PENN STATE FOOTBALL Posluszny looks forward to play against the run-oriented Badgers

The Nittany Lions take on Wisconsin in a big game Saturday.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Paul Posluszny is ready to get physical.
He and his Penn State teammates have faced -- and beaten -- pass-happy opponents the last two weeks in Illinois and Purdue. Posluszny is happy with the victories, but Penn State's lunch-pail linebacker is looking forward to playing against a more run-oriented team.
No. 14 Wisconsin (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday and more than likely will give No. 10 Penn State (8-1, 5-1) a healthy dose of tailback Brian Calhoun, whose 135 yards a game is fifth-best in Division I-A.
"This is going to be real exciting for us," said Posluszny, who has a team-leading 94 tackles, but just 10 over the past two weeks. "The past couple games, I haven't had a chance to get a lot of work. We know what we are going to get [on Saturday.] It's going to be physical up front."
Stopping Calhoun
Containing Calhoun won't be easy. Last week, the Wisconsin junior ran for 197 yards and five touchdowns on 35 carries against Illinois.
There's a lot at stake at this week -- Wisconsin and Penn State are the surprise co-leaders atop the Big Ten standings and the winner on Saturday gains an advantage in the race for the conference's BCS bid.
"If he runs for 150 or 160 yards, it will be a long day," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said.
Calhoun, a Milwaukee-area native, had to sit out last season after transferring from Colorado. Like any good running back, he is quick to credit his blockers for his success.
"At this point in time, I didn't know that I would put up the yardage that I have been," Calhoun said.
He's got a tough assignment on Saturday against Penn State, which gives up just 104 rushing yards a game, the 12th-stingiest run defense in the country.
Tough against run
Penn State has been especially tough against the run at home. Most notably, Minnesota's Laurence Maroney was held to 16 carries and 48 yards last month, which was 126 below his Division I-A leading average at the time coming into the game.
Penn State will likely need good defensive line play if they are going to shut down Calhoun.
"Our defensive line, in the majority of games, they've been able to control the line of scrimmage," Posluszny said. "Anytime they are doing the things they are doing, it's a lot easier to stop the run."
That's because the back seven can come in and help stop runners whose blockers might be occupied by linemen, said Penn State safety Chris Harrell. "We want to make him run up field toward our linebackers," he said.
Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez knows how disruptive Penn State's defense can be.
Very physical
"They're very physical. They come off the edge. The two guys inside are active," Alvarez said. "One of the better linebacking groups that I've seen; their front seven is particularly good."
Once in the open field, Calhoun can burn opponents with his speed. He also said he's getting better about letting running lanes develop.
"Now I'm a lot more patient, I can read things a lot better and when I see a hole I just go through it," he said.
Paterno worries about the elusive Calhoun in the passing game, too. Two weeks ago against Purdue, Calhoun was held to 62 yards on 20 carries, but had two touchdown catches including a 40-yard score in which he took a pass over the middle, faked a safety at the 15 and outraced three defensive backs into the end zone.
"We have to change up. You can't do one thing," Paterno said. "You have to tackle him when you get a shot at him. If we miss some tackles, he is gone. He is going right out into the tunnel."