Indiana Week Gameday Central
VIDEO: Indiana Week Practice Interview
Indiana Week Q&A with John Strollo
VIDEO: One-on-One with Shane McGregor
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
- The Nittany Lions kick off a two-game homestand to cap off the 2012 season at
noon on Saturday (BTN) with clash against Leaders Division foe Indiana.
Penn State is finishing the season with two-straight home games for just the
third time in its 20 seasons of Big Ten play.
The Lions are coming off a hard-fought 32-23 setback at Nebraska last
week. Against the Huskers, sophomore wide
out Allen Robinson tied O.J. McDuffie (1992) and Bobby Engram (1995) for the
single season reception record (63).
Robinson, who leads the Big Ten in receptions, yardage, yards per game
and touchdowns, will own the record with one reception on Saturday.
Indiana enters the matchup having won two of its last three games. The Hoosiers had their two-game winning
streak snapped last week in a 62-14 setback to Wisconsin in Bloomington. Indiana needs two victories in the final two
weeks to become bowl eligible.
Welcome to the gameday preview for the 11th contest on the 2012 schedule.
Pregame Reading:
What
to Watch For - Penn State
1. Sophomore Zach Zwinak enters the
Indiana game with four 100-plus yard rushing performances in his last six
games. That list includes a career-best
141 yards in last Saturday's game at Nebraska.
Zwinak leads the Nittany Lions in rushing with 686 yards (5.0 yards per
carry). The Lions will likely use a
heavy dose of Zwinak, Michael Zordich and Bill Belton against an Indiana defense
that yielded 564 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns last week against
Wisconsin. Zwinak ranks sixth in Big Ten
games with 98.3 yards per game. Keep an
eye on the Nittany Lion offensive line as it blocks Indiana's interior tackles. The unit's run blocking has improved with
each passing week.
2. Three costly turnovers hindered the
Nittany Lions at Nebraska last week, including two inside the red zone. Penn State is looking to play mistake-free
football against the Hoosiers. The Lions
had a very crisp week of practice. That
needs to translate over into an efficient offensive performance. On the defensive side of the ball, the
Nittany Lions have not scored a defensive touchdown yet in 2012. Michael Mauti came close at Illinois and
several other players have put their hands on balls that could have resulted in
six points, but came up just short.
Needless to say, the defense is long overdue for a big play.
3. The Nittany Lions did not dwell on
last Saturday's game in Lincoln at all this week. The team turned the page on Monday afternoon
when the squad met with Coach O'Brien to begin Indiana preparations. Nonetheless, the team is motivated to respond
with a complete performance on Saturday.
With only two games left for the incredible senior class, the Nittany
Lions will be focused on Saturday.
Execution, especially when big play opportunities are presented to the
Lions, is essential as Penn State looks for its seventh win in 2012.
What
to Watch For - Indiana
1. Penn State has played its fair share
of teams that like to operate at a quick tempo, but the scouting report of
Indiana indicates that the Hoosier offense plays quicker than anyone else on
the schedule. The Indiana attack likes
to run between 90 and 100 offensive plays every week. In order to do so, the Hoosiers must find a
way to pick up first downs on a consistent basis. Sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman leads
the Indiana offensive unit. Coffman has
thrown for 1,932 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in eight starts
this season. Sophomore Shane Wynn leads
Indiana with 51 receptions, but fellow sophomore Cody Latimore paces the
Hoosiers with 707 receiving yards (44 receptions).
2. On the defensive side of the ball,
Indiana's ability to make plays in the backfield is essential against the
Nittany Lions. Forcing Matt McGloin out
of the pocket is the gameplan for the Indiana front four led by senior
defensive tackles Larry Black Jr. and Adam Replogle. The Hoosiers lead the Big Ten in tackles for
loss (7.3 per game) and rank third in the Big Ten in sacks (24). Black and Replogle each have 9.0 TFL and 4.0
sacks in 2012. In addition to pass rush
and clogging the interior running lanes, Indiana must do a good job of getting
off the field on third down. The Hoosiers
are 11th in the Big Ten in third down conversion rate (41.4 percent).
