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Penn State football: JoePa-less PSU tries to jump-start its offense
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Article RatingSTATE COLLEGE - Joe Paterno won't be around Saturday at Beaver Stadium, though Penn State wideout Deon Butler knows exactly what his injured coach wants to accomplish against Temple.
The top priority is a win. Scoring more points would be nice, too.
“Though he's injured, he's still going to get his point across, some way, somehow,” Butler said.
Paterno has begrudgingly decided to skip Saturday's game against Temple - the first contest he will have missed since 1977 - to concentrate on recovering from a nasty collision last week against Wisconsin, when two players bowled him over on the sideline. He had surgery earlier this week to repair a fractured shinbone and two torn knee ligaments in his left leg, and doctors want him to cut back for now.
That means defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and offensive coordinator Galen Hall will have to do their best to channel JoePa's wishes while the head coach is out. Wins over Temple on Saturday and Michigan State next week could help Penn State (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) lock up a New Year's Day bowl bid.
“I don't think it will be difficult,” Hall said about coaching without Paterno pacing the field in his rolled-up khakis. “Joe is very much involved in everything we do. We go out and coach the same we have, whether Joe is on the field or not.”
With or without Paterno, the Nittany Lion offense has been tough to watch lately, having scored just 36 points over the last four games - though two of the opponents in that stretch were defensive stalwarts Michigan and Wisconsin. The offensive line has been inconsistent, and now will likely be without starting right tackle John Shaw (knee) for the rest of the regular season.
Fortunately, Paul Posluszny and the linebacker-led defense have stepped up, giving up just one touchdown over the last three games.
On offense, Penn State's receivers did a better job last week of holding onto passes, though penalties and other mistakes continue to hold back Penn State in the red zone.
“We have taken our shots downfield,” Hall said. “We have done what we think is best for us to move the football and perform and it just hasn't worked out. We stopped ourselves.”
Still, nothing cures a troubled offense like the Owls.
Temple (1-9) scored 26 points last week against Central Michigan, but the Owls have been awful against higher-level opponents, suffering back-to-back 62-0 shutouts to Louisville and Minnesota earlier this year, along with a 63-9 pasting by Clemson.
“The last couple times that we stepped up in class, we just weren't ready to match them like a good Mid-American Conference team should and that's going to be the key for us this week,” Temple coach Al Golden said.
Paterno has been studying up on Temple from his Mount Nittany Medical Center room, where he remained in good condition on Friday. He pestered his doctors to let him out, but finally relented to their wishes Thursday to stay away from the game.
That means Golden, a former Penn State tight end and assistant coach, won't have the opportunity to shake hands on the field with the man who was once his boss.
“The man is incredible. He's so tough and so focused,” Golden said. “That's the kind of toughness that we try to have on our team.”
The last time Paterno missed a game was in 1977 after his son, David, was involved in an accident. Paterno also missed a game as an assistant in 1955.
Speaking with his assistants Thursday in his hospital room, Paterno gave the team a simple directive: get a victory.
“He's in the back of our heads, but we're focused on the game ahead,” safety Anthony Scirrotto said. “That's what he wants us to do. He doesn't want us to worry about him.”
PSU Gameday
Temple Owls (1-9) at
Penn State Nittany Lions (6-4)
When: Today
Kickoff: 3:40 (EDT)
Where: Beaver Stadium
Line: Penn State by 36
Television: ESPN, with Dave Ryan and Jay Walker calling the action.
Radio: Penn State Sports Network; Play-by-play: Steve Jones; Analysis: Jack Ham. Radio Team
WPHT Radio; Play-by-play: Harry Donahue; Analysis: Steve Joachim
Web stream: www.goPSUsports.com
Last meeting: Penn State defeated Temple 23-10 in 2003
Series: Lions lead 31-3-1
Coaches: PSU - Joe Paterno (41st year, 360-121-3); T - Al Golden (1st year, 1-9)
Notes: Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will miss his first game since the first time since 1977. ... Golden was a two-year starter at tight end of the Lions. He was also linebackers and recruiting coordinator in 2000. ... Defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio played linebacker at Penn State from 1988-91. ... Running backs coach Jeff Nixon was a Lions running back from 1995 and 1996. ... Defensive line coach Matt Rhule was a PSU linebacker from 1994-97. ... Penn State receivers coach Mike McQueary, Nixon and Rhule were teammates at State College High School and Penn State. ... The last time these two teams met in 2003, the Lions defense held Temple to just 36 rushing yards in the final 30 minutes of the game. ... Owl QB Adam DiMichele signed a letter of intent to play for Penn State before deciding to play baseball.
- compiled by Alicia Johnson
