Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/199173
shy about what he says. "Any time you have things to say, it's very important to go out there and back it up," he says. "That's what life is all about, really. He's a guy that doesn't have a lot of problems backing things up. " However, Mauti isn't completely pleased. "Ninety-nine yards without a touchdown, yeah, that one's going to hurt, he says. " "That one is going to haunt my dreams, especially when we didn't get any points out of it. (Mauti's run breaks the school " record for the longest interception return, previously held by linebacker Wayne Berfield against Boston University in 1958 – a game that I covered for The Daily Collegian.) O'Brien takes the blame for not calling a running or pass play to get the points because he misjudged the yard line. He says, "We have to execute better on the field goal, but on the 1-yard line, we've got to be able to punch it in there. " The coach doesn't want to talk about his so-called postgame handshake. "It's a Big Ten win," he says. "It's a really big win for us to get off on the right foot in the Big Ten. These games are not easy. This conference is tough, so any time you can get off on the right foot, that's a big deal. Overall, it was a good team effort… [but] we left a lot of points off the board. We're gonna have to play a lot better [in the conference games]." O'Brien also comes up with a new name for what everyone else had been calling the no-huddle offense. He refers to it as "our NASCAR package." Michael Zordich doesn't play because of a leg injury he suffered in the second half of the Temple game. Luckily, he isn't I missed. This excerpt has been edited slightly for republication. Mauti, Hodges seeing action with Vikings A lot of Penn State fans cheered when the Vikings decided to reteam linebackers Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti in Minnesota. Although he was taken in the seventh round and was recovering from the third major knee injury of his career, Mauti was the first of the two former Nittany Lions to take the field, as the Vikings put him on the active roster for their game against Cleveland in week three. But Hodges, who was taken in the fourth round and made his pro debut in week four against Pittsburgh, might be poised to see significant playing time due to injuries in the team's linebacker corps. Outside linebacker Desmond Bishop suffered a season-ending ACL tear in October, making Marvin Mitchell the starter and Hodges the backup. Vikings defensive coordinator Alan Williams said that after a slow start with the team, Hodges looks The Remarkable Journey of the 2012 Nittany Lions PRO TOOLS Mauti A diary by Lou Prato, was activated in week three for the Vikings' game vs. Cleveland. author of the Penn State Football Encyclopedia and four other Nittany Lion books as though he is eager to make the most of his opportunity. "We've been seeing a different guy in practice," Williams told ESPN.com. "He's been moving around with a sense of urgency that we would have liked to have seen before, but he's coming along well." Mauti, meanwhile, could see action at middle linebacker. Minnesota was 1-4 prior to facing the Giants on Oct. 21 and may focus on developing its younger players if it fades from playoff contention. Personalized autographed copy available soon through Lou Prato and Associates Call 814-692-7577 or email louprato@comcast.net Price: $19.95 plus tax and shipping