Blue White Illustrated

LAST WORD 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 t some point, impatience became a virtue within a segment of Penn State's fan base. The moments and images that unified the university community – think of the full house that turned out on that un- forgettable day when Nebraska visited Beaver Stadium in November 2011 or the outpouring of support for teams that went 8-4 in 2012 and 7-5 the following year and ended both seasons with rous- ing victories over Wisconsin – have largely evaporated. The feelings of warmth and defiance that had un- doubtedly helped a community heal have been replaced by entitlement and frustration at the perceived lack of progress the Nittany Lions have made in the time since. Many fans and followers of the pro- gram want high-flying football, and they want it now. Such was the case recently when the Nittany Lions took on No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus. They were facing a Buck- eye team that had won 19 games in a row, but several of those recent victories had been unimpressive, marred by a pattern of sluggish starts. Penn State fans were emboldened by the fact that Northern Illinois, Indiana and Maryland had each thrown a scare into Ohio State, and while they might not have expected a Nittany Lion victory, they did believe the team at least had a true chance to pull off an upset. It didn't happen. By the time Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett went full- on Tim Tebow impersonator with his 5- yard dump pass for a touchdown in front of 108,423 ravenous black-clad fans at the Horseshoe, boosting the Buckeyes' lead to 31-10 with 6 minutes, 25 seconds left to play, that hopeful spirit had vanished. With another Bar- rett touchdown moments later – this one a 6-yarder to wideout Michael Thomas in the back of the end zone – the gutting had been finished by Urban Meyer's crew, and the Buckeyes took another step toward a probable berth in the College Football Playoff. But at 38-10, the game was not the kind of beat-down that Penn State had absorbed two years earlier when it lost 63-14. And that's what makes the reac- tion of a certain segment of Penn State followers so unseemly. Penn State could have gone into Columbus and beaten the top-ranked Buckeyes, the reasoning went, if only quarterback Christian Hackenberg had seen a wide-open Saquon Barkley for a sure touchdown, instead of getting sacked on fourth down… if only tight end Mike Gesicki had caught that pass on the sideline in the first quarter… if only Barkley's 44-yard touchdown car- ry hadn't been called back due to an ob- vious holding penalty on guard Brian Gaia… if only punters Daniel Pasquar- iello and Chris Gulla hadn't been so in- ept… if only the "overrated" PSU de- fense had played better assignment football… if only Penn State head coach James Franklin and his staff had a clue how to use the talent on their roster. "If only" might have been a reasonable reaction had Penn State lost because of a bad decision or two, a blown call by the officiating crew or a momentary lapse in execution. (See: Michigan los- ing to Michigan State earlier that same afternoon on a game-ending special teams calamity.) But that wasn't the case, as J.T. Barrett's appearance in the second quarter turned a stalemate into a 21-3 Ohio State lead at the half. The disenchantment that followed Penn State's lopsided loss was focused on a number of ongoing problems: in- adequate pass protection, special teams letdowns, an inability to slow down Ohio State's elite offensive athletes. But for all the problems the Lions endured in Columbus, there were an equal num- ber of positive developments. Barkley, for instance, was nothing short of dazzling. The true freshman's return from injury produced one highlight-reel run after another, as he finished with 194 yards. It appears that for the first time since Allen Robinson's departure, the Li- ons have a true game-breaking threat on the offensive side of the ball. In addition, even though the game plan had to account for the team's pass- protection issues, the big-play capabili- ty of wideouts Chris Godwin and Dae- Sean Hamilton was on display again. Also, junior running back Akeel Lynch returned from injury, sophomore tight end Adam Breneman took the field for the first time since the end of the 2013 season, and defensive end Carl Nassib continued his breakout senior season, producing another 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. Maybe the Nittany Lions' second-half rally last year, a game in which they took the Buckeyes to double-overtime before falling, 31-24, warped expectations this time around. But for a team that slogged its way to five wins in six games heading into its latest trip to Columbus, the big- picture analysis couldn't be more appar- ent. The Lions are not yet able to chal- lenge Ohio State, and that realization stings, because this is the program they benchmark themselves against. But they do appear better prepared than they were a year ago to take on the remaining teams on their schedule. Requesting more might be selfish, but what fan doesn't want to see his or her team win? Expecting it is a different sto- ry. Like it or not, patience really is a virtue. ■ Reality check A

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