STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -At first glance, Penn State’s 136 rushing yards on 30 carries in last week’s season opener doesn’t look that bad.
Although the rebuilt offensive line did a solid job in pass protection, the run-blocking has coach Joe Paterno worried heading into Saturday’s game against Syracuse.
“We got a lot of work to do with our running game. That was obvious,” said Paterno this week in response to a question about two new line starters, guard Matt Stankiewitch and tackle DeOn’tae Pannell. “I’m reluctant to be so critical. We got to be better, more consistent.”
Much of the attention coming into this season was on how star quarterback Daryll Clark would mesh with his new set of receivers, and whether the line in which the two returnees were put in different positions could keep Clark untouched in the pocket.
Turns out the passing game did just fine, with the Nittany Lions (1-0) building a 31-0 halftime lead.
4 carries, a paltry sum for a junior tailback with the skills and potential to skip his senior season for the NFL.
The offensive line didn’t spring Royster or his fellow backs often to make moves in the open against Akron, a middle-of-the-pack Mid-American Conference squad. The Ohio State and Iowa defenses don’t figure to be as forgiving with No. 7 Penn State.
Royster offered a diplomatic assessment.
“I definitely don’t look it as a disappointment,” Royster said. “Just one more block, and we’re out of the gates.”
The Orange (0-1) have one very big obstacle on their defensive line – 6-foot-4 tackle Arthur Jones, whose 32.5 career tackles for a loss rank sixth in school history. Paterno called Syracuse’s defensive scheme “very aggressive.”
It will be up to junior center Stefen Wisniewski and guards Stankiewitch and Lou Eliades, to open interior lanes for Royster.
“We just have work with double teams, getting him out of the play, clearing the hole and getting the fullback to get to the next level to clear the linebackers,” Clark said.
Paterno, in his 44th year as the lead Nittany Lion, will be watching especially closely as this is the time of the season when he abides by an old coaching mantra.
“You’ve got to build on that first game. And I’ve always felt that way, that we’ll find out how good a team we’re going to be by how much we improve this week.”
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