PURDUE-PENN ST A TE PREVIEW
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SATURDAY'S OPPONENT THE LAST TIME...
BY GOLD AND BLACK STAFF WORTH NOTING
coached for the New England Patriots from 2007-2011, start- ing out as just an offensive as- sistant, then moving up to re- ceivers coach for a season, then quarterbacks coach and ulti- mately coordinator. During his time in the NFL, O'Brien coached in two Super
R Coach Bill O'Brien
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: McGloin enjoying a storied season • Harrisburg Patriot-News: Nit- tany Lion offense, special teams hoping to bounce back vs. Purdue • Harrisburg Patriot-News: Penn State secondary look- ing for more picks • Centre Daily Times: Penn State couldn't stop Buck- eye running game • Penn State University:
OPPONENT NEWSSTAND
Purdue game notes Blue text are live links to the stories mentioned.
Bowls and was part of an offense that includ- ed former Boilermak- er Matt Light at left tackle for the entirety of the coach's time on
Bill Belichick's staff. R ESPN.com
named O'Brien its midseason coach-of- the-year after Penn State opened Big Ten play 3-0, capping a five-game
Kyle Carter, the Nit- tany Lions'
streak. R Tight end
leading receiver with 35 catches, injured his left ankle at Ohio State. According to reports, he is consid- ered "probable" to play against the Boil- ermakers. Carter is a key
second-
component to a pass- ing offense that incor- porates the tight end more than any other in college football. Lion tight ends
The last time Penn State and Purdue faced one another in Ross-Ade Stadium on Oct. 4, 2008, the Lion defense was dominant, limiting Purdue to just this late fourth-quarter touchdown by Kory Sheets. The Boilermakers had been shut out at home by PSU two years earlier, marking the only blanking the Boilermakers endured during the Joe Tiller Era.
Tom Campbell winning
have combined for 61 catches, more than any other
Date
has yet to allow a single point in first quarters this season. The Nittany Li-
team. R Penn State
ons have outscored opponents 66-0 in
the first quarter. R Penn State
Sept. 1 OHIO
PENN STATE 2012 SCHEDULE Opponent
Sept. 8 at Virginia Sept. 15 NAVY Sept. 22 TEMPLE Sept. 29 at Illinois
Nov. 10 at Nebraska Nov. 17 INDIANA
at Purdue
Result
Oct. 6 NORTHWESTERN W, 39-28 Oct. 20 at Iowa
L, 14-24 L, 16-17 W, 34-7 W, 24-13 W, 35-7
Oct. 27 OHIO STATE Nov. 3
Nov. 24 WISCONSIN
kicker Sam Ficken, a Valparaiso native, is the cousin of former Purdue basketball standout Robbie Hummel. Punter Alex
Butterworth is from Indianapolis. His grandfather, Duff McKenzie, played baseball at Purdue; his uncle, John McKenzie, played football for the Boilermakers.
ber of touchdowns
CRUNCHING 5: The num-
NUMBER
W, 38-14 L, 23-35 — — — —
quarterback Matt McGloin needs to throw the remainder of the season to match Zack Mills' Penn State career record of 43. This weekend will be just
the former walk-on's 19th career start.
returned fumbles for touch- downs in games Penn State won easily anyway; Ohio State returned an interception for a score, breaking a close game and turning the tide in the Buckeyes' favor. j
two touchdowns in six of Penn State's eight games this season. 3: The number of consecutive games in which Penn State oppo- nents have scored on defense. Northwestern and Iowa
McGloin has thrown at least GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 23, EXPRESS 9 • 9
