Nebraska Week Gameday Central

VIDEO: Nebraska Week Practice Interviews

Nebraska Week Q&A with Stan Hixon

VIDEO: One-on-One with Zach Zwinak and Malcolm Willis


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions (6-3, 4-1) head back on the road for the second-straight week, taking on Nebraska (7-2, 4-1) at Memorial Stadium (3:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN) in a matchup between two traditional college football powers.

Following a 34-9 rout at Purdue, Penn State brings an undefeated Big Ten road record into the final road game of the season.  Last week, the Lions limited the Boilers to a season-low nine points.  Offensively, Matt McGloin threw for 321 yards and Zach Zwinak rushed for a career-best 134 yards to help lead the Nittany Lions to 506 offensive yards.

Nebraska erased a 10-point deficit to knock off Michigan State in the final seconds last week to remain tied in the Legends Division title race.  With three games to play, the Huskers are knotted up with Michigan for the division lead in the quest for a spot in the Big Ten title game on Dec. 1.

It's Penn State and Nebraska in sold out Memorial Stadium.  Welcome to the gameday preview for the 10th game on the 2012 schedule.


Pregame Reading:
What to Watch For - Penn State
1.  Senior quarterback Matt McGloin leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (270.7).  As a team, the Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten in passing offense.  Additionally, sophomore wide receiver Allen Robinson ranks first in receptions (57) and second in receiving yards per game (76.6).  The numbers speak for themselves, but Saturday's collision with Nebraska will be the group's biggest test in 2012.  The Cornhuskers rank second in the conference in passing defense (156.0 ypg), and they lead the nation in completion percentage defense (46.0).  Robinson, Brandon Moseby Felder and the receiving corps will need to play a physical football game against a superb secondary.  Getting off the line of scrimmage cleanly and making contested catches will play a big role in the success of the Nittany Lion passing offense.

2.  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.  Penn State's front seven will need to play consistent and tackle well against a team that plays up-tempo for 60 minutes.

3.  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).  Saturday's game has the making of being close into the fourth quarter with a turnover potentially deciding the outcome.  Keep an eye on the turnover battle for both teams.

What to Watch For - Nebraska
1.  Martinez's ability to change games with his speed and quickness is well documented, but he much improved passer (63 percent) from last season.  Martinez is tied with McGloin for the lead in passing touchdowns in the Big Ten (18).  Through nine games, Nebraska's offense has tallied 57 plays of 20 or more yards on first down (6.3 per game).  The Huskers want to play fast and create explosive plays, both in the running game with Abdullah and Martinez and throwing the ball.  Kenny Bell leads the Huskers with 33 receptions for 622 yards.

2.  Nebraska used a fourth quarter comeback to defeat Michigan State on the road last week, similar to what the Huskers did in a dramatic victory at Northwestern earlier this season.  Martinez deserves a lot of credit for his playmaking ability in the clutch, but a quick start is something Nebraska wants from its offense on Saturday.  Penn State has been dominant in the first quarter (76-3).  Nebraska has scored 104 points in the first quarter this season, setting up another dimension in the matchup between the two traditional powers. 

3.  The Nebraska secondary is the strength of its defense.  The defensive backfield is filled with big, athletic, physical players that excel in man-to-man coverage.  Led senior safeties Daimion Stafford and P.J. Smith, the secondary will be looking to play physical with the Nittany Lion receivers and tight ends.  Putting pressure on McGloin and strong man-to-man coverage will be a big part of the Nebraska gameplan, in hopes of disrupting the timing of the Penn State passing game.


Gameday Rundown
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. CT
TV: ABC/ESPN2 - Sean McDonough (PBP), Chris Spielman (Analyst), Quint Kessenich (Sideline)
Radio: Penn State Sports Network - Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst), Loren Crispell (Sidelines)
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (81,091) - FieldTurf
Coaches: Bill O'Brien - 6-3, 1st season
Bo Pelini - 48-16 at Nebraska, 5th season overall (5th at Nebraska)
The Series: 15th meeting


