What to watch for in Penn State's game against Northwestern

Friday, 05 October 2012 10:21

Written by Mark Dent

Here a few details I'm curious to see when Penn State plays Northwestern tomorrow.

1. Who gets the most carries at running back - Last week, Zach Zwinak led the group, rushing for 100 yards. Bill Belton, back from an injury, had the second-most carries and ran for 65 yards. Coach Bill O'Brien has maintained that he will keep a running back by committee approach and use the running back du jour most often. I'd also like to see what happens with Mike Zordich. He carried the ball once last week. O'Brien said Zordich was still a little banged up, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had just fallen in the rotation. Personally, I think Penn State is better off using Zwinak and Zordich more than the others. The power running game has been effective for Penn State the last two weeks so why not continue to go with it. 

2. Pete Massaro's return - Pete Massaro should play on Saturday. That's what Bill O'Brien said earlier this week. You have to feel for the defensive end, who had a knee injury that has bothered him all season and then a shoulder injury on top of it that has kept him out of the last three games. If Massaro does return, I wonder how much playing time he will get. Freshman Deion Barnes has proven an apt replacement, leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss. 

3. Third downs - Penn State has been much improved on third downs, as I noted in a blog post earlier this week. The Nittany Lions have allowed a 26 percent conversion rate for their opponents in the last three games after allowing 61 percent the first two games. Northwestern is a much, much better offensive team than Temple, Navy or Illinois. This will be a real challenge. The good news is that the Wildcats run the ball more than they pass it, and the passing defense is what has killed Penn State on third downs. 

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