Bleacher Report - Articles by Anthony Elias

Un. Accept. Able: USC Licks Penn State 38-24

Anthony Elias — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:03:20 -0500

It is 38-24

This game is over. It was over at the half.

This will be a loss.

Am I crazy? No.

Do I realize the implications of this game for Penn State?

Yes.

Do I realize the implications of this game for the Big 10?

Yes.

Do I realize the implications of this game for college football?

Yes.

The question is...do you?

Some of us will look at this and say the Big 10 can't compete.

Some of us will look at this and say the Big 10 doesn't have the speed.

Some of us will look at this and say Penn State is horrible.

Some of us will say maybe USC and the Pac-10 (5-0 in bowl games) were underrated after all.

Some of us will drop our jaws and say could it be this bad?

Some of us will read this article and say just another sour Penn State fan who is trying to make excuses.

I am not here to make excuses.

I am here to make amends.

Because we cannot forget a great Penn State season.

We cannot forget that the three wide receivers Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, and Jordan Norwood have brought this team and program back to relevance.

This game was not a fitting tribute to these men and their accomplishments.

Evan Royster getting injured.

Stephfon Green getting injured.

Not the way this game should have went.

I cannot sit here and say I feel sorry for Paterno, the fans, the school, the program, the university alumni, or even the conference.

I feel sorry for those guys I mentioned. They deserved to go out better than this.

I congratulate USC. They are good. I would not want to play them ever again.

I understand this won't be a piece of professional journalism. I don't intend it to be.

Just the way a Penn State fan who's been spoiled by three straight bowl wins looks to an offseason with a bad taste in his mouth for the first time in a long time.

We Are...

And We Always Will Be...

PENN STATE!!!!

Breaking Down the Rose Bowl's Key Matchup: PSU's Offense vs. USC's Defense

Anthony Elias — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:50:32 -0500

Apparently it is a foregone conclusion that Penn State's good defense will butt heads with USC's good offense and pretty much deadlock.

Although this matchup will be fun to watch, many analysts, sports writers, and fans all agree on one thing, and that is...

The key matchup in this game is Penn State's 11th-ranked offense against USC's first ranked defense in the nation.

Simple as that.

If we take an in-depth look at Penn State's offense we will find a balanced and multi-faceted one.

Spread HD. Two words that struck some fear into many teams this season.

Daryll Clark passing to a trio of wide receivers in Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood, and Deon Butler that have combined for 121 catches, 1769 yards, and 15 touchdowns.

If he is not passing, he is handing it off to the 1-2 punch of Evan Royster and Stephfon Green, who combined for 280 carries, 1723 yards, and 16 touchdowns.

Pretty lethal. Not to mention, Clark can run.

75 carries for 265 yards and 12 touchdowns.

And that offensive line?

The main reason this offensive unit has been averaging 40 points a game.

Pretty good...although there were a couple of games where moving the ball was a problem, especially at Ohio State and Iowa.

USC's defense?

They are first in the country in total defense.

They allow how many points per game?

7.8

Leader?

Award winning linebacker?

USC has him. His name is Rey Maualuga.

This 6'3" 250 pound linebacker has terrorized the Pac-10 for much of his career at USC.

This year though, the man has played lights out, leading the Trojans with 66 tackles. He has a knack for the big plays, and has two interceptions this year.

Watch for yourself: Ray's Highlight Reel

Amazing. Stellar. Unbelievable. But just like Penn State's offense had some trouble in select games, this USC defense had a bad game at Oregon State, in which they were gashed by Jacquizz Rodgers for 186 yards and two touchdowns as well as allowing a season high 27 points to the Beavers.

So will Penn State move the ball against them? And if so, how?

Daryl Clark must play flawless. Not be great. Just flawless.

If he does not throw a single interception or touchdown pass, but Penn State wins, that would be great.

But who cares if he throws for five touchdowns...but throws the pick six that wins the game for USC!?

I never thought I would say this.

Daryl...

If you cannot find a way to light up that USC defense without something costly, then play like Anthony Morelli in bowl games. You think I'm kidding?

In a 2006 Outback Bowl victory over Tennessee, Morelli went 14-25 for 197 yards and a touchdown pass. No mistakes.

In a 2007 Alamo Bowl victory, Morelli was 15-31 for 143 yards and a touchdown pass. No mistakes.

