Winning and Losing

Sports, they seem to be the thing that makes life so enjoyable and yet, it makes us so angry at times. Recent events in America's most popular sport, the National Football League, seem to have us second-guessing the things we sometimes base our life around. Whether you're the ultimate sports fan and watch three games at once or the one that catches the highlights when they're on TV and you just happen to flip on that channel, sports play a big role in our life and lifestyle. When I was choosing where I wanted to attend college I had some choices to make. It was going to be the biggest decision I would make up to that point, where would I spend the next four years of my life. The four years of my life that would lead me down the path of having a great life. Penn State was always going to be there, but as I was looking around at other places that would be a good fit for me, I found myself asking, “What is their athletic department like?” As crazy as that might sound and it probably sounds insane, that was something I was basing my college decision off of. In the end, Penn State was the best choice because it had everything I wanted. It was the easy choice because of one thing; it was home.

We look at athletes of all levels to be role models for the youth in America. That’s their job. It’s not to entertain us; it’s not to give us something to be happy about when we might need it. It’s to the perfect human beings. That means no making mistakes no matter what it is. It’s the sad truth about sports that we hold athletes to higher standards because they are athletes. It seems to be what we do and what we have done for decades. If your team loses on a Saturday or Sunday for example, you’re going to have an awful week. Even if we don’t notice it, we like to put the blame of how our life is going on if our team is winning or losing. It’s the American way. Is that really what it means to be a fan though? Fans are supposed to be there to support their team through the good and bad but the good times can’t come without the bad.

I’ve grown up around Penn State football my entire life and it becomes a part of you; much like any team will if you’re around it long enough. From the tailgating before and after the game to the game itself, those seven or eight Saturday’s of the year are a get away; they are a retreat to a place where people gather to spend the day in an environment that is nothing short of a safe-haven. Win or lose, you spend those Saturday’s with the people who matter the most and who make you forget your team lost. A college friend of my uncle was diagnosed with cancer towards the end of last year; it was a hard time for everyone who knew him. He didn’t know if he would make it to any games this season, but that was his goal. He wanted to be around his family, he wanted to be around Penn State football. He’s been to two games and the smile on his face when he leaves gets bigger each time. Sports are a microcosm in the grand scheme of life. They might have zero impact on our lives but they are what we look forward to after a long week. We can spend hours and hours prepping for the Super Bowl and in 3 hours it’s over; but it’s those days, 1 day out of 365 we embrace the influence of sports and become true fans. It’s the little things in life; such as those seven or eight Saturday’s of the year, which makes your appreciation for those little things go up. As fans we need to enjoy sports and value what they mean to us; and that’s more than just winning and losing.

Homecoming Woes, Penn State loses to Northwestern

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA-- It was a forgettable homecoming for Penn State fans. Northwestern came into Happy Valley and did whatever they wanted offensively and defensively. They held the Nittany Lions dismal running game to 50 yards on 25 carries. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg was trying to avoid pressure on nearly every play as the Wildcats were frustrating the sophomore, sacking him four times. Only down 14-6 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Hackenberg found Northwestern linebacker Anthony Walker as he intercepted the pass and took it 49 yards for a touchdown. They would add another touchdown to make it 29-6. The offensive line for Penn State showed why they were labeled at the weak spot of the team. There were no holes to run through, there was no time for Hackenberg to look down field, and the Penn State faithful became restless.

The defense allowed 300 total yards for the first time (361) and gave up some big plays. The time of possession was about even but Northwestern was able to control the ball and work their way down the field. They only had 103 rushing yards but their quick-pace, quick strike offense worked their way up and down the field on a very good Penn State defense. A homecoming crowd of 102,000 watched their team struggle but still remain 4-1 (1-1 in the Big Ten) heading into their bye week. The Nittany Lions will be in action in two weeks when they travel out to Ann Arbor to take on a struggling Michigan team who lost this weekend 30-14 to Minnesota.

Homecoming and 5-0

It's Penn State's 95th homecoming game and this year seems to have a different feel for some reason. Could it be because we're undefeated at 4-0? Maybe it's because we have a "Heisman hopeful quarterback"? Or is it because our coach brings out a certain "swagger" in his team? Whatever the reason might be, people are talking about this Penn State team and their potential. With the loss of Braxton Miller at Ohio State, the Big Ten became wide open. Off to a 4-0 start, the team is coming off dominant win over UMass and looks to keep the ground game going against an average Northwestern defense. Christian Hackenberg threw for a mere 179 yards, he still leads the conference in yards, but it was important to not only get the running game established but keep the sophomore clean in the pocket. The Wildcats are near the bottom of the Big Ten in pass defense so look for Hackenberg to try some deep passes to Geno Lewis and Daesean Hamilton. 

