Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/85172
Mauti for Heisman! He's a beast today! BrianS Very nice win. This team just keeps improving, and that's what impresses me the most about O'Brien, this staff and this team. Matt had an off day, but the O-line came through and made some nice holes for the running backs. I love ZZ. For my money he's the best RB on the team. BBrown HIGH PRESSURE Sacked on three occasions, Scheelhaase was under pressure most of the game. Steve Manuel The Illini take blame for much of their misfortune ILL-ANNOYED MATT HERB | M A T T@B L U E WH I T E O N L I N E . c O M CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On the score- board, it was a shellacking. Penn State 35, Illinois 7. In a competitive conference like the Big Ten, final scores rarely get more decisive than that. But there were some key moments that might have turned this into a competitive game had they gone Illi- nois' way. The problem for the Illini was that none of those moments went their way, much to the chagrin of first-year coach Tim Beckman. "Penn State did a great job of coming in here and playing physical football," Beckman said. "But when you get the ball inside the 30, in the red zone, that's the key to the game. We've got to come up with points, come up with touchdowns. We can't turn the ball over. We have to stop them when they get in the red zone. We have to force them to kick field goals. And if we're on a short field, we can't give up touchdowns." The Illini had a big hand in their own misfortune Saturday. They had three turnovers, were penalized eight times for 69 lost yards and missed a 26-yard field goal. They came up empty on all three of their red zone opportunities while allowing Penn State to cash in on four of its seven chances. The Illini have faced their share of injury problems this season, includ- ing an ankle injury that forced quar- terback Nathan Scheelhaase to miss two games. He got pounded on Illinois' first possession of the second half, as DaQuan Jones and Adrian Amos teamed up to drop him for a 6-yard loss. But he finished the game, with Beckman declining to play backup Reilly O'Toole. "That was about as bad a hit as you can get on a play like that, and I was able to bounce back," Scheelhaase said. "When you're able to do that, it means that you're back to where you need to be." Maybe so, but at 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, the Illini are not where they need to be, especially with a trip to Wisconsin looming this week. "We didn't play the way we wanted to [against Penn State]," Scheelhaase said. "But there's still a lot of football left, and the damage that's been done isn't season-ending at all. It isn't any- thing that can't be overcome, so that has to be the mind-set." S E P T E M B E R 2 9 , 2 0 1 2 10 Can't keep leaving points on the board! Every week it seems like the same prob- lem comes up. McGloin had one of his worse games this year, and the field goal kicking must be fixed. I think Ficken has had enough chances to prove himself. This is going to come back and haunt us if it doesn't get fixed. ProphetDude FROM THE WEB ONLINE REAcTION TO PSU'S LATEST GAME The best news about this team, offensively speaking, is there is still much upside. Zwinak is emerging. The offensive line is much better with No. 76 in there. And this was hopefully an off day for McGloin. hiptohoo Take that, Illinois! And next spring send 10 coaches so our players, who play for a great coach and go to a great univer- sity with great alumni, can look you in the eye and tell you to get out of our Happy Valley! ZZ has certainly separated him- self from the pack, and he is thriving in the NASCAR offense. I still think there is room for Belton to contribute as well. We'll have a version of Thunder and Lightning. Brazillm10 Gotta give the O-line props, too. They are improving each week, and when was the last time we got so much push on the QB sneaks? Way to go, big uglies! psubowhunter B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O M Fgkick69