The Final Word:
Bill O'Brien and the Nittany Lions call every game on the schedule a bowl game.  With it being the final road trip for the seniors, this week's trip to Nebraska carries a little extra weight.  As a player, you could not ask for much more in the final road game of the season than Saturday's contest.  Penn State and Nebraska are among the top college football programs of all time.  The game will be played in front of an energetic, loud, passionate sea of red-clad fans.  Saturday will also be Nebraska's 324th consecutive sellout.  The atmosphere will be electric inside Memorial Stadium.  On the field, the matchup is the most intriguing contest in 2012 to date.  When both teams have the ball, it will be strength vs. strength.  Penn State's stout defensive unit will look to slow down Nebraska's high powered offense, and the Nebraska secondary will faceoff with the Big Ten's top passer.  With that being said, the game will come down to execution.  Limiting big plays from Martinez is essential for the Nittany Lions.  A strong day from the special teams unit is also a must.  The weather forecasts are predicting a warm afternoon for what has the potential to be an entertaining college football game.


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions travel to Nebraska on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kick (ABC/ESPN2) in Memorial Stadium.

As the team puts the final touches on the gameplan, take a look through some remarks from assistant head coach and receivers coach Stan Hixon.

Q: Has Allen Robinson exceeded your expectations this season?
Hixon: "He really has not.  Working with him in the spring, I kind of knew right off the bat that he was really one of our better receivers.  When we came in, Allen was playing behind Justin Brown...We decided to put Allen at the starting receiver spot that he is at now, and we put Brown on the other side because we knew Allen had a chance to be a really, really good player.  He is nowhere near as good as he is going to be, but obviously he is off to a great start.  He is learning as we go.  The more looks he gets, the better he is going to be because he is tall, strong and fast."

Q: How much has Brandon Moseby-Felder improved this season?
Hixon: "With Brandon, he is playing faster.  His route running has really improved from spring.  In spring ball, he was there for like five to eight days before he pulled a hamstring.  Over the summer, he wasn't full speed.  The first three or four weeks in the season he started to hit his stride.  His speed has picked up and his route running (has improved).  The more balls they catch, the more confidence they have.  One thing about Brandon, he is one of the older guys we have at that position.  Brandon is really kind of the leader of the group for me, age-wise...I think he has really taken advantage of the opportunity."

Q: How do you think the receivers will match up against the Nebraska secondary?
Hixon: "It's going to be a tough challenge.  They are big.  They have good size, strength and speed.  It's going to be a good contest.  We just try to tell our guys to continue doing what you have been doing.  We tell them to play physical as much as you can.  We just have to accept the challenge and make what we call contested catches because they do a really good job of playing man coverage, press coverage and also off coverage.  They also bring pressure.  It is going to be a challenge, but they are looking forward to it.  They have been in some big games before, and this is going to be a really big game.  Playing at Nebraska, we know it is going to be loud."

Q: Being nine games into the season, has anything surprised you about the way Coach O'Brien has led the team?
Hixon: "With Bill, his leadership he has with the team and the staff and how he handles himself, and with what has happened it has pushed him out there even more with some things to even set the direction of the program - and for a first-year head coach, that has really exceeded my expectations watching him work every day.  He is using a lot of philosophies of coaches he has worked with before.  He is going to be even better next year...It has really exceeded my expectations of how he has handled the team.  The players have responded to him.  It's no nonsense.  What he says to them is what he means.  There is one way to do it, and it is his way."

Q: How did Coach O'Brien "recruit" you to join him on his staff?
Hixon: "When I was at Buffalo, we obviously played each other twice a year.  We continued to talk during the year.  And the opportunity to really learn this offense, seeing what they were doing at New England and what they are still doing at New England, the offense really works.  There are so many different intricacies that you can learn.  A 30-year veteran from coaching college and pro, but still you want to get better.  Then when he told me who he was adding to the staff and some of the guys we had worked with before, and knowing how Bill was, I decided to make the change.  He is a good person and a good family guy.  And it was a good thing for me to do."


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions completed their third practice of Nebraska week in shells and shorts on Wednesday.

GoPSUsports.com caught up with junior tight end Garry Gilliam and redshirt freshman Deion Barnes following practice for a mid-week update as the team closes in on its final road trip of the season.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In a matchup of traditional college football powers, the Nittany Lions (6-3, 4-1) travel to No. 16 Nebraska (7-2, 4-1) for a 3:30 p.m. kick in Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

With Big Ten title game aspirations on the line for the Huskers and an undefeated Big Ten road mark for the Lions, Saturday's clash is shaping up to be intriguing.  Coach O'Brien previewed the game on Tuesday.  Take a look through some of his key remarks.