Morelli found a way to play it safe in bowl games, and still lead the team to victory. That is the role Clark must play at the least.

That is what PSU needs at the very least.

My prediction is ala Jacquizz, Penn State will move the ball and control the tempo of the game through the running game.

The Penn State offensive line is tops in the country, especially in seniority. It is a talented bunch that could open up some major holes.

Royster and Green will be the difference in this game, especially because running up the middle will neutralize USC's speed on the outside.

If these guys have a big day, it could lead to big things for Penn State.

Also look for Derrick Williams out of the Wildcat formation to really spice things up, and vary things a bit.

All in all, if Penn State is to have any chance at this game, they will have to beat USC on the ground, minimize the mistakes through the air, and play Penn State football.

Traditional Playoff Format in College Football Is NOT the Answer

Anthony Elias — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:09:46 -0500

Let's be honest here. All you college football fans do not want a playoff.

Something close to it.

But believe me when I say you do not want a playoff.

I said it. I don't personally advocate a playoff.

Why not?

Because the argument of the regular season being a playoff... I buy it.

I believe in the importance of a regular season that makes sure every single player on every single teams put forth the absolute best effort forth every single week.

Imagine a traditional playoff with seeding, such as the NFL.

If Ohio State clinched a playoff berth, they would rest their starters against Michigan. Let that sink in.

We hate the BCS and the bowl system. But we love the tradition and rivalries.

This is the only way to get the best of both.

So do we want a playoff?

No.

Something close to it?

Yes.

But a playoff in sense of how most people want it?

No.

My alternative to the way things are.

Leave everything the way it is. Let all the bowls do what they want.

Except the BCS Bowls must be filled by the top eight teams in the BCS rankings.

Period.

What difference would that make?

Well that means instead of

Oklahoma
Florida
Texas
Alabama
USC
Utah
Cincinnati
Virginia Tech
Ohio State
Penn State

We would get the BCS top eight teams:

Oklahoma
Florida
Texas
Alabama
USC
Utah
Texas Tech
Penn State

Sound a bit fairer taking out those three teams with two or more losses in Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and Cincinnati?

Now imagine for a second how we would develop this.

1 Oklahoma def. 8 PSU (Fiesta Bowl)
2 Florida def. 7 Texas Tech (Sugar Bowl)
3 Texas def. 6 Utah (Orange Bowl)
4 Alabama loses to 5 USC (Rose Bowl)

This system tries to keep the bowl tie ins in place as much as possible (Pac-10 champ going to the Rose Bowl, SEC to the Sugar, Big 12 to the Fiesta, etc.).

And how awesome would those games be?

Winners of those games would then progress to the next round. Let's simulate this.

1 Oklahoma def. 5 USC (Fiesta Bowl)
2 Florida def. 3 Texas (Sugar Bowl)

1 Oklahoma vs. 2 Florida (BCS Bowl sites take turns annually hosting)

See?

This is just a simple simulation, just an example.

We still get to the same game in this simulation, the difference being we get a three week type plus two format of the BCS.

Not a playoff in the traditional way.

This pleases the bowls because they are making almost triple the revenue.

It pleases the fans who hate the conference tie-ins, but also pleases the bowls who do have conference champions in the top eight because they still have the tie-in.

It pleases the fans who want teams to play each other.

And it pleases the advocates of the importance of the regular season.

I understand there is probably something wrong with this...but I do not see it.

Questions, comments, concerns?

Let me know what you think below.

Philadelphia Phillies' Offseason Report: A Pictorial

Anthony Elias — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:51:38 -0500

The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies. 93 wins NL East Champions National League Champions World Series Champions That is what you call a productive and successful season, and one that is very hard to improve on. But the Phillies have seemingly found a way so far this off season to put themselves in position to do just that with three steps.

Begin Slideshow

2008 Rose Bowl Preview: Who Has The Edge?

Anthony Elias — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:58:40 -0500

The 2008 Rose Bowl will be the only BCS bowl game to feature two one loss conference champions play head to head besides the National Title Game. So naturally this game will function as a sort of "semifinal" in which the winner can make a case that they deserve to play the winner of the title game for the real title in a plus one format.

But that's another story for another day...

So Penn State and USC will face off in the 95th Rose Bowl.

Great. Another Big Ten team sent to their execution in sunny Pasadena?

Wrong. Or at least, the facts show otherwise.

