Game Thread Game Four: #1 Ohio State 28, #24 Penn State 6 (9/23/06)

[osugrad21]

CPD

OHIO STATE INSIDER



OSU faces another inexperienced QB



Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Like Texas, Penn State is breaking in a new guy behind center after losing a heart-and-soul quarterback. Anthony Morelli is a 6-4, 220-pound junior from Pittsburgh who was recruited heavily by Ohio State.
Though he has a little age on Longhorns freshman Colt McCoy, he doesn't have much experience. He's not a running threat like Michael Robinson, last year's Big Ten offensive player of the year, was for the Nittany Lions. And he's very much a work in progress.
"Anthony's biggest problem is that he has so much confidence in his arm that we hit a couple of big ones and then he wants to throw the ball deep," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "The big thing we have tried to do is get him to concentrate on getting the ball underneath a little bit more and the 'take what they give you' kind of approach."
Morelli has completed 48 of 92 passes (52.2 percent) for 549 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. He ranks 71st in the nation in passing efficiency. While Robinson averaged 67 rushing yards per game last year, Morelli has run six times in three games for 10 yards.
Ohio State's Troy Smith, who's third in passing efficiency, is the quarterback who reminds Paterno of Robinson.
"He probably throws the ball a little bit better," Paterno said of Smith. "He is the same kind of kid and he has the same kind of leadership qualities that Michael has. I think Troy Smith has become a very, very fine quarterback."
Rehring in:
OSU sophomore offensive lineman Steve Rehring was elevated to the top of the depth chart at left guard, past senior Tim Schafer, though both are still expected to play Saturday. They had been splitting time, though Schafer was the starter.
Rehring was named the team's offensive lineman of the week after earning the line's highest grade from Saturday's win against Cincinnati.
Clarett's choice:
Maurice Clarett is gone, but he wasn't forgotten the day after the former Buckeyes star accepted a plea agreement that will send him to prison for at least 3? years.
"Knowing Maurice like I do, I like to think that he'll have a plan for his growth while he's taking care of those consequences," Tressel said. "From an athletic standpoint, he didn't reach his potential. But the good news is that maybe he'll take this time and really become the best he can possibly be."
Said Smith, who arrived in Columbus with Clarett: "It's unfortunate, but there's not much that myself or my teammates can do about that situation. Every man chooses his path, and it might not be a good one, but he has to live with those situations."
Injuries:
Third-string quarterback Todd Boeckman is expected to miss the Penn State game after hurting his ankle late in Saturday's game. Tressel said receiver Roy Hall was at about 85 percent with his ankle injury last week and should play at about 95 percent this week.

 

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Penn State looking for first win in Columbus since joining Big 10
By JON SPENCER
For The Marion Sta

COLUMBUS - Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith hasn't done much running this season, but he was scrambling for a dictionary Tuesday after coach Jim Tressel sized up the enormity of Saturday's Big Ten opener against Penn State.
Tressel said it's a natural rivalry because it involves teams from "contiguous" - or bordering - states.
"I don't even know what that means," Smith said, drawing laughter after reporters blindsided him with the c-word.

"You know, year-in and year-out, that's where some of the best high school ball is played, whether it be Ohio or Pennsylvania. Once you get to the next level, it's Ohio State and Penn State. The next level after that it's the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. It's a very hyped game and it's an intense game."

Center Doug Datish knew what contiguous meant, but didn't feel the need to match syllables with his coach as he weighed in on the showdown in Ohio Stadium between the 2005 Big Ten co-champions.

"It's a big deal ... I guess any Big Ten game is a big deal," he said. "It's in our fight song (Across the Field), to win the conference."

Top-ranked Ohio State (3-0) has reeled off 10 straight wins since its 17-10 loss to the Nittany Lions last year in State College. No. 24 Penn State (2-1) gets another crack at making a national statement after getting embarrassed at Notre Dame, 41-17, two weeks go.

That lopsided loss dropped the Lions completely out of the USA TODAY coaches poll. But they couldn't have felt any worse leaving South Bend than the Buckeyes felt last October 8 as the clock approached midnight in Happy Valley.

"You always feel lousy after you lose ... losing is horrible," Datish said. "I felt we were a better team than we showed. We just showed it later than we hoped."

No school has handed legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno more losses than Ohio State. His 7-10 record includes a 1-7 mark in Ohio Stadium. The Lions have never won there in six tries since joining the Big Ten in 1993. Five of those losses have been by double digits.

"This is a great opportunity for us to do something huge for our program," linebacker and reigning Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny said. "We're going to have the No. 1 team in the country, on the road. It's just going to be a great chance for us to make something big happen and get us back in the swing of things."

Paterno's only win in the 'Shoe was in 1978, a shutout that marked the debut of Ohio State freshman quarterback Art Schlichter.

"Some of the guys on our staff thought they were going to start Schlichter, but I told them, 'Woody Hayes will start a true freshman over his dead body,' " Paterno said Tuesday. "When the game started, the kid (Rod Gerald) who had taken them to the Cotton Bowl the year before was on the field. I turned to the guys on the phone and said, 'You tell those guys upstairs that I know a little more about this than than they do.'

"All of a sudden this roar goes up. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Here comes Schlichter. He played the whole game (with Gerald moving to wide receiver) and I never heard the end of it. We had a good football team ... and ended up beating them pretty good."

The Lions picked off Schlichter five times en route to a 19-0 win. A similar scenario Saturday seems unlikely. Smith, one of 17 fifth-year Buckeyes, has matured into a Heisman Trophy candidate and has thrown 151 consecutive passes without an interception.

"He is the same kind of kid and has the same kind of leadership qualities that Michael (Robinson) has," Paterno said, referring to his former quarterback, the 2005 Big Ten MVP on offense. "He is very poised and calm and kids respond to him. Troy has become a very, very fine quarterback."

