WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind — A second pass interference penalty on Drew Astorino…why is an athlete like Astorino having to compensate for coverage with penalties?
THIRD QUARTER UPDATES
Third quarter ends after Butler tries a similar reception pinned up against the sideline but is unsuccessful this time. It’s 17-0. Penn State has had to show very little in this game and on top of that, Painter stinks, the Purdue offense, which looked good in the first 30 minutes looks 180-degrees worse now.
Surprisingly, only three penalties through three quarters, all on PSU. But Penn State clearly has things on its side right now and doesn’t appear to be relinquishing momentum at this point. It’s going to look bad, but the defense has played very well, Clark has been insanely sharp and they are able to run on the Boilermakers defense.
By the way, the Blackout, yeah it’s not working. At points the PSU crowd which is in the endzone, has been louder.
What a snag by Deon Butler on the sideline, pinned up against it on a very critical third down for the Nittany Lions. Butler even gets turned around, Clark put the ball exactly where it needed to be and that is where his receiver, and his receiver alone can get it.
So much for that three score momentum. Penn State can’t convert on a third down, again, punting to Purdue to open the third quarter.
HALFTIME UPDATES
Clark is 11-of-15 for 116 yards, Royster is the leading rusher with eight carries 65, Derrick Williams four receptions 33 yards. PSU has 196 yards of total offense but is just 1-of-5 on third downs. Yikes.
By the way, starting middle linebacker Josh Hull has nine tackles at the break. ALL unassisted, including two for loss.
Purdue’s Painter is 9-of-14 for 72 yards and has been sacked twice. Kory Sheets nine carries, 25 yards. Purdue has 107 yards on 32 offensive snaps.
Purdue is beating itself. Twice inside PSU territory, NO points. Two missed field goals, and a bad play by a senior quarterback in Painter.
PSU is moving to seize control of this game right now….but they need to be a little less conservative.
Clark 1-yard run, 7-0 Nittany Lions.
Good call to review the non-touchdown by Lawlor, it appeared on second effort he might have got in.
Daryll Clark DID get in, a refs hands went up, but no call.
FIRST QUARTER UPDATES
End of one, scoreless.
Handwriting on the wall perhaps? Fourth-and-1 from the PSU 41, Purdue goes for it, Painter rolls right on play-action and hits his tight end.
Hmmm….
Here’s where it gets weird…third and one and Penn State goes predictable. It appears that they are a little tight on the road today. Roll Clark out, call some play-action, why not a screen pass to Royster or Stephfon Green?
Interesting note of where fullback Dan Lawlor lined up on 1st-and-10 from inside the PSU 20.
Early on Penn State can’t generate a decent pass rush and Purdue’s Curtis Painter missed on a deep ball in man-to-man coverage.
Not exactly the best start for the Nittany Lions.
Second play of the game, middle linebacker Josh Hull makes the tackle, prompting PSU SID Jeff Nelson to blurt out “hey, did Josh Hull make that tackle?” Hilarious moment.
PREGAME UPDATES
We’re getting word that Jordan Norwood is not going to play today. Apparently during the pregame that was said? Also, Paterno is coaching from the booth upstairs, he just walked through the media eating area on his way to the coaches’ booth.
The press box here is a NFL style press box, for those of you who have never been, it’s a three level press seating area, and it’s spread out with members of the home media group on one side, and the home media on the other and huge windows.
Multiple outlets are reporting this morning that Joe Paterno may indeed coach from the press box here at Ross-Ade Stadium.
David Jones of the Harrisburg Patriot-News reports that Paterno has a space set up in the pressbox and will coach from up here.
Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror reports it’s a game-time decision.
Mark Brennan of Fight On State says that Joe hasn’t made up his mind yet.
BWI is reporting that Joe will “probably be in the booth.”
A note about the BWI post, Giger confirmed to me that both Jay and Joe attended the media gathering at the team hotel in West Lafayette Friday night. A group of us stayed in Indianapolis, and did not attend the usual Friday night get together.
The other issue right now is the health of Jordan Norwood. Will he or won’t play. I wouldn’t risk it considering Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State are the next three games. They didn’t need him against Illinois, they shouldn’t need him against Purdue. His health over the remainder of the month is far more important than recording five catches in this game today.
Norwood is dressed by the way and out for light warmups.