Before breaking down this match up, it is essential to analyze the reason for this "Big 10 is going to get blown out" stigma in the Rose Bowl.

The Big 10's record in this game against a Pac-10 opponent since 2000 is a lowly 1-3.

The lone victory in this decade game came against Stanford.

Wisconsin beat them 17-9 in 2000.

The other three games between the Pac-10 and the Big 10 in this game have been USC vs. Michigan twice, and once Illinois.

The combined scores of those games?

USC-109

UM & Ill.-49

So chalk up this decade to USC in particular when it comes to the traditional Big 10 vs. Pac-10 match up in this game.

While Penn State can not even bring the Big 10's record to .500 vs. USC in the Rose Bowl this decade with a win on New Year's Day, they would go a far way towards healing that stigma.

Without further ado, the preview:

Coaching

Penn State

Joe Paterno has two National Titles, five Undefeated Seasons, 383 wins, 23 Bowl Victories, and is the only coach to win all four BCS Bowl Games (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange).

It is an inspiring resume.

Combine that with Galen Hall, Tom Bradley, and Jay Paterno, and you have one hell of a staff. Penn State's coaches have been flawless all year, except for a couple of bad calls in the red zone against Iowa.

And even with the blunders, it took a last second field goal to top Penn State by one point.

USC

Pete Carroll has two National Titles, an 85.3 percent Winning Percentage, and is 5-2 in bowl games. He's only been coaching for seven years or so.

And his offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is great as well, but will be leaving to go to Washington next season, which could or might be a distraction.

Nick Holt on D...need I say more or did USC's D speak for itself?

Advantage: Penn State

How can you go against such a consistent staff such as Penn State's? Especially with Joe Paterno. The legend gets the nod here, but when it comes to the Rose Bowl, Carroll definitely knows a thing or two about how to win one of these for sure.

The thing that hurt USC in my eyes was the whole Sarkisian situation possibly becoming a distraction.

Offense

Penn State

Spread HD. Two words that struck some fear into many teams this season.

Daryl Clark passing to a trio of wide receivers in Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood, and Deon Butler that have combined for 121 catches, 1769 yards, and 15 touchdowns.

If he is not passing, he is handing it off to the 1-2 punch of Evan Royster and Stephfon Green who combined for 280 carries, 1723 yards, and 16 touchdowns.

Pretty lethal. Not to mention Clark can run.

75 carries for 265 yards and 12 touchdowns.

And that offensive line?

The main reason this offensive unit has been averaging 40 points a game.

USC

The Trojans have an amazing offense as usual with Mark Sanchez leading the attack.

They average 37 points per game.

The stable of running backs is effective as ever.

Between C.J. Gable, Joe McKnight, and Stafon Johnson, they have racked up 1892 yards on only 313 carries for an average of 6 yards per carry, and scored 19 touchdowns.

And how could we forget those wide receivers? The trio of Damien Williams, Patrick Turner, and Ronald Johnson have combined for some gaudy stats.

122 catches, 1862 yards, 24 touchdowns.

All behind a great offensive line that keeps Sanchez off the ground.

Advantage: TIE

I watched Penn State each and every week rip most teams to shreds with a balanced attack.

USC's offense statistically is a bit better.

I have seen both teams struggle to move the ball in a couple of games, but they both have such balanced attacks. Daryl Clark's dangerous mobility, and the seniority of that PSU offensive line counters the slight statistical advantage that USC's running backs and receivers have.

Both teams are extremely talented at the skill positions, and they are about dead even in this category.

Defense

Penn State

One of the best units in the country ranked fifth in total defense allowing only 12.4 points per game.

Although dominating in many games, especially the 13-6 victory over No. 10 Ohio State in Columbus, they played a soft non-conference schedule which helped inflate their stats a bit.

Their highest points allowed in a game was 24, and that occurred twice. It is not shabby of course, but represented a more "bend don't break" mentality than dominating defense.

They have leadership, but it is young. Josh Hull, a walk on as a linebacker at Linebacker U?

He has come into his own, and leads a defense that had many injury issues, including Sean Lee's which put Hull on the field in the first place.

The strong spot on this defense is the defensive line. Although they do not have much depth, they are definitely strong, with Aaron Maybin, Josh Gaines, Maurice Evans, and Jared Odrick.

USC

You thought fifth was a good ranking?

Try first in the country in total defense.

