It’s true that Ohio State has played a weak schedule and failed to dominate it. It had 10 straight three-and-outs vs. Akron, for example. It’s true that the Buckeyes’ ascent to the top of the BCS has had more to do with others slipping than with Buckeye brilliance.
But that’s no slight to Ohio State; it’s a testament to the solidity of its program. The season after graduating a Heisman Trophy-winning QB and being embarrassed in the BCS championship game, the Buckeyes are taking care of business a little better than anyone else.
Ohio State has the biggest athletic budget and the best facilities. It recruits as well as anybody. There’s nothing spectacular about the team that comes to Happy Valley Saturday, but there’s nothing, anywhere, that’s really wrong with it.
“They have a good player everywhere and they coach the heck out of them,” JoePa observed at today’s teleconference.
“We just have to go play. We’ll find out some things about ourselves. I know Ohio State’s good. We have to find out how good we are.”
When Joe got more specific he got more encouragaing, from the Penn State point of view. The conservative, close-to-the-vest tact Joe has often taken in big games absolutely will not fly here, and it sounds like he gets that.
“You’re sure not gonna take the football and run it down their throats,” he said. “You have to change some things up, make adjustments as you go along.”
How much is on Anthony Morelli?
“A lot. He can’t carry us, but he’s got to do certain things at a certain time and we’ve got to give him protection to do it. He’s gotten himself into a position now where he can do it, and I think he will.”
The Nittany Lions have been fairly fortunate in terms of injuries until the last 10 days or so. In that period DE Jerome Hayes, DT Jared Odrick and FB Matt Hahn have all been lost for the year.
Hahn will be replaced by Dan Lawlor, a redshirt junior from Cumberland Valley. Odrick started and Hayes didn’t but both played a lot.
Expect to see more of Abe Koroma, the Milton Hershey product, but really it’ll be the same D-line rotation minus a couple stalwarts.
“[Phil] Taylor, [Chris] Baker, [Ollie] Ogbu, [Tom] McEowen will have to start playing, Koroma… I think we’re gonna be OK inside. It’s just that Odrick was on the verge of being one of the better players around. So was Hayes.
“Other kids are going to have to step in there and go. We have bodies. They have ability, but they don’t have experience. Unfortunately, they’ll be going against one of the best offensive lines around.”
The other major injury is to OL Mike Lucian, a starter until last week. Paterno said Lucian would not play Saturday. Senior John Shaw and true freshman Stefan Wisniewski
