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MOVING FORWARD GAME GRADES QUARTERBACKS Christian Hackenberg threw Lineman Garry Gilliam is ready for the next stage of his career LORI  SHONTZ | blue white contRibutoR for two touchdowns, ran for another and chucked a 43-yard beauty from his own end zone. For a freshman, you can't ask for a much better performance. But there's definite room for improvement. GRADE B RUNNING BACKS With Bill Belton sidelined, Garry Gilliam said he sat down with coach Bill O'Brien this week to talk over a list of pros and cons. The list looked a little something like this: Pros for staying at Penn State: Continuing to improve his skills as an offensive tackle, a position he hadn't played until this season. Getting the opportunity to finish a third bachelor's degree. (He'll graduate in December with degrees in business management and advertising.) And getting to spend another year on campus–"a major pro," Gilliam said. "I love it here." Cons for staying at Penn State: One item, Gilliam said, but a big one. "Six years is a long time to be playing college football. " Pros for leaving Penn State: This had one item, too: "Being a pro, Gilliam said, " as in being an NFL player. After his discussion with O'Brien, Gilliam decided to forgo the sixth year of eligibility he petitioned for after missing the entire 2011 season with a knee injury. He said he plans to work out in the spring semester – he wasn't sure where, on campus or at home in Harrisburg – and attend Penn State's annual pro day. "I don't want to stop playing football," he said, smiling. Gilliam arrived at Penn State in 2009 as "a scrawny little kid," he said, who had played four sports at Milton Hershey High School. He began his Penn State career as a defensive end, redshirting that first season, and then moved to tight end. He made three starts in the first month of the season but tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the Big Ten opener, ending his season. He missed the entire next season, as well, after an infection in his knee forced his doctors to delay surgery. "I had to watch a lot of games," he said. "That felt like forever." n o V e m b e R He returned to the field in 2012 as one of a number of tight ends in O'Brien's offense, which does feature the position. He made seven catches on the year, but at season's end, he met with O'Brien and agreed to move to offensive tackle, a less deep position. He gained more than 30 pounds to make the switch. By then, he had received word that the NCAA had granted him a sixth year. He said all this season, however, he knew he would have to decide whether to use it. "I've been thinking about it all year, he " said. "I knew by this time I'd know what I wanted to do. I'm more of a gut feeling kind of guy – I go with my gut a lot of time – and that's what it was telling me. " Gilliam said he will attempt to go pro as a tackle; he joked that he would be a difficult task to lose 30-plus pounds in time for the draft, but he also said he thinks his athleticism makes him a strong candidate to be an NFL tackle. "I'm a fast learner, he said. "And if an " NFL team can see the potential in me, I don't see why they wouldn't take a shot. " Gilliam said he hadn't decided whether to stay on campus or return home to Harrisburg to work out; he cited both the chance to continue taking classes – he's working toward a degree in psychology – and his relationship with the strength coaches as reasons to stay at Penn State. "They know what I need to work on, he " said. "That would be a transition period if I went somewhere else. " His last game in Beaver Stadium, obviously, didn't go the way he had wanted. But when he looks over his entire career, he's happy with how it has turned out. "I think obviously I'm not to the best that I can be at tackle, he said. "Poten" tial's nothing without the hard work. Each week, that's my goal… each week, to try to get better. And I think, personally, I've done that. " 2 3 , 2 0 1 3 7 Zach Zwinak fought through pain and took the team on his shoulders. With 35 carries, he ran for 149 yards and didn't turn the ball over. GRADE ARECEIVERS The tight ends were outstanding, but the receivers struggled at times. Allen Robinson finished with 106 yards, but he had a key third-down drop. Geno Lewis and Brandon Felder each had one, too. GRADE BOFFENSIVE LINE This unit was solid all day. The Big Ten's leading pass rusher, Randy Gregory, was neutralized and as a group Penn State ran for 175 yards. But Nebraska was able to pressure Hackenberg late, so that keeps this grade at a B. GRADE B+ DEFENSIVE LINE C.J. Olaniyan had a game- changing sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on Nebraska's 8 yard line. But at times, this unit was gouged on the GRADE B ground. LINEBACKERS Brandon Bell and Mike Hull tag-teamed and absolutely whacked the QB to force a fourth-quarter fumble at the goal line. Bell's performance gives GRADE B+ this unit bonus points. DEFENSIVE BACKS This unit made some great plays Saturday... and some that weren't so great. Malcolm Willis got his first forced fumble of his college career in his last game in Beaver Stadium. GRADE BSPECIAL TEAMS Whether it was the missed extra point to begin the game, a mishandled snap, which resulted in a blocked punt, Nebraska's kickoff return for a TD or Sam Ficken's missed field goal in overtime, the special teams were flat out terrible. The only bright spot from this unit's performance was Jesse Della Valle's 27-yard punt return, which PSU turned into in a TD. GRADE F COACHES Penn State could have won this game. It came down to poor execution on a select few plays. And sometimes freezing-cold weather influences poor execution. GRADE B CROWD Announced crowd of over 98,000. Not bad, considering a blizzard hit Beaver Stadium at one point. Many had left by overtime, but those who remained kept the place loud. GRADE B b l u e w h i t e o n l i n e . c o m

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