The pressure is getting to Paterno If you think the way the Lions played against Rutgers Saturday was a disgrace, you should have caught the act their coach put on after the game. Joe Paterno was not himself. Who he was remains unanswered. Woody Hayes maybe. Richard Nixon, Napoleon and Genghis Khan also come to mind. Idi Amin, too. NO', scratch Hayes. When his team loses or wins while playing poorly, he'll often refuse to talk to the media. Paterno talked for what it was worth. The way things should be done, is that after the game, writers and broad casters question Paterno in a conference room in the little building under the. South stands where the Lions dress. From there come the heart-stopping 'statements from Paterno like "I thought we played a fine game" and "You have 'to give all the credit in the world to (fill in opposition's name)." Paterno is not your basic good quote. • /^/C 7 C- e 2 e/Q> e-- In fact, he's a lousy person , to in terview. That's because he's been in terviewed and asked the same type of questions so many tim'es, he has a routine worked out. Ask Paterno a general' question and you get something you read in the press guide. Ask him a specific one and you get "We'll have to look at the films." Everybody knows this and they expect it. So basically, what writers do is tolerate the Paterno conference and look forward to talking to the players, few of whom are as bland as their coach. That's the..way it goes and although Paterno obviously isn't enthused about the set up, he's usually nice enough to play the game. Paterno is a classy, considerate man. Usually. Saturday was an exception. And bear in mind that his team did win the game. Last year, when a tough loss to Kentucky ,spoiled an undefeated season, Paterno was. at the peak of his classiness and consideration. His was the first smile to be seen. He answered all questions no matter how inane completely and cbrdially. So.you'd expect him to be-in that kind of form or even better after beating Rutgers 26-10. In fact, he was just the opposite. He ;was rude, overbearing, obnoxious and any other adjectives you can think of to describe Amin, Khan and the rest. He 'answered legitimate questions curtly, if he answered at all. He obviously didn't want to talk and the writers didn't want to listen. .. , But Paterno wasn't finished. The next ,time he was heard from was when he ,shouted in the locker room "Don't ask about anything except this game. I've done all the talking about Ohio State." Wrong on two counts, Joe. First, 'reporters can ask anything they damn well please. If the players don't want to answer, they don't have to. Second, Joe, you didn't talk about Ohio State. You confirmed you've heard the rumor the Buckeyes may start a freshman at quarterback, but the only other reference was in answer to the question "If you were an Ohio State scout, what would you tell Woody?" , "Tell him not to worry. Get some sleep." He might as well, because obviously Paterno won't. Paterno is touchy these days, as touchy as his team is disap pointing. This display of low-class is very unlike Paterno, as anyone who knows anything. 'about him will tell you. So what gives? It's the pressure, obviously. The pressure. It has finally gotten to him. It's cracked him. It's turned him into Woody ,Hayes. He's thinking too much. He used ,to go ut and play them one at a time. Claims` he still does. He still says "I'm not worried about rankings or any of that Stuff," but he's just whistling in the dark. It's obviously not true. This is the first season he had any kind of optimism in the preseason, and national championship contenders are named in the preseason. For the first time, he is expecting to win, not just hoping to. The 1977 team, you'll remember, was following a 7-5 bummer and surprised :everyone. Paterno was answering questions like "Would you say this is a great team yet?" Paterno loves that kind of question. Now, with the promise his team is better than an 11-1 squad, the questions are becoming increasingly like "How can you explain stinking the place out in front of 77,000 people?" ' Paterno hates that. You can't give stock answers to non-stock questions. He's not totally responsible for being ,in that position at least half the blame must be put on the media but it's up to him to get himself out. He won't do it acting like this. He's hit rock bottom 41:with his lockerroom antics, which Saturday included kicking the writers out while they were talking to the last •few players still dressing. Those • players have been cordial, ;considerate and classy these last two 'weeks. It's time fot their coach to follow the example. Collegian sports the daily ‘ ,..... 