3. Penn State has out-scored opponents
83-6 in the first quarter this year. Indiana has out-scored opponents 82-79 in
the first quarter this year. Coming off the loss to Wisconsin, the Hoosiers
need a quick start against a very stingy first-half Penn State defense. Establishing, and then sustaining, a quick
tempo rests on the shoulders of Indiana's ability to pick up first downs and
keep the Nittany Lion defense off balance.
Gameday Rundown
Kickoff: Noon
TV: BTN - Kevin Kugler (PBP), Chris
Martin (Analyst), J Leman (Sideline)
Radio: Penn State Sports Network -
Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst), Loren Crispell (Sidelines)
Stadium: Beaver Stadium (106,572) - Natural
Grass
Coaches: Bill O'Brien - 6-4, 1st
season
Kevin Wilson - 5-17 at Indiana, 2nd season at Indiana (Same overall)
The Series: 16th meeting
The Final Word:
The Nittany Lions only look at one game at a time, but it's hard to not think
about the 2012 senior class only having eight more quarters of football in
Beaver Stadium. With that being said,
there will be a sense of urgency for the Lions to finish the season off in a
positive manner. On the other sideline,
Indiana needs two victories to remain alive for a bowl appearance. Both teams have a lot to play for on
Saturday, but the game will come down to Indiana's ability to defend the run
and Penn State's ability to slow down the Hoosier offense's tempo. Keep an eye on Matt McGloin, who is closing
in on several passing records. The Lion
senior is 328 yards shy of becoming the single season leader, three touchdown
passes away from becoming the career leader and six completions away from
becoming the season leader. The weather
forecast is calling for superb November football conditions with sunny skies
and temperatures in the mid 40s.
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Recently in Football Category
As the team puts the final touches on the gameplan, take a look through some remarks from tight end coach John Strollo.
Q: Knowing what Coach O'Brien did with
the tight ends at New England, how much were you looking forward to coaching
the tight ends in his offense?Strollo: "It was a great honor to number one, be asked, and number two to be asked to come to Penn State. I knew that it would be an exciting learning experience. It was a great thing to walk into."
Q: How has Kyle Carter performed this season?
Strollo: "We knew Kyle was a pretty productive, exceptional kid. You have seen him in games; you should see some of the catches he makes in practice. He has to work on aspects of his game, and he knows that. He is a young guy, who is a redshirt freshman, but we knew he was going to be productive...As far as his injury goes; Kyle has a tremendous attitude on life. He is going to handle whatever hand he has been dealt."
Q: How did Garry Gilliam's previous experience help the younger tight ends heading into the season?
Strollo: "Garry is a really unique situation because his experience was limited on the football field, but his life experience was extremely valuable. He has a very steadying influence on the room. He's like the All-American kid. He's a great student. He is a great person. He is a worker. He is a talented football player. If you really look at it, he is on par with a lot of the other guys experience-wise. He is a great guy to have in the room, though."
Q: How much has football changed with the heavy use of the tight ends?
Strollo: "I don't know if you remember a guy named John Mackey, who played for the Baltimore Colts. I don't think this is a big revelation. What Coach O'Brien, the Patriots and now Penn State have done is using anybody who has unique talent. He wants to use those talents. Kyle Carter is an example. He is a talented kid. He knows how to do things. He is a very instinctive football player. I don't know if it is necessarily the tight ends. If we had a bunch of running backs, Coach O'Brien would probably develop something along those lines. I just happen to be the tight end coach, so I am a little biased."
Q: What are some characteristics you look for in a tight end?
Strollo: "The tight end, by definition is a guy who can block and catch. Any football player needs to have an explosive component. To be a tight end, you need to be tall enough and big enough to fit the position. I think what you are really looking for is a guy who is productive."
Q: What has it been like working with Coach O'Brien?
Strollo: "The number one thing is that he is a fun guy to be around. The second thing is, the minute we started working together, I saw him as an exceptional talent. He is a quick-minded, quick-witted guy that sees things and makes quick decisions. He is a very talented individual. I feel lucky to be here with him. He is going to do everything in his power to keep the Penn State winning tradition."
