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closeUNIVERSITY PARK — A new sign in the Penn State student section materialized since the Nittany Lions last played at home three weeks ago. It read, CLARK 4 HEISMAN.
CDT/Nabil K. Mark
Brandon Saine scores a touchdown in the second half as Stephon Morris (12) and Nick Sukay (18) are late with the tackle. Penn State lost to Ohio State 24-7 November 7, 2009. CDT/Nabil K. Mark
Quarterback Daryll Clark had even earned some support for college football’s greatest individual prize outside of Beaver Stadium over the last month, in which he was nearly flawless in leading Penn State to five straight victories.
There will be no further campaigning for Clark. Ohio State’s defense made sure of it.
More specifically, the Buckeyes’ defensive line made sure of it.
The front four of Cameron Heyward, Thaddeus Gibson, Doug Worthington and Lawrence Wilson continually pressured Clark and stopped running back Evan Royster dead in his tracks in Ohio State’s 24-7 victory over Penn State on Saturday.
The foursome undressed the Nittany Lion offense much the same way Iowa did in its victory here.
Clark went 12 of 28 through the air with no touchdowns and an interception while Royster managed just 36 yards on 13 carries.
Penn State was limited to mere 201 yards of total offense.
“They have a great offensive line, great quarterback and great tailback,” Heyward said. “But I thought we had a great defense as well. We just wanted to go out and play our best. That’s what we did.”
Heyward led the way with a team-high 11 tackles, including two sacks and three tackles that accumulated 17 yards in lost yardage. He set the tone with a sack of Clark on Penn State’s first offensive play and pressured the QB two plays later, leading to a Nittany Lion punt.
“It seemed like every time I looked around, Cam was bull rushing over a guy, using his brute strength,” linebacker Austin Spitler said. “It was unbelievable to see these guys. We have a great defensive line. Everybody is aware of that and they played lights out tonight.”
Heyward had been a disrupting force for the Buckeyes but he only came into Saturday with 25 tackles and three sacks.
“When one of us gets double teamed, the other one is going to wreak havoc,” Worthington said. “I think that’s what happened with Cameron today. He did a great job getting off blocks and just being disruptive.”
Even when Heyward wasn’t make tackles, he was causing trouble. He blitzed by guard Johnnie Troutman in the third quarter, causing a Troutman hold and negating a much needed Nittany Lion first down.
Penn State amassed a mere nine first downs. Its first one didn’t come until the 1:07 mark of the first quarter. It went over 21 minutes in the second half without one.
In all, the Nittany Lions had seven three-and-outs. Then again, Ohio State leads the country in forcing them.
“Defensively,” coach Jim Tressel said. “they were going to have a tough time moving it on us. No question about it.”
Gibson turned in six tackles, and one for a loss that was significant. He stuffed Royster in the backfield for a two-yard loss on third-and-1 late in the third quarter after Ohio State had taken a 17-7 lead.
In a contest in which defense reigned supreme, every yard was pivotal.
“Going into the second half we said, ‘They can’t score,’” Heyward recalled. “If they don’t score we win. That’s what we did.”
That makes three straight games in which the Buckeyes haven’t allowed more than a touchdown.
“We always talk about that in order to be successful, we have to outplay their defense,” Spitler said, “Obviously, we did that.”
As is customary with Ohio State, it was made possible by the brutes on the line.
“It starts up front,” Worthington said. “That’s what we preach.”
In Print
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