Penn State Football: Keys to the Game (Game #10 – Nebraska Cornhuskers)

Special Teams Play

October 6, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions kicker Sam Ficken (97) is congratulated by teammates after making a 21 yard field goal in the first quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE

Make no mistake, in virtually every game that Penn State has played this year, this has been an area that they have been woefully outplayed.  The obvious places to look are at the punting and placekicking positions, but Penn State’s kick and punt coverage have been dreadful of late.  The Nittany Lions are going to need a vast improvement in all facets of special teams play if they want to pull off the upset in Lincoln on Saturday.

In chronicling the Lions special teams play, I have thought that Alex Butterworth has improved as a punter as the season has progressed.  Against Ohio State, Butterworth may have had his best day punting.  On a number of occasions, he was able to pin the Buckeyes inside their own 20 yard line.  Against, Purdue, he punted four times, pinning the Boilermakers inside their own 20 one time.  What’s more impressive, Purdue did not manage a single punt return yard out of 4 punts.  Butterworth is getting better hang-time on his kicks and the punt coverage has been able to hem in the runners.  The problem for Penn State has been and still is, the distance Butterworth is getting on his kicks.  Penn State ranks 119th out of 124 FBS schools in punt distance (36.31 ypp).  Penn State needs to get rid of the rugby-style punt, too.  Every time the try and get “cute” with that punt, Butterworth shanks it, and it ends up only netting a few yards.  They are better off punt-protecting, giving him some time, and allowing him to get the hang time needs for the punt team to get down and cover the ball.

By now, we have all figured out that Bill O’Brien is not enamored with his place kicker, Sam Ficken.  While publicly O’Brien still supports him, his on-field decisions to eschew relatively easy field goals paints an entirely different picture.  On the year, Ficken is 7 of 14 (50.0%) which is good for 110th out of 124 FBS schools.  On a bright note, Ficken has made his last 3 consecutive field goal attempts.  While that sounds positive, and it is, his longest made field goal on the year is only 34 yards.  Penn State absolutely must address this in the off-season.  Whether that’s use one of the precious scholarships to obtain a punter / placekicker or really get someone to Penn State that can work with Ficken, I don’t know, but this area has to improve for Penn State to win close ball games.

On the opposite side, Nebraska has a return weapon in Ameer Abdullah, and a second-team All-America kicker/punter in Brett Maher.  Penn State will have to do an exceptional job to corral Abdullah, and not let him swing the momentum of the game with a special teams return.  If Penn State can clean up their kickoff coverage gaffes from previous weeks as well as limit any big special teams returns, Penn State could control the field position which would bode well for a Nittany Lion victory.

I would say on paper the check mark for special teams play belongs firmly on the Nebraska side, but if Penn State can neutralize their ability to change the game, Penn State may just leave Lincoln the victor.

Prediction:

Penn State – 23

Nebraska – 31
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