Royster displays perfect vision

Jeff Rice

EVANSTON, Ill. — Fans watching in Ryan Field and on television knew Evan Royster was going to score as soon as the Penn State tailback broke through the line of scrimmage.

Penn State linebacker Sean Lee, left, makes the stop on Northwestern’s Tim Weak on Saturday. Lee, making his first start since week 2, led the Nittany Lions’ defense with 12 tackles against the Wildcats.

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Royster knew it before the ball was snapped.

The Nittany Lions buried Northwestern 34-13 Saturday with a flurry of big fourth-quarter plays, none bigger than Royster’s 69-yard run on a draw, which accounted for Penn State’s final touchdown.

“I saw the safety come up on that play, and I was just praying that Daryll (Clark) was going to hand me the ball,” Royster said. “It was one of those ones where you can throw it out or hand it off, whichever one he chooses. I knew it was going to open up.”

Penn State’s offensive linemen, who had seen Royster and the rest of the running game mostly stymied up to that point, saw the same thing.

“The way they were playing their safeties in Cover 2, we knew that if we could hit it up the middle, we’d have a big play,” center Stefen Wisniewski said. “We got them all blocked up front, and he went untouched. It was great.”

Wisniewski helped right guard Lou Eliades take Wildcats nose tackle Corbin Bryant out of the play, then flattened middle linebacker Nate Williams. Royster, who had just 48 yards on his other 14 carries, raced to the end zone untouched.

“It was a draw play. … It gives (the offensive linemen) more time to get up to the backers,” Royster said. “I think it was Wis who just slammed their nose across his face. I just went right up behind Wis and then into the next level.”

The Nittany Lions, who also got a 53-yard touchdown pass from Clark to wide receiver Derek Moye in the quarter, wanted to put the Wildcats away after watching them erase a 26-point deficit in a win over Indiana here the previous week.

“If you don’t take care of business, start turning the football over, not capitalizing on opportunities, they start coming back,” Clark said. “And we didn’t want that to happen this time.”

Tied up

The right tackle position had been a revolving door for Penn State earlier this season but senior Ako Poti had solidified the spot in recent weeks. But late in the first quarter, Nerraw McCormack, who had missed the previous three games with an ankle injury, entered the game at right tackle.

The reason? “Poti was having trouble with his shoe,” Penn State coach Joe Paterno

explained. “We didn’t want a delay of game. He was fooling around with his shoe, and I didn’t want to take a timeout.”

Power pack

Short-yardage runs haven’t always been a strength for the Nittany Lions this season. But one of Penn State’s more compact tailbacks looked pretty good on a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Paterno was asked why Brandon Beachum, who scored his first touchdown of the season, was in the game instead of Royster.

“He was fresh,” Paterno said. “Royster had a long day, I don’t know how many carries he had. Beachum’s a bigger back, a 220-pound back.”

Miscellaneous

Jared Odrick’s second-quarter block of Stefan Demos’ 37-yard field goal attempt was Penn State’s first field goal block since Odrick recorded one against Florida International in the 2007 season opener. … Sean Lee, who made his first start since the Temple game, led all players with 12 tackles, including 10 solos. … Clark’s second-quarter rushing touchdown was the 20th of his career, tying him with Michael Robinson for the most all-time by a Penn State quarterback … Paterno, who won his 390th career game Saturday, stayed five wins ahead of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden 386. The Seminoles beat North Carolina State 45-42 on Saturday. … Penn State tailback Stephfon Green missed his second straight game with a right ankle injury. Unlike last week, the sophomore traveled with the team to Illinois but dressed in street clothes for the game. … Walk-on placekicker David Soldner, not true freshman Anthony Fera, made the trip as Collin Wagner’s backup.