The Nittany Lions defense has been on a roll as of late having not allowed a 300 yard game. There isn't just one particular area where they are great at, but overall it's a good defense and it's kept them in game and has gotten stops when it matters most. They've gotten turnovers too which has kept their offense on the field longer. 

Look for this one to be close early but Penn State pulls away and goes on to 5-0. 35-17

Penn State/UMass Recap

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – Penn State finally got its ground game going Saturday against UMass. The trio of Bill Belton, Zack Zwinak, and Akeel Lynch combined for 185 of the teams 228 yards and 5 touchdowns. Earlier in the week head coach James Franklin stressed the importance of getting the running game going, the team starts Big Ten play next weekend as Northwestern comes to town. Christian Hackenberg only had 179 yards through the air but the main focus was to run the ball, then run it some more. When asked how he thought his team did Franklin replied, “ I think it’s awesome. I think it's great to establish a running game and be able to make some plays with multiple backs and multiple people.... We were able to take some pressure off of [Christian Hackenberg], which is great”. The Nittany Lions scored on its first eight possessions and scored a season high 48 points.

            The Penn State defense hasn’t been an issue this year. For the fourth straight week the unit didn’t allow 300 yards of total offense. The Minutemen were held to just 3 yards rushing. The defense is allowing a stingy 11 points a game, which ranks 6^th in the country. They’ve also been good at getting pressure on the opposing quarterback; Saturday they added another 3 sacks to their season total of 12. “As a coach, you prepare like crazy with your players all week long and then you want to see them go out and execute, play well and have fun. To me, that's what it's all about.” Franklin said.

            Going into next weekend’s game with Northwestern, the team looks to build off this win and how they were able to get the running game going. The balanced attack is going to be key going into the Big Ten schedule. Kickoff is set for noon.

Stat of the day: Penn State is the only team in the country to have played 4 games and given up less than 200 yards on the ground.

4-0? Penn State vs. UMAss Preview

It has been an emotional season for the Nittany Lions and we're only three games in. Coming off another nail biting win against Rutgers, James Franklin and his team head back to Beaver Stadium to welcome Massachusetts to Happy Valley. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg didn't have his best game against the Scarlet Knights last Saturday (309 yards, 1 INT) but he made the right throws when he had to. Bill Belton scored the game-winning touchdown but not before Hackenberg found Geno Lewis twice and Daeseaon Hamilton once to get down to the Rutgers 5 yard line. Two plays later, Belton walks into the end zone for a touchdown. UMass is coming into town at 0-3 having lost last week to Franklin's former team Vanderbilt. The Nittany Lions also welcome back two of their former teammates, quarterback Austin Whipple and wide receiver and State College native Alex Kenney. I don't foresee those two having monster games as the Penn State defense looks to shut down the Minutemen offense early and often.

Christian Hackenberg is looked at as potentially being one of the best quarterbacks not only in Penn State history, but in Big Ten history. Former Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter set the Big Ten single season passing record in 2006, throwing for a cool 3,985 yards. In order for the sophomore to break that record, he'll have to throw for around 290 yards a game, which is very manageable. The ariel attack for the team isn't the question but the running game is. Playing an opponent who is weaker on defense, look for James Franklin to give them a heavy dose of Bill Belton, Zach Zwinak, and hopefully Akeel Lynch.

The defense doesn't need much motivation, they've held every opponent under 300 total yards. Anthony Zettel has become the dominant force on the defense having recorded 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks through three games. Look for the defense to fluster UMass quarterback Blake Frohnapfel tomorrow and cause more turnovers.

It should be a big day for both sides of the ball. Penn State will win easily 35-3

Lions Land Another Jersey Prospect

Penn State Recruiting

James Franklin picked up yet another recruit for the class of 2015. Three star athlete Daiquan Kelly (Union City, New Jersey) announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions over the weekend after attending the teams game against Rutgers. Originally a Syracuse commit, Kelly is the 6^th New Jersey prospect Franklin has picked up. The 6 foot three receiver is teammates with fellow Penn State commit, four-star offensive guard Steven Gonzalez. With the scholarship reduction penalty lifted and the team allowed back to its 85 scholarship total next season, the Lions look at add more pieces for the 2015 class; which currently stands at 20.

Penn State vs. Rutgers Recap

PISCATAWAY, N.J.-- It was another ugly win for Penn State but like always, a win is a win. Christian Hackenberg showed again that he can be "Mr. Clutch" for Penn State late in games. Running back and New Jersey native Bill Belton scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:13 left. It was also the teams first lead of the game. “It was not pretty,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. Ryan Keiser capped off a five interception night for the Nittany Lion defense on Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova to seal the deal. Hackenberg threw for 309 yards, a school record seventh time, and came up big when he had to. He connected with receiver Geno Lewis for a catch and run of 53 yards down to the Rutgers 27 yard line. He found Lewis (6 catches, 109 yards) again for a 23 yard gain down to the 6 where Belton would score two plays later. If you just saw the stats and didn't see the final score you might have thought Penn State would have scored more than 13 points. The Nittany Lions offense couldn't capitalize on the interceptions but scored when it mattered. They struggled to get the running game going again only having 64 yards on the ground. The defense got stops when they had to as the offense struggled to get anything going until late. It might only be three games into the season but defensive tackle Anthony Zettel is making his case for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The junior has 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks through the first 3 games and is leading a defense that has yet to allow 300 yards in a game. 

