STATE COLLEGE Better play based on experience that Nittany Lions have
It's only one game, but Penn State's offensive line is feeling more confident.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- If you ask E.Z. Smith, he'll tell you that conditioning has been a factor. Charles Rush says it's attention to detail. Everyone talks about increased confidence.
Whatever is behind it, the fact is that Penn State's offensive line allowed just one sack -- and that one so late it was inconsequential -- in Saturday's 48-10 victory over Akron. Last year, they gave up 19 on the season.
"I think everybody's just made a conscious effort to learn their assignments and just play," Smith said Tuesday. "You can't just put your finger on one thing. I think guys are just playing better with a year of experience, and they're learning the game better."
There might not be one thing, but Rush said a renewed emphasis on fundamentals has helped the line improve in its technical performance.
Explanations
"I think we're paying more attention to details ... head placements and hand placements," Rush said. "Right now, we're paying more attention to that."
What's more, Smith said, the linemen may be in better shape. Andrew Richardson, a converted tight end, put on 30 pounds and won a starting spot.
"If you look across the board, the improvements that everybody on the offensive line has made from last year to this year, everybody is in much better shape," Smith said. "We're a lot stronger, and I think that's one of the key points to our success."
But ask coach Joe Paterno, and he'll say the most important thing is experience. In 2002, the line included four senior starters, and Smith was one of the few underclassmen who got significant game experience. That left last year's line a little green. This year, three starters are back.
"That's the whole thing -- being older and more experienced, stronger and being exposed to different things," Paterno said.
"There's so many things that go on when that ball is snapped that you can't predict. ... So they have to really have a feel for each other," Paterno said. "They come off the football, they have to recognize what the defense is doing, they have to recognize the adjustment that the guy next to them is making. And that only comes with repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition -- and playing."
Blocking is big
Minding the details paid off in other positions, too.
When Tony Hunt ran away for a 77-yard touchdown on Penn State's second play from scrimmage, he had two players to thank: fullback Paul Jefferson, for sealing off a defensive end to open the cutback to the right, and wide receiver Michael Robinson, for a downfield block that opened up the defensive backfield.
"I think it was something that we had talked about after looking again at some of the pathetic efforts we had last year in downfield blocking," Paterno said. "And you can quote me when I say 'pathetic,' because I think some of the efforts were pathetic.
"I think we've got some people now who understand how important downfield blocking is, and the guy who's leading them when he's playing wideout is Michael Robinson. He goes down and knocks people down, and all of a sudden they realize what can be done if you're a wideout."