Allowing how many points per game?

*Gulp* 7.8.

Yes folks that is under 10. That is under eight for crying out loud! Even with that admittedly tougher non-conference schedule.

Leadership?

They got it.

Award winning linebacker?

USC has him. His name is Rey Maualuga.

This 6'3" 250 pound Linebacker has terrorized the Pac-10 (although apparently so do Mountain West Conference teams these days) for much of his career at USC.

This year though, the man has played lights out, leading the Trojans with 66 tackles. He has a knack for the big plays, and has two interceptions this year.

Watch for yourself- Ray's Highlight Reel

I could say a lot more about USC's defense. But they are so legendarily good that you have probably heard enough about them already.

Advantage: USC

Statistically they are close, both are in the top five.

But unlike in the offensive category where Penn State held an ace in the hole with Daryl Clark, USC has the advantage here in leadership with Ray Maualuga.

But let's not kid us ourselves.

Penn State's defense can hang.

USC's defense can hang anyone.

Special Teams

PSU leads in three of the four statistical categories of special teams.

But I don't look at that.

I look at what I call the scare factor...

If I am punting or kicking off...

Do I really want to let Derrick Williams (two kickoff return touchdowns, three punt return touchdowns) touch the ball?

USC has how many return touchdowns?

One.

If I need a field goal, who would I go to?

David Buehler who is 8 for 12 this season...

Kevin Kelly,

A senior.

Penn State's all time leading scorer.

20-24 on FG attempts.

Kicked the game winning field goal in the 2005 Orange Bowl.

Advantage: PSU

Derrick Williams is a game breaker on special teams, and Kelly is a reliable kicker. All extremely important game changing assets.

Home-field Advantage: USC

Come on, they know the Rose Bowl better than UCLA. Penn State will travel well, but do not expect a White Out.

Final Prediction:

When the categories are tallied up, the results are:

PSU: 2.5 (Coaching {1}, Offense {.5}, Special Teams {1})

USC: 2.5 (Defense, {1}, Offense {.5}, Home Field {1})

I'm a Penn State fan. You do not want my opinion. I will not give it to you.

You have seen the numbers and explanations.

You decide in the comments.

Give us your score, and why!

And do not forget to tune into the 95th Rose Bowl presented by Citi on ABC on January 1, 2009 at 5:10 EST/ 2:10 PST!

Penn State Still Has a Shot at The National Title Game. Wait, What!!???

Anthony Elias — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:30:08 -0500

Before this is dismissed as a homer's view of the BCS proceedings, read on carefully.

There are seven teams currently ranked ahead of Penn State in the BCS.

Alabama
Oklahoma
Texas
Florida
USC
Utah
Texas Tech

Now Alabama and Florida play each other next week. If Florida loses, they will have two losses, and will be out of contention. If Alabama goes to the title game, they will as the only BCS conference undefeated team in the land.

Oklahoma and Missouri play next week. If Oklahoma loses, they are out of the title contention.

Wait, if Oklahoma loses, than the voters will just stick Texas in right?

Maybe not...

Think about it. Texas complained that even though they beat Oklahoma head to head, by virtue of the voters and the BCS, Texas was slighted out of the Big 12 South berth to the conference title game.

So how could they lobby to put be put ahead of Texas Tech, a one loss team who beat Texas? Why it would be downright hypocritical.

The voters would realize if Oklahoma loses, that they made a mistake voting the Sooners in. They will decide to go for the head to head. And Texas Tech won that.

We are at a clear solution. Neither Texas Tech or Texas won their own DIVISION, much less their own conference. Tech has too much ground to make up, and Texas lost to them.

Therefore, no one from the Big three of the Big 12 teams can honestly lay any claim to the National Title Game, because two of them could not win their own division, and one couldn't win their conference when given the chance.

So that leaves us with Utah, USC, and Penn State.

Now, this whole article is moot if we knew that an undefeated Utah has a shot at the title. But we know that they are lucky to simply be a BCS buster, much less have a shot at the title game. So we shall unfairly, but realistically ignore them.

And USC is left ahead of PSU for that final spot.

USC assuming they beat UCLA, is 11-1.

They become winners of a weak Pac-10 conference, containing arguably the worst BCS conference teams (Washington & Washington St.), only three ranked teams, and only four at or better than 7-5. USC will be the only BCS Bowl Bound team from the conference.