Looking Ahead to a Loud Atmosphere
Nebraska's Memorial Stadium is among the top venues in college football.  The Nittany Lions are expecting a loud, intense atmosphere with passionate Cornhusker fans.  Penn State practiced with music playing on Monday, and it will continue to do so throughout the week.  Bill O'Brien talks about playing in bowl games every Saturday, and this week's trip to Nebraska is a prime example.  Penn State has played well on the road in Big Ten play, out-scoring its opponents 107-30, but this will be its biggest challenge away from Beaver Stadium.

"We're really looking forward to it," O'Brien said.  "It's Nebraska ‑ Penn State, that's what college football is all about.  You have two big‑time college football programs that have two good coaching staffs and a lot of good players and playing in a great game in Lincoln, that atmosphere, hopefully it's fun."

Improving Secondary
The Nittany Lion secondary is a unit that has progressively improved with each passing week.  The unit is thin on numbers, but not on talent.  From top to bottom, the secondary has done a much better job playing the ball as the season has moved into the final weeks.  The unit has had its fair share of opportunities to make big plays, but have come up just short.  The players in the secondary would be the first to tell you that they have left some interceptions on the field this season.  We talk about it every week, but the unit is on the cusp of making a series of big plays.

"I believe they're one of the most improved units on the team," O'Brien said.  "They're very well coached by John Butler.  I think that anybody that's been to our practices and watches John coach those guys with detail and intensity and he's a teacher, you know, he accepts nothing less than their best.  So I think he's done a great job with those guys.  Then you have to give them a lot of credit.  Stephon Morris, Adrian Amos, they have done a really good job...Then you look at the safety position with Malcolm Willis and Jake Fagnano and Steven Obeng, these guys have played well for us.  Then you look at the role guys that are in that position like Jesse Della Valle, he's come up big in special teams for us.  Then you look at freshman like Jordan Lucas and Da'Quan Davis; these guys have improved every week.  You can't say enough about the players in that position.  We have three games left, let's hope they improve, but to this point in the season they have done everything we have asked them to do."

Defending Nebraska's Attack
Taylor Martinez is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the nation.  Martinez is a big-play quarterback with great speed and quickness.  He has rushed for 666 yards and eight touchdowns.  Additionally, the junior is completing 64 percent of his passes (1,941 yards) and 18 touchdowns.  Martinez accounted for 365 yards of offense last week in Nebraska's come-from-behind victory at Michigan State, including 205 rushing yards.  Nebraska's offense plays at a quick tempo, which has led the Huskers to 23 scoring drives in fewer than 2:00.  Keeping fresh legs on the field as much as possible is going to be important for the Nittany Lion defense on Saturday.  Nonetheless, the Lions are used to practicing against tempo every day against their own offense.

"Number one is they do a great job with their up-tempo, no‑huddle package, so basically every time we have practiced that out on the practice field some form of fast‑pace, no‑huddle, so hopefully our players will be ready for the tempo," said O'Brien.  "You never totally get that same tempo in practice that you're going to get in a game but hopefully they will do it."

Moseby-Felder Strong in Big Ten
In Penn State's five conference games, junior wide receiver Brandon Moseby-Felder is fourth in the Big Ten with 330 receiving yards.  In each of his last three outings, Moseby-Felder has made a 42-yard reception.  The Maryland native hauled in the first touchdown of his career at Purdue, and he is becoming a consistent downfield threat for the Nittany Lion offense.

"He's improved in his route running, he's done everything we asked him to do in the running game, blocks, blocks the down safety, blocks corners, blocks for the screens," O'Brien said.  "He's a team guy, one of the more improved guys on our football from a route running standpoint, from a health standpoint, durability standpoint, he's catching the ball better, and hopefully he can continue to improve over the next three weeks."

Hill and Carter Injury Update
Bill O'Brien listed senior defensive tackle Jordan Hill (knee) and redshirt freshman Kyle Carter (ankle) as day-to-day this week.  Both players will continue to get treatment every day.  They will both be evaluated throughout the week before a decision is made later in the week if they will play on Saturday.


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions return to the practice field on Monday evening to kickoff on-field preparations for Saturday's road trip to No. 16 Nebraska.

Penn State used stifling defense and 506 offensive yards to roll past Purdue on Saturday.  Now, with three games left to play let's take a look at some news and notes for Monday of Nebraska week.

