sports
Inconsistent Lions hold off Temple
By CHRIS RAYMOND
Collegian Sports Writer
Just as there are two sides to every
coin, there are two halves to every
football game.
No one can argue that point any
clearer than Head Coach Joe Paterno
after watching the football team dom
inate play in the first half of Satur
day's game against Temple, then go
flat in the second.
“We played a great first half,”
Paterno said afterwards. “I guess
you just can’t play that well for two
halves.”
Fortunately for Paterno, the Lions’
heads-up play in the first 30 minutes
of the game was .enough for them to
escape by their tails, 27-25, at the
finish.
After taking a two touchdown lead
into the locker room at halftime,
Penn State watched its margin of
victory dwindle to just two points
when Owl tailback Paul Palmer
waltzed 10 yards into the Lion end
zone with 4:43 remaining in the game.
“We said while we were in (the
locker room) at halftime, we wanted
to put them away, we wanted to score
24 more points and we just weren’t
able to do that,” Lion quarterback
John Shaffer said. “We came out, we
were a little flat, we had some break
downs, some overthrown passes,
some things that just didn’t happen in
the first half and that hurt us.”
■Nonetheless, freshman tailback
Blair Thomas singlehandcdly deliv
ered Penn State from Temple’s grasp
with a back-breaking kick return
immediately after Palmer’s touch
down. After receiving the kick on the
Penn State goal line, Thomas scam
pered 58 yards to the Temple 42
before Owl defensive back Pervis
Herder brought him down.
The Lion offense took things from
there with 3:43 remaining as running
backs Steve Smith and David Clark
moved the ball to the Temple six-yard
line before Shaffer fell on it to pre
serve the win.
“When we started that second half
we were walking in and out of the
huddle,” Paterno said in the post
game interview. “In the first half; we
had a lot of snap ... then the whole
pace changed. I think, of course,
Temple ■ sensed that. Temple kept
getting stronger and we were lucky.”
Behind the expert running of Penn
State fullback D.J. Dozier (11 rushes
for 71 yards in first half) and the
precision passing of quarterback
Practice makes perfect
for freshman Thomas
By MARK ASHHNFELTER
Collegian Sports Writer
For Blair Thomas, the week
leading up to Saturday’s game
against Temple was one filled with
several questions and a lot of hard
work in practice.
Thomas, a freshman from Phil
adelphia’s Frankford High, saw
playing time in the Lions’ season
opening win over Maryland, but
the results were nothing to write
home about.
Although he averaged 24 yards
on two kickoff returns, returned a
punt for nine yards and had one
carry, the highly-touted tailback
had a day that could give a fresh
man nightmares.
His one kickoff return ended in a
fumble and led to a quick
Maryland touchdown, while his
lone play from scrimmage also
was fumbled to the Terrapins.
It was a lesson Thomas would
not allow himself to forget and he
spent last week trying to rectify
his problem.
“Last week I was a little ner
vous,” Thomas said. “I had to
practice all week on tucking the
ball under and different things
here and there.”
But, did thoughts of more fum
bles haunt Thomas throughout the
week?
“I just let that rest,” he said.
“That was last week’s game.”
Thomas did, however, spend a
little time wondering if he would
see action against Temple.
“It was (in the back of my mind)
a little bit,” he said. “In practice
we went over the kickoff returns
and I was doing pretty good. I
picked up all my blocking assign
ments when the other person re
ceived the ball, so I felt
comfortable going into this game
that I was going to play.”
And play he did as Thomas
returned four kickoffs for 115
yards, including a 58-yarder that
helped the Lions hang on for a 27-
25 victory over the Owls. After
averaging 19 yards on his first
three efforts, Thomas saved his
best for last and the timing was
Lion fullback Steve Smith (33) looks for running room amid several Temple defenders. Smith led Penn State rushers with
96 yards on the day as the Lions hung on to a 27-25 victory.
John Shaffer (12 for 22 and 198
yards), the Lions built a 24-10 half
time lead.
Dozier, however, was forced to
leave the game with an undetermined
injury just 50 seconds into the second
half.
