By David MorrisonThe Daily Northwestern
One play.
That’s how far away Northwestern was from a 6-2 conference record last year, and from knocking off the eventual Big Ten champions at Ryan Field.
One 4th-and-15 from the Penn State 15-yard line that Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson converted with a pass over the middle to tight end Isaac Smolko.
This conversion started Penn State on a drive that culminated in a game-winning touchdown pass with 51 seconds left.
Don’t think the Wildcats have forgotten that 34-29 contest.
“A lot of guys have a bad taste in their mouth,” senior Erryn Cobb said.
NU goes into Penn State’s Beaver Stadium on Saturday with the intention of turning the tables.
While Cobb acknowledged the role recent history plays in keying the Cats’ emotions for their Big Ten opener, he said it’s more important to look inward for that passion.
Penn State’s power, as it has in years past, comes from the defense – especially the linebackers. The school known as “Linebacker U” has produced All-Americans like LaVar Arrington, Shane Conlan and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Jack Ham.
This year’s unit is led by senior Paul Posluszny, who won the Bednarik and Butkus awards at the end of last season.
“But (he) is not the lone ranger out there in that linebacking corps,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “This is going to be a battle of linebackers. I’ll take my corps against their corps. And it’s going to be a great battle.”
Senior linebacker Adam Kadela said the Cats look forward to stealing the thunder from Penn State’s heralded group.
Penn State was ranked 19th heading into this season and has beaten Akron and I-AA team Youngstown State. But losses to Notre Dame and Ohio State by a combined score of 69-23 have dropped the Nittany Lions out of the polls.
In last week’s 28-6 loss to Ohio State, Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli threw two interceptions in the last 2:31 that were returned for touchdowns.
Morelli threw 33 passes in the past two seasons before becoming the starter this year.
“(Turnovers) help in trying to shake the confidence of the quarterback,” Kadela said. “But in general it’s just getting us the ball back to score points.”
The Nittany Lions also feature a 1,000-yard rusher in senior Tony Hunt and playmaker Derrick Williams at wide receiver, who caught the game-winning touchdown last year.
“They’ve got great speed all over their team,” Fitzgerald said. “I think that’ll be a big challenge for us.”
Saturday’s game is the second in a three-week road trip for the Cats, who head to Wisconsin next weekend.
Fitzgerald said the Cats can’t be distracted by Beaver Stadium, which last year averaged almost five times more fans than the Cats’ largest crowd this year.
He likened his players’ mindsets to those of horses running the Kentucky Derby.
“They don’t wait. They just hear that bell ring and they go run,” he said. “That’s what we need to do. You trust yourself and you need to go out and just play.”
Reach David Morrison at [email protected].
