Penn State Football: Week 7 Studs and Duds against Michigan State

There is rarely ever a good time to take a penalty.  Penn State found that out the hard way this past weekend.  By my count, the Nittany Lions took at least three penalties that either kept a Michigan State drive alive and/or lead directly to a Spartans touchdown.  Some of the penalties did seem questionable, but the point remains that the Penn State players put themselves in the position to have the calls go against them.

The devastating penalties began at the beginning of the second quarter after Michigan State had successfully ran a fake punt and a completed a half-back option to move to the ball to the Penn State one-yard line.  The Nittany Lions had successfully navigated three downs without allowing a score.  On fourth down, the Spartans were once again stymied by the Penn State defense but an unsportsmanlike penalty on CJ Thorpe gave the Spartans new life.  The very next play, Michigan State scored to tie the score at 7-7.

Later in the second quarter, Penn State had the Spartans backed up to their own 16 yard line with a 3rd and 10.  Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke rolled out to his right, and in desperation, fired a pass downfield.  The pass was incomplete, but a defensive holding call once again gave the Spartans a new set of downs.  They were unable to capitalize on Penn State’s gift, but they did manage to use up a significant portion of the remaining second quarter clock.

Midway through the third quarter Michigan State began a drive at their own 36 yard line.  On 3rd and 2, Lewerke scrambled for one yard.  Once again, though, a Nittany Lions defensive holding call extended the Michigan State drive.  This time the Spartans turned the Penn State miscue into points as Lewerke would eventually hit Felton Davis III in the front of the end zone to tie the score at 14-14.

These penalties and miscues are simply killing an already fragile Penn State defense.  The Nittany Lions must find a way to limit the penalties against.  They breathe new life into an offense while they are killers for the defense.  And right now, the Penn State defense has enough problems getting out of their own way.  They don’t need to be aiding the opponents with drive-sustaining penalties.