“I’m not sure exactly whether it’s
perfect as far as the Lions were
concerned.
Temple had just executed a sev
en-play, 72-yard scoring drive and
tacked on the two-point conversion
to close to within two, 27-25, with
3:43 remaining. Temple Head
Coach Bruce Arians ruled against
an on-sides kick, believing his
defense would hold the Lions and
give his offense a final chance to
win the game.
Enter Thomas.
The 5-10, 181 pounder took the
ensuing kickoff several yards deep
in the end zone and returned it to
the Temple 42 yard line, before
being pulled down by the Owls’
Pervis Herder. The Lions pro
ceeded to run out the clock and the
Owls’ hopes of an upset.
“It was a wedge return and I
just saw a little crack so I didn’t
think about anything else,” he
said. “I just tried to squeeze
through there. ... It broke to the
left so I just tried to take it from
there.”.
Besides boosting Thomas’ confi
dence, he said the play had added
meaning for him because he grew
up just 15 minutes from the
Temple campus and had been
recruitted by Arians.
Lion Head Coach Joe Paterno,
who told Thomas that Maryland
had ‘stuck a slippery one in’ on the
two fumbles a week ago, was glad
to see his freshman respond so
positively this time.
“I think it was great to see
Thomas come out of that thing the
way he did,” Paterno said. “That
was obviously a big big play.”
While Thomas said he gained
confidence with Saturday’s perfor
mance he hopes he can earn the
confidence of his coaches and
eventually earn some playing time
in the tailback slot. With D.J.
Dozier and David Clark injured,
Thomas says this week will be an
important one for him.
“It (a good game) builds up
your confidence going into the
next game,” he said. “Next week I
think I’ll feel more confident. I
hope I can produce enough this
week in practice that I can show
them that I can play.”
the groin or the hamstring,” Paterno
said. “(The team doctors) won’t
know untifthey see whether it swells
up . . . We’ll probably know Monday
(today) or Tuesday.”
Following Dozier’s exit, Palmer
took center stage as the Temple tail
back rushed for a career high 206
Reserves come through for defense
By MARK BRENNAN
Collegian Sports Writer
On most football squads, the second-team
players are lucky to get in for 10 or 15 plays in a
game.
But for Penn State’s second-team defense, it is
a different story. In the past two weeks, many of
the defensive “reserves” for the Lions have been
playing as much as, if not more than, the start
ers.
In the opening game against Maryland, the
second-team played nearly one half of the game
in the 90-degree heat in College Park, Md.
Saturday against Temple, injuries to a number
of defensive starters brought several second
team players on the field early in the game.
The injury list following the Temple game
reads like a who’s-who on the Penn State defense.
Defensive tackle Mike Russo didn’t play at all
due to an injured knee. Hero Michael Zordich
went down in the first quarter with a bruised leg.
Defensive end Bob White went out with an
injured knee at the beginning of the second half
and tackle Tim Johnson was sent for X-rays on
an injured leg in the fourth quarter.
Aoatoa Polamalu, who started in place of
Russo, said that seeing a lot of action in the
Maryland game gave the second team confi
dence.
“I thought it was a lot easier (against Temple)
because everybody had confidence in each oth
er,” Polamalu said. “We were ready for it,
because we already played against a bigger
line.”
Barry Buchman, who came in for Zordich,
turned in one of the better defensive perfor
mances for the Lions.
Buchman finished with six tackles (five unas
sisted) and made a spectacular diving tackle on
Temple tailback Paul Palmer, throwing him for
a five-yard loss.
Dan Ginnetti, playing for White, also made a
spectacular play. In the third quarter, Ginnetti
fought off several blocks and threw Temple wide
receiver Keith Gloster for a five-yard loss on a
reverse play. The Owls burned the Lions for 25
yards on the same play at the beginning of the
second quarter.
Zordich said although he was frustrated watch
ing the game from the sidelines, he had confi
dence in Buchman and the other second-team
players.
“I think they did a pretty good job,” Zordich
said. “I know on a couple of plays they made
some mistakes, but they also made some real
nice plays. They’ve been playing well for us, and
I think they did a real good job.
