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PENN STATE Team Report

By The Sports Xchange
9/17/2006
 
INSIDE SLANT

Looking across the field at an I-AA opponent and realizing the running game has struggled at times this year, the Nittany Lions figured this would be a good week to correct it.

Now they have to prove they can run it successfully against the Big Ten.

Tony Hunt ran for 143 yards and Penn State registered 389 rushing yards in its 37-3 win over Youngstown State Saturday. It was the most rushing yards in a single game for Penn State in four years and the 568 total yards were the most since 1995. Every team needs to pick on a little brother every now and then, but Penn State still has plenty to correct -- and quickly -- with a road trip to No. 1 Ohio State looming next weekend.

Quarterback Anthony Morelli completed less than 50 percent of his passes and Kevin Kelly missed three field goals – two from 38 and another from 31.

It certainly wasn't the type of performance Penn State was looking for, especially after it was crushed at Notre Dame the week before and the top-ranked team in the country looms next week. If Penn State was looking for motivation, the game film should provide it.

"Youngstown State is a well-coached team," coach Joe Paterno said. "They had good, hard-nosed kids. I thought it would be a good ball game for us. Whether it was the best game for us going into Columbus, I don't know. But we have to play the schedule. We won. Now we have to go to Columbus."

NOTES, QUOTES

GAME BALL GOES TO: RB Tony Hunt -– He had his best game of the season with 143 yards, but any excitement is tempered because of the opponent. Still, Penn State needed to run the ball well and it finally did.

KEEP AN EYE ON: WR Derrick Williams -– The offense went back to using him on end-arounds and running plays, and the result was 56 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The more he touches the ball, the better it is for the offense.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have to work on capitalizing in the red zone. For us to be a great team, we have to capitalize when we get down there. If I knew what our problems were, I'd be the offensive coordinator ... We have so much talent. I don't know what it is." –-Penn State receiver Deon Butler on the woes of the offense

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

LOOKING GOOD: The running game finally started to produce and the defense limited Youngstown State to under 200 yards of offense. But then again, that's what was expected.

RB Rodney Kinlaw -- Tony Hunt's backup had 86 yards on six carries for a nifty 14.3 average. He also had a 50-yard kickoff return.

A.J. Wallace –- Reeled off a 76-yard touchdown run on a reverse.

STILL NEEDS WORK: For the second straight week, Michigan State's special teams allowed an onside kick to be recovered. That means it will probably happen again.

QB Anthony Morelli -- Had his worst game of the year, completing 11 of 27 passes for 154 yards. He did not throw a touchdown or an interception.

PK Kevin Kelly -- Was 3-of-6 on field goals. He missed from 38 yards twice and 31 yards once.

ROSTER REPORT: No new injuries.

Previous Report: 09/14/2006


 

 

 


 
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