Nittany Lions no longer mistaken for lambs
Improbable as it seems, Penn State is one win away from turning an 0-4 start into a possible bowl bid.
By Ray Parrillo
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
When the Penn State Nittany Lions showed up at Northwestern's Ryan Field on a picturesque Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill., on Oct. 20, no one checked their identities.
By then, they were well-known. Well-known for an offense that was unprecedented in its ineptitude since Joe Paterno became head coach in 1966.
These were the guys who couldn't catch, couldn't block, couldn't run, and had only a fleeting familiarity with their opponents' red zone. They were proficient only in taking dumb penalties and turning over the football at the most inopportune times.
Among the 117 teams in Division I-A, Penn State ranked 117th in rushing, scoring and total offense. The rankings were based on merit. And when Paterno insisted things weren't as bad as they looked, a lot of people rolled their eyes.
"There was more of an uptight atmosphere," Penn State quarterback Zack Mills said yesterday, recalling the mood during the dreadful 0-4 start to the season. "Now, things are more relaxed because we know we can do it."
Statistics can be like lampposts, used either for support or illumination. In the case of Penn State's offense, the numbers since Oct. 20 support a dramatic improvement and brighten the prospects for next season because a majority of the key players will be back.
As they enter their final regular-season game Saturday at Virginia (4-7) needing a win to become eligible for a bowl game, the Nittany Lions (5-5), believe it or not, are among the most explosive teams in the nation. Most likely, a win will get Penn State an invitation to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 29. The opponent would be from the Big Twelve.
While winning five of its last six games, Penn State is averaging 33.8 points and 431.2 yards a game. During the 5-1 run, the Lions are averaging 266.2 yards passing and 165.0 yards rushing. Throw out the first four games - when they averaged 7.8 points, 40.8 yards rushing, and 188.5 yards passing, and advanced inside the opponents' 20-yard line four times - and the Nittany Lions would be ranked No. 22 in both scoring and total offense, No. 27 in passing, and No. 48 in rushing. In the past six games, Penn State has moved inside the red zone 23 times and converted 21 times.
What happened since the 20-0 loss to Michigan on Oct. 6?
"The offensive line stayed healthy and became more cohesive," Paterno said yesterday during his weekly teleconference. "We started catching the ball better, got a better feel for the passing game, got more confidence in the things we were trying to do. Early in the year, we hurt ourselves with a lot of dumb penalties, and we had some misfortune against some good teams. The week before Northwestern, we talked about why we were losing games. A lot of it was mental. Mostly, we talked about eliminating all the mistakes. But you can talk, talk and talk, and it'll mean nothing until you get some results."
Paterno is reluctant to praise an individual player until he's a senior, more reluctant to laud a freshman, but Mills has clearly been the biggest reason for Penn State's resurgence on offense. Even though he's only started three games, Mills brought Penn State back from apparent defeat against Northwestern, Ohio State and Michigan State. For a 19-year-old, the lefthander from Ijamsville, Md., has uncommon poise that appears to spread through his teammates, who seem to block, catch and run better when he's in the game. He's decisive, and he's not afraid to make mistakes. His teammates marvel at his confidence.
Yesterday, Paterno, who pulled junior Matt Senneca for Mills at the start of the second quarter at Michigan State on Saturday, said he would probably start Mills against Virginia. Mills, who said yesterday he's fully healed from the severe left ankle sprain that sidelined him early in the 33-28 loss at Illinois on Nov. 10, guided the Nittany Lions to five touchdowns on five possessions to help overcome the Spartans' 17-point lead. It's reasonable to believe Penn State would be on a six-game winning streak had Mills not been injured against the Illini, who won the Big Ten championship.
For what it's worth, Mills is ahead of Chris Simms of Texas, Eli Manning of Mississippi, and Shaun Hill of Maryland in yards per passing attempt.
"I think they found their identity on offense, what kind of offense they are and what kind of style they want to play," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "And I think the play of their quarterback has aided them in doing that."
Quiet and reserved, Mills seems embarrassed whenever someone suggests he's the major reason for the turnabout on offense. Yesterday, he admitted to personal satisfaction in the win over Michigan State. Spartans quarterback Jeff Smoker, a talented sophomore from Lancaster County, was the quarterback Penn State fans most wanted the year Mills committed to the Nittany Lions. Smoker was recruited nationally, while Mills received grant offers from only Penn State and Pitt. Mills had some designs on Maryland, which showed no interest in him.
"All I heard last year while I was sitting out [as a redshirt] was Smoker, Smoker, Smoker," Mills said. "So it felt kind of good to get that win." |