“I can’t explain the injuries, but I’m glad the
guys behind us came in and did well,” Zordich
added. .
yards in 30 carries. That perfor
mance put him fourth on Penn State
opponents’ single game rushing list
behind Ted Brown (N.C. State), Tony
Dorsett (Pitt) and Allen Pinkett
(Notre Dame).
“Palmer is the best back in the
East,” Temple Head Coach Bruce
Defensive lineman Aoatoa Polamalu (99) makes his presence felt as he brings down a Temple ball
carrier Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Polamalu was just one of many defensive reserves who came up big
in the Lions’ 27-25 win over the Owls.
Defensive captain Rogers Alexander agreed
with Zordich and said although the reserves may
have played more against Maryland, they con
tributed just as much against Temple.
“We’ve always had capable backups-,” Alexan
der said. “They showed themselves against
Maryland, i don’t think they played as much
today as they did against Maryland, but when
they came in, they made their presence felt.”
1 With all of the injuries to the Lions’ defense,
Temple may have come across as a very physi
cal team. But Zordich did not think the Owls
physical play led to the injuries.
“I don’t think they were that physical,” Zor
dich said. “They’re a tough team, but I don’t
think most of the injuries were because of that. I
thought a game like last week’s, with the heat,
that more guys would have gone down. But this
week, it was just the opposite. I just can’t explain
it.”
Head Coach Joe Paterno said the Temple
offensive was playing very hard and that may led
to the injuries.
Arians said. “He’s outrun Dozier and
he’s outrun (B.C.’s Troy) Stradford.
He’s been the .best since he stepped on
our campus. At the end of the year,
he’ll be where he was last year first
team All-East.”
By contrast, the Penn State offense
never got back in gear once halftime
drew to a close.
Shaffer completed only three of 14
passes for 22 yards and Dozier added
just 10 yards on two carries before he
left the game.
“At times we lacked concentration
and that’s something we really have
to work on,” Shaffer said. “With the
schedule that we play you can’t play
one half of football because (our
opponents) will come back. We were
very fortunate because the specialty
teams played very, very well today
and they got us back into the game an
awful lot.” '
Paterno attributed the Lions’ men
tal lapses to the difficult opposition in
their first two games.
“We’ve executed so well in the first
two halves (against Maryland and
Temple), I don’t know if you can
maintain that over 60 minutes some
times with as many things as we’re
trying to d0...,’’ he said. “I think we
got a little tired.”
“(The players) really played three
halves of very emotional football
two halves at Maryland and the first
half of this football game,” he added.
“I really felt we just went flat this
ball game.”
Temple’s first touchdown came on
a 50-yard strike from quarterback
Lee Saltz (9 of 22 passes for 153
yards) to wide receiver Willie Mar
shall (4 catches for 96 yards) with
3:20 remaining in the first quarter.
Penn State regained the lead 2:58
later on a four-yard run by Dozier.
The Lions then added 10 points in the
second quarter on a 43-yard Massimo
Manca field goal and an 11-yard
touchdown pass from Shaffer to split
end Darell Giles.
Penn State added a 39-yard Manca
field goal at 8:32 of the fourth quarter
after defensive halfback Marques
Henderson recovered a ball jarred
from Herder’s hands on a punt re
turn. Halfback Lance Hamilton
forced the fumble.
Palmer scored both of the Owls’
second half touchdowns on runs of 29
and 10 yards.
Temple jumped out to a 3-0 lead in
the first quarter of the game on a 46-
yard field goal by kicker Jim Cooper.
The Lions got their first lead of the
ball game on a two-yard touchdown
run by fullback Tim Manoa.
The Daily Collegian
Monday, Sept. 16, 1985
PSU/Temple
Team Statistics P S U T
First Downs
Rushes-yardages
Passing Yardage
Passes-att.-comp.-
int. 36-15-2 22-9-0
Total
yardage
Return Yards
Fumbles lost
Punts (number
avg.)
