Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 15, 2005. Two seconds left on
the clock, Michiagn quarterback Chad Henne finds receiver Mario Manningham in the back of the end zone for a
touchdown. Michigan knocks off Penn State from the ranks of the unbeaten and
ruins any chance they had of playing for a National Title. A week later Penn
State scored 56 points in the first half against Illinois on their way to a
63-10 victory. They played angry. They knew they shouldn’t have lost to the
Wolverines the week before. They knew they should have still been undefeated.
Where am going with this? I’ll tell you, fast forward ten years later, Penn State knows they shouldn’t have
lost to Ohio State last week by 28 points. They know how many chances they had
to score more than 10 points. James Franklin knows it, you know it, and I know
it. Minus the 194-yard performance by freshman running back Saquon Barkley, the
offense sputtered. Penn State heads down to Baltimore to take on a Maryland
team that could play the role of Illinois ten years later.
The Terps are second to last in the Big Ten in total defense
allowing 457 yards per game, 196 of those yards are given up on the ground.
That’s good news for Barkley as he looks to continue his sensational freshman
season. As for the passing game and Christian Hackenberg, let’s face it; this
season has been a disappointment thus far. For what we expected of him, it’s
been a disappointment. But Christian Hackenberg is doing everything that is
asked of him to get Penn State a win, because going 1-0 is the most important
thing. Maryland is allowing 260 yards a game through the air so the
opportunities will be there and if the running game establishes itself early,
the opportunities will be there often.
It’s another week for Carl Nassib to add to his nation
leading 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. Maryland is allowing 1.67 sacks a
game, Nassib is grabbing 1.64 sacks a game. You can’t forget Austin Johnson and
Anthony Zettel playing next to Nassib so there will be many, many chances for
the front four of Penn State to get to Maryland’s quarterbacks.
Special teams have been a topic of discussion for Penn
State, but not the way James Franklin would like it to be. The punting
situation is so bad that Franklin “jokingly” said there would be open tryouts.
Some thing he should seriously consider that. Fans would also like to see a
punt that doesn’t pin the offense inside the 5 every time so that DeAndre
Thompkins can do something.
Penn State rolls through the Terps behind a BIG game from
Barkley. The freshman goes for 200 plus yards and 3 touchdowns. Defense pitches
a shutout and Nassib destroys the Maryland quarterbacks.
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