It looked as if Penn State (5-3, 2-2 B1G) was about to lay an egg, but in the end, a timely opportunistic interception by Ryan Keiser concluded a game that frequently looked like no one wanted to win. Illinois (3-5, 0-4 B1G) wound up with the short end of the stick in a game that PSU was supposed to win handily but which boiled down to the last gasp in overtime. The final score was 24-17.
What stands out is that in spite of blowing a 14-3 first half lead and being down 17-14, these guys came back to tie the game in the waning minutes of regulation and eventually win in overtime. They didn’t fold their tent and go home early. That deserves mention.
Also warranting mention was a career effort by Bill Belton, who ran for 201 yards and a touchdown. Illinois has a porous run defense. O’Brien could have gotten pass happy as he did in the losing effort against Indiana, but he restrained himself, resorting to a balanced attack in which Hackenberg threw only 32 (not 55) times. Zach Zwinak made a few appearances after last weeks fumble and dressing down by O’Brien, and wound up with six carries for 25 yards. The offensive line did its job against the notably weak Illinois run defense.
Belton did manage a heart attack inducing fumble on what should have been a scoring play. However, he apparently avoided the Port Matilda exile imposed upon Zwinak last week by O’Brien.
Hackenberg, meanwhile, completed 20 of 32 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. Not a bad day overall, especially inasmuch as that touchdown completion to Kyle Carter in overtime wound up winning the game.
Tim Beckman’s crappy coaching probably lost the game for the Illini, who gained 411 yards, of which 321 were aerial. At the game’s outset, it appeared as if Beckman’s boys had studied and absorbed the Ohio State game, as Nathan Scheelhaase employed a collection of swing passes and bubble screens to move the ball effectively against an inept Penn State defense. Scheelhaase finished the day 33-52 with one touchdown and two interceptions, the second of which was the crucial, game ending overtime snag by Keiser. Scheelhaase also had 8 carries for 35 yards.
Alas, Penn State improved only slightly on its putrid third down performance this year, converting only eight of eighteen. On da udder hand, they converted two of three fourth down opportunities.
What can we glean from this victory? Well, as I mentioned above, the boys can fight hard when the tide is carrying them out to sea, which is indeed something, alright. But after seeing how Moo U. beat up on Illinois last week and again beat up on Michigan yesterday, the defects in the Nittany Lions’ game are made glaringly obvious by comparison. If they were a competitive team, a team worthy of inclusion in discussions about what might have been, this game would have been no contest at all; instead, it required last second heroics. So it’s a bit of an unsettling win for the Sanguinarians, no doubt, but still a win, and moreover, one that should empower enough confidence within the squad to produce a winning record this year.
Elsewhere in the B1G, Moo U. and Ohio State seem to be the only teams playing at levels worthy of a post-season. Michigan State cleaned Michigan’s clock 29-6, while OSU, um, cruised past nonexistent Purdue 56-0. (Either Purdue put up more of a fight than did Penn State last week or Urbz took his foot off the gas because the Bucks managed only 640 yards and 30 first downs. Just kidding — Purdue is truly pitiful.) Wisconsin overcame a slow start to whip Iowa 28-9. Nebraska needed a Hail Mary to beat abysmal Northwestern 27-24. Northwestern, Purdue, and Illinois still do not have a B1G victory this year. Finally, a fortuitous fumble recovery enabled PSU’s next opponent, Minnesota, to triumph over Indiana, 42-39.
Finally, in the biggest game of the day on the national scene, stepping-stone first tier wannabes #3 Florida State and #7 Miami battled it out, but it proved not to be much of a battle as FSU won handily 41-14. The Seminoles are for real; the Hurricanes are for shit (and whoever designed that mascot costume apparently has never seen a real ibis).
OK, time to set the clocks.
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BigAl says
Well, the game showed that State is dangerous when they’re losing by less than 7 points with 5 minutes to play – they don’t choke in crunch time. And Hack showed that he can move around in the pocket and then re-set his feet to throw properly. (I was starting to think he was statue in the pocket al la Tony Morelli). So, there were some positives.
However, it also confirmed that the defense REALLY sucks and can’t stop any team that can spread them out and execute the short passing game.
State won because the offense ran the ball, took time off the clock, and reduced the number of Illinois’ offensive possessions. And they won because Illinois’ play calling after recovering Belton’s goal line fumble was stupid. One intermediate range pass followed by two running plays into the middle of the line. Plus, going for it all on the first play of overtime instead using the short hitches and slants that had been successful earlier.
The Nittany Turkey says
Hell, Beckman even could have taken a safety and a free kick to get out of the hole. Speaking of getting out of the hole, I have to think the man has his head straight up his ass and he’s not too bright to begin with.
—TNT
Joe says
Well, I won’t say it wasn’t frustrating, exciting, or (fill in the blank), but it was a WIN and right now, with all of our warts that to me is all that matters. I think it also matters to the “ones that play the game” and attempt to satisfy our lofty expectations both in the Sanguinarian camp and the “we totally suck-fire O’Brien and all the coaches because they don’t know what the hell they’re doing” camp.
