Email "In the Huddle" | "In the Huddle Archive"

Week 2: Cincinnati

Nickname:  Bearcats

Head Coach:  Mark D'Antonio (8-5 in 2 seasons at Cincinnati)

Record:  1-0 (0-0 in the Big East)

Series Record:  Penn State leads 7-1

Surprising Statistic:  In the 1991 destruction of the Bearcats in a newly expanded Beaver Stadium, the Penn State offense put up 706 yards of total offense and 81 points.

Watch Out For:

·        Dustin Grutza (QB):  The freshman signal-caller led the Bearcats in week one by throwing for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He also added 49 yards rushing, including a 21 yard touchdown run.

 

Intriguing Matchup:

·        Cincinnati's run-oriented offense vs. Penn State's undermanned defensive line:  In Cincinnati's opening win vs. Eastern Michigan, the Bearcats ran for 293 yards on 55 carries and had 5 different backs gain 49 yards or more.  They also managed to hold the ball for more than 35 minutes of action.  By contrast, the one glaring weakness on Penn State's vaunted defense is the lack of depth available on the defensive line.  In Saturday's victory over USF, the Lions managed to hold the Bulls to 97 yards rushing on 36 carries.  However, they struggled towards the end of both halves, giving up long drives where the Bulls used RB Andre Hall to pick apart the Lions up the middle.  Look for back-up defensive tackles Steve Roach (#53) and Elijah Robinson (#95) to get plenty of reps to rest starters Scott Paxson and Jay Alford until Jim Shaw can get healthy again (sprained knee).

 

Keys for Penn State to pick up the W:

·        Avoid costly mistakes: Against USF, MRob lost 2 fumbles and threw an interception that led to South Florida's first touchdown.  Tony Hunt and super frosh Derrick Williams also put the ball on the carpet, although they were fortunate enough to get theirs back.  We all know that MRob is talented enough to make plays – he needs to play within himself and try to avoid taking on the world.  As for Hunt, poor ball handling has been a problem that has plagued his career at PSU.  If he can't correct it, Austin Scott may see more and more carries.

·        Crank up the pass rush: Against the Bulls, the Lions did not register a sack.  While Tamba Hali and Matt Rice were frequently disrupting the Bull offense, the Lions rarely came on a blitz in order to get to the quarterback.  Look for Tom Bradley to let his troops loose a little more this week in order to rattle Cincinnati's rookie QB. 

·        Establish continuity on the Offensive Line:  Due to Robin Hood and his merry men taking aim at a Nittany Apartments wall, the Penn State offensive line has had to welcome some new faces.  Unfortunately for PSU fans, the new look line looked like a disaster.  Tony Hunt rarely had a crease in which to scoot through and MRob was frequently seen either on his back or running for his life.  This week, I look forward to seeing more of Tyler Reed, Andrew Richardson, A.Q. Shipley, and possibly even E.Z. Smith.  I would also hope to see Levi Brown step up his intensity and begin to realize his potential.

 

JoePa's Take:

·        Dan Connor's status is still uncertain.  Coach Paterno stated that he is waiting to hear from PSU's Office of Judicial Affairs before making his final decision on Dan's punishment.

·        Jim Shaw will not play this week due to a knee injury he suffered against USF.  His brother John will move from the offensive to the defensive side of the ball to help add some much needed depth.

·        Joe was especially pleased with the play of his freshman and kickers on Saturday. 

·        Joe plans on getting Austin Scott more playing time this week.  He also said that he will look to find a spot in the game to insert QB Anthony Morelli.

 

Bet You Didn't Know:  Punter Jeremy Kapinos was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week this past week for his performance against USF.  Kapinos averaged 42.2 yards per punt and put 3 balls inside the 15 yard line.

 

My Prediction:  Penn State 38, Cincinnati 10

For a full recap of Joe Paterno's weekly press conference, check out gopsusports.com.

For more information regarding the Cincinnati Bearcats, head to ucbearcats.com

Until next time, S-T-A-T-E, Go State!!!

Email "In the Huddle" | "In the Huddle Archive" | Home