Review, Game 8: Penn State 46, Michigan 17

Today I'll go over a few of the ups and downs from Penn State's win over Michigan. The Wolverines put a quite a fight for the first half, but just couldn't hold on to the momentum. Penn State, on the other hand, showed why it's the No. 3 team in the nation, taking a ton of Michigan's best shots, but still recovering to win going away. But we'll get into all of this as I review how each unit performed Saturday, and what we could expect for next week's monster game at Ohio State.

OFFENSE :: A

Line - AQ Shipley's errant snap to lead off the game seemed to set the tone for Penn State's first quarter, but we should look past that (it was just as much Daryll Clark's fault). The offensive line had a good game against Michigan. I wasn't pleased with how well Michigan pushed back the line's surge early on, but Dick Anderson and Bill Kenney adjusted very well, and soon had the line bowling over the hapless Wolverine defensive front.

Receivers - I can't complain about this unit, as the offense's early woes had nothing to do with the receivers. In fact, I thought this was the best game of the year for Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler as a group. What really impressed me was their down field blocking, which was absolutely key to Evan Royster's 174-yard day. The tight ends didn't do much in the game, but they only had a few passes thrown their way.

Quarterbacks - Clark had his worst quarter of the season, but stormed back with what could have been his best three. His numbers weren't through the roof, but he has once again showed why he's the leader of this football team. The best thing Penn State could get out of the quarterback position is what Clark offers. He kept his team cool and collected, didn't turn the ball over in the passing game, and moved the chains. I was very pleased to see Pat Devlin get into the game, even if it was late.

Rushers - Penn State could have run Royster 30 straight times if it wanted to, and Michigan wouldn't have been able to stop him. We all know Royster is one of the best backs Penn State's had recently, so I'll talk about the rest of the run game. I'm not sure what the Penn State coaches were trying to do when they ran Stephfon Green up the middle so much. If you want to run down the clock, Green can do it, but with outside runs, where he can get to the edge.

DEFENSE :: B-

Line - Where was the line for those 12 minutes Michigan held the ball in the first quarter? It brought back bad memories of 2003, when Penn State couldn't stop any team's run game. While I think a "B-" was harsh for the defense as a whole, this unit cannot have another start like this, and it clearly overshadowed the fantastic game the front seven played after that first quarter. The defensive line couldn't suck up blocks, and allowed the Michigan linemen to reach the linebackers, creating huge holes for Brandon Minor and Steven Threet. I expect the staff to work on plenty of block-shedding drills this week.

Linebackers - This unit was just as much at fault for allowing Michigan to run right over Penn State early on. On this level, however, it was just a clear lack of tackling that doomed the defense. The one play that stuck out to me was on Michigan's first drive, facing 4th-and-1. Navorro Bowman and Jared Odrick (of all people, too) slammed the ball carrier a full yard short of the first down, but failed to follow through. Had Penn State stopped Michigan on that drive, things might have been very different. They can't miss tackles this week. To be fair, the substitutions sending in Bani Gbadyu and Mike Mauti were great moves, and really sparked the line backers to step up their play overall.

Secondary - The back four/five were making too many touchdown-saving tackles, but did very well overall. Michigan's quarterbacks were just as much of a help to Penn State as Anthony Scirrotto and Tony Davis were, but coverage was tight through most of the game. There was some soft coverage, which led to some chunks through the air, but those were few and far between. Penn State's ability to shut down any chance Michigan had to make a comeback, started with the defensive backfield. I expect a much, much bigger test for this unit at Ohio State.

SPECIAL TEAMS :: A+

Kickers - Jeremy Boone out-punted the best punter in the Big Ten, while Kevin Kelly kicked his way to Big Ten Player of the Week accolades. Not a bad day for the kicking specialists.

Returners - Chaz Powell has emerged as a good replacement for AJ Wallace, and Derrick Williams had a so-so day. I guess we can't ask for a kick return touchdown every week.

Coverage - This is where Penn State has really stepped up its game this season. For the second straight week, the special teams coverage and block units played out of their minds. From Nate Stupar's punt block and punishing hits, to Mike Mauti blasting into the returner, forcing the ball free. This is the most improved single aspect of Penn State's game from last year to this year.

COACHES :: C/A+

The first half get's the C, while the second half gets the A+. Michigan gained 199 yards in the first quarter, but only 92 after that. Tom Bradley wasn't afraid to sit Josh Hull and Tyrell Sales, and it worked. The only big problem I have is that it took a 17-point run for Penn State to finally adjust. I can't really complain much about the offensive game-plan, because the offense was just fine once the defense finally slowed Michigan. This was a big wake-up call for Penn State's players and coaches. The Nittany Lions were out-coached and out-played for nearly a half, and it could be the best thing to happen to Penn State all season.

*Ed-Tomorrow morning, I'll post my top 25.