If you haven’t done so, check out this video from the Patriot News (even though it looks like the cameraman thought Hackenburg was throwing to someone in the 15th row instead of Carter) and the next one from PS Athletics inside the locker room after the game. This is what a “bad” win looks like to the guys that barely won (or Illinois & Tim Beckman lost according to the opinion of most “knowledgeable” observers.)
http://videos.pennlive.com/patriot-news/2013/11/penn_state_players_celebrate_o.html
http://www.gopsusports.com/blog/2013/11/video-inside-the-winning-locker-room-vs-illinois.html
Looks like they’re okay with a “bad” win.
Would it have made everyone feel better if we won by 30, by 40, by 50? And then everyone would have just said, “Well it was against Tim Beckman and Illinois-they both suck anyway.
Look the defense is bad, but is more typical of what we’ve watched more often than not over the last 10-15 years under St. Joe and his regime. It’s obvious that we don’t have speed on the corners to play press coverage, the DL can’t shed blockers (hard to do when someone has a fist full of your jersey, but hey we don’t call holding in the B1G right) and the Carson & Hull are all we’ve got to plug the breach at LB. You could put together a similar list for the offense with the exception of maybe Robinson. Again did anyone not see this coming at the beginning of the year? Did anyone not anticipate what piss-poor recruiting classes under “stay at home Joe”, decommitting quality recruits when IT hit the fan, a bench full of “run-ons” and reduced scholarships would do on both sides of the ball?
Can we ever get the talent on the field that FSU displayed on Saturday night? Even Meyer and the Bucknuts would get eaten alive by FSU.
Yeah, so it was an “ugly” win so what, under these circumstances I’d take four more just like it over the next four weeks just to watch those reactions again from the team on the field and in the locker room.
Like it or not, we’re probably 2-3 years from knowing if O’Brien can get this program moving to an elite level, something that Paterno could not do since we joined the B1G save for a two seasons (’94 and ’05). Anything prior to that in my mind is ancient history and most of the success came against the “Weak Sisters of the East”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_State_Nittany_Lions_football_under_Joe_Paterno_(in_the_Big_Ten)
Anyway, I still jumped up from the sofa when Keiser intercepted that pass in the end zone and under our current circumstances, I’ll take a win like this anytime.
The Nittany Turkey says
You’re preaching to the choir here, Joe. Or maybe you’re reaching out for K. John.
The camera “man” is Audrey Snyder, who I thought did pretty well with a handheld cam, even if she did manage to get a shot of Row 15.
Yeah, we all know (except for K. John) that PSU has a dearth of talent this year due to shitty recruiting by St. Joe & company as well as the sanctions. And we also know that PSU’s secondary has sucked for time immemorial. I’ve been writing about that here for 10 years. Maybe I’m like the little boy who cried wolf. I keep saying they suck and no one pays any attention. But they do suck and I don’t care who pays attention.
So, who’s complaining? Surely, not I, as I pretty much am getting what I saw at the season’s outset, except for the Indiana game. Yeah, I might be negative, but all one has to do is look at the Wikipedia article whose link you posted, and one sees that there’s adequate cause for low expectations for Penn State’s competitiveness in the B1G. A few weeks ago, I stated and now will restate that I believe PSU’s glory years were congruent to St. Joe’s peak years. As Joe declined, so did the team. Recruiting and coaching suffered. Time passed by coaches who had been at PSU since the 1960s. The game changed and they didn’t. Instead of new blood, Joe brought in Jay and Galen Hall. Promoted “Scrap”, a Sandusky clone. Oh, yeah, and elevated McQueary.
So, when you paternolistically [sic] say “like it or not” , to whom the bloody hell are you addressing that? To the homies who feel that Penn State is still a national power, or was one until the NCAA made it not so? Yeah, I agree. They deserve a dose of reality. We’ve got a middle of the pack Big Ten team at best, and at best, the Big Ten suuuuuuuuuuuucks. But you have to understand — vicariously, this team is the redemption of their lives and their lives suck along with the team. Life is tough when one sets impossibly high standards for performance. There are clowns out there that still think PSU is a couple of personnel moves away from a national championship contender. All I ask is five minutes with their medicine cabinets.
I still am a Nittany Lions fan, and have been through thick, thin, and the Dark Years. I still am a Steelers fan even though New England scored 55 on what used to be a great defense today, and from one of the best rushing teams in the NFL they have become just about the worst. I am critical when they both fuck up, but that’s the way it is. You perform for the public, and in return for their ticket bucks, they get the right to criticize your ass.
I was happy to see the guys pull off the comeback win and not give up. If they lose the remaining games it won’t drive me off. If they win them, I’ll be tickled pink — as pink as an old fart can get. Speaking of old farts, Phil Grosz still thinks they can wind up 8-4. Mathematically, they can wind up 9-3. But I’m sticking with my “safe” 6-6.
