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DRAMA CLUB Hackenberg, Lewis developing a knack for game-winning drives N A T E   B A U E R | N B A U E R @ B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O m PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Geno Lewis does not want to get used to this. Trailing 10-6 with three minutes to play, the redshirt sophomore wideout and his Nittany Lion teammates marched 80 yards down the field to score the game-winning touchdown against Rut- gers Saturday night. Two huge Lewis re- ceptions, a diving Jesse James touchdown grab (that was called back due to penalty), and Bill Belton's short scamper into the end zone with a little more than a minute le@ on the clock sealed Penn State's 13-10 win in the much-hyped, first-ever Big Ten game for the Scarlet Knights. Being in that position in the first place, however, isn't a good thing. Needing to pull off a dramatic catch, throw or run in order to win a game can make life difficult. At least that's what players said a@erward. Yet, having now strung together two do-or-die, game-winning drives in their first three games, the Nittany Lions are developing a knack for the dramatic. They don't want to make it a habit – in- stead they'd perfer comfortable wins – but some acknowledged that, still, breaking hearts isn't the worst thing in the world. "We came out here today and they were talking a little trash before the game and all that," said Lewis, a big smile flashing across his face. "We came out here and I think we upset a lot of people." James Franklin was not among them. Praising his team's ability to persevere in the face of adversity, the Nittany Lions' head coach noted that, on an evening when sophomore Christian Hackenberg was frustrated for much of the game by ineffective pass protection against constant Rutgers pressure, the qualities of a quarterback who can come through in the clutch are undeni- able. "I don't think there's any doubt. Chris- tian's lightyears ahead of a true sopho- more," Franklin said. "To me, you grade quarterbacks on third-down percentage, red zone, and wins and losses. The wins and losses are the most important things, and come-back fourth-quarter drives, and he's done those things. So I'm really, really proud of him." Completing three of four passes for 84 yards, thanks to a holding penalty negat- ing a 19-yard touchdown strike and pushing the Nittany Lions back 10 yards, Hackenberg capped what had been a less-than-stellar performance with win- ning plays. Faced with a similar situation that he's experienced many times growing up in a hyper-competitive family, Hackenberg said his supporting cast is what has al- lowed for the last-minute success that they've now had against UCF and Rutgers. "If you consider yourself competitive in nature and a person who sort of lives in those types of moments, you gotta have that edge," he said. "You gotta have that, 'All right, now, there is no next time.' You have to get it done now. That's how I've always been. "Those types of situations are things that I love. It's the ultimate situation for a competitor. We have a ton of guys like that in that huddle, and that always helps." Helps so much that, instead of a 1-2 start to the season, the Nittany Lions are now 3-0. While there was reason to celebrate, there was also room for improvement. Through the trials and tribulations, however, Hackenberg said the team is continuing on the right track. "I think it was a great team win," he said. "I think it helps us moving on with the season. It's definitely what our goal was, and we accomplished it. So we just have to continue to win each day." G A M E G R A D E S QUARTERBACKSIt was Christian Hack- enberg's most inconsistent performance of the young season, but when it mat- tered most, he made it count. GRADEB RUNNING BACKSDespite Bill Belton scor- ing the game-winning TD, he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. GRADEB- RECEIVERSGeno Lewis' big play in the fourth quarter was the catalyst that lifted PSU to victory. DaeSean Hamilton also added a team-high eight receptions and Chris Godwin had three timely grabs. GRADEB+ OFFENSIVE LINEHackenberg was under pressure the entire night, often running to avoid a sack before he could even look downfield for a receiver. GRADEC- DEFENSIVE LINEThis position group con- tinues to prove that it is Penn State's deepest of the team. Anthony Zettel was an absolute disruption in the middle, and Deion Barnes had his best performance of the season. GRADEA LINEBACKERSIt wasn't the linebackers' best game, but they came up when they were needed. Brandon Bell snagged a critical interception and Mike Hull con- tinues to serve as the heartbeat of the defense. GRADEB+ DEFENSIVE BACKSTrevor Williams gave up a big 16-yard reception in the first quarter. Two plays later, however, he re- deemed himself after he snagged a tipped ball for the interception. He added an- other pick later in the game, as did team- mates Adrian Amos and Ryan Keiser. GRADEA- SPECIAL TEAMSSam Ficken converted two field goals and Chris Gulla put three punts down inside the 20, but they each had a kick blocked, both of which were momentum-swaying plays. GRADEC+ COACHES They tried a few different things. A throwback screen to Hacken- berg in which he throws it downfield? A jet sweep to Belton? A schoolyard option pitch-back? There were a few different new plays attempted. GRADEB+ CROWDIt was a sea of red at High Point Solutions Stadium, but the white-clad PSU contingent stood out among the record crowd of 53,774 . GRADEA S E P T E m B E R 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O m 6

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