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0ctobr-24 2009 Footbll Saurda
Breakdown: PSU will squeak past 'M'
By MIKE EISENSTEIN
AND
COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Editors
MICHIGAN RUSHING
OFFENSE VS. PENN STATE
RUSHING DEFENSE
The run attack will be the
most important part of the
Wolverines' offense this week-
end, and Michigan's ground
game will likely hinge on the
health of one player: Brandon
Minor.
The senior is by far the Wol-
verines' most physical back,
and he adds another dimension
to Michigan's offense. Minor
has also been particularly good
against Penn State, tallying 117
yards and two touchdowns last
season in State College.
Minor's biggest nemesis
has been his ankle. He barely
practiced last week and sat out
against Delaware State. Since
it's a high ankle injury, any time
he tweaks it, it could keep him
off the field. Michigan coach
Rich Rodriguez said Minor is
probable for the game.
But all is not lost if Minor
can't play. Michigan has the
Big Ten's best ground attack,
averaging 235 yards per game.
It will all come down to the
Wolverines' ability to outmatch
Penn State's 75-yards-a-game
rush defense.
EDGE: EVEN
MICHIGAN PASSING
OFFENSE VS. PENN STATE
PASSING DEFENSE
Ever since he injured his
shoulder against Indiana,
freshman quarterback Tate
Forcier hasn't been quite the
same.
His completion percentage
has fallen 11.2 points to 50.9
percent, and suffering a con-
cussion against Iowa didn't
help either.
But this week he did some-
thing he hasn't leading into the
past three games: practice all
week. That should give Michi-
gan its first chance in a while to
significantly alter its playbook
and give the Nittany Lions a
look they haven't seen from
Michigan on game film.
Will that be enough to over-
come the Big Ten's best passing
defense? Probably not. Iowa
was the last great pass defense
Forcier faced, and that was his
worst game of the season.
EDGE: PENN STATE
Joe Pa's Big
House slump
ByANDY REID have done with 40 seconds and
Daily Sports Editor two timeouts remaining," the site's
game recap pondered.
Apparently, Joe Paterno isn't And then there was 2005.
too impressed by the Big House's "The kid from western Pennsyl-
home-field advantage. After all, it vania runs that kickoff back when
doesn't have "Zombie Nation", like we probably shouldn't have kicked
Beaver Stadium, "Jump Around", the ball to him," Paterno said Tues-
like Camp Randall, or clips from day. "I blame myself on that."
"300," like Spartan Stadium. That kid, of course, was Steve
"I don't think Michigan Sta- Breaston, who is currently averag-
dium is a tough place to play," the ing more than 80 receiving yards
82-year-old a game for the NFL's Arizona Car-
Penn State dinals. In 2005, with Penn State
coach said at Penn Stat up by four points and 53 seconds
his Tuesday Michigan left on the clock, Breaston took the
press confer- kickoff back to midfield. Thatsetup
ence. "They Pea St. Chad Henne's memorable last-see-
tellme they've Michigan 5-2 and slant touchdown pass to Mario
restructured Manningham.
it a little bit so When Saturday It has become one of the great-
thatthecrowd est games in recent Michigan his-
is a little bit Where: Michigan tory, and it must have stung deep
more involved Stadium for Paterno.
in it. The way TV: ABC The eighth-ranked Nittany
it used to be Lions were undefeated and poised
... the crowd Live Tweets: for a national championship run.
was kinda out u@michdailysports The Wolverines, who had lost
from you. I the Little Brown Jug for the first
don't think it time in 19 years the week before,
was a particularly difficult place to would have had their worst record
play." through seven games in almost 40
Well, then, how does he account years with a loss.
for his team's woes in Ann Arbor? "That's as wild a game as I've
Since joiningthe Big Ten in 1990, ever been in. Just unbelievable,"
the Nittany Lions (2-1 Big Ten, 6-1 then-Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
overall) have wonjust twice in Ann said after the upset win.
