Same old Penn State.
The 14th-ranked Nittany Lions (6-2) won't show anything new when they make their first visit to Cougar Stadium on Saturday. The cookie-cutter approach to building football teams has resulted in a .792 winning percentage in coach Joe Paterno's 26-plus seasons - and two national championships in the '80s.These are the usual Penn State ingredients: Productive quarterback; workmanlike running backs; jumbo offensive line; a defense that gives up yards like Roseanne Barr gives up dessert; and, frequently, one spectacular player. In this case, it's O.J. McDuffie, wide receiver-kick returner, who Paterno says should get more Heisman Trophy consideration.
"I don't know whether there's a better football player in the country than O.J. McDuffie," Paterno said. "He can literally win a football game for you all by himself."
Well, not literally, Joe, but the point is made. McDuffie is good. A 5-foot-11, 185-pounder from the Cleveland suburb of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, McDuffie has 45 catches for 761 yards, averages 13.2 yards per punt return and 24.7 yards per kickoff return.
The quarterback position has been as productive as usual for Penn State, even with four players having seen game time this season. Kerry Collins was supposed to be the starter but broke the index finger on his throwing hand playing volleyball and got his first start last week against West Virginia. In his absence, John Sacca (younger brother of Tony) filled in, completing 52.3 percent with nine TDs and three interceptions.
Paterno played it cagey early this week about who would start at QB against BYU, but his decision was made easier on Wednesday when Sacca suffered a sprained knee that puts him out for five to six weeks. Not that it mattered much who started, anyway: The Nittany Lions' top three signalcallers have comparable stats. One thing they haven't done is throw bunches of interceptions - they've been picked off four times all season.
In the workmanlike running back department, the premier guy is senior tailback Richie Anderson, 6-2, 210. Anderson averages 4.8 yards per carry and leads the nation in scoring with 98 points. Three other Penn State backs have gained 200 yards or more: senior fullback Brian O'Neal, 5.4 yards per carry; sophomore fullback J.T. Morris, 5.0; and sophomore tailback Ki-Jana Carter, 6.1.
Defensively, the Nittany Lions are typically strong but probably a little better up front. Opponents have averaged 3.6 yards per rushing attempt while converting just 27 percent of the time on third downs. Penn State ranks 33rd in the country in pass-efficiency defense and has held opposing quarterbacks to 45 percent passing, but they have surrendered more than 300 yards through the air three times this season.
Depth is not a problem at Penn State. Last week, for instance, three starters in the defensive secondary sat out the entire game and the Nittany Lions still won.