Illini worry about Nittany Lions'
bite
Illinois-PSU matchup not usually positive
for Illinois
Watha Suteesopon
The Daily Illini file photo |
| Illinois' Kurt Kittner loses the ball as he
is nailed from behind by Penn State's David Fleischhauer (95)
and Courtney Brown, at last year's matchup on Oct. 30. Illinois
has been beaten by Penn State by an average of 27 points in
previous matchups. |
Illinois' memories of playing Penn State
have been more nightmarish than fond.
Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? Remember PSU quarterback
Rashard Casey's spin-o-ramic TD shuffle last season? How about linebacker
LaVar Arrington's crushing, mid-air tackle on Illini fullback Elmer
Hickman in 1998?
To say it's been ugly in the teams' past three meetings is an understatement.
Penn State has shellacked Illinois by an average of 27 points, including
a 41-6 squash three years ago.
"They're a great football team, and we haven't played very good games
against them," junior quarterback Kurt Kittner said of PSU, which
is 8-1 all time against Illinois.
Illinois has yet to defeat Penn State during the tenure of fourth-year
coach Ron Turner, but it looks to end that streak Saturday when it
travels to Happy Valley.
Penn State is one of five teams that Illinois seniors have yet to
upend while with the program. Michigan State, Minnesota, as well as
Purdue and Wisconsin, who are off the Illinois docket this season,
are the other four.
"I know some of us upperclassmen have talked about how that's a team
we haven't beaten. A few times they beat us rather badly," senior
defensive end Fred Wakefield said. "We feel like we're playing a lot
better now, so it's a win we want to get."
And if there is a time to topple Penn State, it's this season.
Joe Paterno's boys are off to a 2-5 start, their worst since 1936.
Nonetheless, Illinois is very cautious of Penn State, which has shown
it can step up and bite a team, as it did in its 22-20 win against
Purdue on Sept. 30.
"You really can't look at records because that's how people get upset,"
junior tailback Rocky Harvey said. "They're going to have the mindset
to pretty much destroy us."
"I'm not even looking at their record. I'm looking at tape and I see
a very, very good football team," Turner said. "I see a football team
you expect from Penn State."
But the Nittany Lions have been far from their dominant selves this
season.
On top of the loss of three defensive standouts to the NFL, including
top-five draft picks Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington, the team
has had its share of ups and downs this season.
Paterno had to deal with the off-the-field troubles of his starting
quarterback, senior Rashard Casey, who was accused of assaulting a
police officer in the off-season.
Once the season began, the team got off to an 0-2 start, the first
time that has happened since 1990. The team rebounded with wins in
two of its next four games, before Minnesota dealt it a 25-16 loss
Oct. 7.
But, Penn State has yet to lose to Illinois at home and Joe Paterno
has never dropped a game to the Illini (6-0 all-time).
Add the fact that Penn State has its Homecoming this Saturday after
a bye week, and what you have is an interesting matchup.
"I know they're a great football team, I know they'll be ready to
play," Kittner said. "I know they'll be fired up — it's Homecoming
at their place and it's just a hard place to play in ... we have to
be ready to go in there and play in a hostile environment."
And Penn State's Beaver Stadium is one of the toughest places to play
in the country. PSU has won more than 81 percent (191-44) of its games
at the 93,000-plus seat facility, which has been sold out for all
but one of its last 135 games.
A sellout is expected this weekend as well.
"It's just going into another stadium with a huge crowd and being
able to play. They have a great tradition there and fans will show
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