Oct. 15, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Nittany Lions head on the road for the first time in Big Ten play on Saturday with a primetime matchup against No. 1 Ohio State.
Leading up to the clash against the Buckeyes, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach John Donovan talked with the media on Thursday to preview the game. Take a look at a Q&A with Coach Donovan.
Q: What couple of areas would you like to see the offense take a step forward in as you enter the second half of the season?
Donovan: "It's a long season. A lot of things happen. We are playing well enough to win a few games in a row here. And we are just worried about this one right here. We need to play well this week. We can't worry about anything else going forward. We have a heck of a challenge on the road against a great defense. It should be a great environment. We need to play sharp. We need to play with poise. We need to be fundamentally sound. That's what we are looking for."
Q: What can you do to help the third down conversion percentage?
Donovan: "I think the biggest thing there is too many third and longs. You have to stay out of those. We need to get ourselves in more third downs that are easier to get. Not too many people (across the country) convert third and longs. We've probably had a couple too many of them, and we need to stay out of those to give ourselves a better chance to convert them."
Q: When Saquon Barkley has been on the field, he has been a very productive player. Are you surprised at the type of impact he's had so quickly?
Donovan: "He's a talented kid. He works at it. It's very important to him. He's very mature, especially for a true freshman. You're always a little surprised when a true freshman can come in and make a big impact, so it's been a nice addition (for the offense)."
Q: What is this week like in terms of getting prepared for the environment that you will step into on Saturday night after playing so many games at home?
Donovan: "It's definitely a little concern because you have the advantages of playing at home. We've got to be great with our communication. We've got to be great with our poise. We've got to be great with our non-verbal communication. We've practiced this week (with noise). We've done it a lot during the offseason. It's been a fairly smooth transition this week."
Q: What makes the Ohio State defense unique?
Donovan: "Everybody's got their own system. They've got very good players, but they've got a very good system. They are fundamentally sound. They are well coached. They don't leave a lot of guys open in coverage. They've got all their gaps covered in the run game. That's the challenge. Not only do they have talent, they are fundamentally sound and they are coached up well. We've got a heck of a challenge this weekend. If we play the way we can and we are locked in, that's all we can ask for."
Q: The turnover numbers have been way down this season. How much of that is how hard the players have worked on that area?
Donovan: "If you can protect the football and get big plays, that's a good formula for success. We talk to them about it all the time. You have to be able to protect the ball. We do drills every day on it. That's the quickest way to get yourself beat. If we can just continue to do that, we will give ourselves a chance every week."
Q: What is the challenge for the wide receivers this week against some pretty physical cornerbacks from Ohio State?
Donovan: "They are physical. They are going to get up and press you. You have got to win your one-on-one battle this week. That's a theme on the outside. The corner is going to be in their face all game long. You know what you're going to get. You are going to have to win at the line of scrimmage. You are going to have to win down the field. You are going to have to make the contested catches. That's going to be key for them and for us in order to make plays, be successful and move the ball. I know they are looking forward to it. They've got a heck of a challenge. They are excited about it. I can't wait to see what happens."
Q: What's the challenge of stopping Joey Bosa?
Donovan: "He's good. He is really good. They do a good job of moving him around so it's hard to get a read on where he is going to be. If a guy is always in one spot, you have an idea, but they have moved him around. You definitely have to be aware of where he is. He has made a lot plays for them. It's going to be a challenge, just like it is for the receivers, it's going to be a challenge for our line, our backs, our tight ends; everybody that has to go up against him. He's a great player."