 

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Blade

Buckeyes ready to start real season

By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS - It only seems apropos that the two teams who shared the Big Ten Conference championship in 2005 should meet in the first league game the following season.
Why not get to the point right away. Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the country in both major polls, and has not lost a game since it last faced Penn State, almost a year ago. The Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions each got a piece of the last conference crown, but one of them will exit Ohio Stadium on Saturday in first place in the Big Ten, and the other leaves in last. Penn State's quest for an unbeaten season ended with a 27-25 loss at Michigan last year. It finished 11-1 last season and ranked third in the polls. The Nittany Lions got thumped 41-17 at Notre Dame a couple of weeks ago to fade a bit in the current national picture, but Ohio State coach Jim Tressel regards the start of the Big Ten schedule as the real proving ground for every team in the conference.

"Everyone in our locker room knows when you go to the Big Ten schedule, you better take it up a notch," Tressel said. "You better understand that everyone now has had some games to get better, and if you're going to be successful in Big Ten play, you're going to have to rise up and play better than you've been playing." When the opposition is Penn State, the Buckeyes fully expect push will come to shove, and so on. Tressel hopes Clarett makes use of adversity COLUMBUS ? Maurice Clarett was one of the heroes in
Jim Tressel?s fi nest hour as Ohio State?s football coach ? when the Buckeyes claimed the 2002 national championship.

Yesterday Tressel said he hopes to see Clarett, who Monday was sentenced to prison for at least 3? years after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, recover and make something out of his life.

?Knowing Maurice like I do, I?d like to think that he?ll have
a plan for his growth while he?s taking care of those consequences,? Tressel said.

?And my feelings don?t change any for him. I would say
this, like any situation that arises, if you?ll take it and use it to grow, it?s amazing what it can do for you. So my prayer is that he takes that time and creates a plan for his life and that he?ll have a wonderful life.?

Tressel said Clarett is not a lost cause.

?From an athletic standpoint, he didn?t reach his potential.
But I very seldom use the words athletics and tragedy together,? Tressel said. ?He had abilities athletically and those didn?t get fully realized, but the good news is that maybe he?ll take this time and really become the best he can possibly be.?
"We've all watched Penn State for a long, long time, and it starts with them being physical," Tressel said. "Probably the next thing you think of when you think of Penn State is they're so well schooled that everybody on the field - whether it's an offensive play, a defensive scheme, a special units play - everyone on their field knows exactly why they're doing what they're doing, and they know the technique that's necessary, they know their role, they play their role." Penn State, which sandwiched wins over Akron and Youngstown State around the loss to the Fighting Irish, has a new quarterback in junior Anthony Morelli, but returns a lot of outside speed in sophomore wide receiver/kick returner Derrick Williams, and the rugged inside running of senior tailback Tony Hunt. "They are a very physical team, but I think what they've added in the last couple years is tremendous speed," Tressel said. "When you look at their skilled people, there's tremendous, explosive speed. Their return men are frightening, their receivers are outstanding. And I love that back Tony Hunt - he's an old-fashioned, physical-type guy. So you add the toughness with the understanding and speed, and you've got a good football team." The Buckeyes are averaging 32 points a game and rolling up 426 yards. With seven passing touchdowns and five rushing scores, Ohio State has outscored the opposition 96-26 in its first three games. Tressel said opening the season against Mid-American Conference favorite Northern Illinois, No. 2 Texas on the road, and then a stubborn Cincinnati team has given his team an ample measuring stick to gauge its progress. Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, who has lost just twice in 18 games as the starter remembers last season seeing a lot of pressure from the Penn State linebackers, a group led by 2005 All-American and Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny. "You have to respect your opponent, and they've got terrific linebackers," Smith said. "Penn State puts a lot of pressure on offenses with their front four and they spread the field on the corners. They are a good team because they are the same team as last year." Buckeyes senior defensive tackle David Patterson said the Ohio State players have set aside the No. 1 ranking, the perfect record, and the showcase win at Texas. He said every list of goals at Ohio State has as its centerpiece winning the Big Ten championship, and everybody has the same league record right now. "Coach Tressel says that the season starts now - which doesn't take anything away from our preseason play. It's just that the Big Ten is the best conference in the nation," Patterson said. "This is what you come to Ohio State for. There are big hits, good tackles and sound football."

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Buckeyes urge fans to get out the scarlet


Wednesday, September 20, 2006Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- T.J. Downing felt the ground shake. Fellow offensive lineman Doug Datish was forced to put in earplugs at halftime. The wall of sound that accompanied Ohio State's most recent loss, 17-10, to Penn State at Beaver Stadium last October, crushed the Buckeyes.
So Downing on Tuesday called on Ohio State fans to build their own wall, to fill the Horseshoe with scarlet for the Nittany Lions' visit on Saturday. The idea percolating on campus, with classes starting this week and 31,000 student ticket-holders ready to attend their first game of the season, is to match the PSU "White Out" from a year ago. Penn State's white-clad student section led a crowd of 109,839 in a scene the players haven't quite seen at Ohio Stadium.
"I've never heard anything louder in my life than I heard at Penn State," Downing said. "You could notice the earthquake on the ground as it was trembling. It affected us and got in our heads. We didn't play the game we usually do and that's why we lost.
"I'd like to issue a personal challenge to our fans - repay them. Pay them back for what they did to us. Their fans single-handedly took us out of the game, and maybe our fans can do the same thing. They need to be louder than they've ever been before. Whatever they wear, do something to distract them - purple, pink, red, whatever - distract them."
The noise was part of stopping what has since become a nearly unstoppable offense. A key injury on the offensive line was also a problem, and the Buckeyes have taken steps to adjust more effectively.
But for the most part, while averaging 36 points and 460 yards per game during their current 10-game winning streak, the Buckeyes have realized only one thing can stop them now.
"I think we've come to an agreement and understanding that only we can stop us," quarterback Troy Smith said. "It's not something that somebody else does."
Like the Ohio State defense, Penn State has lost much of what drove it a year ago, the seven graduated defensive starters including the entire secondary and three linemen, most critically defense end Tamba Hali. He made the sack and forced the fumble from Smith with 1:21 remaining that erased the Buckeyes' final chance.
Hali beat tight end Ryan Hamby while right tackle Alex Boone didn't offer help. Boone, then an 18-year-old freshman, was thrust into the game when starter Kirk Barton was injured and starting guard Rob Sims struggled when trying to move out to tackle.
Wondering why Ohio State played its backup line for a full series in each of the past two games? Maybe so this time they'll be ready if a starter goes down in Big Ten play.
"If it happens, hopefully we'll be more prepared," Downing said. "When Kirk went down, that was a big hit for us."
Some Buckeyes said coach Jim Tressel reminded them of the Penn State loss as soon as they reached the locker room following Saturday's win over Cincinnati. The game lives on in the minds of the Nittany Lions, too.
"People were running onto the field, it was like chaos," Penn State sophomore safety Anthony Scirrotto said. "It was like we won the national championship, kind of. I remember downtown there were cops on horses everywhere. It was a great feeling, not only for our team but for the town and the university."
A win wouldn't touch off the same scene in Columbus, not with Penn State at 2-1, having already given up 41 points in a loss to Notre Dame. Besides, Buckeyes fans already enjoyed their couch-burning celebration after beating Texas.
As early 16-point favorites, Ohio State and its offense might not need help. But the mohawked Downing wants it anyway.
"Penn State fans were capable of it. I know Ohio State fans are," he said. "I know how we party around here in Columbus."

