Before the start of the current football season, Pennsylvania coach Steve Sebo predicted for his team "a middle of the League finish this year, a contending position next year, and domination the year after."

As one might guess from this statement, the Quakers are unusually strong in sophomores (five of them start), fairly well stocked in juniors (four of them start), and rather weak in seniors (only two of them start).

Half of the starting backfield is composed of sophomores, and the other two members are juniors. Probably the chief backfield threat is junior halfback Frank Riepl. In 300 minutes of action last year he was the team's second leading ground gainer with 127 yards in 56 carries. He also completed five passes for 65 yards and gained 48 yards on pass receptions.

In his first start last year, he caught the opening kickoff from Notre Dame in his own end zone and returned it 108 yards for a touchdown on a play that Associated Press sportswriters voted the most thrilling of the season.

Rest of Backfield

The other junior in the backfield is quarterback Rich Ross. In 356 minutes of play last year he completed 14 out of 46 passes for 213 yards returned 3 kick-offs for 43 yards, and intercepted two passes. He, too, is rated a fine defensive back.

Completing the backfield are two sophomores, halfback John Wright and full-back Dave Sikarskie. Wright started all four games for the Penn freshmen last year, and broke away for one long touch-down run against Cornell. Sikarskie saw little action last year due to an ankle injury. He is especially adept at quick starts and defensive play.

It is only at the end position that this Quaker team employs seniors, and here one finds two of the nine on the squad. At right end is co-captain Charley Gill. A strong defensive player, he had six tackles against Army last year. The left end is Dick Schafer, who was used mostly as a reserve last season.

Junior Leads Team

Probably the strongest lineman on the team is guard and co-captain Peter Keblish. The first junior to lead the team since 1911, he was used mostly as an understudy last year. The other guard is an agile, aggressive sophomore Ray Kelly.