STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -It’s not often Bob Spoo faces an opposing coach who has been on the sideline as long as his 22 years at Eastern Illinois.
He’ll be the youngster on Saturday when his Panthers visit Beaver Stadium.
Joe Paterno, Penn State’s iconic 44-year coaching veteran, and his No. 14 Nittany Lions welcome lower-division Eastern Illinois this weekend in a nonconference matchup that has all the makings of a blowout.
“You realize you’re going to have to play almost a flawless game,” Spoo said, “but there’s that ray of hope.”
Maybe a dim one.
e Illini.
About 50 miles south of Champaign in Charleston, Ill., Football Championship Subdivision school Eastern Illinois (4-1) lost 36-31 at home to Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Kentucky, which accumulated 416 yards and 25 first downs.
The talent gap between the Panthers and Nittany Lions might be as wide as the Ohio Valley.
Penn State’s roster is stocked with top high school recruits and potential pro prospects. Eastern Illinois’ most notable player is quarterback Jake Christensen, who transferred from Iowa after losing his starting job to Ricky Stanzi.
“They’re going to be bigger than we are and probably faster than we are at every position, but it’s been done before and there’s no reason we can’t do it,” Christensen said about pulling off a huge upset.
Paterno scoffed at a question this week that termed Saturday’s contest as a “Big Ten bye week” for the Nittany Lions.
“Well, I don’t know what you mean by an opponent such as an Eastern Illinois,” Paterno said. “When you get a solid, sound coaching staff, as they have at Eastern Illinois, they’re tough. So I get a little bit annoyed with that attitude.”
Penn State’s banged-up team could have used a breather, though. The Nittany Lions are tending to a number of injuries, most notably a left knee sprain which will keep top linebacker Sean Lee out a third straight week.
solidify the offensive line last week in his first start, was considered by Paterno to be doubtful for Saturday after injuring his right ankle.
“So, I would have preferred we had an open date for a lot of reasons, not one of which is the fact that we’re playing Eastern Illinois,” Paterno said.
Still, if things go as expected, the Nittany Lions should have a comfortable lead by halftime, which would give Paterno the opportunity to rest starters and get backups valuable experience.
Touted second-string quarterback Kevin Newsome might be the biggest beneficiary. The true freshman and heir apparent to star Daryll Clark hasn’t seen the field much, though Clark is encouraging him to stay sharp in practice.
“You always have to prepare and have the mindset that you are the starter with the football team,” Clark said.
What Newsome has never done, though, is start a game at massive Beaver Stadium, with more than 100,000 fans watching his every move – an experience Christensen and kicker Austin Signor both had when, as Iowa Hawkeyes, they visited Happy Valley in 2007.
It wasn’t a memorable experience for Christensen, who threw for 149 yards and one touchdown but was sacked five times during a 27-7 loss.
At least he shouldn’t be shellshocked in his second visit, unlike some of his teammates. Eastern Illinois’ home of O’Brien Field seats about 10,000.
“They’ve never really seen anything like it,” said Christensen, who has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 1,090 yards this season. “It’s OK to be awestruck at first, but at the end of the day they put their pants on the same way we do.”
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