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The Nittany Lions completed their third practice of Indiana week in shells and
shorts on Wednesday.
GoPSUsports.com caught up with senior cornerback Stephon Morris following
practice for a mid-week update as the team closes in on its return to Beaver
Stadium on Saturday.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The Nittany Lions kick off a two-game homestand to close out the 2012 season
with a matchup against Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
Coach O'Brien previewed the Indiana game on Tuesday afternoon at his weekly
preview press conference. Take a look through
some of his key remarks.
Great Start to Indiana Week
The Nittany Lions had
a great team meeting at 2:45 p.m. on Monday, followed by a superb opening
practice. That's no surprise with this
group of Nittany Lions. They love to
practice, and regardless of the result on Saturday, the team has approached
every Monday the same this fall. The
group realizes that it only has two more opportunities to put on the uniform
this season, adding to the sense of urgency to play with energy and passion
every time it steps on the field.
"We came out yesterday and had a really good practice; we had a crisp
practice," O'Brien said. "We need to
keep it going today, but as a matter of fact I told them after, that's what I
appreciate about this football team, that they came back to work hard like that
on a Monday. Like I said, it was good,
and hopefully that can translate to today and we can win a Tuesday."
A Look at Indiana
The Hoosiers enter Saturday's game with a 4-6 overall record and a 2-4 mark
in the Big Ten. Indiana's string of
scoring 24 or more points in 10-straight games ended last week against
Wisconsin (62-14). Indiana, which won
two-straight games leading into the Wisconsin setback, has made very good
strides in the second year under head coach Kevin Wilson. The tempo of the Hoosier offense will likely
be the quickest among any team Penn State has played in 2012.
"I think Kevin (Wilson) has done a really good job there, defensively they are
sound, they have a good blitz scheme," O'Brien said. "Their two inside tackles are two of the
better players we have played this year at those positions. Offensively they run a very, very fast tempo,
I mean ultra fast, and they try and run between 90 and 100 plays in a game, so
that's a huge challenge for our defense this week and special teams.
"We feel like we have to play well on special teams because they're going to
come to play on special teams and we're going to do the best we can to get an
edge there. Kevin Wilson has done an
excellent job with that program from when he got there to where it is now, so
it's going to be a tough game for us on Saturday."
Message to the Fans
Penn State's special senior class has eight more quarters of football in
Beaver Stadium. For what the group has
done for the football program, it deserves a proper send off with two loud,
enthusiastic crowds to end the season.
It is important for the fans to show their support to a collection of
players that stuck with Penn State when they could have left without any
consequence.
"I'm not going to beg anybody to come to the game but I'm going to tell them
this: This is a team that has been
through unprecedented situations," O'Brien said. "This is a football team led by a senior
class that has had the choice, had the choice, had a choice whether to stay at
Penn State or to leave Penn State, and they chose to stay."
"So as fans, as students, can we not choose to support them in their last two games,
eight quarters of football? I don't
know, to me that's what I feel. I think
this is a team that's poured its heart and soul into this season. We're not an undefeated team, can't do
anything about that now, we have two games left starting with a tough Indiana
team."
Tight End Clinic
Penn State's four tight ends have combined for 72 receptions during the
2012 season. Part of Tuesday's press conference
featured a discussion about the evolution of the tight end position in his
offense. O'Brien said that his vision of
the tight end position evolved tremendously when the New England Patriots
drafted Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski in 2010. He knew right away that those two players had
the skill sets to create matchup problems for defenses.
"So what I learned there was because of their size and their speed and their
catching ability and their football instincts that they could be problems for
defense, especially on the inside of coverages," O'Brien said. "And then I learned when you split them out
wide, they're a little bit of a problem, too, because they're going against
corners that aren't as big as those guys are; Rob was 6‑7 and Aaron 6‑4. Then coming here I have learned even more.
