Kevin Kelly earns Big Ten POW

Kevin Kelly has gone from a question mark to an exclamation point for Penn State in 2008. Let's hope Penn State doesn't even need him at Ohio State.

From BigTen.org:

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Kevin Kelly, Penn State
SR, K, Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy
Kelly connected on three field goals and all five of his extra points against Michigan to become the Big Ten’s career leader in kicking points. The senior kicker’s 14-point outing boosted his career total to 376 kicking points to pass Minnesota’s Dan Nystrom (1999-2002) and Iowa’s Nate Kaeding (2000-03), who shared the top spot with 367 points. Kelly connected on field goals of 42, 32 and 20 yards to give him 70 career field goals, which ranks third in conference annals behind Nystrom (71 field goals) and Ohio State’s Mike Nugent (72). Kelly earns his first career weekly award.
LAST PSU SPECIAL TEAMS POW: KR Derrick Williams on Sept. 29, 2008.

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Review, Game 7: Penn State 48, Wisconsin 7

Today I'll go over a few of the ups and downs from Penn State's win over Wisconsin. We haven't seen a more complete performance out of Penn State--over a very decent team, never mind away from Beaver Stadium--since the 63-14 win over Ohio State in 1994. Yeah, Penn State looked that good in Madison. I said I would go over the ups and downs, but there really aren't any downs to go over this week. Sure, Daryll Clark threw a pick, but who cares, the game was well in hand at that point. 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 revenge-fest against Michigan.

OFFENSE :: A+

Line - The run blocking could have been a little better, but Wisconsin's game plan blatantly centered around stopping Evan Royster. The beauty of that was Clark's ability to stay upright in the passing game, as the line didn't surrender any real negative plays this week. Even though Penn State rushed for a season-low 106 yards, it was mostly due to the short fields Wisconsin gave the Lions. So I'd say this was another dominant performance by the PSU offensive line.

Receivers - When Derrick Williams dropped the first long pass of the game, I said "here we go again." But that was the only big screw up by this unit all night. Wisconsin had a ton of trouble keeping the PSU wide outs from getting open, climaxing with Deon Butler drawing a holding call on his 44-yard touchdown grab. He just ran by the defender. On the route-running side, this was the best performance all year by the receivers, in terms of getting open on broken plays. They came back to the ball, and gave Clark a great big target to hit.

Quarterbacks - The best thing that could have happened to Clark this week was that interception. I was giddy seeing him freak out on the sideline, obviously livid at himself. That's the kind of attitude that wins championships. Clark hasn't pulled the ball down to run like Mike Robinson would have, but Clark is head-and-shoulders above M-Rob's passing abilities. He never takes his eyes off the receivers, yet somehow knows when the pressure's coming. The option pitch on the goal line was a work of art. I was pleasantly surprised to see Pat Devlin get some good throws in, but I'd like to see him get in earlier in blowouts. But that's just being picky.

Rushers - Penn State didn't need a big day from Evan Royster & Co. All he had to do was keep Wisconsin honest, and the Badgers took the bait. As I said above, Wisconsin went all out and committed to stopping the run. It worked, but not as well as we think. Royster was still able to get nice holes, and regularly pounded out five yards or more. Stephfon Green was effective, but again, didn't have to be anything more. This was a quiet week for the Penn State ground game.

DEFENSE :: A+

Line - Aaron Maybin is, right now, a First-Team All-America selection. The rest of the line just stuffed P.J. Hill and supposed-phenom John Clay, but it was Maybin's timely sack and forced fumble that closed any window Wisconsin had for a comeback. After losing so many linemen this year, we were all worried about this unit being the weakest link. Not by a long shot, now. Who would have thought, if you said Maurice Evans would have only one sack at this point, that Penn State would be this dominant up front? Not me. One of the most over-looked aspects of the line's play is in pass defense. There were two to three instances where Wisconsin's quarterbacks had an open receiver, only to have Jared Odrick or another lineman bat down the pass.