Arbor - their last coming in 1996, Although he briefly mentioned
with a five-game losingskid since. the two incidents - and Penn State
Instead of the gameday atmo- fans still mumble about a referee
sphere, Paterno pointed to a few bias in the Big House - Paterno
specific, game-changing moments says the past is the past, and his
that could attribute to the lack of team is focused on this game.
success in the Big House. "We (don't) think about what's
He brought up the 2002 game, happened there before," Paterno
which featured the first overtime said. "What's happened there
in Michigan Stadiumhistory. before, we can't do anything about
On Penn State's last possession that.We just got to go out and have
in regulation, Nittany Lion receiver a good week of practice, try to geta
Tony Johnson was ruled out-of- little better, be alertabout anything
bounds on a controversial third- we may get from them and go out
down catch - a call that was later there and play hard."
proved wrong by video replays. After all, it's Michigan vs. Peni
That meant Penn State was forced State, two of the most storied pro-
to punt on the next play. But chal- grams in the history ofecollege foot-
lenges and reviews were not yet ball, andPaternothinksthatshould
part of the game. be enotghto gethis teamhyped.
The Wolverines (1-2, 5-2) even- "I think you've got to be awfully
tually won the game 27-24 in over- careful when you start with 'extra
time, but Penn State fans still talk motivation,' " Paterno said. "If we
about the referees' blown call. And need extra motivation to. go out
even Penn State's official athletics and play a game as important as
website, gopsusports.com, griped this one is against a team with the
about the call. tradition and the character and the
"One can only wonder what coaching...they're doing aheck ofa
(quarterback) Zack Mills could job this year."
MICHIGAN DEPTH CHART
VS.
PENN STATE
OFFENSE
QB
RB
FB
1. Forcier, Tate Freshman, No. 5
2. Robinson, Denard Freshman, No.16
1. Minor, Brandon Senior, No. 4
2. Brown, Carlos Senior, No. 23
1. Moundros, Mark RS junior No. 44
2. Grady, Kevin Pifth-year senior, No. 24
R . Mathews, Greg Sophomore, No.13
W R 2 Stonum, Darryl Senior, No. 22
W R 1. Hemingway, Junior RS sophomore, No. 21
2. Savoy, LaTerryal Fifth-year senor, No. 82
LOT 1.Odoms, Martavious Sophomore No. 7
S2. Grady, Kelvin RS sophomore, No.19
T E . Koger, Kevin Sophomore, No. 86
T 2. Webb, Martell Junior, No. 80
DEFENSE
1.Graham, Brandon Senior, No. 55
2. Heininger, Will RS sophomore, No. 39
T 1.Van Bergen, Ryan RS sophomore, No. 53
I 2. Banks, Greg Junior, No. 92
1. Martin, Mike Sophomore, No. 68
N T 2.Campbell, William Freshman, No. 73
O LB 1HRoh, Craig Freshman, No. 88
0 2. Herron, Brandon R5 sophomore, No. 58
LB 1. Ezeh, Obi RS junior, No. 45
2 Fitzgerald, J.B. Sophomore, No. 42
LB 1. Mouton, Jonas RS junior, No. 8
W B 2Leach, Kevin RS sophomore, No.52
1. Brown,Stevie Senior, No. 3
2. Simmons, Floyd RS freshman, No. 23
LC 1. Warren, Donovan Junior, No. 6
2. Turner, J.T. Freshman
SS i.Kovacs, Jordan RS freshman, No. 32
S 2. Van Slyke, Jared tS sophomore
F 1. Williams, Mike tS sophomore, No. 40
F 2. Emilien, Vladimir RS freshman, No.
C 1. Woolfolk, Troy Junior, No. 29
R 2. Floyd, J.T. RS freshman, No.,12
LT
1. Ortmann, Mark Fifth-year senior, No. 71
2. Dorrestein, Perry RS junior, No. 79
SADA SALAH/Daily
Senior Brandon Minor has been battling an ankle injury this season, but he should be Michigan's biggest offensive meapon this meekend.