Penalties-Yards
Possession-Time
Scoring Summary
Temple Cooper, 46-yard field
goal
PSU Manoa, 2-yard run (Man
ca kick)
Temple Marshall, 50-yard pass
from Saltz (Wright kick)
PSU Dozier, 4-yard run (Man
ca kick)
PSU Manca, 43-yard field goal
PSU Giles, 11-yard pass from
Shaffer (Manca kick)
Temple Palmer, 29-yard run
(Wright kick)
PSU Manca, 39-yard field goal
Temple Palmer, 10-yard run
Final individual statistics
Rushing Penn State Smith 13-
96, Dozier 13-81, Clark 16-61, Ma
noa 9-44, Shaffer 8-(-17) Totals 59-
265. Temple Palmer 30-206, Mc-
Nair 7-52, Gloster 2-20, Poole 3-11,
Slatz 2-(-12) Totals 44-277.
Passing —Penn State Shaffer 15-
36-220. Temple Saltz 9-22-153.
Pass Receiving Penn State
Hamilton 3-45, Dozier 3-35,
Roundtree 2-46, Giles 2-29, Clark
2-8, Manoa 1-21, DiMidio 1-21,
Siverling 1-15. Temple Marshall
4-96, Palmer 3-19, Gloster 1-25,
Primus 1-13.
Punting Penn State Bruno 5-.
192-38.4. Temple Shenefelt 6-280-
46.7
Field Goals Penn State Manca
2-3. Temple Cooper 1-2.
Punt Returns Penn State Tim
pson 1-24, Coates 2-10. Temple
Bongivengo 2-10.
Kickoff Returns . - Penn State
Thomas 4-115, Coates 1-19.
Temple McNair 3-54, Garzcyuski
1-20, Marshall 2-10, Herdell 1-6.
Interception Returns Penn
State none. Temple Pilkauskas 1-
“They were going at each other in there,”
Paterno said. “That was a tough football team.
Probably, the offensive line is the best I’ve ever
seen at Temple.”
Paterno’s praise for the Temple offensive line
may have been an understatement. The Owls
virtually controlled the line of scrimmage in the
second half as Palmer exploded for 142 yards on
19 carries.
Palmer finished the day with 206 yards on 30
carries.
• Paterno said the Lions came out flat in the
second half. He felt the team lost some of the
spark it had in the first half.
“We were so flattened,” Paterno said. “The
first half, we were running in and out. Then the
whole pace changed, we were walking in and out
of the huddle.”
Zordich felt it was a matter of consistency, or a
lack of it.
“Our defense was inconsistent,” Zordich said.
“I thought we did a good job with the turnovers
and kind of held our own, but we still have to get
better. We are just too inconsistent right now.”
Stats
30 20
59-265 44-277
220 153
offensive
485 430
34 12
2-1 4-3
5-38.4 6-46.7
4-35 3-23
35:28 24:32
Owls fumble away game
By MATT HERB
Collegian Sports Writer
When all was said and done after
Saturday’s game, Temple’s offensive
line pushed Penn State up and down
the field. It opened gaping holes for
tailback Paul Palmer, who rushed for
206 yards. It mauled the Lions’ de
fense, forcing Michael Zordich, Bob
White and Tim Johnson out of the
game. It protected quarterback Lee
Saltz, allowing only one sack. And it
lost the game.
For Head Coach Bruce Arians, the
defeat was a bitter pill to swallow.
Even Palmer’s stellar performance
couldn't take the sting out of the Owls
second heartbreaking loss in a row.
“I’m disappointed to be 0-2,” Ari
ans said. “We played three and one
half good quarters today and should
have won the football game. A win
would have made us 1-1 with a chance
to be something special. I’m tired of
playing them close.”
Playing them close is exactly what
the Owls have been doing so far this
season. They lost to Boston College
last week after a last ditch comeback
attempt fell three points short, and
spent the better part of the second
half Saturday well within striking
distance of the Lions. The fact that
Temple was unable to deal the knock
out blow seemed to be the greatest
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source of frustration for the Owls.
“I thought we had them the whole
second half right where we wanted
them,” Arians said, “but we’re the
nicest team in the world. We’d stop
them and we’d give them the ball
back on the 30 yard line on two
fumbled punts. That’s the whole foot
ball game. We owned them right
there.”
