Penn State Scouting Report

December 31, 2008|by Bernard Fernandez

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Penn State: Senior placekicker Kevin Kelly nailed 19 of 23 field goals to run his career total to 77 of 106. Punter Jeremy Boone finished second in the Big Ten with a 42.5-yard average. Derrick Williams can instantly change a game's momentum. He ran back two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this season, boosting his total to five, most among PSU players in the Joe Paterno era.

USC: David Buehler was first team All-Pac 10 as the placekicker, but he was only 8 of 12 on field goals because the Trojans seldom had to settle for three points. Buehler's strength is his ability to produce touchbacks on kickoffs, or to pin opponents inside their 20-yard line.

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Advantage: Penn State

THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

1. More fundamental football, fewer gadget plays by Penn State. The Nittany Lions' game plan usually calls for a bit of trickery - reverses, double-reverses, flanker option passes - but even if you get USC to initially bite on that sort of thing, the Trojans have athletes with the sort of speed to recover quickly and blow the play up.

2. Sacks will be at a premium. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez isn't likely to take off running, by design or otherwise, but he's mobile enough to buy time by stepping up or back in the pocket, or side to side.

3. Special teams could prove especially important. All other things being equal, a big special-teams play - a long return, a blocked field goal, a punt being downed inside the 5-yard line - can shift momentum in a hurry.

THE WEATHER

The forecast for Pasadena on Thursday is sunny with a high of 72 degrees.

FERNANDEZ' PREDICTION

USC 24, Penn State 17

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