NittanyFootball.com Main Feature http://www.nittanyfootball.com/ en apparao.prattipati@gmail.com Copyright 2007 2007-10-19T11:43:00-05:00 Offensive Report Card http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/l8oXOOJtlH8/ The Penn State season has been a strange concoction of confidence, dominance, futility, and inconsistency. While the Lions started out of the gates strong, they stumbled at the first sign of adversity. Namely, the Michigan Wolverines. What can you say? You have a senior QB being outplayed by a true freshman (Ryan Mallet), a team that had been beaten by a DII school out coaching Joe Paterno, all adding up to possibly the most embarrassing loss to Michigan in Penn State history. The Lions… Features The Penn State season has been a strange concoction of confidence, dominance, futility, and inconsistency. While the Lions started out of the gates strong, they stumbled at the first sign of adversity. Namely, the Michigan Wolverines. What can you say? You have a senior QB being outplayed by a true freshman (Ryan Mallet), a team that had been beaten by a DII school out coaching Joe Paterno, all adding up to possibly the most embarrassing loss to Michigan in Penn State history.

The Lions…

]]> 2007-10-19T11:43:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/offensive_report_card/ Ugly Win http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/F3WX6er7ppo/ Coming off a big win against Notre Dame, and eyeing a trip to Ann Arbor next weekend, the Nittany Lion’s offense forgot that they had to a game play on Saturday – at least until midway through the second quarter. Fortunately for Penn State, the defense didn’t have as bad of a memory. After shutting the Bulls down on the opening drive, the Lion offense struggled to get out of its own way as it couldn’t cope with being pinned deep in its own end for most of the 1st Quarter. Austin… Features Coming off a big win against Notre Dame, and eyeing a trip to Ann Arbor next weekend, the Nittany Lion’s offense forgot that they had to a game play on Saturday – at least until midway through the second quarter. Fortunately for Penn State, the defense didn’t have as bad of a memory.

After shutting the Bulls down on the opening drive, the Lion offense struggled to get out of its own way as it couldn’t cope with being pinned deep in its own end for most of the 1st Quarter. Austin…

]]> 2007-09-17T16:42:01-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/ugly_win/ PSU Defense Shines http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/8181ePy1p8k/ The second largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history was on hand to watch Penn State dismantle Notre Dame 31-10. Anthony Morelli passed for a touchdown, Austin Scott ran for two, and Derrick Williams scored on an electrifying punt return. Penn State’s offense was inconsistent all night, but Notre Dame was even worse failing to get anything going against the stingy Lion defense. Penn State turned the ball over three times in the first half which resulted in Notre Dame’s only… Features The second largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history was on hand to watch Penn State dismantle Notre Dame 31-10. Anthony Morelli passed for a touchdown, Austin Scott ran for two, and Derrick Williams scored on an electrifying punt return. Penn State’s offense was inconsistent all night, but Notre Dame was even worse failing to get anything going against the stingy Lion defense.

Penn State turned the ball over three times in the first half which resulted in Notre Dame’s only…

]]> 2007-09-09T01:45:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/payback/ Gearing up for the Irish http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/KDVvItviu18/ Penn State’s lopsided victory over Florida International was a nice way to prepare for Notre Dame this week. A dominate win, if not a blowout, was completely expected against a cupcake Division I-AA team. Games like this are meant to shake out the first game jitters to prepare for the bigger games down the road. How could they not win? (Oh right, sorry Michigan!) To be fair, FIU was 0-12 in 2006 which is a little different than playing the the defending Div I-AA national champion.… Features Penn State’s lopsided victory over Florida International was a nice way to prepare for Notre Dame this week. A dominate win, if not a blowout, was completely expected against a cupcake Division I-AA team. Games like this are meant to shake out the first game jitters to prepare for the bigger games down the road. How could they not win? (Oh right, sorry Michigan!) To be fair, FIU was 0-12 in 2006 which is a little different than playing the the defending Div I-AA national champion.…

]]> 2007-09-04T01:09:01-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/gearing_up_for_the_irish/ Penn State Preview http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/AlkaHVbwilE/ Last year the Lions won all the games that they were supposed to win (with one exception), and lost all of the games that they were supposed to lose (again, with one exception). So just how important was that win over Tennessee on New Years Day for a team that returns almost all of the key players?  The opening five weeks will answer that question for Penn State. Anthony Morelli returns for his senior season oozing confidence. But just how well that translates to on-field production… Features Last year the Lions won all the games that they were supposed to win (with one exception), and lost all of the games that they were supposed to lose (again, with one exception). So just how important was that win over Tennessee on New Years Day for a team that returns almost all of the key players?  The opening five weeks will answer that question for Penn State.