PSU on the other hand, has already clinched the Big Ten Championship, at 11-1.

They won a decent conference, which has four teams ranked, seven teams at or better than 7-5, and has two BCS Bowl bids on the way with PSU and OSU.

Advantage: PSU

They did not play each other, but they have two opponents in common who they did play.

Ohio State & Oregon State:

USC trampled Ohio State 35-3.

At USC.

OSU did not have Beanie Wells, or Terrelle Pryor.

Penn State beat OSU narrowly, 13-6.

At OSU.

With OSU's offense clicking behind Beanie Wells and Terrelle Pryor.

Advantage: USC, but its closer than it seems...

USC lost to Oregon State 27-21.

At Oregon State.

The score was not nearly as close as indicated. Oregon State clearly controlled the game, and established the tone early. They were never trailing.

Not to mention Jacquizz Rodgers who dazzled everyone with 136 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, and many pointed as the dagger to USC.

PSU beat Oregon State 41-14.

At Penn State.

Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns against PSU. And they still beat them by a large margin.

Advantage: PSU for 2-0 record against common opponents.

Non conference schedules?

PSU's non conference foes have a combined record of 22-24, including FCS Coastal Carolina, Syracuse, Temple, and Oregon State.

USC's non conference foes have a combined record of 21-15, including Notre Dame, Virginia, and Ohio State.

Advantage: USC

Who has the worst loss?

USC's no show at Oregon State?

Or PSU's gut wrenching, one point, leading for all but the last six seconds loss to an 8-4 New Year's Day Bowl Bound Iowa team in the horrible snowy and windy conditions?

Advantage: PSU

So all in all, PSU by virtue of the 2-0 record against common foes, the tougher conference, and a better looking loss (if such a thing exists) outweigh USC's advantage in the non conference arena, and PSU would be picked ahead of USC to go the the title game.

Alabama vs. Penn State.

SEC vs. Big Ten.

Joe Paterno vs. Nick Saban.

Traditional Powerhouses.

See if the voters can look at this and say no.

By the way.

They will. Just saying it is a pretty hefty argument...

Butkus Award 2008: Who Has The Edge?

Anthony Elias — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:19:54 -0500

The last time a defensive player won the Heisman was the do-it-all Charles Woodson in 1997.

That is 10 years in which a defensive player has not even sniffed the Heisman, and with the explosion of offenses in college football it does not seem likely that the trend will reverse.

So say you are a linebacker playing college football. Aside from helping your team win a title, what personal goals can you possibly have? You will not win the Heisman.

But you can win the Butkus. Since 1985, the Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in the land.

This year, there are three candidates that qualify for this award in my opinion, and they are:

1. Ray Maualuga, No. 58, USC

This 6'3" 250 pound Linebacker has terrorized the Pac-10 (although apparently so do Mountain West Conference teams these days) for much of his career at USC. This year though, the man has played lights out, leading the Trojans with 66 tackles. He has a knack for the big plays, and has two interceptions this year. He also is a Lombardi and Bednarik Award Finalist.

Ray's Highlight Video

2. James Laurinaitis, No. 33, OSU

Also at 6'3" and 250 pounds, Laurinaitis is the defending Butkus and Nagurski Award winner, and it will be hard to unseat this Big Ten Linebacker. He is exceptionally smart when it comes to the game. He leads the team with 109 tackles this year, and has two interceptions, three sacks, and a forced fumble.

James' Highlight Video

3. Jasper Brinkley, No. 52, S. Carolina

Jasper Brinkley leads a stingy against everyone except Florida defense, and as a 6'2" 275 pound monster, he is the cornerstone, as well as the emotional leader of this team. His team is a bit under the radar, but his accomplishments are not. He has 45 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, and a forced fumble for the Gamecocks.

Jasper's Highlight Video

Out of this short list, the winner of the Butkus Award should be...

James Laurinaitis.

Aside from being the defending winner, I mean 109 tackles? He is a great player who deserves this award, and will probably win it.

Why Penn State Losing Was the Big Ten's Blessing in Disguise

Anthony Elias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:18:17 -0500

Stewart Mandel, I am working off of your idea here.

The reality of it is, Penn State's loss was not a bad thing.

Stand back, all you Penn State fans, and all you Big Ten fans: This loss was the best thing that could have happened to PSU and the Big Ten.

Why?