It was a big week for coach James Franklin and his team as the NCAA lifted the postseason ban they handed down two summers ago. It's not like the team didn't have anything to play for before that but now with postseason ban lifted and the Big Ten up for grabs, the Nittany Lions look to make their mark on the conference and make their way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship. The team also gets back up to 85 scholarships starting next year. The future is bright for Franklin and he looks to continue to build a winning program in Happy Valley. 

Penn State returns to Beaver Stadium next Saturday when they welcome Massachusetts. Kickoff is set for 4PM on the Big Ten Network. 

Penn State Starting 3-0

Penn State hasn't started 3-0 since 2009 and look to do so this weekend when they travel down to take on Rutgers in the Scarlet Knights first Big Ten game. Here are some keys to the game if the Nittany Lions look to remain unbeaten.

Offense:

• Get the run game going. Akeel Lynch looked to be the most effective back whether it was in the wild cat or taking a hand off. Establish a run game early Saturday night and open up big plays down the field.
• Hackenberg needs to not force it. The super talented sophomore has a great arm but likes to force the ball into tight windows or try his luck with double coverage. He'll learn as the season goes on but those are turnovers that can be avoided. 
• The offensive line needs to keep their quarterback clean. The offensive line was the biggest question mark coming into the season and they've done well so far but against Akron, Hackenberg seemed to take a lot of hits. Rutgers has an above average defensive line so this is going to be the next big challenge for the line. 
• Big plays down the field early and often. Keep throwing the ball to Daeseason Hamilton and Geno Lewis. Plain and simple. 
• Field goals are nice, but not in the red zone. The Lions have been in the red zone on eight possessions but only have two touchdowns. When they get into the red zone they need to make the most of it and put up 6 not 3. 

Defense:

• Keep getting pressure on the quarterback. In their first game against Central Florida the defense had two sacks. Last weekend they got to Akron quarterback Kyle Phol four times. The defense has been up to the challenge this season and has made big plays when it needed to. Look for them to get after Rutgers quarter Gary Nova every chance they get. 
• Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. The Nittany Lions have caused one turnover this season. If they want to keep winning games they'll need to win the turnover battle. So far, they're -5 in the turnover margin (2 fumbles, 4 interceptions).

Special Teams:

• Field Position. Chris Gulla has been clutch when it comes to putting the opposing offenses in bad field position. He'll have to continue that this weekend. Punt return and kick return has been a question mark for the Nittany Lions for a while now, they've done okay this season so far on the kick return game, the punt return game needs to step up. 

Prediction: Penn State's offense is too much for Rutgers to handle. 28-10 Penn State pulls away in the second half. 

Penn State vs. Akron Recap

Akron vs. Penn State Recap

UNIVERSRITY PARK, Pa.--  Christian Hackenberg threw for 319 yards on 22-36 and 3 touchdowns. The Penn State offense put up over 400 yards of offense and the defense held the Akron offense to just 277 yards and 3 points. That sounds nice and all but the offense only managed to score 21 points but it was a lazy 21 points. The first half started off promising and looked like it could be another record setting day for Hackenberg and the offense but when they would seem to get something going, it would stutter and either they would have to punt or the sophomore would make an errant throw for an interception. At times he looked like the best quarterback in the country, other times he looked flustered. He did make some good plays however; he found running back Bill Belton late in the first quarter for a touchdown, which got the scoring going. He would find his tight end Jesse James twice for a touchdown. He would also find an Akron defensive back for an interception twice.

The 3 Penn State turnovers are what kept Akron in the game but the Penn State defense showed up to play and held the Zips to 3 points. They were able to get to Akron quarterback Kyle Pohl four times and make some big stops on third down and twice stop the Zips on fourth down. The defensive line was able to get Pohl out of the pocket and cause him to try and make plays on the run. The Akron offense would move the ball but couldn’t complete anything downfield on the Penn State secondary. 

It was a hot day in Happy Valley but the Nittany Lions came away with a win, a lazy win, but a win nonetheless. The defense proved again that it could get pressure on the quarterback and disrupt the rhythm. The offense looked great at times, and looked average at times. Coach James Franklin needs to find his running game, which only had 106 yards on 31 carries, better than the 56 it had against Central Florida a week prior. The team will travel to Rutgers next weekend for an 8pm start against the Scarlet Knights. They will need to correct some mistakes if they want to come away with a win.