I’m usually never one to say I told you so. However, Nittany Nation, I told you so.
Actually, I thought it would be worse. But let’s call it like we see it — Alabama’s 24-3 destruction of Penn State on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa was embarrassing. The Nittany Lions brought a knife to a gunfight and found themselves in a 17-0 hole at the half.
In today’s edition of Morelli OnLion, we’ll take a look back at the disappointing loss with our weekly feature, the Two-Minute Drill. We’ll also look ahead to Kent State and have our No. 1 Moment of the Year in Penn State athletics.
Let’s start with the debacle in Tuscaloosa.
Trampled in Tuscaloosa
All week long leading up to the showdown with No. 1 Alabama, Nittany Nation whispered that the Lions — a double-digit underdog — wasn’t getting any respect. Well, it became quite clear why the Nittany Lions weren’t getting any respect.
They didn’t deserve it.
Don’t let the 24-3 final fool you — Penn State was never in this game. Truth be told, the Nittany Lions aren’t in the same league as the No. 1 Crimson Tide. The fact of the matter of is that Penn State isn’t in that upper echelon of teams anymore. Whether they’re playing Alabama, USC or Ohio State, Penn State simply cannot compete with the top teams in the nation. Home. Away. Bowl game. It doesn’t matter.
Saturday’s loss falls squarely on the shoulders of their iconic coach. Clearly, he didn’t have his team focused or ready for their biggest game of the year. Too many mental mistakes. Too many physical mistakes. The list goes on and on.
It’s clear to this writer that Joe Paterno doesn’t have that fire in his belly anymore. Until he retires, Penn State will be stuck in that second tier of teams on the national landscape.
Two-Minute Drill: Alabama
Game ball to … Trent Richardson
Alabama’s running back didn’t look like a second-stringer as he sliced and diced the Penn State defense to the tune of 144 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. He made the Lions whiff on several would-be tackles on his way to a monster night down South.
What Was He Thinking? … Joe Paterno
Can someone please explain why coach Paterno sent Collin Wagner onto the field for a 36-yard field goal with under 10 minutes to play in the game? The Lions were trailing 24-0 at that point and a field goal did nothing. As far fetched as it sounds, the Lions were three TDs away from tying the game. Go for the touchdown, coach.
Numerology … 32
For the second consecutive week, Evan Royster was held under 100 yards. It’s been a disappointing start for the senior running back, who has taken himself right out of the Heisman conversation. He will have to figure things out quickly. We’re guessing he will against Kent State.
Play of the Game … We’ll go with the first score of the day, Greg McElroy’s 36-yard touchdown strike to Kevin Norwood, who made his first career reception a big one. It gave the Crimson Tide a 7-0 lead and they never looked back.
The Countdown
5. JoePa — The coach looked disinterested as he watched his team self destruct over and over again.
4. Greg McElroy — The Bama QB didn’t play a perfect game, but was darn close. He finished the day completing 16-of-24 for 229 yards and two TDs. He wasn’t Mark Sanchez, but he did dissect the Lions.
3. Rob Bolden — Penn State’s true freshman QB struggled, throwing a pair of interceptions. He didn’t play a horrible game, but is still very much a work in progress.
2. Trent Richardson — He was the difference in the game, as he made cole slaw of the Nittany Lion defense. It’s hard to imagine that he’s a back up to Mark Ingram.
1. Nick Saban — Unlike Paterno, Saban had his team ready to go. It’s hard to imagine that the Crimson Tide won’t be playing for another national championship come January.
Next Up … Kent State
Penn State will face off against the Golden Flash (1-1) at noon on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. It’s a good bounce-back game for the Lions, who have a couple of cupcakes to digest before the conference slate begins.
Looking Ahead: Kent State
Like Youngstown State, Kent State should be no trouble for the Nittany Lions. It will be interesting to see how the crowd responds since the Lions have a loss so early in the season. Look for Royster to finally break out and Bolden to continue to grow in this one.
Gantdaily.com prediction: Penn State 38, Kent State 10.
Moment of the Year: No. 1
Coach Russ Rose and his Nittany Lion women’s volleyball team made NCAA history in December by becoming the first team to win three consecutive national titles. No. 1 Penn State had to come from behind against No. 2 Texas, rallying from an 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 (22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13). The win gave Rose 1,001 victories for his career. Penn State has now won 102 consecutive matches, an NCAA Division I record for any woman’s sport. The Nittany Lions’ last loss came on Sept. 15, 2007, 3-2, against Stanford. In addition to the titles Penn State won in 2009-08-07, the Nittany Lions won a championship in 1999. Penn State was led by senior outside hitter Megan Hodge, just the fifth player in Division I history to be named firstteam All-American four years in a row. She was also named AVCA National Player of the Year, the second consecutive Nittany Lion to earn the award.
Chris Morelli is an award-winning writer/editor who lives in Centre County and covers Penn State athletics. He is also a regular on “Sports Central,” which airs on ESPN Radio in Altoona and State College. E-mail him at morellionlion@gmail.com. Also, be sure to check out Morelli OnLion on Facebook!