 

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Lions know what to expect in Columbus

They've already played a top-ranked team on the road this year.
By Beth Hudson Of The Morning Call
Playing the No. 1 team in the country is the ultimate challenge ? and, for Penn State, it could be the ultimate do-over as well.

Less than two weeks ago, the No. 24 Nittany Lions (2-1) walked on to a national stage at Notre Dame Stadium and promptly tripped over their own feet. On Saturday, they'll travel to Columbus, Ohio, where top-ranked Ohio State awaits.
'It's a big challenge for us as a team and a big opportunity for us to go out and prove some things,'' Penn State tailback Tony Hunt said. ''I think we learned we're a young team. We have a lot of things to work on. [But] we figured that out early. We're doing a pretty good job of getting better every week.''

So, the recurring theme this week will be second chances.

Daunting as the task of stopping the undefeated Buckeyes may be, the Lions said Tuesday they'll relish another opportunity to handle the pressure of being the visitor in a loud, hostile stadium.

Penn State committed three turnovers against the Fighting Irish and also botched a first-quarter field-goal attempt. Notre Dame rolled to a 20-0 lead by halftime.

''I don't know how much benefit you get out of getting your ears kicked in, except for the fact that you learn you can't turn the ball over,'' Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. ''We played hard against Notre Dame. We only punted the ball twice. We had 25 first downs against them, which is more than they had.

''You just try to build on the fact that if we just have patience, hang on to the ball and don't make dumb mistakes, we will be competitive. We certainly were not competitive in that game.''

A few positives: Notre Dame's Brady Quinn and his receivers are a distant memory at this point. Hunt's yardage has increased steadily through three games (36 rushing yards against Akron, 74 at Notre Dame, and 143 against Youngstown State).

And, finally, the Lions racked up 568 yards of offense ? their highest total since 1995 ? against the Division I-AA Penguins.

On the other hand, they should have scored more points in that game, particularly because Kevin Kelly missed three of his six field-goal attempts.

''I really didn't talk to him [about it],'' Paterno said. ''We went out and practiced [Monday]. He has been a good competitor for us, and I don't see any reason why he should change.''

The worst news for Penn State could be simple reality: Even if the Lions play mistake-free football against the Buckeyes, there's no guarantee that it will be enough.

Ohio State has outscored its opponents 96-26, including an impressive 24-7 victory at Texas. Troy Smith, yet another Heisman candidate quarterback, has completed 56 of 81 passes for 769 yards and seven touchdowns.

When asked how his team planned to stop wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., Paterno scoffed.

''I am going to have somebody put something in his food the morning of the game,'' Paterno said, laughing. ''Ted Ginn is a great athlete, but there is a kid by the name of [Anthony] Gonzalez on that team. � They have a great quarterback. The tight end is a big-league player. The tailback is a big-league player. What do you do? You go in there and pray. You got a good prayer to St. Jude for hopeless causes or something?''

Even so, the Lions will take this second chance, wherever it leads.

''We are going to play a superior football team, one of the better football teams we have played in, probably, the last five or six years,'' Paterno said. ''They are extremely well coached�. [But] it is a game. Let's go out and have a little fun. Who knows what can happen?''

 

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Showdown with No. 1 Buckeyes puts Lions back in spotlight
BY DONNIE COLLINS
STAFF WRITER

09/20/2006

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The weeklong respite from the national spotlight ? and Division I-A competition, for that matter ? is history.




The memory of what happened immediately before it started still festers around Happy Valley, though.

Joe Paterno would like Penn State to think of this Saturday?s battle against No. 1 Ohio State as just another Big Ten opener. But after Notre Dame delivered them a thorough pounding on Sept. 9, the Nittany Lions? first game against a top-ranked opponent since 1998 also became their first legitimate chance to show they?re better than they looked that day in South Bend.

Of course, Paterno pooh-poohed any attempts to build further hype around the game, stating only that Penn State has to avoid the mistakes it made against Notre Dame if it wants to have even a remote chance to beat what he says is one of the best teams his squad has played in recent memory.

?You just try to build on the fact that if we just have patience, hang onto the ball and don?t make dumb mistakes, we will be competitive,? Paterno said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. ?We certainly were not competitive (against Notre Dame). We let the game get out of hand on us in a hurry.?

Line dancing

Coaches ?have their fingers crossed? that defensive end Jim Shaw, who reaggravted an ankle sprain against Youngstown State last week, will be able to go against the Buckeyes.

If Shaw can?t go, expect true freshmen Jared Odrick and Maurice Evans to see even more time this week for a defensive line that needs to corral talented and speedy Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith.

?We are going to have to play a lot of people because they are going to get tired,? Paterno said.

Twins killing?

There may be nobody rooting harder for the Minnesota Twins to win its division right now than Joe Paterno.

The playoff fate of the Twins and the status of Penn State?s scheduled game at Minnesota on Oct. 7 are directly correlated, and that?s a fact that has frosted Paterno.