Big Ten Road Warriors
Following Saturday's victory at Purdue, Penn State is 3-0 in Big Ten road games for the seventh time.  In those three victories (Illinois, Iowa and Purdue), the Nittany Lions out-scored their opposition by a combined 107-30 margin, scoring 35, 38 and 34 points, respectively.  Penn State has posted an undefeated Big Ten mark just twice since joining the conference - 1994 and 2009.

Strong Defense vs. High-Powered Offense
Saturday's showdown in Memorial Stadium will pit one of the Big Ten's best offenses against one of its best defenses.  Nebraska is the Big Ten's second-best scoring offense (38.0 points per game).  The Nittany Lions rank third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.1 points per game).  The Huskers enter the game as the conference's top total offense, averaging 487.3 yards per contest.  The Nittany Lions are allowing just 334.6 yards per game.

In the Record Books
Senior quarterback Matt McGloin passed Kerry Collins for the most 300-yard passing games in a career with a 321-yard outing at Purdue.  In the single season record book, McGloin is now third in completions (211), fourth in attempts (340), sixth in passing yardage (2,436) and tied for eighth in touchdown passes (18).  On the career passing list, McGloin is third in completions (454), fourth in passing yardage (5,555), fifth in passing touchdowns (40) and passing attempts (788).  The senior would need to average 190 yards in the last three games to break the single season passing record.  Sophomore Allen Robinson has made 57 catches this season.  Robinson is now just seven catches away from the single season receptions record set by O.J. McDuffie and Bobby Engram (63).

Leading the Turnover Battle
The Nittany Lions are leading the Big Ten in turnover margin through nine games (+1.00).  The Lions have gained 17 turnovers (10 fumbles and seven interceptions) and lost eight turnovers (five fumbles and three interceptions).  Nebraska ranks 12th in turnover margin at -1.00.  The Huskers have lost 23 turnovers (14 fumbles and nine interceptions).

McGloin Red-Hot in Last Seven
Consistent quarterback play and superb defense are two big reasons why the Lions are heading into Nebraska with a 6-1 mark in their last seven games.  McGloin has been tremendous during the last seven games.  During that span, the West Scranton native has completed 64.2 percent of his passes, averaged 282.7 passing yards per game with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions (145.3 rating).  He has also rushed for five touchdowns.

Indiana Kick Time
The Big Ten announced on Monday that the Nov. 17 game against Indiana at Beaver Stadium will kick at 12 p.m. with television coverage from BTN.  It will mark Penn State's second appearance on the BTN in 2012.  The Lions' 38-14 victory at Iowa also aired on BTN.  The kick time and television plans for the Wisconsin game will likely be announced next Monday.


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VIDEO: Coach O'Brien Postgame Locker Room & Interview

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions are at their best when they play complementary football.

Saturday's dominant 34-9 victory at Purdue was a living, breathing example of what Bill O'Brien means when he speaks to the tune of how execution on offense, defense and special teams, when feeding off one another, puts the Lions in a position to win week after week.

The Nittany Lions limited the Boilers to a season-low nine points with a stifling defensive performance.  On offense, Penn State tallied a season-high 506 yards.  The big-picture stats speak for themselves, but they only tell part of the complementary football story from Saturday's road win.

"I thought these guys played with a sense of urgency; they played with a lot of energy," Coach O'Brien said.  "We brought our own energy today, and I have said that from day one - this is a team that loves to play football.  They love to play for each other (in all phases)."

Penn State's execution in all three phases of the game contributed to its third-straight Big Ten road win.

On defense, the Lions yielded three points to Purdue on its opening drive.  The Boilers did not score again until the final play of the game.

On offense, Matt McGloin's 321 passing yards, Zach Zwinak's career-best 134 rushing yards and Brandon-Moseby-Felder's career-high 129 receiving yards headlined a season-best 506-yard performance.

On special teams, Sam Ficken drilled both of his field goal attempts, Alex Butterworth was consistent punting the ball all day game long in windy conditions and senior Derek Day's career-high four special teams tackles headlined a strong day for the coverage teams.

"It felt really good to play as one unit," sophomore guard Miles Dieffenbach said.  "We really played complementary football.  Our defense played well.  They gave us the ball in good positions.  We had very good field position.  We were clicking, and it felt really good."

