Special teams a concern for Penn State

POSTED: November 7, 2009

By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State's proficiency in the kicking game has won the Nittany Lions their fair share of football contests over Joe Paterno's four-plus decades as head coach.

This year, however, the magic seems to be missing. While the Nittany Lions have an excellent punter in Jeremy Boone and a capable kicker in Collin Wagner, their kickoff and punt units have stumbled on several occasions.

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"It's important to protect the football, because one turnover can change the course of the football game," Nittany Lions QB Daryll Clark says of today's game against Ohio State.

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Boone has had two punts blocked, one returned for a touchdown that proved to be the turning point against Iowa. Last week at Northwestern, the Lions were penalized for having 12 men on the field on a punt return and later defended a field goal with 10.

The numbers are hideous. Penn State is in the bottom 10 among 120 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in net punting (114th) and defending punt returns (113th). For return averages, the Lions stand 110th for kickoffs and 101st for punts.

This could make things a little uncomfortable for the Penn State fans who will jam Beaver Stadium today to watch the 11th-ranked Nittany Lions (8-1 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) battle No. 15 Ohio State (7-2, 4-1), especially since any error could be fatal to whichever team commits it.

That's what happened last year. Penn State converted Terrelle Pryor's fumble early in the fourth quarter - the first turnover of the game - into a 38-yard touchdown drive led by then-backup quarterback Pat Devlin in the Lions' 13-6 victory that allowed them to remain undefeated.

Paterno, who said after Boone's most recent blocked punt against Michigan that "each game we go in, I'm more worried about the kicking game," knows the importance of solid special-teams play today.

"Make a couple of mistakes in the kicking game and that will beat you," he said. "So that's important to us."

The Buckeyes have better numbers than Penn State on special teams, but they also are uneasy today. Starting kicker Aaron Pettrey is out after suffering a knee injury last week, putting his duties in the hands of either backup Ben Buchanan or 26-year-old walk-on Devin Barclay, a former pro soccer player.

"I'm not sure anyone expected that, but that's part of football," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said of Pettrey's injury. "We've got to step up."

A successful kick could mean the difference between staying alive for a spot in the Rose Bowl and being practically eliminated. Each team stands one game behind Iowa in the Big Ten race.

The Buckeyes can clinch the title if they win their last three - today, next week hosting the Hawkeyes and at Michigan. However, because they lost to Iowa, the Lions need to win out and have the Hawkeyes lose two of their last three to return to Pasadena.

The defenses are expected to dominate today, which means the focus will be on the quarterbacks - the Nittany Lions' Daryll Clark (the Ohio guy from Youngstown) and the Buckeyes' Terrelle Pryor (the Pennsylvania guy from Jeannette) - to capitalize when an opportunity comes along.

Clark, who suffered a concussion on the series before Pryor's fumble in last year's game and did not return, leads an offense that has not committed a turnover in its last three games.

"Before, I was forcing the issue when I really shouldn't have," Clark said. "You have to take what the defense gives you. It's important to protect the football because one turnover can change the course of the football game. We've got to focus on ball security."

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Pryor leads the Buckeyes in rushing and is dangerous when allowed to scramble, meaning the Lions' defense must keep him in the pocket.

It all adds up to what could be the game of the year in the Big Ten, with the win going to the team that makes fewer (or no) mistakes on offense, defense or special teams.

"We've just got to say, 'Let's go out there and have a little fun, and let's not beat ourselves,' " Paterno said. "I try to say that all the time. 'No dumb penalties. Don't put the ball on the ground. No blunders in the kicking game.' And afterwards, whatever happens, happens."

Nittany notes. Paterno said backup tailback Stephfon Green has looked good in practice and should be ready to go today. Green has missed two games with an ankle injury. . . . Today marks the 300th football game in the history of Beaver Stadium, which opened in 1960. . . . Four Penn State players - Boone, linebacker Josh Hull, kick snapper Andrew Pitz and center Stefen Wisniewski - have been selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic all-District football team. Hull and Pitz won first-team national honors last season and Wisniewski made second team.