The Twins and Golden Gophers share the same facility, the Metrodome, but the Twins have priority over its use. So, if the Twins make the American League playoffs as the wild card or the division champion with the third-best record, they will have a game scheduled at the Metrodome that will force the postponement of the Penn State-Minnesota game. Last week, the Big Ten announced the makeup game would be played Nov. 25.

However, if the Twins win the Central Division and finish with the second-best record in the American League, they would be on the road.

Paterno bristled at thoughts of moving the game ahead to Oct. 5 because of fears that it would keep players out of class three days. He also doesn?t like the idea of playing the 25th, because he says the bye week Penn State and Minnesota would receive would be an unfair advantage over the other nine Big Ten teams who don?t get a bye.

?I would hope that the thing would work out that we can play that Saturday (Oct. 7),? Paterno said.

Well, if the season ended today, it wouldn?t. The Twins currently lead in the wild-card race. They are 1? games behind AL Central leader Detroit in the division race.

 

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Film lovers Paterno, Tressel give each other good reviews

By Frank Fitzpatrick

Inquirer Staff Writer

The middle-age guy with the red vest and the tax auditor's haircut doesn't appear to have much in common with the old man in Coke-bottle glasses and rolled-up khakis.
But, in a way, Jim Tressel and Joe Paterno are the Ebert and Roeper of college coaches.
While the technologically challenged Paterno still can't distinguish a videotape from a DVD, there are few things Penn State's coach enjoys more than sitting in his den, dissecting an opposing team as he watches one.
Tressel is, by all accounts, a tape junkie, too, spending hours each day viewing them in elaborate film rooms inside Ohio State's Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
And if the two coaches were reviewing each other's game tapes in advance of Saturday's matchup between No. 24 Penn State and No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus, they'd have two thumbs raised.
Based on what they had seen, the two Big Ten coaches yesterday, in nearly simultaneous news conferences 275 miles apart, spent considerable time praising each other's coaching styles.
"There's no horsing around and no shenanigans," Paterno said of Ohio State (3-0). "They go out and play. They knock your ears in and make plays.
"... You have to give the Ohio State coaching staff some credit. They know what they're doing. They make believers out of their kids, and the kids line up properly. Very rarely do you see them out of position. They hustle all the time. They come up with the football, and they get good athletes. Most of us have good athletes in this league, but I think the Ohio State coaching staff has done a particularly good job."
About the same time, Tressel was telling reporters in Columbus how impressed he is, year in and year out, by what he observes on the Nittany Lions' game tapes.
"Whenever you turn on the TV or you happen to be in their conference and you see them on film constantly, you see what they do and what they've done for years and years and years," Tressel said. "... They do things well.
"Most of us in coaching who have been at it for quite some time have always noticed that Penn State's been up near the top. They've always had to be reckoned with. So you always ask yourself: What's made them so good? They've always been physical. They've always played great defense. They've always gotten the ball to their playmakers. They've always had great special teams. I can remember back in the '70s studying their punt returns."
Tressel, who moved from Youngstown State to Ohio State in 2001, has a 3-2 advantage over Paterno, a mentor who almost tried to lure him away from his native Ohio.
"When Jimmy was at Youngstown, he and I talked a lot," Paterno recalled. "In fact, one time I debated trying to get him to come here as an assistant coach. He was extremely well-organized, a fine young man and, I think, a good motivator in his own way... . I've known Jimmy for a long time. I've always admired him. I thought he did a tremendous job at Youngstown, and he's doing a tremendous job at Ohio State."
Last year, the No. 16 Lions shut down quarterback Troy Smith and wideout Ted Ginn in a 17-10 upset of the No. 6 Buckeyes.
"What they did last year on defense is I thought they were solid everywhere," Tressel said. "They were good up front. Their linebackers, say no more. Those guys are extraordinary, and now they're a year older. Their secondary was very, very solid, and what they did was they didn't make mistakes, they didn't miss tackles."
The defense is up for a bigger challenge this season. Paterno talked about the Buckeyes' speed, their experience, and their devotion to fundamentals. He even conceded that his special-teams unit had no chance of winning the battle.
"We're going to play a superior football team, one of the better football teams we have played in, probably, the last five or six years," Paterno said. "They're extremely well-coached. Jim and his staff have done a great job. They adjust real well, and you don't fool them."
Still, Ohio State and Tressel wouldn't be the first highly ranked team that Paterno has gushed about - and then beaten.
Penn State has played a No. 1-ranked opponent 10 times during Paterno's 41-year tenure - and won four times. The Lions' last No. 1 opponent was Ohio State, which beat Penn State, 28-9, in Columbus on Oct. 3, 1998.
"I think anytime that you have one of the legendary people in the game... it adds something to it," Tressel said of his counterpart. "... Joe Paterno is one of the great ones, and he does make the game - if you can make it even tougher than it is, he makes it tougher."
Looking Out for No.1
No. 24 Penn State, which will visit No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m., is only 4-6 against the top team in the nation. But two of those wins gave the Nittany Lions the national championship.
Oct. 3, 1998: No. 7 Penn State lost at Ohio State, 28-9.
Nov. 17, 1990: The No. 18 Lions won at Notre Dame, 24-21.
Nov. 18, 1989:No. 17 Penn State lost to visiting Notre Dame, 34-23.
Nov. 19, 1988: The unranked Lions lost at Notre Dame, 21-3.
Jan. 2, 1987: No. 2 Penn State beat Miami, 14-10, in the Fiesta Bowl to win the national title.
Aug. 29, 1983: The unranked Lions got rocked by Nebraska, 44-6, in the Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium.
Jan. 1, 1983: No. 2 Penn State beat Georgia, 27-23, in the Sugar Bowl to win the national championship.
Nov. 28, 1981: The No. 11 Lions won at Pitt, 48-14.
Nov. 26, 1976: Unranked Penn State fell at Pitt, 24-7.
Sept. 24, 1966: The unranked Lions got drubbed at Michigan State, 42-8.

