Blue White Illustrated

UCF Postgame (09/14/13)

Penn State Sports Magazine

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OFF TO THE RACES Zwinak led PSU in rushing and scored a career-high three TDs, but his last carry in the fourth quarter resulted in an untimely fumble. Steve Manuel TOUGH ENDING Zwinak's inopportune fumble sours a 128-yard rushing effort LORI  SHONTZ | blue white contRibutoR For three and a half quarters, Zach Zwinak looked like his very best self from 2012. He was carrying defenders for an extra three to five yards. Hitting holes and bursting into the secondary with deceptive speed. Powering across the goal line for a career-high three touchdowns. And then came the other Zach Zwinak from 2012. Penn State was driving midway through the fourth quarter, looking to cut into a 10-point UCF lead. The defense had just held UCF to a field goal – which was akin to a defensive stop, the way the game was going – and the momentum seemed to be swinging the Nittany Lions' way. Zwinak rumbled 15 yards, getting the Nittany Lions to the UCF 44. A pass interference call got them to the 29. Zwinak got the call again … and he fumbled. "I saw it from behind," Bill O'Brien said. "It just looked like they stripped it out. He feels bad about that. I feel bad about that. He ran the ball hard tonight. S e P t e m b e R I love that kid. We're with him, and he's with us. It's just a tough way to end it for him. "He'll be fine. We'll be fine. We have a lot of football left here, and he'll be fine. " Zwinak had trouble protecting the football last season, too; in the last six games, he fumbled five times. He had a big game against Indiana (138 yards), but fumbled twice, once at a particularly inopportune time that had O'Brien saying in the postgame that he was "going to be hard on him because I think he's a heck of a player. " Zwinak rushed 21 times for 128 yards, including touchdowns of 4, 9 and 1 yards. He did not come to the media room after the game. "We're just going to go back to the drawing board and figure out what we can do better and coach these guys better and get them to play better, O'Brien said. " "Like I told the kids after the game: 'We're with you. You're with us through thick and thin. Everyone look in the mirror and see what we can do better tomorrow. " ' 1 4 , 2 0 1 3 12 As emotionally crushed as I am right now, the offense shows so much promise that if the defense can work out some kinks, it may still yet be a solid and surprising season. There isn't a QB left on the schedule who can do what Blake Bortles did today. mwaltrip The better team won the game. UCF was tougher than I thought. ropa6203 FROM THE WEB online Reaction to PSu'S lateSt Game Clock managment has been horrible all season. Not sure if it's Billy, the fact that we have a true freshman QB, or both. It's been consistently bad. razpsu Bill was outcoached by his mentor, plain and simple. They just couldn't find an answer. I can't remember ever being dominated like this. UCF moved up and down the field at will. dgh34 UCF's quarterback is outstanding. He can do it all. Monkeibusiness The sanctions are rearing their ugly head with our tackling on defense. There were several instances in which we had players surrounded, but they ended up gaining more yardage. With depth being so thin, the guys can't practice live for risk of injury, and it'scosting us in games. It's almost like the players are practicing the thud drills instead of wrapping up. odntuk I'm saying it: Robinson is the best wide receiver that we've ever had at PSU. gjbankos b l u e w h i t e o n l i n e . c o m

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