Linebackers - Sometimes a no-name unit plays harder, and this season's linebackers are the embodiment of that theory. Josh Hull, following weeks of sketchy play, has elevated his game to new heights. He was on that lose fumble like itch on a mosquito bite. Those are the plays Penn State needs to win games. Navorro Bowman led the team, again, in tackles. Tyrell Sales should have had that interception, but we're not complaining. I really like where this unit is heading, especially with guys like Nate Stupar (more on him in a minute), Chris Colasanti and Mike Mauti waiting in the wings.

Secondary - Does any team in America have a better rotation of cornerbacks than Penn State? I think not at this point. Lydell Sargeant enjoyed his first interception so much, he decided to pick off another. But those passes weren't just bad throws, Sargeant actually baited the passer on at least one of them. And I can't say enough about Penn State's safeties. (Wow, I'm getting way to gushy this week!) Anthony Scirrotto didn't come up with the interception, after pleading with Tom Bradley to challenge, but it was a good play. I thought Mark Rubin would have made the play of the game if his interception stood. He looked like a wide receiver on that play. Oh wait, he used to be one.

SPECIAL TEAMS :: A+

Kickers - Kevin Kelly is the best kicker in the Big Ten. His nagging injuries are apparently gone, and it's showing. I'll admit I thought he wouldn't nail that 50-yarder. But he proved to me that he can make the big ones. Jeremy Boone recovered from a very "meh" week at Purdue, booting punts for almost 45 yards per. I'm extremely confident with the Penn State kicking game, should we need it against Ohio State or Michigan State.

Returners - Do they give awards for the best return man anymore? I'm going to find out, and when I do, Derrick Williams gets it this season, hands down.

Coverage - This week was night-and-day better than earlier this year, never mind last season. Stupar was a monster at getting to the ball carrier, but the unit as a whole really clamped down on Wisconsin's return games. Looked like someone beat up these guys in practice the past few weeks, because they were out for blood.

COACHES :: A+

This is officially the Galen Hall & Jay Paterno show on offense. The "Spread HD" is sexier than sex itself. I wonder, when the coordinator of the year awards come out, who gets it? Galen or Jay? This wasn't old Penn State, conservative on the road, playing it safe. And I think Joe likes it, a lot. If I'm Ohio State, I'm getting very worried now that the prospect of a tight-assed Penn State gameplan is out the window. But this week we shouldn't overlook at the defense. Tom Bradley should get more respect for what he does with his group. With so many guys lost, from Sean Lee to the defensive tackles, to the injuries of Jerome Hayes and Devon Still, Bradley has done more with nothing than anyone in the nation. This is the first week I've given A+ to all four units.

*Ed-Later today, I'll post my top 25.

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P.S. I know U., 2008 – Part 4, Defense and Special Teams

Today I’ll go over the defensive backfield, and the specialists at Penn State. Then on Monday, we’ll look at the coaching staff. This won’t be full of messy stats (even though I do love them, oh so much), but it also won’t be straight opinion. This is just to get everyone in the loop when it comes to the key figures for 2008. Hope you enjoy P.S. I know U., 2008.

As before, I’ll describe each player in one of three ways - Great, Good, Decent. ‘Great’ indicates that player is a sure starter, and should get all-conference or All-America. ‘Good’ means that player is a solid starter, someone the team can rely on to do the job. ‘Decent’ goes to many of the backups who will see time in the rotations. I figure there isn’t a player on the two or three deep that is below decent, or PSU is in real trouble.

Part 4, Defense and Special Teams - Defensive Backs, Kickers and Punters

:: Defensive Backs :: [1st Team] A.J. Wallace, Lydell Sargeant, Tony Davis, Anthony Scirrotto (S), Mark Rubin (S) [2nd Team] Drew Astorino, Willie Harriott, Knowledge Timmons, Cedric Jeffries, Nick Sukay

[1st Team]
No. 1. A.J. Wallace [CB, Jr., 6-1/188] – Great. A.J. could become the most prolific kick returner in PSU history with two seasons of eligibility left. Oh yeah, and he’s a pretty damn good cornerback, too. We all know about Wallace’s importance to PSU, so I won’t go on. He’s an All-American returner and All-Big Ten candidate at CB. 2007: Played 652 snaps. 33 tkl, 1 int, 3 fr.