 

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Columbus' crowd of thorns

There are rumors out there, still unconfirmed at this point, that college students drink on weekends.
If so, this could help explain why for an 8 p.m. Saturday game against Ohio State last October at Beaver Stadium, the crowd was louder than Dallas Green on a cell phone.
And after the Nittany Lions responded to the collegiate cacophony with a 17-10 victory, numerous players credited the win to the noise.
For this week's rematch, when it's Penn State's turn to visit Ohio Stadium - though for a game that will start 41/2 hours earlier - players can expect the situation to be reversed.
"I think the crowd can help, no question about that," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said yesterday. "If the kids are getting a little bit down and discouraged, and the crowd gets into it and tries to encourage them, I think that's a big plus. And I think it will be a plus for Ohio State in Columbus."
Paterno has heard it all before.
His teams are 0-6 at Ohio Stadium since they began Big Ten play in 1993.
"It's one of the noisiest places in the country to play in, much worse than a couple of other stadiums that have a reputation for being noisy," he said. "They're loud. Their fans do a great job for their team, and we just have to live with that."
Having said that, however, Paterno suggested that once the hitting begins, most players lose track of their surroundings.
"Once the game starts, I don't think you know where you're playing," he said. "I don't think you know who you're playing, or who beat who the year before. I think you're just in there trying to do the things you worked hard on all week."
Would an early Penn State lead take the fire out of a fired-up crowd?
"We'd like to be able to do that, but sometimes the other guy won't let you do it," Paterno said. "We go ahead by two touchdowns and the crowd may be out of it until [Buckeyes QB Troy] Smith goes back there and throws a pass to [Ted Ginn Jr.] and they're back in it."
Genetics at work
Let's face it. When your father's name is "Animal," your career options are limited.
You could aspire to become a biker, a bouncer or perhaps even a bail bondsman.
Or - and when you consider all the foaming-at-the-mouth parallels, it makes some sense - a linebacker.
The football field is where Ohio State's James Laurinaitis ended up.
The sophomore's father, Joe, was a famous pro wrestler in the 1980s and '90s.
He competed as "Animal" and along with his partner, "Hawk," made up two of the sport's most notorious, well-known tag teams, the Road Warriors and the Legion of Doom.
On Saturday, Penn State's offense, which has yet to run a play involving a metal chair, will have to go against No. 1 Ohio State's version of the Legion of Doom, for which the younger Laurinaitis has been a body-slamming sensation.
The 6-foot-3, 244-pound Laurinaitis strode into the national spotlight - though, thankfully, wearing neither a glittering robe nor one of those black Speedos some wrestlers favor - with a spectacular performance.
He had 15 tackles and an interception, and forced two fumbles in the victory at Texas two weeks ago - though he did resist the temptation to pin Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy.
"He played last year when the other kid [Bobby Carpenter] was hurt," Paterno said yesterday. "Matter of fact, when I was looking at tapes of their games last year, both with Notre Dame and Michigan... I didn't even know who he was until I asked some of the coaches who No. 33 was."
Wonder if anybody's out there scouting Rowdy Roddy Piper's kids?
Never on Thursday
If the Minnesota Twins make the playoffs as either the wild card or the division champion with the third-best record, Penn State's Oct. 7 game at Minnesota will be rescheduled to Nov. 25.
Almost everybody but Paterno would have preferred moving the game to Thursday, Oct. 5. The fact that he got his way is a reminder of just how much clout the coach still possesses and how genuinely serious he is about academics.
Already concerned that the NCAA's decision to add a 12th game this season would negatively affect academics, Paterno was adamant.
"I was consulted," he said. "I don't want to play on Thursday if I can help it. That's what I told our president, who went to bat for us, and I appreciate Dr. [Graham] Spanier and [Penn State AD] Tim Curley going to bat.
"If we play on Thursday night, we miss classes on Wednesday, we miss classes on Thursday. Then we get back on Friday at 4:30 to 5 in the morning, and you can't expect kids to go to classes.
"We play 12 games now. They give you a lot of baloney about, 'Well, that 12th week doesn't really help you academically.' That's a lot of baloney. The only thing the 12th game does is make money. Admit it."
Too familiar
When Paterno looks at Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, he knows how Big Ten defensive coordinators felt a year ago while preparing for Michael Robinson.
"People say, 'Oh, you've got to put pressure on him. You've got to do this and that.' Yeah, sure. Try to catch him. You put pressure on him and you've got to make sure Ginn and [Anthony] Gonzalez and the other kid [freshman wideout Brian Robiskie] aren't running wild on you.
"He's a very, very fine quarterback. He probably throws the ball a little bit better, and they ask him to do more with the passing game than maybe we did with Michael. But they're the same kind of football players. They're football players... . They've got the same kind of leadership qualities."
Hail this
Notre Dame and Ohio State were obviously the marquee games on this year's schedule. But the matchup the players are most excited about is Michigan, at home, on Oct. 14.
Though players - coached by Paterno to "keep your mouths shut" - won't admit it publicly, privately they all feel as if they were robbed of a win, an undefeated season, and possibly a national title by all the last-minute shenanigans in Ann Arbor last season.
JoePa's media request of the week
"You got a good prayer to St. Jude for hopeless causes?" he asked after listing Ohio State's offensive strengths.
JoePa's media deflater of the week
Asked if the media dwelled too much on intangibles, he said: "You dwell on it more than you should. How much you dwell on it, I don't know. Not to be disrespectful, but I just don't read you."
JoePa's defensive tip of the week
"I'm going to have somebody put something in his food the morning of the game," he said when asked how he planned to defend against Ginn, the speedy Buckeyes wideout.
JoePa's special-teams pep talk of the week
"I don't think we're going to outplay them," he said when asked if Penn State needed to outplay Ohio State's special teams to win. "I haven't seen anybody outplay them. They've got a great punter... the kid who kicks field goals for them kicks them out of the end zone. We've got to fight like dogs not to let the kicking team beat us. We're not going to win that battle."
JoePa's quote of the week
Asked if his team learned anything from its 41-17 road loss at Notre Dame: "I don't know how much benefit you get out of getting your ears kicked in."

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Penn state football

No. 1 Bucks have JoPa looking heavenward

Paterno says he sees so much talent on Ohio State game film, Lions may need divine intervention.

