Blue White Illustrated

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 If the play had been correctly executed, Buffalo quarterback Joe Licata's second- quarter interception would have actually been pulled down by Penn State's Austin Johnson. Following the 27-14 win for the Nittany Lions over Buffalo Saturday a@ernoon at rain-soaked Beaver Stadium, the star de- fensive tackle noted that he'd correctly read the play, followed the screen pass read to the back perfectly and was ready to grab the game-changing interception. If only teammates Anthony Zettel and Carl Nassib hadn't stolen his thunder. With Zettel attacking upfield to tip Li- cata's pass attempt, Nassib picked the football out of the air to secure his first career interception. Said Johnson, "Zettel tipped it and I didn't know what was going on, so I stopped running. All I hear is the crowd roar, and Carl is run- ning." Nassib wouldn't get very far, though, Johnson said. Admitting just how great the play was for both of his teammates, Johnson couldn't help but note the effort's short- coming. The end zone within reach, Nas- sib made it only 10 yards to the Buffalo 12-yard line instead of to pay dirt. "He saw the end zone and he got a little shaky," said Johnson, grinning. That might have been the worst aspect of Nassib's career a@ernoon. From the game's onset, the former pre- ferred walk-on out of Malvern Prep put on a show, sacking Licata for a 7-yard loss on the Bulls' first possession of the day to force a punt. No one would blame Licata if he weren't a huge fan of Nassib following an a@ernoon of utter torment. Going on to sack the Bulls' quarterback two more times on the day in the fourth quarter, Nassib lived up to every piece of hype Penn State head coach James Franklin bestowed before the season even began. For his efforts, Nassib was the first of Franklin's post-game points to highlight. Said Franklin, "Carl Nassib, who I have been bragging about all summer long, [had his] first career interception, career high three sacks, and two forced fum- bles." Adding to his tally, Nassib now leads the Nittany Lions alongside Johnson in total tackles with 15, owns solely the team high in tackles for loss with 5.5 for 32 yards in losses, a whopping four sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. Granted, Nassib's current contribu- tions at Penn State were never much of a guarantee. Noting that he'd begun his career in Happy Valley weighing just 215 pounds, his 6-foot-7, 272-pound body that now imposes its will on opponents wasn't even the goal. "I just wanted to contribute," he said, reminiscing on learning prior to the 2013 season that he'd been granted a full scholarship. Taking his cue and pursuing an opportunity to do more, Nassib hasn't relented, using a fighter's mentality and turning it into a starting role for his final season at Penn State. "I just always had the mentality of, if you're not trying to get the starting spot, then why are you there? Competing in everything you do is one of our core values, and I think everybody should just compete to get on the field. You shouldn't be entitled to take every play. You can't take any play for granted, and I just kind of went about it that way." Cementing his place Saturday a@er- noon as one of the leading contributors on a defense loaded with talent, Nassib executed his long-term plan to perfec- tion. S e P T e M b e R 1 2 , 2 0 1 5 b l u e w h i T e o n l i n e . c o M 6 BRINGING THE HEAT Defensive end Carl Nassib leads a fierce Nittany Lion pass rush HIGH PRES- SURE Nas- sib gives chase as Penn State goes after Licata. Photo by Steve Manuel

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