"I think we have a great group of tight ends here. They are smart, tough, they can do both, they
can block, run routes, catch. Some guys
are better blockers than route runners; some are better route runners than
blockers, but they all work hard, and they're all instinctive players, and I
hope we can continue to grow in that position."
Injury Update
Coach O'Brien
informed the media on Tuesday that tight end Kyle Carter will miss the final
two games of the season due to a wrist injury suffered in the second half of
the Nebraska game. Carter finishes a
stellar redshirt freshman season with 36 receptions for 453 yards and two
touchdowns. The future is very bright
for a tight end that creates matchup problems every time he is on the
field. In addition to Carter, Coach
O'Brien said that junior safety Malcolm Willis (knee) is day-to-day. Willis will be evaluated throughout the week
before a decision is made regarding his status for Saturday's game.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
For the first time since 2008, the Nittany Lions will finish off the regular
season with back-to-back home games in Beaver Stadium.
Beginning with Saturday's noon kick against Indiana, the team needs the Nittany
Lion faithful filling the stadium. No
team in the school's history went to greater lengths to stick with Penn State
than this group.
"Even though this is not an undefeated team, this is a very special team of
kids," O'Brien said. "We need the fans
of Penn State to stick with us. This
football team stuck with Penn State, and we need the fans of Penn State to
stick with us at the Indiana game and at the Wisconsin game."
The special senior class will have the opportunity to put the Penn State
uniform on two more times for a total of eight quarters inside Beaver
Stadium. The group deserves a warm
reception during the next two Saturdays.
"It's definitely exciting for the seniors to finish off their careers with two
home games," quarterback Matt McGloin said.
Despite coming up just short in the final road game last Saturday, the Nittany
Lions will return to work on Monday with the same mindset they have all season. Penn State will correct its mistakes from the
Nebraska game by watching the film and begin installing the gameplan for
Saturday's Leaders Division clash with Indiana.
"We've gotten to this point in the season playing hard," O'Brien said. "We've got to correct it and coach it better,
and we have to play better next weekend."
The Nittany Lions and Hoosiers will collide Saturday at noon on BTN.
"We are excited to go back home for the last two games of the season to be with
the fans in Beaver Stadium," offensive guard John Urschel said.
Robinson Ties Record
With six receptions for 97 yards against Nebraska, sophomore Allen Robinson
equaled the single season reception record.
The rising sophomore wide receiver is now level with O.J. McDuffie
(1992) and Bobby Engram (1995) at 63 receptions. Robinson is currently leading the Big Ten in
receptions per game (6.3), receiving yards per game (78.6) and receptions (63). Robinson has tallied at least five receptions
in nine of Penn State's 10 games this season.
Game-by-Game (Rec-Yds)
Ohio - 9-97
Virginia - 10-89
Navy - 5-136
Temple - 5-82
Illinois - 3-35
Northwestern - 9-85
Iowa - 6-39
Ohio State - 5-68
Purdue - 5-58
Nebraska - 6-97
Mauti and Hodges Closing in on Century
Mark
Linebacker U's Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges are both within 10 tackles
of reaching 100 stops on the season.
Mauti enters the Indiana game with 93 tackles, while Hodges has 90 hits
on the season. Penn State has not had
two 100-plus tacklers in a season since Dan Connor (145) and Sean Lee (138)
topped the century mark in 2007. Mauti
and Hodges have each made at least 10 tackles in four different games this
season.
Senior Day Kick Time Set
The Nov. 24 Senior Day game against Wisconsin will be a memorable day in
Penn State Football history. The 2012
senior class will go down as one of the greatest groups in program history for
what they it has endured during its time on campus. The season finale will kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
on ABC. With the Wisconsin TV
announcement, every Penn State game has been on TV since 2004.
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LINCOLN, Neb. - Head coach Bill O'Brien addressing the media following
Penn State's hard fought 32-23 setback at Nebraska on Saturday.
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LINCOLN, Neb. - Hear from several Nittany Lions following Saturday's
32-23 setback at Nebraska. Penn State
returns home to face Indiana on Saturday at noon.