By JERRY KELLAR [email protected]

A few days of studying Ohio State on film has Joe Paterno seeking help from a higher level.
?You got a good prayer to St. Jude for hopeless causes or something?? Penn State?s 79-year-old coach asked reporters Tuesday during his weekly teleconference.
?Ted Ginn is a great athlete ? they have a great quarterback ? the tight end is a big league player ? the tailback is a big league player,? Paterno assessed. ?What do you do? You go in there and pray.?
Saturday?s game in Columbus marks the Nittany Lions? first meeting with a No. 1-ranked team since 1998. Interestingly, the top-rated Buckeyes were the opponent that day, too, and drubbed Penn State at Ohio Stadium, 28-9.
Paterno, though, was in no mood to go down memory lane.
?I haven?t got time. I am worried about a kid by the name of Smith who is one of the better football players we have played against since I have been at Penn State. He has a cast of characters that look pretty darn good.?
The Buckeyes, who average more than 425 yards and 32 points per game, are deep and talented on offense, led by Heisman Trophy-candidate quarterback Troy Smith. His supporting cast features running back Antonio Pittman (340 yards) and speedy wideout Anthony Gonzalez (17 receptions, 2 TDs).
Then there?s Ted Ginn Jr.
One of the most exciting players to wear the scarlet and gold, Ginn has made 14 catches through three games, scoring five touchdowns. He is also a dangerous return man.
Ohio State lost nine starters from its starting defense, but the unit has allowed only 26 points, ranking 10th nationally in scoring defense at 8.7 ppg.
?You have to give the Ohio State coaching staff some credit. They know what they are doing,? Paterno said. ?They make believers out of their kids. ? Very rarely do you see them out of position. They hustle all the time.?
RUSH HOUR
Penn State finally got its ground game going last week against Youngstown State, with senior tailback Tony Hunt rambling for 143 yards on 18 carries (7.9), with a touchdown.
It was the second-highest total of Hunt?s career, behind a 151-yard effort against Wisconsin last season.
?Tony is a really good back. He can do it all,? Paterno said. ?He can catch the ball. A lot of people do not realize how good of a blocker he is. I think he has been a really fine, solid back for us.
?Until Saturday, we probably didn?t run him enough. We have to get more out of him.?
INJURY REPORT
Defensive end Jim Shaw (ankle) did not practice Monday, but Paterno is holding out hope his senior starter will be ready for Saturday?s game.
?He is going to try to go today,? he said. ?We have our fingers crossed. Jimmy is a tough kid. Some people can handle injuries and some can?t. A lot of guys play hurt and a lot of guys can?t. Jimmy Shaw can play hurt.?
Wide receiver Terrell Golden (ankle) and linebacker Jerome Hayes (foot) are listed as probable.
GETTING PERSONNEL
According to this week?s depth chart, redshirt freshman Kevin Suhey and redshirt junior Patrick Weber will return to their roles as holder and kick snapper, respectively.
The duo replaced Jason Ganter and Jay Alford at the spots last week after a series of botched field goal plays, including a fake.
Paterno continued to back sophomore placekicker Kevin Kelly, who went 3-for-6 last week, but drilled a career-best 49-yarder.
?He has been a good competitor and I don?t see any reason why we should change,? the coach said.
GAMEDAY IN COLUMBUS
ESPN?s popular College GameDay program will originate from the site of the Penn State-Ohio State game for the second consecutive year. GameDay, with host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard, will air Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, with other segments throughout the day. Penn State fans are encouraged to attend.
Last year?s show was staged outside the Bryce Jordan Center and averaged 1.86 million homes and a 2.1 rating, making it the most-viewed Saturday morning edition of the program.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

ERRY KELLAR

Improved QB Smith waiting for Penn State JERRY KELLAR OPINION

The Troy Smith Penn State?s football team is going to see Saturday at The Horseshoe will not be the Smith whose two turnovers keyed Ohio State?s loss at Beaver Stadium a year ago.
Smith promises that.
The right-handed quarterback was so distraught after the game -- the Buckeyes? only Big Ten setback of 2005 -- he took it upon himself to improve.
A lot of his preparation was spent in the dark.
?Film room, first and foremost,? Smith says. ?It helped with my decision-making, things like that. There?s a lot of things that I took for granted. In the Penn State game, I didn?t game plan enough and they went out and capitalized on it and did a great job.
?So I had it set in my mind that I didn?t want to feel like that again for the rest of the season.?
The Cleveland resident became a different player after the Penn State game in early October. By the time the Buckeyes squared off with Notre Dame in the BCS Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in January, he was among the hottest signal-callers in the country. His 408 all-purpose yards in a 34-20 drubbing of the Fighting Irish earned him MVP honors in Tempe.
Now, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Smith is back as the unquestioned leader of coach Jim Tressel?s No. 1-ranked squad.
He?s also the current front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
?That doesn?t sway me one way or another because we have a whole football season to play,? he says.
There?s too much on the line these days for Smith to get caught up in personal awards. Besides, he understands better than most how quickly the mighty can fall.
It was just two seasons ago that Smith was suspended from the Alamo Bowl for taking $500 from a booster. He believes he?s much smarter for the experience.
?It?s a process that every athlete has to go through, should go through,? Smith says. ?As an athlete you have to take things in stride, you have to keep moving. You can?t be complacent. A lot of times they love you when you?re up and then when you?re down they step on you. You have to be able to keep that in perspective.?
Smith?s off to a sizzling start this season. He?s third in the nation in pass efficiency with a 177.4 rating, hitting on 56-of-81 throws (69.1) for 769 yards, with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Coming into Saturday?s game against the Nittany Lions, the Buckeyes are averaging 426.7 yards in offense and 32 points per game.
?I think Troy Smith has become a very, very fine quarterback,? Penn State coach Joe Paterno says. ?He is very poised, calm and kids respond to him. I think he is the leader, obviously, of the Ohio State football team right now.?
Smith was nearly flawless in Ohio State?s 24-7 win at Texas two weeks ago. That game was the first of two grudge matches on the Buckeyes? schedule this season.
The second comes this weekend in Columbus.
?You can?t take anything from Penn State, they did a great job in that game,? Smith says, ?but from that day on we made up our minds as a unit that we would never feel that way again.?