414 .4" ,, ,„ • xir 4 1, :, , --` vir. i • - i - , . I :4 , 11 411( L ' •' ' _:,,,„.... -4, i , IV . *P r ' 1r ''''''' ...... t #4 , - Nit ' k iiii k flit * v, ,-,4 - • !RN.; 14. !` 5..., yr - s. .. , t ~ :.*:, 1, . ". i , -0... %lb. Ars oi . 4. . ~, F -I, Rutgers quarterback Bob Hering (8) is about to be greet ed by Penn State defensive tackle Matt Millen (60) in Sat urday's tilt at Beaver Stadium. Millen led the Lions with TEAM STATISTICS First downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yardage Total Yardage Passes (att.-comp -int. ) Punts ( no.-average) Fumbles• Lost Penalties-Yards Penn State Rutgers - . . First Quarter Penn State Bahr field goal 32 yards. Fitzkee 53 yard pass from Fusina tßahr kick ) One week later.• State By NEIL RUDEL Daily Collegian Sports" Writer Maybe the Penn State football team will be the powerhouse everyone touted it to be before this season began. Maybe it is the type of team that will play just above the quality of its opponents and go on to win every game. Maybe it will be a national champion. But, with the exception of its strength-of-the-team defense, right now, according to Joe Paterno, the Lions are simply an ordinary football team. Nothing special. "All I know is that we haven't been a very good football team," a visibly discouraged Paterno told a press conference after the game Saturday. "I've never seen a Penn State team that has played with A year of difference By GARY SILVERS Daily Collegian Sports Writer Unlike its unpredictable opponent, the Rutgers football team had nothing to be ashamed of Saturday. It's odd too. Though the visitors were outscored 26-10, completely over whelmed in every offensive category, held the ball just 22 minutes and have now gone 60 years without defeating Penn State, they left the field with their heads held high. Nothing would stand in the way of pride. "We did about as good a job as we could," Rutgers coach Frank Burns said. "I'm not dissatisfied at all. We certainly played a heckuva lot better than last season." Indeed they did. Last year the Scarlet Knights were embarrassed, totally humiliated 45-7 before the largest collegiate crowd in New Jersey football .history. This year things were different. "Coach Burns did a great job preparing us this, time," Rutgers linebacker Dan McMahon said. "He kept everything low key and convinced us it was just another opening game. Last year he made the game seem like our whole season. It was Penn State this, Penn State that, Penn State, Penn State,' Penn State." Though Burns' philosophy sounded more like a fight song, the main idea behind it was that Penn State was no pushover last year. And despite the Lions' two shaky appearances to open the '7B campaign, they're STILL a top• ranked team. , "Mark my words," Burns said, "Penn State will prove to be a tremendous football team this season. They've got everything it takes good speed, good size, excellent coaching and one helluva quarterback," EMMI Penn State-Rutgers stats Penn State Rutgers 61-223 191 414 13-232 4-39 4-1 8.80 3 ' 28.72 117 189 11-26-2 10-33.8 1-0 6-47 7 256 7 10 "We certainly weren't at the top of our game," McMahon said, "but when we do come around, we should be in much better shape. As for the final score (26- 10), I guess you can blame it on both teams. I think we both have a long way to go." Second Quarter Penn State—Bahr field goal 37 yards. Rutgers Startzell field goal 36 yards Third Quarter Penn State—Bahr field goal 28 yards. Bahr field goal 27 yards. Fourth Quarter Penn State-1 yard rush Suhey (Menhardt kick). Rutgers 5 yard pass McMichael to Carina ( Startzell kick). . . . INDIVIDUAL'STATISTICS Rushing Penn State Suhey 17 for 77 yards; Moore 15 for 38; Guman 10 for 33; Coles 4 for 28; Torrey 7 for 22; Meade such little effort. We're not anywhere close to where we were last year at this time." Much of Paterno's criticism was aimed at the of fensive line, probably because the Lions managed only 32 yards on 22 cracks in the first half and looked a lot like they did against Temple. "We did a horrible job of blocking in the first half," he said. "I don't think any one player played poorly. It was just the inconsistency. There's a dif ferent breakdown on every play. As individuals, they play well. But there's no cohesion." Apparently Paterno's halftime speech, although he declined to