Anthony Morelli returns for his senior season oozing confidence. But just how well that translates to on-field production…

]]> 2007-08-28T00:45:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/penn_state_preview/ Purdue and Wisconsin Preview http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/N8L6Vqi33yI/ Purdue The Boilers had a strange year in 2006.  While they finished with eight wins, they only beat one team that made a bowl game (Minnesota), and still lost six times. Still, they return much of the offensive talent and look to play spoiler against the Big Ten upper class.  Basketball on grass should return in 2007 as Purdue returns all of its top talent, including quarterback Curtis Painter and receivers Dorien Bryant, Selwyn Llymon, and John Standeford.  The… Features Purdue

The Boilers had a strange year in 2006.  While they finished with eight wins, they only beat one team that made a bowl game (Minnesota), and still lost six times. Still, they return much of the offensive talent and look to play spoiler against the Big Ten upper class. 

Basketball on grass should return in 2007 as Purdue returns all of its top talent, including quarterback Curtis Painter and receivers Dorien Bryant, Selwyn Llymon, and John Standeford.  The…

]]> 2007-08-21T19:26:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/purdue_and_wisconsin_preview/ Q&A with Ted Kwalick http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/mATXvtiLlC0/ Who better to start our series of interviews of former players than Ted Kwalick of whom Joe Paterno once said, “He’s what God had in mind when he made a football player.” An All-American tight end at Penn State University in 1968, the 6’ 4”, 226 pound Kwalick caught 86 passes for 1343 yards and 10 touchdowns in three years as a starter. In his final game, Penn State’s 15-14 win over Kansas in the 1969 Orange Bowl, he caught six passes for 74 yards. … Features Who better to start our series of interviews of former players than Ted Kwalick of whom Joe Paterno once said, “He’s what God had in mind when he made a football player.”

An All-American tight end at Penn State University in 1968, the 6’ 4”, 226 pound Kwalick caught 86 passes for 1343 yards and 10 touchdowns in three years as a starter. In his final game, Penn State’s 15-14 win over Kansas in the 1969 Orange Bowl, he caught six passes for 74 yards.

…

]]> 2007-08-15T13:35:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/qa_with_ted_kwalick/ Northwestern and Ohio State Preview http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/9Slp6uJTzXQ/ Northwestern Northwestern meowed into the 2006 season and roared to finish. That sets up this year when they should come in with a bang. They return every contributor on defense, most of the offense, and Fitzgerald brought in one of the best freshman classes in school history, not to mention some kid named Tyrell Sutton. C.J. Bacher kinda sorta won the quarterback competition towards the end of the season. But his starter role going into the Fall isn’t set in stone. Whoever… Features Northwestern

Northwestern meowed into the 2006 season and roared to finish. That sets up this year when they should come in with a bang. They return every contributor on defense, most of the offense, and Fitzgerald brought in one of the best freshman classes in school history, not to mention some kid named Tyrell Sutton.

C.J. Bacher kinda sorta won the quarterback competition towards the end of the season. But his starter role going into the Fall isn’t set in stone. Whoever…

]]> 2007-08-14T04:40:00-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/northwestern_and_ohio_state_preview/ Michigan State and Minnesota Preview http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/1REbu3npyxs/ Michigan State One would have better luck predicting the weather than prognosticating how the mercurial Spartans do this season. The highlight of the 2006 season for Michigan State came on the Monday after the Notre Dame game when an MSU Radio host had a complete meltdown on the air.  We can only hope something similar happens this year. New coach Mark Dantonio has been hired from Cincinnati and will do away with the gimmicky, and mostly annoying, spread offense that John… Features Michigan State
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One would have better luck predicting the weather than prognosticating how the mercurial Spartans do this season. The highlight of the 2006 season for Michigan State came on the Monday after the Notre Dame game when an MSU Radio host had a complete meltdown on the air.  We can only hope something similar happens this year.

New coach Mark Dantonio has been hired from Cincinnati and will do away with the gimmicky, and mostly annoying, spread offense that John…

]]> 2007-08-13T00:22:01-05:00 http://www.nittanyfootball.com/articles/feature/michigan_state_and_minnesota_preview/ Iowa and Michigan Preview http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NittanyfootballcomMainFeature/~3/jf1uAqai5-8/ Iowa The Hawkeyes are a tough team to predict. Last year they started out 4–0, got demolished by Ohio State in a nationally televised night game on their own turf, and finished the regular season at 6–6.  Finishing the season in the Alamo Bowl, they outplayed Texas before finally capitulating by 2 points. So it’s really anyone’s guess on how they will follow-up last season, but the defense and running game will have to carry them. Iowa lost one of their greatest… Features Iowa

The Hawkeyes are a tough team to predict. Last year they started out 4–0, got demolished by Ohio State in a nationally televised night game on their own turf, and finished the regular season at 6–6.  Finishing the season in the Alamo Bowl, they outplayed Texas before finally capitulating by 2 points. So it’s really anyone’s guess on how they will follow-up last season, but the defense and running game will have to carry them.

Iowa lost one of their greatest…

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