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Penn State running back Zwinak seizing the moment

STATE COLLEGE - In the most exciting game at Beaver Stadium this season, Zach Zwinak methodically crafted the game of his career.

Zach Zwinak rushed for 121 yards on 28 carries and had 52 receiving yards on Saturday. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)
Zach Zwinak rushed for 121 yards on 28 carries and had 52 receiving yards on Saturday. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)Read more

STATE COLLEGE - In the most exciting game at Beaver Stadium this season, Zach Zwinak methodically crafted the game of his career.

Carry after carry, Zwinak emerged as the Nittany Lions' most effective back in Penn State's thrilling, 39-28 defeat of then-No. 24 Northwestern on Saturday. Zwinak rushed for 121 yards on 28 carries, had 52 receiving yards on six catches and scored on a 1-yard run.

It was the redshirt sophomore's second straight 100-yard game. Consider that he started the season third or fourth on the depth chart, and that statistic is made all the more impressive.

"He just waited for his opportunity to come," running backs coach Charles London said. "We're always talking about when your opportunity comes, you have to take advantage of it, and about 3 weeks ago he got the opportunity and he hasn't looked back."

After Silas Redd transferred to Southern Cal this summer, all eyes turned to former wide receiver Bill Belton as his replacement. But Belton, as well as his backup, Derek Day, have dealt with bad ankles for several games this season.

So coach Bill O'Brien turned to Zwinak for major duty for the first time in a win over Temple, and just like Zwinak himself, has not looked back.

The 6-1, 232-pound Zwinak, who described himself as "reserved," laughed after the game when asked if he'd ever talked to the media that much.

"Just pay attention in practice, play hard, I guess," Zwinak said, on how he was able to have such a meteoric rise. "There were a couple injuries here and there, which were unfortunate, but things happen. Just practice hard."

In the Nittany Lions' first three games, Zwinak got just three rushing attempts. Against Temple, the native of Frederick, Md., rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries. The next week at Illinois, it was 100 yards on 19 carries, with a pair of touchdowns.

During a crucial third-quarter drive on Saturday that culminated in Allen Robinson's 8-yard TD reception from Matt McGloin, Zwinak touched the ball on six plays in a row, picking up 41 yards.

"That was our thing. When it comes down to the fourth quarter or a long drive, you still have the energy to keep going," Zwinak said.

Belton, who is now healthy, started the game but quickly disappeared and finished with four carries for 12 yards. Michael Zordich, a fullback by trade who has also done time replacing Belton and Day, had the second-most carries with seven for 32 yards.

O'Brien said the running-back competition is something that's decided on a game-by-game basis. He said it's tough to put more tailbacks in a game because Penn State is a "one back" team, though he wouldn't say Zwinak is now the clear-cut number one.

"Zach, we felt, was running the ball downhill and we felt his physical presence in the game," O'Brien said. "This type of game was something we wanted to go with. Same thing with Zordich. It's nothing against Billy Belton, he's a very good football player, but there's only one ball, guys."

Zwinak's durability and success has made his teammates' lives easier, especially considering the injuries the running back position has seen.

"I love it," Zordich said of Zwinak's play. "He's been working hard and he's been coming along in practice the last couple of weeks. It's been showing up on the field on Saturdays. He runs very hard, gets his pads low and gets the yards he needs to get."