say what he included, sounded like it came from George C. Scott. - "He told us we had better get off our butts and start playing ball," flanker Tom Donovan said when "I agree with the coach," McMahon said. "There's no doubt their offense will get better. It seemed that every time they found a hole, they'd always be one block away from a big gainer." Credit that to the Rutgers' defense, which took the field 14 times, played nearly 38 minutes of football and lined up opposite the Penn State offense on 100 separate occassions. "I still feel much better than last year," McMahon said. "After the first half, I thought our defense played, well enough for us to beat them. We were out there awfully long, though, and by the fourth quarter, we just ran out of wind." Still, the Scarlet . Knight defense played well enough the final stanza to enable the sporadic offense to beat the point spread (21 points) with just 75 ticks left on the clock. For the first three quarters, however, the Rutgers "0" was about as potent as a screwdriver without the vodka. "We just don't have the size that Penn State has, so the offensive line had their hands full the entire day," McMahon said. "It's awfully tough to score against Penn State when you're matched up evenly let alone when they outweigh you. Still, it was a very respectable af ternoon for the Knights, especially when you consider: It was their first game of the season; three Rutgers starters were sidelined with injuries; and playing before a record 77,154 fans at Beaver Stadium does not make you feel much at home. 5. .,,, et , -.V ,- • lir 4 44,e. - , 4 ,4'.., ' '..r.-. • seven tackles, four unassisted, and was named player of the game. , ' Penn State Fitzkee 2 for 69 yards; Donovan 3 for 36; " ) Bassett 1 for 37; LaPointe 2 for 20; Guman 1 for 9; ' Moore 3 tor 2; Kab 1 !Or 18. r 74` . . 4 .. -.. • .. „ • .. • • . .• .•:• , • • '` ittiii*.elAtiNtke as) , . ' '''' - - • 02; Iri t,44.4. 1 for 10; Tate 1 for 6; Alquers 2 for 8; Fusina 4 for 13 Rutgers Dorn 2 for 58; Kehler 10 for 24; Johnson 7 for 12; Martin 1 for 8; Blackwell 3 for 2; Hering 5 for 0. Passing Penn State Fusina 12 of 20 for 173 yards (1 in terception); Tate 1 of 3 for 18 (1 Interception). Rutgers Hering 5 of 19 for 65 (1 interception); McMichael 6 of 7 for 52. Receiving Rutgers O'Dell 1 for 90; Dorn 1 for 36; Carter 2 for 26; Martin 2 for 10; Corino 1 for 5; Blackwell 2 for 3; Johnson 2 for -3. r i~ 'i Tom Donovan (19) looks on as fdllback Matt Suhey ( 32) eludes a Rutgers defender. Suhey led all rushers totalling 77 yards in 17 carries for the Lions and also scored State's second touchdown with a one•yard plunge in the fourth quartet•. better, but asked what was emphasized during intermission. Judging from the Lions' 223 yards total rushing statistic, Paterno's sermon was a motivator. "I was encouraged by the way we came on late in the first half and then in the second half," center Chuck Correal said. "We need to run right at a team. We have to come off the ball more con sistently. But it's not just the younger guys, it's the older ones too." Eric Cunningham, who along with Correal and Keith Dorney form the meat of State's line, thinks the Lions' quickness off the ball sped up. "We're just not getting the good take-off," he said. "If we get it, we should make up for techniques. I think we improved over last week. We fired off the ball more in the second half. But we t 1 6.4 i. k 4, , , 7 44., 1 lilliko' . . ;t4 o i rc,., ItNi Jii - lf`• - it ai''' ' 0P 4 .- -cO , -- 4... A ., .- -, 104 ,4 k, .„ •. .4. -,-. - ' - ' ."#;;•,,..:. , ' i i Naf t v, , . 11 10;i:71 1:1 7:: i7 : 4" .- : N, 4 4 . •*_ pv 141 r t... .: , V A., • ' - , ,.•rt ~; , li.- .: •A t ' t 1 i • c- - . -- -•`- ~,,, e, 4 i' , t 4 1 ,4 f4 ; e9 . ,.." • 14-41 4"I r ''• * •1 , - •. 416 0 .. p ir ~,, 4 ilk 4: - 4 0 wig 1 ir -- • L Z r 5 4 ,1" i, 4 ' -4 --4,,, * *, , p ..„,...., v „. .