Nov. 2, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Nittany Lion secondary was tested from start to finish in Saturday's game against Illinois.
And snap after snap, the defensive backs rose to the challenge in a masterful performance by holding the Illini passing attack to 130 yards on 43 attempts. The longest passing play from scrimmage was just 15 yards for Illinois in a 39-0 victory for the Nittany Lions.
"I really thought we did a great job disguising coverages and looks," said head coach James Franklin. "Obviously, our secondary is complemented by our defensive line and how they put pressure on the quarterback. But all three units are really playing well together, and the secondary did a really nice job."
Through nine games, the Nittany Lions are No. 4 in the nation in passing yards allowed per game. Penn State has yielded just 157.9 yards per contest. That mark is second in the Big Ten behind No. 1 Ohio State.
"The mindset never changes," said safety Marcus Allen. "We take things one day at a time. We have taken things one day at a time and one game at a time. This week, we accomplished our goal. Now, we will move on to next week looking to do the same thing."
The Lions have not allowed more than 251 passing yards in a game. Penn State has held five of its nine opponents to 155 or fewer yards through the air this season.
"They covered guys all over the field," said linebacker Jason Cabinda. "And I think (Saturday) we proved how good our secondary can be, as well." The Penn State defense has allowed just six passing touchdowns this season, which is tied for the seventh fewest in the nation.
The Lions head back on the road this week for a noon (ET) kick at Northwestern.
Hackenberg a Model of Consistency During Last Six
Junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg has put together a string of superb outings for the Nittany Lion offense. Through the past six games, the Lions have gone 5-1 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play. The veteran signal-caller is a big piece to Penn State's success.
During the six-game span, Hackenberg has completed 57 percent of his passes while throwing for 235.8 yards per game. Additionally, he has accounted for 15 total touchdowns (12 passing, 2 rushing, 1 receiving) and does not have an interception. As a team, the Nittany Lions are No. 7 in the nation and tied for No. 1 in the Big Ten in fewest interceptions this season (2). The Lions are No. 17 in turnover margin at plus-0.89.
White-Hot Red Zone Offense Continues
Coinciding with Hackenberg's hot play, the Nittany Lions have been outstanding inside the Red Zone during the past six weeks. Penn State has converted 23 of its last 24 trips inside the 20 into points. For the season, the Lions own a 91 percent conversion rate (31-for-34). The Nittany Lions are ranked 14th nationally and third in the Big Ten in red zone offense through nine games this season.
Nassib's Closing in on Sack Record
Senior Carl Nassib is now on the brink of Penn State history after he extended his streak of games with at least one sack to nine on Saturday afternoon. Nassib tallied a sack for a loss of nine yards in Penn State's win against Illinois.
Through nine games, he is leading the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss. Nassib is No. 1 in sacks with 1.6 per game, No. 1 in tackles for loss with 2.1 per game. He is also No. 3 in fumbles forced with 0.6 per game. As a collective unit, the Nittany Lions are No. 1 in the nation with 3.9 sacks per game and No. 4 nationally in tackles for loss with 9.2 per game.
With 14.5 sacks this season, Nassib is now just 0.5 sacks from the Penn State season sack record set by Michael Haynes (2002) and Larry Kubin (1979).
Early Look at Northwestern
Led by head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (6-2, 2-2 Big Ten) returns to action following a bye week. The Wildcats opened the season 5-0 before dropping two-straight to Michigan (38-0) and Iowa (40-10). Northwestern has two wins in Big Ten play, including a 27-0 triumph over Minnesota and a 30-28 victory at Nebraska in the team's last game. A non-conference victory over then-No. 21 Stanford (16-6) highlights the season for the Wildcats, who were in the Associated Press Top 25 for five-straight weeks earlier this season.
Quarterback Clayton Thorson headlines the Northwestern offensive attack. The redshirt freshman has thrown for 1,119 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. Thorson is also effective with his feet, rushing for 297 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore running back Justin Jackson is the team's leading rusher with 731 yards.
Defensively, Northwestern is among the nation's best at defending the pass. The Wildcats are ranked No. 7 in the nation in fewest passing yards allowed (164.8 ypg). Northwestern is No. 17 in total defense, allowing just 310.3 yards per game. The Wildcats are one of just two teams in the nation to allow just one play of 40 or more yards this season.
Penn State and Northwestern will meet for the 18th time on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are 13-4 all-time against the Wildcats and 6-2 in games played at Ryan Field.