No. 10. Lydell Sargeant [CB, Sr., 5-10/186] - Good. Sargeant lost his job to Wallace following the Ohio State blowout. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad corner. Lightening fast, and much more experienced this season, Sargeant should compliment Wallace nicely. Lydell was also a surprising third on the team in tackles last season, so I expect him to return to his early-season form. 2007: Played 809 snaps; 70 tkl, 1.5 tfl, 2 int.

No. 11. Tony Davis [Nickel Back (NB), RS Sr., 5-10/195] - Good. Davis has been moved around several times in the backfield. He began as the backup to Alan Zamaitis in 2005, then took over the spot in ’06. In ’07, he was moved to safety, but came down with appendicitis, forcing him to sit out the Ohio State and Purdue games. Tony was a much more valuable player in the secondary than he was given credit for, grabbing an interception at Illinois, and was great in run support. Plus, let’s not forget his game-changing fumble return for a TD against Tennessee in the ’07 Outback Bowl. While he’s not listed as the starting cornerback right now, that doesn’t mean we won’t see a lot of Davis throughout the year. He’s too good to sit the bench. I expect to see a rotation of the corners similar to the defensive ends, subbing and flipping on almost every play. 2007: 29 tkl, 1 int, 2 ff.

No. 7. Anthony Scirrotto [Saf., Sr., 6-0/192] - Great. I don’t care how many people are calling him overrated, Scirrotto is still one of the best safeties in the Big Ten. He had a down year in ’07, after his conference leading six interceptions in ’06. Still, he was a major force in the PSU secondary, and should return to ’06 form. 2007: 65 tkl, 1 tfl, 3 int, 1 fr.

No. 9. Mark Rubin [Saf., RS Sr., 6-3/216] - Good. I will never forget watching the 2004 Indiana game, as true frosh Mark Rubin made a diving, one-handed grab on third-and-long for the first down. PSU won the game, and that catch was a crucial play in the victory. A year later, PSU got all the WRs it needed, and Rubin injured his ankle, requiring surgery and ending his season before it even began. He then moved back and forth from WR to S. Then last year, he planted himself as the full-time backup to Tony Davis. When called upon for the OSU and PU games, he did well. Not great, but was serviceable. Rubin grew up a lot last year, and I think he’ll be an important part of the ’07 edition of the PSU secondary. 2007: 32 tkl, 1 tfl.

[2nd Team]
No. 28. Drew Astorino [Saf., RS Fr., 5-10/190] - Decent. You can’t get away from the buzz surrounding Astorino. Joe Paterno, the staff, and the fans have been just gaga about his potential coming out of spring and summer practice. We’ll see. He’s a former dual-sport star in football and basketball out of Edinboro, Pa. Drew made a big splash at the B/W Game this April, when he logged six tkls, and an int. He should get plenty of mop-up duty this year. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

No. 6. Willie Harriott [CB, RS Jr., 5-8/183] - Decent. Not blessed with size, Harriott makes it all up in speed. He was one of the “speed guys” who came in to PSU in ’05, but redshirted that year. He’s now setting himself up for 2009, when openings at CB will be there for the taking. He’s an experienced player for PSU, but won’t contend for the starting job this year. Harriott has played in games each year at PSU, mainly on special teams. That should continue this season. 2007: Played 48 snaps; 4 tkl, 1 pbu.

