Published: Wednesday, September 13, 2006
PSU vows to learn from loss
Coach Joe Paterno said his team isn't overlooking YSU.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Two days after a blowout loss to Notre Dame, Penn State coach Joe Paterno gathered his team before practice for a history lesson.
He reminded them of lopsided defeats of other Nittany Lion teams, including a 42-21 loss at Alabama on Oct. 9, 1982.
Penn State returned to Happy Valley, vowed not to lose again that year and won its last seven games, including the national championship.
While expectations for the 2006 team may not be quite as high, the squad appeared to have heeded Paterno's words.
About 10 players stepped up before the practice Monday to give a pep talk. The message: Learn from the Notre Dame loss and move on.
"That game is going to be a big learning point in how this season is determined," center A.Q. Shipley, one of the players who spoke up, said Tuesday. "Everyone took it heart. We learn from it and go from there."
Staying upbeat
There might have been a lot for Paterno to dwell on Tuesday after Saturday's 41-17 loss to the Fighting Irish, but the 79-year-old coach stayed relatively upbeat about his young team, which starts eight sophomores, plus second-year kicker Kevin Kelly. There's also a new starting quarterback in junior Anthony Morelli.
Paterno, though, is loud and clear about wanting the 25th-ranked Nittany Lions (1-1) to cut down on mistakes.
Penn State committed three turnovers last week that all led to Notre Dame scores. A questionable clipping penalty on Shipley negated a long pass play that could have turned momentum in the first half. A bad snap ruined a field goal try.
"We're pretty good. We've got to learn to win a big game. That comes with experience," Paterno said. "We have a good, solid football team. We made too many mistakes."
Lots of missed opportunities, too. While the Irish offense toasted Penn State in the second and third quarters, the Nittany Lion secondary did get their hands on the ball at times. They just couldn't hold on to the football for potential interceptions or fumble recoveries.
"I thought we did all right. We didn't make the big play," Paterno said about his secondary, which starts just one senior.
"We had a shot at two or three interceptions we didn't make. Until you make those, you are not really going to be a good football team."
Morelli had good spurts in his second career start and appeared to keep his composure in the huddle as the game got out of hand.
Defended quarterback
Paterno stuck up for his quarterback when the subject of Morelli's two turnovers came up. He said an interception on a deep throw happened after the coach called for a long pass at a point when the wind had picked up.
"We're a team ready to bounce back now," wide receiver Deon Butler said.
"You didn't see so many sad faces now at practice."
The Nittany Lions must regroup for Division I-AA Youngstown State (2-0) on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The first-time meeting between the two schools was scheduled after Louisiana Tech backed out last year because of a conflict in the Western Athletic Conference, Penn State said.
Another tough road game awaits next week at top-ranked Ohio State, but Paterno said he isn't taking this week lightly, and especially not since Colorado and Northwestern have already lost to Division I-AA foes this season.
"We are going to have a good, tough football game. I don't think they are going to come up here and say 'Whoooooh,' " Paterno said. "They are coming up here and say, 'Show me.' "
Notes
Not a week goes by without a question about the status of tailback Austin Scott, who sustained an ankle injury in preseason practice and hasn't played in the first two games.
Junior Rodney Kinlaw is second-string behind starter Tony Hunt "until Austin Scott is 100 percent and if he isn't 100 percent pretty quick, we are going to have to decide to redshirt him," Paterno said.
Paterno said he is looking at the bad snaps that have spoiled a couple of field goal attempts over the first couple weeks, "but I am not going to overreact to it."
The coach took the blame for a play in which Notre Dame's Travis Thomas ran 43 yards on a fourth-and-3 at midfield.
"The fourth down when they ran for it was a bad coaching decision," he said.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Coach Joe Paterno said his team isn't overlooking YSU.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Two days after a blowout loss to Notre Dame, Penn State coach Joe Paterno gathered his team before practice for a history lesson.
He reminded them of lopsided defeats of other Nittany Lion teams, including a 42-21 loss at Alabama on Oct. 9, 1982.
Penn State returned to Happy Valley, vowed not to lose again that year and won its last seven games, including the national championship.
While expectations for the 2006 team may not be quite as high, the squad appeared to have heeded Paterno's words.
About 10 players stepped up before the practice Monday to give a pep talk. The message: Learn from the Notre Dame loss and move on.
"That game is going to be a big learning point in how this season is determined," center A.Q. Shipley, one of the players who spoke up, said Tuesday. "Everyone took it heart. We learn from it and go from there."
Staying upbeat
There might have been a lot for Paterno to dwell on Tuesday after Saturday's 41-17 loss to the Fighting Irish, but the 79-year-old coach stayed relatively upbeat about his young team, which starts eight sophomores, plus second-year kicker Kevin Kelly. There's also a new starting quarterback in junior Anthony Morelli.
Paterno, though, is loud and clear about wanting the 25th-ranked Nittany Lions (1-1) to cut down on mistakes.
Penn State committed three turnovers last week that all led to Notre Dame scores. A questionable clipping penalty on Shipley negated a long pass play that could have turned momentum in the first half. A bad snap ruined a field goal try.
"We're pretty good. We've got to learn to win a big game. That comes with experience," Paterno said. "We have a good, solid football team. We made too many mistakes."
Lots of missed opportunities, too. While the Irish offense toasted Penn State in the second and third quarters, the Nittany Lion secondary did get their hands on the ball at times. They just couldn't hold on to the football for potential interceptions or fumble recoveries.
"I thought we did all right. We didn't make the big play," Paterno said about his secondary, which starts just one senior.
"We had a shot at two or three interceptions we didn't make. Until you make those, you are not really going to be a good football team."
Morelli had good spurts in his second career start and appeared to keep his composure in the huddle as the game got out of hand.
Defended quarterback
Paterno stuck up for his quarterback when the subject of Morelli's two turnovers came up. He said an interception on a deep throw happened after the coach called for a long pass at a point when the wind had picked up.
"We're a team ready to bounce back now," wide receiver Deon Butler said.
"You didn't see so many sad faces now at practice."
The Nittany Lions must regroup for Division I-AA Youngstown State (2-0) on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The first-time meeting between the two schools was scheduled after Louisiana Tech backed out last year because of a conflict in the Western Athletic Conference, Penn State said.
Another tough road game awaits next week at top-ranked Ohio State, but Paterno said he isn't taking this week lightly, and especially not since Colorado and Northwestern have already lost to Division I-AA foes this season.
"We are going to have a good, tough football game. I don't think they are going to come up here and say 'Whoooooh,' " Paterno said. "They are coming up here and say, 'Show me.' "
Notes
Not a week goes by without a question about the status of tailback Austin Scott, who sustained an ankle injury in preseason practice and hasn't played in the first two games.
Junior Rodney Kinlaw is second-string behind starter Tony Hunt "until Austin Scott is 100 percent and if he isn't 100 percent pretty quick, we are going to have to decide to redshirt him," Paterno said.
Paterno said he is looking at the bad snaps that have spoiled a couple of field goal attempts over the first couple weeks, "but I am not going to overreact to it."
The coach took the blame for a play in which Notre Dame's Travis Thomas ran 43 yards on a fourth-and-3 at midfield.
"The fourth down when they ran for it was a bad coaching decision," he said.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Two days after a blowout loss to Notre Dame, Penn State coach Joe Paterno gathered his team before practice for a...
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