PENN STATE RUSHING
OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN
RUSHING DEFENSE
Penn State's run offense is
second in the conference to
Michigan, which could pose
a problem for the Wolverine
defense. Evan Royster, who is
currently ranked third in the
conference in rushing, will be
the best running back the Wol-
verines have seen all year.
Another big issue for the
Wolverines will be Penn State's
abilitytocontrolthe clock - last
week against Minnesota, the
Nittany Lions had the ball for
nearly 42 minutes. Michigan's
defense has struggled with lim-
iting opposing offenses' time of
possession, and it looks like Sat-
urday will be no different.
After it took out two weeks
worth of frustration on the
puny Delaware State offense
last Saturday, the defensive line
will face a true test this week.
EDGE: PENN STATE -
PENN STATE PASSING
OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN
PASSING OFFENSE
We've heard it time and time
again - Michigan's secondary
is probably its biggest weakness
- but it might look a little more
stable this week, with veteran
Troy Woolfolk in at cornerback
for his third game this season
opposite junior Donovan War-
ren.
Fifth-year senior quarterback
Daryll Clark is averaging 253.3
yards per game, which can't
be good for the Wolverines'
struggling secondary. To have
an edge in this game, the sec-
ondary must make immediate
adjustments instead of waiting
until halftime. With 13 passing
touchdowns already this sea-
son, Clark will strike fast.
EDGE: PENN STATE
SPECIAL TEAMS
Even though redshirt senior
Zoltan Mesko didn't punt
against Delaware State, he will
definitely be put to the test
against Penn State.
And while that may usu-
ally bode well for Michigan in
the field-position battle, his
counterpart is a great punter
too, averaging 46.5 yards a
kick - about a yard more than
Mesko.
In order to improve their
field position, the Wolver-
ines are going to have to hope
sophomore wide receiver Dar-
ryl. Stonum starts clicking
again on kick returns. After
an outstanding opening four
games, Stonum has struggled
to pull off the great returns
that have put him in good
position to break Michigan's
single-season record for kick-
return yards.
Like it did for Penn State
against Iowa, this one could
come down to a big special-
teams play.
EDGE: EVEN
INTANGIBLES
The Wolverines started talk-
ing this week about how Satur-
day's game is the start of their
"second season." The last time
they said this was before the
Wisconsin game last year, and
Michigan came back from a
19-0 halftime deficit to pull out
the win. Maybe thinking about
a fresh start is a motivating fac-
tor, after all.
With two conference losses
already and just one more win
needed for bowl eligibility, the
Wolverines desperately need to
win this game to gain credibility.
No. 13 Penn State, at 6-1, is
already sitting pretty in the
standings, though its loss to
underdog Iowa earlier in the
season may make them more
aware of a possible upset this
time around.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
FINAL SCORE: PENN STATE 24,
MICHIGAN 21
G 1. Schilling, Steve RS junior, No.52
2. Mealer, Elliot RS freshman, No. 57
C1. Molk, David Fifth-year senior, No. 50
2. Moosman, David RS sophomore, No. 60
RG 1.Moosman, David Fifth-year senior, No. 60
2. Huyge, Mark RS freshman, No. 72
R T 1. Dorrestein, Perry RS junior, No. 79
2. Huyge, Mark Sophomore, No. 72
SPECIAL TEAMS
P
K
KR
1. Stonum, Darryl Sophomore, No. 22
2. Grady, Kelvin RS sophomore, No. 19
1. Olesnavage, Jason RS senior, No. 92 1. Mesko, Zoltan RS senior, No. 41
2. Gibbons, Brendan Freshman, No. 34 2. Wright, Bryan RS junior, No. 43
Note: Depth chart as predicted by Daily football writers.