Review, Game 12: Penn St 49, Michigan St 18
I’ll go through each unit and the coaching, sizing up how each one performed against Michigan State.
OFFENSE :: A+
Line – You can't argue, or really complain about anything this offense did against Michigan State. And it all started up front with the offensive line. Penn State made an effort from the beginning to throw the ball (419 pass yds), so the front line came through with some of the best pass protection we've seen all season long, especially against a really good team like Michigan State (9-3). I really liked what Dick Anderson did with the interior line, which led the way for Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin to bomb away. It was a great performance by a great line, one that could have swayed some scouts' minds going into the bowl season. If Penn State's line plays well in the bowl game, you could see three offensive linemen drafted this April.
Receivers – It was an appropriate exit for the best set of wide receivers in college football. College football won't see another four-year run (6366 total rec yds) by a group of players like this for a long time, never mind the off-field value of Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood. Against the Spartans, Penn State wanted to attack the middle of the defense, and did so successfully early on when Norwood (5/127) caught a perfectly thrown seam route to the ten-yard line. But that was only the beginning, as Butler (3/133/3 TDs) was a one-man wrecking crew against the Spartans' secondary. But one of the most impressive catches all day was Williams' (4/51/1 TD) 32-yard scoring grab, when he went over one defender, while boxing out the other to fall into the end zone. One of the most under-appreciated parts of Penn State's passing last week, was the extremely effective use of screen passes on third-and-long situations. Evan Royster caught one for 19 yards, and Stephfon Green made a huge conversion on a 37-yard dump over the middle.
Quarterbacks - Penn State completed 19 of 31 passes for a 13.5 average per attempt, and 22.1 yards per completion. That's really incredible for a program that doesn't usually bomb away. Clark looked confident, calm and, most importantly, like he gained back the swagger he exuded earlier this season. You have to admit, Jay Paterno's done a decent job this year, and deserves some kudos. The best part of what Penn State was able to do last week, was still rush (35) more times than pass (31). Although MSU coach Mark D'Antonio didn't seem to happy that Penn State kept passing in the second half, I think it was a move to get Pat Devlin some meaningful playing time. Penn State was looking out for its own interests against Michigan State, something the Nittany Lions aren't exactly known for.
Rushers – Penn State didn't need to run the ball, but did it just well enough to keep Michigan State honest. On the other side, the Spartans committed themselves early on to stopping Penn State's run game, which turned out to haunt Michigan State the rest of the night. Penn State was trying to draw MSU into the box, but MSU beat them to it. Penn State still ran the ball for 138 yards (3.9 ypc), which was effective enough to prevent MSU from adjusting to the PSU pass game. Evan Royster stayed on par for his fantastic season, rushing for 79 yards with a 6.6 ypc. If PSU uses him so sparingly the rest of his time in Happy Valley, every NFL team will want his practically unused treads. I can't go without mentioning Dan Lawlor's gutsy touchdown plunge. He really deserved it, and showed why a bruising, power fullback is still an asset to any team.
DEFENSE :: A+
Line – MSU's Javon Ringer was all the rage in the Big Ten rushing ranks. Even after MSU lost to Ohio State, he was still considered an outside shot to get the invite to New York City. Well, that dream is over, thanks to Penn State's defensive front. MSU came in rushing for almost 150 yards per game, yet left Beaver Stadium with a mere 35 yards on the ground. The funny thing about just how dominant the PSU defensive line played last week, was that most of the biggest plays were made by the "backups." Maurice Evans (sack) and Abe Koroma (sack) both got to Brian Hoyer, while Ollie Ogbu (sack) also took a piece. Soon-to-be All-American Aaron Maybin was a terror in the backfield (1.5 TFL, PBU), as was Jared Odrick (5 tkl, TFL). But possibly the biggest play early on didn't come from the defensive line...
Linebackers – It came from unsung senior linebacker Tyrell Sales. When he shot through the line to tackle Ringer for a four-yard loss, it really set the tone for the PSU defense the rest of the game. PSU knew they could stop Ringer, and that's all the motivation they needed. Navorro Bowman didn't have a fantastic game, as he was only fifth on the team in tackles. But all four were solo tackles. Back to Sales for a minute. It was totally fitting that on a day when the senior class really stepped up, every single one of them made big plays. Sales (6 tot tkl) was part of the PSU defense that really got past those first-level blocks, and he finished the day with 1.5 TFL, a good outing for any player. Josh Hull also came through with a PBU, although quiet on the stat board. One more thing to touch on was Mike Mauti's first big stats game, as he logged two solo tackles (3 tot tkl).
Secondary – On the last MSU drive of the first half, this defensive backfield was night-and-day softer. That allowed the only meaningful score by the Spartans. But before that, and after the starters left, this was the definition of a "shut-down" secondary. Yet two more seniors had great last shows in Beaver Stadium. Anthony Scirrotto and Lydell Sargeant both grabbed interceptions, both at key points in the game. You could even say Sargeant has exploded since the 2007 Ohio State debacle, a game in which he was benched. He has been, by far, the best PSU defensive back, this most recent pick coming on the goal line with the MSU offense driving.
SPECIAL TEAMS :: A+
Kickers – Kevin Kelly didn't have to kick a field goal, which was totally fine by me. He was great on kickoffs, and nailed all of his PATs. Jeremy Boone really showed off his leg, with three boots for 140 yards (46.7 ypp), and a long of 50. Two of his punts were downed inside the 20. When there's little to talk about in the kicking game, usually it was a good night, and it was.
Returners – PSU returned five total kicks, none of which were spectacular. But like the kicking game, it wasn't necessary to have a good day in this aspect of the game. We all know PSU has a great return game. It just wasn't taken out of the closet for this one.
Coverage – MSU returned one punt for a one-yard loss, and eight kickoffs for 173 yards (21 ypr) with a long of 35. PSU continued to shutdown this part of opponents' play, and could be an absolute necessity should PSU face USC in the Rose Bowl.
COACHES :: A+
The best stat of this game was Penn State going 13-for-17 on third down conversions. PSU scored touchdowns on four of six first-half possessions, and three of five second-half drives. Galen Hall and Jay Paterno really opened up the offense, gaining an astounding 8.4 yards PER PLAY! Penn State had five scoring drives of seven plays or less, including a one-play touchdown drive (Williams' 32-yard TD catch) and a 5-play, 96-yard scoring drive in the third quarter. The Penn State coaching staff really let the players do what they do best in this game: make big plays. This was the perfect way to end the 2008 regular season, and this senior class' incredible run as Penn State Nittany Lions.
