Final Franklin Field Game Saturday For Penn's Bagnoli
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- For the final time on Saturday, Penn's Al Bagnoli will lead the Quakers out on the field for a game at Franklin Field. The retiring Bagnoli's final home game as head coach will come against an outstanding Harvard team that is 8-0 (5-0 in the Ivy League) this season.
The Quakers fell to 1-7 (1-4 in the Ancient 8) last week as they lost a tough one on the road to rival Princeton, 22-17.
"We struggled to make the routine play and that ultimately was our undoing," Bagnoli tells KYW Newsradio. "We had the ball first and goal to go from the two, we drop a shotgun snap, we can't pick it up, we bobble it, kick it around, they pick it up, go 70 yards the other way which ultimately leads to a field goal, so it was a ten point swing there. We missed a field goal, we missed some interceptions, we had a couple controversial calls go against us. We just really are struggling to make what I would consider to be routine plays. Routine blocks, routine catches, routine tackles. And until we get the routine plays handled, we're still not going to be where we need to be."
Listen to the entire interview with Penn's Al Bagnoli
Harvard blew out Columbia last week 45-0 to remain undefeated. They lead the Ivy League by a game over three teams and Bagnoli says they are about as good as it gets.
"They've been as consistent a football program in the last 10 years as probably any program in the country," Bagnoli says. "So my hat is off to their coaching staff and their program and their kids. They've done an unbelievable job. They're just really good at everything. You look at them, they can run the ball, they've got a big, stout, mature offensive line. They have good backs, they have good receivers, they have a good quarterback. They're really good on defense up front, they're good at the second level and they're good man-to-man coverage guys. So you look at them across the board, there is no weakness."
As far as this being the last time he'll coach the Quakers at Franklin Field (his final game will be November 22nd on the road against Cornell), Bagnoli says he hasn't really focused on it.
"I really haven't thought about it," Bagnoli says. "We're so banged up, the only thing I've been looking at is our medical report and who's available and how we're going to get these young kids ready to play. I think our whole staff is being stressed out just due to our medical issues and who we're playing. It'll probably hit me at some point. We've had such good memories here and we've had some unbelievable runs in games. So I think, being 'Senior Day,' I told our seniors, 'We're all going out together. I'm the class of '14 as well.' So I think it will hit me at some point, I just honestly haven't thought about it that much just given all the trauma the program's going through right now."
Last year Penn lost to Harvard on the road, 38-30.
Saturday's game at Franklin Field kicks off at 1:00 pm.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
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