0 0 0 0 0 0 S * OS 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.