The Nittany Lions allowed 49 yards during Purdue's opening drive, which ended in a field goal.  From there, Penn State made adjustments on the sideline and buckled down in the first half.  Purdue only managed 80 more yards on its next eight possessions in the half.

"We knew what they were going to come in here and try to do," senior linebacker Michael Mauti.  "I'm not sure exactly what happened on the big play (that led to the field goal), but we got it corrected and we moved forward."

The Lions were stopped on downs during their first offensive possession, but a Ficken field goal and a two-play, 48-yard touchdown drive kick-started a 20-point half.  A 42-yard completion from McGloin to Moseby-Felder fueled the 48-yard scoring drive, a connection in the passing game that turned into a theme for the day.

"Brandon did a great job getting open today," McGloin said.  "He has made some big steps for us this season.  He is really getting comfortable for us at the wide out position."

Moseby-Felder made a career-high six catches, including the first touchdown of his career.  He was just one of long list of contributors on dominant day for the Nittany Lion offense.

"Things were clicking today for the offense," McGloin said.  "We moved the ball up and down the field after some adjustments.  Hopefully that carries into Nebraska next week."

The Nittany Lions head into this week's road game at No. 16 Nebraska averaging 33.8 points per game in Big Ten play (2nd).  Penn State has scored at least 34 points in four of the five conference games this season.  Defensively, the Lions rank third in points against in Big Ten play (18.6 points per game), and third in total defense (317.8 ypg).

When the Nittany Lions play well in all three phases of the game, like they did on Saturday, complementary football is a recipe for success.

The Lions, who are off to a 3-0 start to Big Ten road games for seventh time, will meet Legends Division co-leader Nebraska at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.


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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Watch several Nittany Lions talk about the 34-9 victory at Purdue on Saturday.  The Lions tallied 506 offensive yards and held the Boilers out of the end zone until the final play of the game en route to their third-straight Big Ten road win.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Head into the locker room for an exclusive look at the Nittany Lions just after knocking off Purdue, 34-9, at Ross-Ade Stadium.  Also, hear from head coach Bill O'Brien.

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End First Half - Penn State 20, Purdue 3
The Boilermakers kicked a field goal on their first drive, but it was all Penn State after that.  The Nittany Lions kicked two field goals, and Michael Zordich scored twice to make it a 20-3 game at the break.  Penn State's defense played a superb half of football in Ross-Ade Stadium.  Purdue tallied 49 yards on its opening drive.  After that, the Lions allowed just 80 total yards on Purdue's next eight drives.  Linebacker Gerald Hodges led the defense with eight stops, including three hits for a loss.  Defensive tackle Jordan Hill suffered a left knee sprain during the first half.  On offense, McGloin threw for 184 yards on 12-for-23.  The Lions rushed for 81 yards.  Penn State did a superb job defending the run, holding Purdue to 28 rushing yards in the first half.

Pregame Reading:
- Good afternoon from Ross-Ade Stadium on the campus of Purdue.  The Nittany Lions arrived to the stadium shortly before 1 p.m. in preparation for today's 3:30 p.m. kick against the Boilers.  The weather conditions have improved from the time the squad woke up this morning.  The Lafayette area received some sleet and rain this morning, but it will be cloudy and dry for the game with temperatures in the mid 40s.

- Redshirt freshman tight end Kyle Carter did not make the trip to Purdue.  Carter, who has made 35 catches in 2012, stayed home in State College to receive treatment on his sprained left ankle.  Garry Gilliam, Matt Lehman and Jesse James will carry the load at the tight end position today.

- Out-scoring its opponents 66-0, Penn State is the only FBS team to not allow a point in the first quarter this season.  The Nittany Lion offense was held off the scoreboard in the first quarter of last week's game, but a quick start on the road is always important.  The Lion defense has forced 10 three-and-outs in 22 drives during the first quarter this season.  On both sides of the ball, Penn State will be looking for a strong start at Purdue.  It is always critical to set the tone early on the road, but there is some extra emphasis this week after last week's setback. 

- Keep an eye on the pass protection from the Nittany Lion offensive line.  Penn State needs a strong outing in the trenches against a talented set of interior linemen for Purdue.  The Boilermakers are ranked 12th in the Big Ten in third down defense (44.3 percent).

- We will check back in at halftime after taking some photos of the first half action.  Stay tuned.