We all know the Big Ten has been relatively mediocre for the past three years, including subpar bowl records, and a 0-4 mark in BCS games for the past two. Let us face it.

No one wants to see us there. It hurts for me to say this, but Penn State, through no fault of their own, cannot break that Big Ten Title game stigma.

In order to begin to heal that Big Ten stigma, it will take laying low in the title game. And, winning our non-conference bowl games will be great.

If Penn State could beat USC in the Rose Bowl, assuming both teams find their way there, it would do wonders towards healing the Big Ten.

But of course, USC plays in the only conference more putrid than the Big Ten this year—the Pac-10. So, everyone will say Penn State beat nobody again.

But we all know just the fact that they have the letters U, S, and C, in that order automatically makes them credible to be a one-loss championship caliber team.

But the fact that a one-loss USC team is somehow more credible than a one-loss PSU team, despite the fact that PSU beat both teams that both PSU and USC faced. (Oregon St, Ohio St.) But I digress.

You see how hard the Big Ten healing will be? And it can start taking the right steps with no Big Ten team in the title game.

Believe me.

Penn State-Wisconsin: A Look Back at the Penn State Rushing Attack

Anthony Elias — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:05:39 -0400

*In case you were wondering what I thought on this subject before the game, feel free to check out my pre-game article.*

75 yards, one touchdown.

Evan Royster had 60 yards and one touchdown.

Stephfon Green had 15 yards.

The Penn State Nittany Lions manhandled the Wisconsin Badgers by a score of 48-7—yet somehow these two only managed 75 yards and one score.

You have got to be kidding me.

Of course, this uncanny performance cannot and should not be credited to the Wisconsin defense. After all, Royster and Green combined for only 21 carries and averaged about four yards per carry—not extremely bad, and actually pretty decent.

Let's face it: Wisconsin's Bret Bielema read my article about how to stop the Penn State rush attack, and he was ready to implement it.

But alas! The Nittany Lion coaching staff also read my article and knew the Badgers had to have seen the article and would now be prepared to stop the run. Galen Hall decided that if the Badgers after reading my article were looking for the run, he sure would not let them have it.

This is exactly why Daryll Clark and the Penn State receivers had a field day, with the combined forces of QB-WR racking up 271 yards on 18 passes, and a touchdown to boot.

Now I am confused...

Neither of those stats looks altogether impressive enough to score 48 points.

One rushing touchdown from the running backs and one receiving touchdown. That's 14 points, certainly not 48.

But mix in a special teams touchdown (D. Williams punt return).

Three rushing touchdowns from two different quarterbacks (D. Clark two, P. Devlin one).

Add two Kevin Kelly field goals, and you have yourself 48 points.

Now of course the coaches reading my article had nothing to do with their decision to not use Royster or Green as much. But to be honest...

I cannot think of a better reason. When you're leading 38-7 and you're still passing the ball...

Both players were healthy, and both were not really "stuffed" when they did get the ball. I just think it was payback.

Penn State combined over the last two trips to Madison has scored a grand total of...

Six. Six points over two games. For those of you that are mathematically challenged, that is three points a game.

Not to mention in those two games, Wisconsin managed to knock out of the game two PSU quarterbacks (Zach Mills, Mike Robinson in '04) and also injured Joe Paterno last year.

Now argue all you want with that logic...but Penn State wanted to put a hurting on these Badgers, and they wanted badly to inflict it with that quarterback position, which was anemic the last two times in Madison.

The success they had doing that, in my opinion, was the reason Royster and Green did not have the games they were both capable of having—because I refuse to credit a defense that allowed four rushing touchdowns with stopping the run.

But the fact that just one of those came from Royster and Green is a bit surprising.

No matter the circumstances.

Penn State-Wisconsin: An In-Depth Look at the Nittany Lions' Rushing Attack

Anthony Elias — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:12 -0400

Ask a college football fan this week to say the first two words that come to mind when you say the word "Saturday," and surely they will either say, "Oklahoma-Texas" or "LSU-Florida."

Those may be the two "biggest" games this week, but let's take a look at Evan Royster and Stephon Green—two running backs who could have the biggest impact on a game in which the difference between winning the Big Ten and a shot at the BCS Title Game, or dropping to a fifth-place tie in the Big Ten, could hinge on their performance in this week's prime-time match-up against Wisconsin at Madison.

Penn State's Total Yardage This Season: 2,998 yards.