—TNT
Joe says
Just blowing off steam regarding some people’s expectations in Nittany Nation I guess. I had just finished reading Devon Edwards first article at BSD and I had to hold my head on my shoulders. To everyones’s credit the commenters jumped on him with both feet. He’s since retracted/restated most of what he said “in the passion of the moment”, but even so listening to smarmy clowns like Flounders & Jones (yes I did say I don’t read what Jones says, so forgive my transgression) who happened to be in silhouette on Audrey’s video (use the backlight button dear), I just had to get this stuff off of my chest and for some reason your site is the perfect forum for me to do just that (my wife just walks away), even though only a couple of people actually read what’s here-a shame.
I believe part of the problem with expectations this season is the miracle that O’Brien, Mauti, Zordich, McGloin and everyone else on that roster pulled off last year. They had no business finishing 8-4 in that environment, which in turn set expectations even higher for this season even though the roster did not have the personnel to accomplish that.
Yeah and I sat through that Steelers game as well. I’m definitely not a fan of Todd Haley, but I recognize that the OL sucks and we’ve had no quality running back to speak of for years. Big Ben just does not seem comfortable with this offense. And as much respect as I have for LeBeau, maybe it’s time. But again I temper this with a lack of quality personnel on defense that we’re used to seeing, but there were a hell of a lot of Patriot receivers running free yesterday and a lot of communication issues. Sound familiar?
Glad to see McGloin played yesterday and by every indication seemed to do pretty well after Pryor got hurt.
The Nittany Turkey says
I had to go read Devon Edwards’ emotional bullshit to see what set you off. Amazing how he jumped all over the team for not playing for 60 minutes, then gave them mostly A and B grades (not that I approve of this modern sportswriter’s crutch of stupid-ass report cards, but that’s what fans want, I guess). At least he recognized that there is some essence of team spirit emerging here.
That’s something that has been apparent to me since the Michigan game. These guys don’t give up. While I’ve been bitching about an absence of leadership all year, a core has been forming and they’ve been working it out. I still suspect that Allen Robinson might need an inordinate number of touches to ensure that he doesn’t go all Keyshawn on us, but they workin’ it out. (It disappointed me that the #2 option for the long ball, Felder, seems to have been suffering from diminished concentration abilities, but I digress.) They comin’ together. They ain’t no “I” in team, but there sho is three “U”s in shut da fuck up! No amount of growing confidence will supplant what we had last year from some inspired leaders, but they’re finally behaving like comrades in arms.
They still fuck up a lot, and that’s to be expected. Freshman quarterback learning a lot about life in the fast lane, buncha “run-ons” and underclassmen populating key positions, one prima dona wearing #8 who is a better football player than anyone else on the field and could be playing on Sundays this year if he wanted to, a coaching staff that includes legacies, compromises, and last minute substitutions aggregate to a potentially wayward, rag-tag buncha dudes who might just get together on Saturdays to play a little sandlot. They’ve done better than that, and that should make us happy. Yet there will be those who can’t be happy unless PSU is in the national championship picture, which, as you state, might well be out of the question for several years to come.
Many — if not most — of us will go to our graves without seeing another PSU national championship. If that’s what we have to live for, we’ve wasted our lives. I don’t feel that way, but one segment of the Sanguinarians, the group that makes coffee come out of Drozz’s nose, sure as hell do. For them, the Nittany Lions can do no wrong but they’re doing it all wrong. Their tombstones might well bear the inscription, “Why, John Sacca? Why?????“
The Steelers had no business hiring Todd Haley after he washed out in KC, the elephant burial ground for NFL coaches. He and Big Ben do not get along, and although BBR had issues with prior OCs there, the animus is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Artificially Sweetened thinks Big Ben mellowed since he got married; I think Haley cut his balls off. They don’t want him running, which was a big part of his game. Sure, he got hurt, but no risk, no reward.
As for the OL, they sucked all last year and the management didn’t do shit to fix the problem. Of course, Pouncey going down in Week One was a blow, but even with him, they blow. Bring back Max Starks! What do they do? Take a washed up Levi Brown off the salary cap at AZ and watch him go down in practice. Same with the other old fool they picked up. They did well with Velasco — he’s a serviceable center. The rest of the OL is abysmal.
And the defense — no one has ever put 55 points on the Steelers. The pass defense really did look like Penn State out there.
I lived through the 50s and 60s with the Buddy Parker Steelers, when we had few things to be happy about — the occasional all-Pro like John Henry Johnson and Ernie Stauntner, and proposition bets on whether Bobby Layne would consume a pint of bourbon at halftime — so I guess I can live with the “rebuilding” project that is the Steelers of today.
Alas, I missed McGloin’s performance. Looked at the box score and noted that he did a-ight. Oakland knocked me out of the New Philly Little League Survivor Pool by losing to San Diego earlier. Now they go getting blown out by the Iggles. What kind of schizophrenia is going on there with da Raidahs?
As if the time change was not enough punishment, I’m off to watch Audrey’s post-game production starring the Bouncing Bozos. That would be Flounders and Jones. Their pious, smug commentary beats self-flagellation by about a gnat’s pube hair.
—TNT