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Opportunity knocks

Nittany Lions see benefits of facing No. 1 Buckeyes

By Jeff Rice

[email protected]



UNIVERSITY PARK -- The who: Ohio State, the closest thing Penn State has to a Big Ten rival.
The where: Ohio Stadium, a scarlet noise box in which the Nittany Lions haven't won in 28 years.
The what: A chance to beat the nation's top-ranked team.
The why: Or, as Penn State might say, "Why not us?"
The No. 24 Nittany Lions, who visit the Buckeyes (3-0) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, view their Big Ten opener as a chance to open some eyes.
"Everyone is trying to stress the opportunity that we have right now," said linebacker and co-captain Paul Posluszny. "We have a chance to play the No. 1 team in the nation on the road. It's going to be a very difficult game for us, but we feel like as long as we have a great week of practice and do everything that we've been told to do, we're gonna have a great opportunity to compete with one of the best teams in the nation."
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno spent the vast majority of his Tuesday press conference touting the virtues of the top-ranked Buckeyes -- the improvement and leadership of senior quarterback Troy Smith, the talent of stud linebacker James Laurinaitis, Ohio State's stellar special teams and the way sixth-year coach Jim Tressel has developed a wealth of talent.
"You gotta give the Ohio State coaching staff some credit," Paterno said. "They know what they're doing, they make believers out of their kids."
It was classic pregame fodder for the 79-year-old coach -- pumping up the opponent while downplaying the pomp surrounding the rivalry. ESPN's College GameDay will be in Columbus; ABC will nationally televise the game, which will be played for an expected sellout crowd of more than 104,000.
"I think it has some bearing on the way you prepare, and the way the kids concentrate on the game," Paterno said, "but once the game starts, I don't think you know where you're playing or who you're playing as far as who beat who the year before. I just think you're in there trying to do the best you can and do the things you did all week."
He did concede, however, that the cross-state rivalry is not lost on his players.
"It's always been a pretty big game for them," Paterno said.
The Nittany Lions remember a humbling 21-10 loss in the Horseshoe in 2004, and know that the Buckeyes are still steaming from Penn State's 17-10 upset victory in Beaver Stadium last October. The home team has won 11 of 13 meetings since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993.
"I was an Ohio State fan growing up," said Penn State tailback Tony Hunt, "so I think that makes me kind of not like them even more now."
End game
Senior defensive end Jim Shaw, who missed the majority of the Youngstown State game with a nagging ankle injury, did not practice Monday but was set to practice Tuesday.
Paterno indicated that the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder from Spring Grove, who is listed as "probable" on the weekly depth chart, could have played more against the Penguins if needed and is hopeful he'll be ready to go against the Buckeyes.
"A lot of guys can play hurt, and a lot of guys can't," Paterno said. "Jimmy Shaw can play hurt."
True freshmen Maurice Evans and Jared Odrick have played in all three games at defensive end. Both saw more time against the Penguins than they had in the first two games.
"They've both shown that they're eventually gonna be good football players," Paterno said, "but they are still freshmen."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

SMASHING SUCCESS
Ohio State-Penn State rivalry has turned into must-see college football

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The series between border rivals Ohio State and Penn State is defined by tough, physical, hard-hitting, grind-it-out football.


The scuff marks on the shoulders of James Laurinaitis? jersey seemed to stand as a perfect symbol of the Ohio State-Penn State rivalry.
Fresh off what must have been a hard-hitting practice yesterday, the Buckeyes linebacker stood, grimy and battered, on the Woody Hayes Center indoor practice field.
As a linebacker, he represents the great tradition both schools have had at that position. He also looked like so many Buckeyes and Nittany Lions likely will feel after the game Saturday.
"I know Sunday morning when I wake up, I?m going to be as sore as any game ever," OSU center Doug Datish said.
It?s not Ohio State-Michigan. Nothing can be. But No. 24 Penn State (2-1) is the only other Big Ten team the Buckeyes play every year, and it certainly has all the makings of a great rivalry:
Teams from neighboring, football-crazy states. Schools with long histories of excellence. During the past dozen years, the games usually have been close and always are physical.
And this year, there?s an extra-juicy story line because the top-ranked Buckeyes (3-0) are looking to avenge their last loss. What more could football fans ask for?
"We?ve had some great games," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "I think it?s so natural because (the states are) contiguous. A lot of guys have played against each other in the Big 33 game and we have some good Pennsylvania guys, they have some good Ohio guys. It?s natural.
"Two of the great programs, historically, in the nation. We?ve had some great games and they?re always physical, they?re always clean, they?re always tough. They?re like what rivalries should be all about."
The schools met eight times between 1912 and 1980, but the rivalry really began when Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Since then, the Buckeyes have an 8-5 edge, including 6-0 in Columbus.
"We may not have had as much luck as you?d like to have, but that?s because (OSU) has been pretty darn good," Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno said. "It?s just one of the things that makes college football a great situation ? the crowd, the tradition, the young guys. Ohio State kids play good, tough football with no shenanigans, which is a great credit to Jimmy. We?re looking forward to going out there and playing them."
Among those wins in Columbus was a 2002 game in which cornerback Chris Gamble returned an interception for the Buckeyes? only touchdown in a 13-7 victory, another close call during OSU?s title-winning season.
"That was one of my most memorable games," said defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who redshirted that season. "It was just so loud, and it just really got me. That?s when I think I really realized I am a Buckeye, how great the game was."
Last season, in a nationally televised night game, the oncebeaten Buckeyes were still harboring faint national-title hopes when the Nittany Lions throttled the OSU offense on the way to a 17-10 victory.
That was the last time OSU lost, and the Buckeyes are tied with West Virginia for the nation?s second-longest winning streak (10), trailing only Texas Christian (13).
So add another motivating factor.
"It?s going to be a big one," Buckeyes running back Antonio Pittman said. "Last year, we went to their home and they got us, they got us good. And this year we just want to come out here and just get back, keep our streak going and play like we?re the No. 1 team."
Tressel hopes that because this is the first week of classes, OSU students come out in force Saturday and pay the Nittany Lions back for their noise and energy last season.
It?s one of those rivalries loved most of all by football purists and offensive linemen.
"They?re a clean opponent, there?s not a lot of jawing going back and forth, which I like," Datish said. "They?re a wellcoached, classy football team. You know it will be hardfought, and if you?re not ready to go, you?re going to get put down in the dirt."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Kicking disparity concerns Paterno
Penn State coach says Ohio State has special-teams edge