Passing: 1,458 yards.

Rushing: 1,540 yards.

Don't worry; I've done the math for you. Rushing yards account for about 51 percent of Penn State's total yardage this season.

Evan Royster: 84 carries, 659 yards.

Stephon Green: 53 carries, 368 yards.

Once again, I've taken the liberty to do the math. 1,027 yards of those 1,540 yards have come from these two running backs. That's 67 percent.

That means that when all is said and done, out of Penn State's ninth-ranked offense, these two players account for 34 percent of it by themselves.

That's pretty impressive, and it is a big reason the Nittany Lions are off to a 6-0 start. Of course, due credit also must go to a senior-laden offensive line, which can easily be argued as the best in the Big Ten, if not the country, and a key reason behind Royster and Green's success.

So it is quite obvious then, that if Wisconsin wants to stop Penn State's explosive offense, the Badgers must focus on this dangerous backfield duo. Now Wisconsin has a very good and battle-tested defense, and playing at home should energize them.

But for stopping the rushing attack, they are ranked 47th in the country. Not bad at all.

After all, last week Chris Wells only racked up 168 yards and a TD. Of course that "only" is a sarcastic one, considering Youngstown State held to him to 111, and Minnesota 106. So we can say that a rush defense in the top 50 percent is decent, but capable of being broken.

However to avoid that break, it all starts up front with that defensive line. If they hope to have any success slowing things down, they must get penetration into the backfield. Blitz, right?

Wrong.

Blitzing to stop the run will open the pass, especially against this experienced Penn State O-Line, which Clark and a receiving corps that is getting Jordan Norwood back will definitely exploit, especially with Williams on the outside, and Butler over the middle.

Also, bringing the blitz will set off the third leg of that Penn State rushing attack, Daryll Clark, who will make plays with his legs.

So then the Badgers should stuff eight or nine players in the box?

Perhaps.

This will surely at least slow down the run, and force Daryll Clark to do something he has never done before. Go on the road against a good team in a hostile environment, and rely on the passing game.

The best way to stop this Penn State running game will be to let defensive backs Brinkley and Goin and the rest of the Wisconsin secondary keep Penn State honest, by stopping the run.

The Badgers really like to use their linebackers on the blitz, but they must remain disciplined in order to stop this rushing game.

Otherwise, here's what I expect:

Royster: 24 carries, 173 yards, TD

Green: 12 carries, 78 yards, TD

As I Was Eating Breakfast This Monday Morning....

Anthony Elias — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:21:35 -0400

I have chose to begin a new weekly segment, titled "As I Was Eating Breakfast This Monday Morning...." As the title obviously states, I will post my thoughts stemming from the previous week and/or weekend in sports, all over my bowl of cereal/oatmeal/glass of OJ. (No that was not an innuendo about O.J. Simpson...but it might be...)

1. *Grabbing my bowl*:"Wow Penn State really showed that their defense could stop an explosive offense. They looked a bit flustered last week, but turned in a solid performance on the road this week against Purdue, holding them to six points. And to come on a day in which the PSU offense wasn't hitting the pay dirt all too often, really showed the teamwork of this balanced football team.

2. *Pouring my Corn Flakes*: By the way, those rankings looked pretty decent today. No change among the top 10 teams that was significant, and Ball St. debuted at 25, as Wisconsin dropped out. I was hoping Wisconsin would be ranked for their prime time game against PSU next week at Madison, but either way, PSU will have to take care of business.

3. *Pouring the skim milk*: I'm really glad the Phillies won the series yesterday. If they would have lost yesterday at Milwaukee, I would not have been too confident heading back to Philadelphia for a Game Five, not with CC Sabathia pitching.

Yeah we beat him once. With the first postseason Grand Slam in Phillies history, and the first of Shane Vicotorino's career. With two amazing nine and 10 pitch at bats by Bret. t Myers. Yeah that kind of stuff will not happen again.

So definitely glad the Phillies wrapped it up, and can use the extra rest before opening up against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Philadelphia on Thursday. Hamels for sure could use the rest.

4. *Eating*: Boy I can't believe the Angels won that game last night. I still think the Red Sox will wrap it up tonight. By the way, the White Sox have stayed alive, and I still think they can win that series.