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The Nittany Lions are in Memorial Stadium today for a showdown against Nebraska.
HALFTIME: Penn State 20, Nebraska 6
The Nittany Lions have been a strong first half team throughout 2012, and that trend continued in the opening half at Memorial Stadium. Sophomore running back Zach Zwinak galloped 50 yards on the fourth play of the game to give the Lions a 7-0 lead just 1:46 into the game. The Cornhuskers answered with two field goals before Sam Ficken drilled his first of two field goals, which gave the Lions a 10-6 advantage. Thanks to a short field on a muffed Nebraska punt, Matt McGloin marched the Nittany Lions 31 yards in five plays before completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jesse James. Ficken added a 38-yard field goal to set the score at 20-6 heading into the break. The Nittany Lions held the Huskers without a touchdown in the first half for the first time this season. If it weren't for a fumble in the red zone during the first quarter, Penn State's lead could have been bigger. Nonetheless, the Huskers have been terrific in the second half this season. The game is far from over in Lincoln, but the Lions are off to a good start.
End 3rd Quarter - Penn State 23, Nebraska 20
Nebraska's Taylor Martinez wasted little time getting the Husker offense into gear out of the locker room. Martinez's offense covered 75 yards in eight plays before trimming the Nittany Lion lead to 20-13. Three plays later, Nebraska had the ball again at the Penn State 4 after an interception. The Huskers punched in a score to quickly knot the game at 20-20 with 9:37 to play in the quarter. Needing to answer, McGloin and Zwinak powered Penn State in NASCAR mode inside the Nebraska red zone. Ficken notched his third field goal of the game to set the score at 23-20, Nittany Lions.
FINAL - Nebraska 32, Penn State 23
The Nittany Lions
played well on the road in a hostile environment, but fell short on the
scoreboard. Three turnovers, two of
which in the red zone hindered the Penn State's attempt to finish undefeated in
Big Ten road games. The Nittany Lions
looked to be on track to score a go-ahead touchdown while trailing 27-23 in the
fourth quarter, but fumbled at the goal line.
From there, the Huskers added a safety and field goal to set the final
score at 32-23. Nebraska scored 26 of
its 32 points in the second half, and the Lions were limited to just one Sam
Ficken field goal in the final 30 minutes.
Penn State played well enough to win, but like Coach O'Brien said after
the game, it is impossible to beat ranked teams on the road when you turn the
ball over three times. The Nittany Lions
return home for two weeks, and the team needs Nittany Nation in the seats
filling Beaver Stadium.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Pregame Reading:
- Good afternoon from balmy Lincoln, Neb., as the Nittany Lions prepare
for a clash against No. 16 Nebraska.
Temperatures are in the middle 70s, but the wind will play a factor in
today's game. There is a stiff breeze
blowing from the South (25 mph). Kicking
or throwing into the wind will not be easy for either team. The Nittany Lions arrived at the stadium at
noon (CT) before taking their traditional walk onto the field.
- On the defensive side of the ball, Saturday's game is shaping up to be an intriguing
matchup between conference's best offense and one of the Big Ten's top defenses. The Nittany Lion defensive gameplan begins
with slowing down the Nebraska running game, which leads the conference at
269.6 yards per game. Junior quarterback
Taylor Martinez is the catalyst of the explosive Husker offense that is
averaging 38.0 points per game. Penn
State's ability to limit his production will play a big role in deciding the
outcome. Martinez and running back Ameer
Abdullah, who leads Nebraska in rushing (826 yards), both average more than 5.5
yards per carry.
- If there is one chink in the armor of the Big Ten's top offense it is the number of turnovers it has committed in 2012. Nebraska has lost 14 fumbles and nine interceptions this season. As a result, the Cornhuskers rank last in turnover margin in the Big Ten (-1.0). On the flipside, the Nittany Lions lead the conference in turnover margin (+1.0).
LINCOLN, Neb. - Welcome
to the GoPSUsports.com Gameday Photo Blog for Penn State's final road contest of
the season against Nebraska.
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