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Maybe it was a motivational ploy. Or maybe, in his mind, it is just the plain, honest truth.
Whatever the case, Penn State coach Joe Paterno said yesterday that his team has no chance to win one phase of the game against Ohio State on Saturday.
"I think we?ve got to fight like dogs not to let the kicking game beat us," Paterno said. "We?re not going to win that battle. They?re too good to think you?re going to win that battle."
Available statistics tell a different story. In six categories covering special teams in the Big Ten statistics this week, Penn State ranks higher than Ohio State in three and the teams are even in one.
The most significant advantages for each: Penn State?s 22.9-yard kickoff-return average compared with Ohio State?s 17.7, and the Buckeyes? 42.7-yard average in net punting vs. the Nittany Lions? 33.5.
Field-goal kicking appears to be a push, with neither team having made better than twothirds of its attempts. But the numbers are deceiving.
Aaron Pettrey and Ryan Pretorius of Ohio State have made their last four attempts after missing their first three. Penn State?s Kevin Kelly, meanwhile, missed three of six attempts last week against Youngstown State ? from 38, 38 and 30 yards ? while working with a new snapper and holder. Paterno changed personnel at the two positions after bad snaps or holds blew up three attempts in the first two games.
Penn State?s narrow edge in kickoff coverage also is deceiving. The Nittany Lions have allowed about seven fewer yards per return, but the Buckeyes have a Big Ten-best 13 touchbacks, five more than Penn State.
"They?ve got a great punter (in A.J. Trapasso), one of the best punters in the country, and the kid who kicks off kicks them out of the end zone," Paterno said.
"Like I said, we?ve got to fight with our lives to try not to lose the game because we?ve put ourselves out of reach because of the kicking game."
Penn State?s only other road trip so far this season was a disaster, a 41-17 loss at Notre Dame on Sept. 9 in which the Nittany Lions helped dig themselves a 27-0 hole with fumbles and other mistakes.
"I don?t know how much benefit you get from getting your ears kicked in, except for the fact that you learn you can?t turn the ball over," Paterno said.
"We played hard against Notre Dame. We only punted the ball twice, had 25 first downs, more than they had. We?ll just try to build on the fact that if we have patience and hang on to the ball and don?t make dumb mistakes, we?ll be competitive. We certainly were not competitive in that game. We let the game get out of hand on us in a hurry."
Penn State has allowed more than 30 points in a game only one other time in the past three years.
"The way we played against Notre Dame, that?s not the way a Penn State defense plays," linebacker Paul Posluszny said. "Now we?ll have a chance to go against a great offense: a talented quarterback, receivers, running back. They have the total package. It?s going to give our defense a chance to really prove ourselves and find out what we?re made of."
[email protected]

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Explanation of DSA

The game preview this week (front page) has a statistical analysis similar to what appeared in game previews from last season. Ohio State and the upcoming opponent (PSU in this case) are compared using what is called Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA).

DSA calculates two new sets of statistics and then compares them to more traditional stats to come up with a "prediction" for the upcoming game. The new statistics used by DSA are "Differential Offense" and "Differential Defense".

These terms are pretty much what they sound like. Differential Offense measures how many yards and points you hang on your opponents compared to what they normally give up; and Differential Defense is the other side of that coin.

Here's an over-simplified example: Say you've played 3 teams. Those teams have each played 2 games apart from their game with you. Now let's assume that all three of those teams have given up, on average, 300 yards and 21 points in their 2 games against other teams. Further, let's say that you put up 400 yards and 28 points on all three teams. In this case, your Differential Offense for Yards and your Differential Offense for points is exactly the same: 1.33 - You produce 33% more yards and points than your opponents typically give up.

By themselves, these numbers don't offer much. But when compared to Total Offense, Total Defense, Scoring Offense and Scoring Defense; these numbers offered reasonably accurate predictions for the outcomes of last year's games.

Take our example where the Differential Offense is 1.33 for both yards and points. You simply multiply this number by your upcoming opponent's total defense and scoring defense. If your upcoming opponent gives up 150 yards, 10 points on average, you would multiply these numbers by 1.33 and see that you can expect to gain 200 yards and score 13.33 points against this team.

It would be nice if it were this simple in practice, but it never is.


The situation becomes even more complicated if you have to factor out games against IAA teams, but the analysis becomes worthless if you don't.


This is where this week's game preview comes into the picture. Since it is still so early in the season, it was necessary to correct for schedule strength. The easiest way to do this, was to NOT fact out Penn State's inflated numbers against YSU from their traditional statistics.

Even with this major correction in PSU's favor, DSA provided the following prediction for Saturday's game:

OHIO STATE: 436-470 yards and 48-50 points
PENN STATE: 247-330 yards and 9-10 points


For those of you who are curious, here are the numbers that DSA provides if we DO factor out the pillow fight with the penguins:

OHIO STATE: 436-521 yards and 50-57 points
PENN STATE: 221-330 yards and 9-10 points


FWIW: I don't believe that either of these sets of numbers provides a reasonable prediction for Saturday's game. As soon as the lead hits 3 touchdowns, we will button things up and run clock.

With the new clock rules, it seems unlikely that JT will ever put 50 up on anybody.

As the season wears on, you will see the predictions from DSA become more and more accurate; just like last year.

For now, let's just enjoy a nice big plate of vengeance, served ice cold.

 

[craigblitz]

So stocked for this game.... Can NOT WAIT for the beat down we are going to put on these *****. I bet we see a few wrinkles from PSU, some running plays designed for their "speed" guys on the outside where it is apparent is a bit of a weakness for us(wow talk about over simplification), but in the end we make Morelli try to beat us and he will fail and fail miserabley!! OSU 35 - PSU 20