But perhaps the most intriguing part of the weekend was the much maligned Cubbies getting beat up. Stomped on. Completely demolished. I can not think of a more surprising storyline of this postseason than the Cubs getting swept. Not a single other team can be swept this postseason, despite four of them falling behind 0-2. The Angels, White Sox, and Brewers won the Game Threes...and the Cubs lost. Unbelievable.

5. *Drinking my OJ*: OJ Simpson. Are you kidding me? Is this man the worst sports villain of all time? I don't get it...he must be in a race with Cinncinatti Bengals for the most arrests. He might just be leading. Ah who am I kidding?

6. *Putting my dish in the sink*: So some other random thoughts: The Eagles? Can you say a bit overrated at 2-3...or is that NFC East division really that good? And as I watched yesterday's Brewers and White Sox crowds, I realized that they had rally towels! The Phillies came up with the rally towel in baseball, and everyone else copied. I think...If you can prove me wrong, be my guest...

Penn State Beats Illinois 38-24, as Derrick Williams Makes History!

Anthony Elias — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:18:07 -0400

The Penn State Nittany Lions have been followed by the "wait and see" all season long.

After rolling over Oregon State 45-14, in what was supposed to be their biggest non-conference matchup, people dismissed Oregon State for dead, and remained adamant about Penn State not having played anyone.

All it took was three days to change a month's worth of attitude towards Penn State Football.

On Thursday night, Oregon State welcomed the USC Trojans, the No. 1 team in the country, into Corvallis, greeting them with an "orange out." Well, they oranged them out alright...all the way to an impressive 27-21 victory, which wasn't as close as the score indicated.

So, Penn State now had the credible non-conference win they needed under their belt. They headed into Saturday's 8 primetime matchup with their "White Out (which, by the way, is the original color out, everyone else copied us), and Illinois was waiting in the wings.

All the Nittany Lions needed to do was beat the No. 22 Illini under the bright lights of national TV and Beaver Stadium, and prove to the country what they were made of.

After receiving to start the game, the Nittany Lions stalled early and had to punt. The Illini, behind Juice Williams, masterfully exposed the soft underbelly of the PSU defense, and scored early to take a 7-0 lead.

PSU would have none of it, marching right back down as Royster punched it in from 11 yards out to tie the game. The Illini and Lions would trade another pair of scores before the end of the quarter, as catches by Benn and Williams would tie the game. End of the first quarter, the score was tied at 14.

To PSU's credit, they clamped down on defense after that shaky first quarter, giving the PSU Spread HD attack a chance to take the game into their hands. Daryll Clark and Co. would surely take it as they marched down the field.

Derrick Williams ran it wide from five yards for his second TD of the night, and the Nittany Lions took a lead they would not relinquish. At halftime, the score was PSU 21, ILL 14.

To start the third quarter, the Nittany Lions were able to add to their lead with a Kevin Kelly FG, and their defense surprisingly was able to hold the Illini again to only a FG.

A problem lies here, though. The Illini missed a 38-yard FG, giving PSU the ball with good field position. They handed it off to Stephon Green, who fumbled the ball away.

The defense had to hold up again, and this time the Illini made the FG. The score after three quarters of play: PSU 24, Illini 17.

That score could not have changed quickly enough, as Derrick Williams took the kickoff 94 yards to the house! Williams pushed the Nittany Lions up by 14.

He also gave himself a record that no other Nittany Lion in the JoePa era ever accomplished: a TD trifecta of at least one rushing, receiving, and return TD, with 241 all-purpose yards to boot.

It was one of the greatest single-player performances in PSU history, and it came at a perfect time for the Nittany Lions, who were missing Jordan Norwood due to a hamstring injury.

Clark connected with Andrew Quarless for his second TD of the game, and a blown coverage assignment that allowed the Illini to score another TD proved to be meaningless.

Behind the 109,626 White Out fans, and the performances of Daryll Clark (14-of-20, 181 yards, two TD, 11 rushes for 62 yards, TD), Evan Royster (19 carries for 139 yards, TD), Derrick Williams, and a defense that looked shaky early but held the Illini to 10 points over three quarters, the Penn State Nittany Lions handily defeated the Fighting Illini by a final score of 38-24.

It was the credible win PSU needed, and combined with a crazy Saturday, it boosted them up to No. 6 in the rankings.

They need to win next week at Purdue before beginning the toughest stretch in PSU history since joining the Big Ten. But that's another story for another day.

WE ARE...PENN STATE!