„..... ' ' rys .i , Offense shaky in Lion triumph By JOYCE TOMANA Daily Collegian Sports Writer It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. Penn State defeated Rutgers 26-10 Saturday, but coach Joe Paterno was anything but satisfied with his squad's inconsistent, yet victorious, per formance. "The first half wasn't any better than how we played in Philadelphia," Paterno said. "We played about where we practiced inconsistent. But we're 2-0." The Lions' most reliable offensive threat so far this season is kicker Matt Bahr. His four fields goals tied his brother Chris' single game record set in 1974 against Pitt. In spite of Bahr's success, Paterno would rather a few of those field goals be touchdowns. "He (Chuck Fusina) threw the ball well at times, but we still don't have a con sistent passing game," Paterno said. "I'm concerned about using Bahr so much, obviously. We didn't have enough zip to get it in. I'm glad we'have Matt." The Lions' first successful attack came halfway through the first quarter. Fusina threaded a 17-yard pass through the Rutgers secondary. to Tom Donovan. Booker Moore chiseled away to the Rutgers 10-yard line, but was thrown for a 5-yard loss which set up a 32 yard Bahr field goal. Rutgers went nowhere on their next drive and punted on third down, a practice that both Temple and Rutgers have done against the Lidns this year. The Lions took over on their own 47- yard line. Fusina exploded with a 53- yard completion to Scott Fitzkee and six points. A Bahr extra point made it 10-0. The Penn State defense held strong the second quarter, while the offense sparked, but couldn't catch fire. Linebacker Lance Mehl snatched a Bob Hering pass, but Penn State couldn't capitalize on the interception. Halfback Dave Dorn was off and running for a Rutgers touchdown, but was stopped cold by Rick Donaldson. Matt Millen then sacked Hering for a seven-yard loss and the Scarlet Knights had to settle for three. Penn State came back the second half in better control, but had to rely mostly on short-yardage gairis. Bahr kicked a 28-yard field goal and was back within minutes again for a 27 yard boot. Both teams substituted in the final onday, Sept. 11, 1978-11 quarter. Dayle Tate went in for Fusina and marched the Lion ground game through Rutgers territory. Matt Suhey muscled in for a touchdown from the one-yard line. Rutgers managed a solitary touchdown late in the game on a pass from McMichael to Carino. Paterno was serious and disturbed after the game, with "careless" and "inconsistent" characterizing his postgame comments. Penn State chalked up 80 yards in penalties to Rutgers' 47. Karl McCoy was thrown out of the game on a personal foul. "The penalties are indicative of the type of football team we have," Paterno said. "The penalties are careless." Penn State is an undefeated team with several problems. The turning point, a showdown with Ohio State in Columbus, is just five days away. The Buckeyes open their season against the Lions. Paterno sees the Temple and Rutgers wins, unimpressive as they have been, as a slight advantage. "If we were playing better, it would be a big advantage," he said. "It has to be somewhat of an advantage. We're at a disadvantage because of Ohio State's quaterback situation. We don't know who's playing or what we're up against." The Lions won't be playing an un derdog Saturday. If the inconsistencies and carelessness of the last two games aren't ironed out, it will show up on the Buckeyes' scoreboard. And no one knows that better than Paterno. When asked what the Ohio State scout can take back to Woody Hayes after watching Penn State, Paterno said, "I haven't the slightest idea...not to worry." "We've got to stop making alibis," Paterno said. "We have to get good or stop talking." GAME NOTES: Millen was named player of the game... Scott Fitzkee took a hard blow on the head and was taken to the hospital overnight for observation of a possible concussion... The 77,154 at tendance in the newly rennovated Beaver Stadium was the largest Penn State home game crowd in history...Fusina's touchdown pass to Fitzkee set a new Penn State career TD pass record ofl7.•He shared the recoil' .ofl6 with Jcohn Hufnagel.,.Woody Haye., has closed his team's practices from the media for the:lo. two weeks... Satu rday's game in' ",Columbus will be televised nationally,by ABC-TV. not much 'have to continue making improvement. I think we're starting to come into our own. I have con fidence we will be a better team from now on." • With the Ohio State game the topic at hand, maybe it was Keith Dorney, the Lions only retur ning All-America selection, who uttered the thought of the day. "We weren't running scared in the preseason," he said. "I think that was most of our problem. It would have been different if we would have started the first day of preseason. Now it won't be easy. It's a matter of getting 11 guys who are willing to bust their guts on every play." • And Joe Paterno has five days to find them. -St 14‘.;- 4 . 1 t 4" - 1::=223 I. • • -, :- 1 • , 1,4 • Photo by Mark Mclntyre
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