ITHACA, N.Y. – Coming off a 28-7 pasting of Franklin Pierce in its home opener, sprint football will hit the road for the first time this season to take on Ivy League rival Penn. The potent backfield of Quarterback Rob Pannullo and running back Benjamin Herrera lead the Big Red into Franklin Field, looking to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2012.
 
Cornell Big Red (1-0) vs. Pennsylvania Quakers (1-0)
Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 | 7:00 PM | Franklin Field – Philadelphia, Pa.
All-Time Series: Cornell Leads, 59-36-0
Last Meeting (2013): Cornell Lost, 14-28
Live Stats | Live Video
 
SCOUTING CORNELL
 
Big Red Headlines
Sprint football kicked off the 2014 campaign on Saturday, blasting Franklin Pierce 28-7 in the team's home opener at Schoellkopf Field. The Big Red racked up 321 total yards, including 193-yards on the ground, outscoring the Ravens 14-0 after the halftime break to run away with the victory. Rob Pannullo was the offensive dynamo for the Big Red, accounting for 211 all-purpose yards and all four touchdowns. He led the team with 83-yards on the ground and another 128-yards through the air.
 
About Head Coach Terry Cullen
Cullen is a Cornell legend and has been a patriarch of the sprint football program at the University for over five decades. He enters his 51^st season with the program in 2014, after joining his father; former sprint football head coach Bob Cullen, in 1964. He has amassed a 171-139-7 career record with the program, leading the team to two undefeated seasons and six league titles. Cullen shared coaching responsibilities with his father through the 1995 season, before serving as the sole head coach from 1996-2007. His position became officially known as The Terry Cullen Head Coach of Sprint Football in 2001.
 
About Co-Head Coach Bart Guccia
Guccia enters his tenth season as a member of the sprint football coaching staff and his seventh as co-head coach in 2014. A bright offensive mind, Guccia has brought a balanced offensive attack to the Big Red since his installment as co-head coach. The offense looked in mid-season form in the team's home opener last week, as the Big Red moved the ball at will through the air and on the ground in route to the three touchdown victory. He is responsible for the majority of on-field coaching and gameday decisions. The Big Red is 37-25 since he joined the program in 2005.
 
Last Meeting vs. Penn
The Big Red dropped the meeting with the Quakers last season 28-14. Penn jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on the opening drive, before the Cornell defense stiffened. The Quakers were able to add on just before halftime on a 39-yard Hail Mary pass. The score was deflating for a Big Red team, as it allowed 14 more points, before adding two scores at the end of the game to cut the deficit to 14. Current quarterback Rob Pannullo had one reception for a 16-yard score in the contest. Brendan Miller added a one yard score with 2:51 remaining in the fourth quarter.
 
Captain Quartet
The Big Red has four captains who will bring a wealth of leadership to the team in key areas this fall. The four senior captains are First Team All-CSFL defensive back Chris Sitko, Second Team All-CSFL defensive lineman Eric Stazi, and Second Team All-CSFL offensive linemen Greg Zalevsky and Bennett Winters.
 
Strength in the Trenches
Traditionally, the team that wins the battle at the line of scrimmage has the best chance of winning the game. If tradition is any indication, the Big Red should have a great chance to do well in 2014. The team returns two all-league players on the offensive line in Zalevsky and Winters. The defensive front seven looks fearsome as Stazi and Carfi return to anchor the defensive line, while all-league linebackers D'Ambrosio and Park provide support behind them. The strength of both units was on display, as the offensive line created huge holes for Pannullo and Benjamin Herrera, while the defensive line hounded Franklin Pierce's freshman quarterback Jose Melo all afternoon.
 
Sensational Signal Caller
Pannullo had a breakout game in his first game as the full-time starter. He collected 211 all-purpose yards, while accounting for all four scores. His excellent performance netted him CSFL Offensive Player of the Week honors for the opening week of the season. He is the first Big Red player to win the award since Abe Mellinger in the opening week of the 2012 season. Coincidentally, Mellinger's performance came in the Big Red's six overtime victory over Penn, where he caught eight passes for 102-yards and two touchdowns.
 
Best in the Backfield
Junior Benjamin Herrera had a huge game in the opener against the Ravens. He rushed for ten times for 64-yards, while he added seven catches for 51-yards and a touchdown. Kevin Nathanson did a good job spelling Herrera. While he only got three carries in the contest, he added five catches for an additional 30-yards and a touchdown.
 
Dominant Defense
The Big Red defense completely shut down Franklin Pierce in the second half. The Ravens could only muster 51-yards in the second half, while the team went three-and-out five times after halftime. Cornell registered eight sacks, while it caused three turnovers – two interceptions and one fumble recovery – in the lopsided victory.
 
SCOUTING PENNSYLVANIA
 
Quaker Headlines
Penn spoiled Mansfield's home opener last Saturday, coming back from a 13-point deficit to stun the Mountaineers at Karl Van Norman Field. Mike Beamish put the Quakers ahead with 1:42 remaining, capping an 11-play 73-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Beamish rushed 24-times for 125-yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
 
About Head Coach Bill Wagner
Wagner has been the face of sprint football at Penn. He is in his 45^th season as the head coach and is regarded as one of the best offensive minds in the league. The Quakers traditionally boast a potent offensive since Wagner has been at the helm, including last season, in which Penn led the CSFL in total offense. His most recent CSFL Championship came in 2010, when he led the Quakers to a 6-1 season. The Willam R. Wagner Trophy, awards to the highest placing Ivy League School in the CSFL standings, is named after him.
 
Penn Passer
Mike McCurdy conducts the offense under center. He went 20-33 for 190-yards and two interceptions in the opener. While his stat-line was not spectacular, he has a solid arm and is more than capable of providing a change of pace from Penn's bread-and-butter rushing attack.
 
Boundless Beamish
Beamish powered the Quaker offense in the opener, accounting for 125-yards and two scores on the ground, while adding two receptions for 15-yards. He also was the Quakers primary punter, averaging 32.8 yards on four kicks, including two downed inside the 20-yardline. He ranks fifth on Penn's all-time rushing list.
 
Aggressive Defense
Like Cornell, Penn's defense stiffened when it counted in the second half. The Quakers shut out Mansfield in the final quarter, as it mounted the comeback. Penn racked up eight sacks in the contest and forced two turnovers. Junior hybrid defensive end Ed Cai was extremely disruptive, recording five tackles, two sacks, and an interception.
 
UP NEXT
The Big Red will stay on the road the following week, as the team travels to West Point to take on Army. Opening kick is scheduled for 7 p.m.