No. 4. Knowledge Timmons [Saf., RS Jr., 5-10/186] - Decent. Timmons, besides having the coolest name at PSU, would frequently jaw with Justin King about who was the fastest player on the team. He’ll join players like Harriott this year trying to move up in the depth chart for ’09. A special teams player, he’ll usually line up at gunner. In 2006 at Notre Dame, Timmons could have recovered a muffed punt deep inside ND territory, but rather than just falling on it, he tried to pick it up and run. He lost the ball, and it went back to ND in a 41-17 blowout loss for PSU. He should be better this year, with more experience, and more motivation to concentrate only on school and football. 2007: Played 92 snaps; 5 tkl.

No. 29. Cedric Jeffries [Saf., RS Soph., 6-2/210] - Decent. Jeffries actually saw considerable playing time last year as a RS frosh. He’s listed as a backup LB and S, but I’ll go with S for this purpose. He has great size and speed to go along with it. He should make more than a few tackles this season, as I expect him to rotate in and out of the lineup during meaningful plays. With more teams running spread-style attacks in ’08, guys like Jeffries could emerge as important depth behind the starters. Chances are that he’ll complete the move to LB before the season’s over, but he has a better chance to see the field at S. 2007: Played 154 snaps; 4 tkl.

No. 26. Nick Sukay [Saf., RS Fr., 6-1/202] - Decent. Sukay has been hampered by nagging injuries, but should be good to go by the Big Ten opener against Illinois. I was really hoping to see him and Chaz Powell emerge as the two safeties after this season, but Powell moved to WR, and Sukay will have to wait for his chance. Although not as highly rated out of HS as Powell, Nick offers good instincts and football smarts. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

:: Specialists :: [1st Team] Kevin Kelly, Jeremy Boone, [2nd Team] Colin Wagner (K), Ryan Breen (P)

No. 23. Kevin Kelly [K, Sr., 5-7/164] - Good. Kelly has endured an up and down career. But contrary to the fan base’s opinion, he’s been very consistent in the three years he’s kicked for PSU. Sure, everyone knows his game-winning kick in the ’06 Orange Bowl. But not many people really grasp that this kid is great at finding the end zone. He’s carried the rock to pay dirt twice already, one for a key 2-point conversion at Michigan in ’05, and scored a TD on a fake kick at Michigan State last year. If the coaching staff stays smart, they’ll use that fake kick play again. I think Kelly will go down as one of the best kickers ever at PSU. 2007: Scored 110 points, 20-26 FG, 44-45 PAT, 1 TD.

No. 41. Jeremy Boone [P, RS Jr., 5-9/184] - Great. PSU won’t overtake places like Tennessee for “Punter U,” but the Lions have made a strong case with the last two boomers. In 2006, Jeremy Kapinos was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, and finished out a stellar PSU career. In came Boone, and fans’ anxiety was quickly quelled. Boone is a candidate for Academic AA this year, and was named to several All-Big Ten teams, including a few 1st Team selections. 2007: 59 Punts for 43.0 ydpp, 25 punts inside 20-yard line; Ray Guy candidate.

No. 36. Colin Wagner [K., RS Soph., 5-9/170] - Decent. Wagner actually kicked two PATs last season in the opener against FIU. He made both. While he’s not pushing Kelly out of his job, he provides a great sub, should Kelly need a break. Received many honors as a HS K, and played in the Big 33 Game. 2007: 2-2 PAT.

No. 49. Ryan Breen [P., RS Fr., 6-2/194] - Decent. Breen will have some tough shoes to fill once Boone graduates. But then again, when Jeremy Kapinos left, we all thought the same thing. PSU has gotten very good punters in recent years, and Breen seems to fit that mold. He’s a big kid with a strong leg, and should provide a good backup. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

(Ed. Note--I was going to cover the return specialists, but since I've already gone over those players, I'll just list them here: KR-A.J. Wallace; PR/KR-Derrick Williams; Backup PR-Anthony Scirrotto.)

Coming Monday: Part 5, Coaching Staff.

P.S. I know U., 2008:
Part 1, Offense
Part 2, Offense (cont’d)
Part, 3 Defense

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