Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/169917
KEY MATCHUPS P E N N S T A T E V S . U C F WHEN PENN STATE PENN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. UCF RUN DEFENSE PENN STATE PASSING GAME VS. UCF PASS DEFENSE | BY PHIL GROSZ HAS THE BALL PENN STATE RUNNING GAME 154.0 YPG, 4.0 YPC UCF RUN DEFENSE 82.5 YPG, 2.6 YPC THE LOWDOWN Both Bill Belton and Akeel Lynch had breakout games against Eastern Michigan, rushing for 108 yards apiece, with Belton averaging 12 yards per carry and Lynch 8.3. Zach Zwinak, Belton and Lynch give Penn State's running game a combination of size, power and breakaway potential. Central Florida essentially shut down Akron and Florida International in its first two games – a surprising performance given that the UCF defense returned just two starters from last season's front seven. If Penn State's offensive line develops a rhythm, the Nittany Lions should have success running the ball. EDGE Penn State PENN STATE PASSING GAME 309.5 YPG, 12.8 YPC UCF PASS DEFENSE 129.0 YPG, 7.0 YPC THE LOWDOWN Christian Hackenberg will enter the game against UCF as the Big Ten's second-leading passer. He's av- eraging 294.5 yards per game and has a 70.3 percent completion rate. The Nittany Lions also have two of the top three wide receivers in the Big Ten in Allen Robinson (14 catches, 262 yards) and Brandon Felder (12 catches, 96 yards). A total of 11 players caught passes in Penn State's opening two games. Central Florida's secondary is led by FS Clayton Geathers and CB Brandon Alexander, both of whom have excellent size and range. Despite the loss of TE Matt Lehman, Penn State enters the UCF game with one of the best receiving corps in the Big Ten. EDGE Penn State WHEN UCF HAS THE BALL UCF RUNNING GAME VS. PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE UCF RUNNING GAME 161.0 YPG, 4.2 YPC PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE 66.0 YPG, 1.8 YPC UCF PASSING GAME VS. PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE UCF PASSING GAME 272.0 YPG, 16.5 YPC PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE 155.5 YPG, 9.1 YPC THE LOWDOWN UCF fielded a surprisingly effective rushing attack in its first two games. Junior running back Storm Johnson, a transfer from Miami (Fla.), has led the way with 188 yards on 38 carries and five touchdowns. Junior William Stanback is a solid backup to Johnson, and the Knights also have three returning starters on the offensive line, a group led by LT Torrian Wilson, who has NFL potential. But the Knights will be facing a stout Penn State run defense led by DT DaQuan Jones and LB Glenn Carson. The Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten in rushing defense. EDGE Penn State THE LOWDOWN In UCF junior Blake Bortles, Penn State will be facing one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the country. The 6-foot-5, 227-pound Bortles passed for 3,059 yards and 25 TDs last season with only nine interceptions. This season, he's picked up right where he left off, throwing for 524 yards and completing 69.8 percent of his passes with four TD passes and no interceptions in UCF's first two games. Bortles has four excellent wide receivers, including junior Rannell Hall (25.9 YPC) and sophomore Breshad Perriman (31.2 YPC). The key matchup here will be between UCF's wideouts and Penn State sophomore CBs Trevor Williams and Jordan Lucas. EDGE UCF OTHER MATCHUPS SPECIAL TEAMS THIS 'N' THAT COACHING STAFF THE LOWDOWN Penn State's Sam Ficken has been successful on a school-record 14 consecutive field goal attempts. Redshirt junior Jesse Della Valle is averaging 13 yards per punt return, and freshmen Eugene Lewis and run-on Von Walker have taken over kickoff returns. UCF has has solid punt and kickoff return units and is allowing only 3 yards per punt return. EDGE Penn State THE LOWDOWN Penn State has experienced some significant injury problems early in the season, with Lehman out for the year with a knee injury and linebackers Mike Hull and Ben Kline bothered by leg and shoulder problems, respectively. (Although both Hull and Kline are expected to play on Saturday.) By contrast, the Knights look to be pretty healthy heading into their trip to Beaver Stadium. EDGE UCF THE LOWDOWN Bill O'Brien has assembled one of the premier coaching staffs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with four of his assistant coaches having served on national championship teams. UCF head coach George O'Leary had O'Brien on his staff at Georgia Tech and is a close personal friend of O'Brien and knows his coaching tendencies. EDGE Even S E P T E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 1 3 3 B L UEW HI T E ON L I N E .COM