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by Jeff Metzger

Week 1: South Florida

Nickname:  Bulls

Head Coach:  Jim Leavitt (55-33 in 9 seasons at South Florida)

Record:  0-0

Series Record:  This is the first meeting between the two schools

Surprising Statistic:  Penn State is 105-12-1 in home openers.

Watch Out For:

·        Andre Hall (TB):  The senior led the Bulls last season, running for 1,357 yards and 11 touchdowns (both school records).  He earned first team All-Conference USA honors last season and should be one of the better backs in the Big East this year.

 

Intriguing Matchup:

·        Penn State's anemic offense of 2004 vs. South Florida's porous defense of 2004:  OK, so which team is going to show something different?  The Lions gained a meager 310 yards and scored an average of 17 points per game last season.  Take away the Akron and Michigan State wins and those numbers fall even lower.  Meanwhile, the Bulls had their own problems, giving up almost 400 yards per game and allowing opponents to score almost 32 points per contest.  Both squads return 18 starters from a year ago.  Watch to see which unit has grown the most from the struggles each went through last season.

 

Keys for Penn State to pick up the W:

 

·        Convert in the red zone: All I need to say to remind you of the futility the Penn State offense experienced in the red zone last season is IOWA.  A 6-4 loss, with both scores coming on safeties.  In order for the 2005 Nittany Lions to show the improvement that many expect, they must be able to capitalize on any opportunities that come their way and turn them into points.

·        Make special teams 'SPECIAL' again: Inconsistent place-kicking.  Abysmal kickoff and punt return units.  Punt coverage units that frequently allowed big returns for the opposition.  In order to contend for the Big Ten title, the 2005 edition of the Nittany Lions must get some sort of production from its special teams units outside of punter Jeremy Kapinos.  Watch for big things from several key freshman – namely Derrick Williams, Justin King, Lydell Sargeant, and Kevin Kelly.

·        Grab the BULLS by the horns:  While South Florida struggled last season going 4-7, they have shown the ability in the past to play with and beat the big boys.  In the last few years, the Bulls have beaten Pittsburgh and Louisville, which have both been more successful than PSU over the same stretch.  My guess is that USF will not be intimidated by the 100,000+ friendly faces that Happy Valley will throw at them.  Therefore, it is imperative that Penn State comes out and IMMEDIATELY asserts itself out of the gate.  They have the better talent – they need to make that fact known to the Bulls early and often.

 

JoePa's Take:

 

·        Dan Connor's status would not be discussed.  The depth chart shows Tim Shaw, Tyrell Sales, and Paul Posluszny as starters at linebacker, with Connor’s name not even listed.

·        A starting kicker has yet to be named.  The staff will use the rest of the week to continue to evaluate which freshman (Kevin Kelly or Matt Waldron) will get the job.

·        Joe is concerned about the loss of Mark Rubin for the season due to an ankle injury.  He is anxious to see if his talented freshman (Williams, King, Sargeant, Butler, and Norwood) can come through in a game situation.

·        Joe is pleased with the progress of the defensive line, wide receiver Ethan Kilmer, tight end Isaac Smolko, and quarterbacks Michael Robinson and Anthony Morelli.

 

Bet You Didn't Know:  Mark Robinson, an All-American safety on Penn State’s 1982 National Championship squad, is the color analyst for South Florida Football Radio Network.

 

My Prediction:  Penn State 31, South Florida 13

 

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

 

For more information regarding the South Florida Bulls, head to gousfbulls.com

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

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