Though Palmer’s performance
may not have meant as much as a win
to the Owls, it did give Temple some
hope for the future.
“He’s a great little player,” Arians
said. “He’s outrun (D.J.) Dozier, he’s
outrun (BC tailback Troy) Stradford.
He’s the best back in the East, bar
none, and he’s proven it. And I think
by the end of the season he’ll have
what he gets every year, he’s got it
the last two years and that’s first
team All-East.”
But even Arians, who predicted
that the Owls would be able to run
well against Penn State, couldn’t
have imagined just how prolific the 5-
foot-10,180-pound junior would be.
The statistics tell part of the story.
Palmer’s performance ranked high
in at least three catagories and prob
ably a few more that haven’t been
discovered yet. For starters, it
topped his previous personal best of
148 yards, and it was the fifth game in
a row that he passed the 100-yard
mark. Palmer’s performance was
also the fourth best ever against Penn
State (topped only by Allen Pinkett,
Tony Dorsett and Ted Brown), and
the third best ever for a Temple
rusher.
Should anyone conclude that he was
a one-man offense against Penn
State, Palmer is quick to set the
record straight.
“My offensive line made me
strong,” he said. “They’re big and
strong and they really worked real
hard. A lot of the time I get a lot of the
credit but I really don’t think I should
get as much credit as I do. My offen
sive line does a great job. When I’m
down they’ll pick me up and always
keep me going.”
Palmer also passed some of his
glory on to fullback Shelley Poole, but
it was the line that cleared out the
middle and gave him room on the
outside on Temple’s sweeps and op
tions. The man who opened a lot of
those holes, All-American guard John
Rienstra, was quick to praise Palm
er’s effort. He added, however, that
the reality of the loss hadn’t hit him
yet.
“Right now my body’s just hurting
and the adrenaline is still flowing and
I haven’t thought much about it.” he
said. “I’m just trying to play the
game.”
Rutgers ties No. 3 Florida
By HERSCHEL NISSENSON
AP Sports Writer
The nation’s longest winning and
losing streaks came to an end Satur
day but it was the same old story for
Notre Dame another loss for Gerry
Faust.
Third-ranked Florida biew a 28-7
lead and settled for a 28-28 tie with
Rutgers, snapping the Gators’ 10-
game winning streak, although they
still are unbeaten in 12 games. Mean
while, Indiana ended a 16-game los
ing streak by defeating Louisville 41-
28.
But there only was more misery for
13th-ranked Notre Dame, which lost
to Michigan 20-12 as Jim Harbaugh
and Gerald White scored touchdowns
and the Wolverines’ defense came up
with six sacks.
Harbaugh scored on a 10-yard quar
terback draw 1:40 into the second half
to put Michigan ahead for the first
time 10-9. And after Notre Dame’s
John Carney tied a school record with
his fourth field goal to put the Irish
ahead 12-10, Michigan drove 80 yards
after the ensuing kickoff aided by a
roughing the passer penalty against
Notre Dame tackle Wally Kleine
and White scored on a 3-yard plunge.
Michigan had been the butt of nu
merous jokes during the summer,
including this one:
Q. What did Brigham Young ac
complish last season that only five
other teams did?
A. Beat Michigan.
But, said Coach Bo Schembechler,
“This means we’re decent. We’re not
the dog people think we are.”
Harbaugh’s touchdown came after
Notre Dame’s Alonzo Jefferson fum
bled the second-half kickoff.
“It was one time the Lord looked
down on somebody other than Notre
Dame,” Schembechler said.
The Wolverines even trumped
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Notre Dame's heralded Allen Pin
kett, holding him to 94 yards in 22
carries while Michigan’s Jamie Mor
ris rushed for 121 on 23 attempts.
“In the Detroit press, Allen Pinkett
was saying, ‘I don’t know who Jamie
Morris is-,' ” Morris said. “He knows
now.”
Faust said Michigan “controlled
the line of scrimmage on both sides of
the ball. We aren’t going to win when
they do that. They had a better rush
and opened up better holes. If we
can’t open holes, our game won’t go.”
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