Sept. 17, 2002

Lafayette Head Coach Frank Tavani

"We're particularly proud of our young men, I think they've met every challenge we've asked them to take up to this point starting with the minute the season was over a year ago. Now we're building a winning mentality. We have the ability to play a lot better than we played. We're just not executing very well, particularly on offense in the red zone."

"We feel strongly that there is not a team on that schedule we can't beat. There is also a very fine line, as I told our football team, you can win the next 10 games or you could lose the next 10 games. That's how tough it is week to week and we can only take it one game a time. "

"This is Penn, a team that's only lost one game in the last two years. Regardless of whether we know anything about them or not, we know they recruit outstanding athletes, very aggressive, tough kids. We know that this is our toughest game to date and our kids are taking it in that light. An awful lot of them after we saw film realize we have to play much better than we've been playing."

"I think the great thing that's evolving about this football team is the guys that get called upon. People are ready to perform when their number is called and that's part of building into a winner."

Junior nose guard Pat Brown

"You really can't tell them (how physical it is). You just have to prepare. I think they got a little taste of it last week because like everyone said, it was a war last game inside. From a defensive standpoint, we played a good game, but it's a war every game."

"The first two games so far, it seems like we're wearing the offense out come the third or fourth quarter. They're driving on us, but it just seems like they're getting tired and we're ready to go."

Sophomore tailback Brandon McCloud

"I just try to run the best that I can and as far as possible at all given times. I try not to let that first person bring me down."

Penn Head Coach Al Bagnoli

"We lost both quantity as well as quality and we recognize that we're going to have our work cut out for us to try to keep the program at the level it's been. Over all we've been pretty happy that we have enough kids coming back. For us, since we haven't played anybody, the question is how fast can a young group of kids grow up under game situations and we honestly won't know that until we play someone."

"It's always easier to build a defense up, as opposed to an offense which requires a tremendous amount of cohesion and precision. We got hit with graduation on both sides, but it's easier to develop a defense and establish their personality and I think at this point, the defense is a little bit ahead of the offense."

"The first thing is that they're 2-0 and I think so much of how kids perform in this league is just governed by how much confidence they have and I think right now we're going to face a team that is much more confident. They were a young football team last year and I think with a full year under their belt that the McCourts of the world and the Glavics are going to be that much better and more confident. They know they can win, they know they can come back late and win and I think that makes them a very, very dangerous opponent."