notre Dame DT Derrell Hand, a former West Catholic star, has been suspended three games for propositioning a prostitute and will miss the Penn State game. Just reporting the facts here, folks.
And finally, if you still want to read more, the Daily News' Ed Barkowitz compiles 50 -- yes, fifty -- things you should know about the college football season.
That should tide you over until tomorrow.
