Home >  Sports >  Penn State

Eight turnovers highlight annual Blue-White Game

Sunday, April 21, 2002

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Mr. McFeely attended the Blue-White Game yesterday afternoon at Beaver Stadium to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of American public television, which was born out of a conference held April 20, 1952, at the Nittany Lion Inn.

	Penn State wide receiver Alan Zemaitis (21) tries to make a catch against cornerback Kinta Palmer yesterday. (Pat Little, Associated Press)

Before the game, the well-known character from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood apparently made a very special delivery to Penn State Coach Joe Paterno. He was the courier of some much-needed turnovers.

Paterno's much-maligned defense stole the show at the annual spring scrimmage, creating eight turnovers and playing solid for most of the day. The Blue team won, 35-11, before an estimated 30,000 fans.

Before the game, Paterno bemoaned the fact that his defense hadn't created enough turnovers last season. The Lions forced a Big Ten Conference-low 12 turnovers last season, six interceptions and six fumbles. Purdue led the league with 40 forced turnovers. No other team had less than 19.

Paterno spent a good portion of the spring emphasizing turnovers. He implored his defensive backs to take more chances and play more aggressively.

Yesterday, for what it was worth, the work paid some dividends.

	More on Penn State: Notebook Finding starting slot no snap for Marmo

"We've been emphasizing turnovers and big hits," said senior safety Shawn Mayer, who recovered a fumble for the Blue team. "Coach Paterno has been getting on us about going after the ball, not playing soft.

"We've been doing fumble drills, stripping drills, running through things to get to the ball. These are things that weren't emphasized as much in the past. Hopefully, it'll pay off. We have to go for the ball, take chances for the ball once in a while instead of just playing it safe."

Sophomore safety Chris Harrell, who was moved from cornerback earlier this spring, had two interceptions yesterday. He is a candidate to play for Yaacov Yisrael the first five games of the season while Yisrael serves a suspension for his drunken-driving arrest.

"I see a lot of good things," Harrell said. "I see us making a lot more plays. Coach Paterno took all of the defensive backs aside before spring practice started and told us about how we were going to emphasize going after the ball instead of playing the man. We want to be more aggressive because plays like that can change a game."

One relatively meaningless spring game might not change Paterno's outlook. The Penn State defense was below average for a second consecutive season last year. The defense, besieged by injuries to a number of players last fall, struggled all year and finished last in the league in rush defense (206.2 yards per game), 10th in total defense (443.6) and ninth in pass defense (237.5).

Paterno expressed concern about his defense before the game, indicating he was more comfortable with his offense, which returns experience and skill at almost every position.

"We have to come up with the football more," Paterno said. "We had very few turnovers last season. We should be better on offense. We have more experienced kids who can make plays. The defense. ... I'm not really sure yet."

After the game, Paterno might have been wondering about some of his young offensive players.

Penn State's young quarterbacks struggled in their first quasi-game competition. Redshirt freshman Michael Robinson was 10 for 33 for 80 yards, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

Chris Ganter, also a redshirt freshman, was 10 for 19 for 77 yards and threw three interceptions. He did throw two touchdown passes.

Robinson has emerged as the likely backup for incumbent starter Zack Mills, who was 12 for 15 for 113 yards and threw an interception yesterday.

Andrew Richardson (North Hills) and Ernie Terrell caught touchdown passes for the Blue team. Mike Gasparato, Munya Maraire and Reginald Walker ran for Blue scores.

Defensive tackle Anthony Adams accounted for the only White touchdown when he lined up in the backfield and plunged in from 1 yard out, a la Refrigerator Perry. Robbie Gould also kicked a 48-yard field goal for the White team.

The leading rusher in the game was walk-on Aric Heffelfinger, who had 92 yards on five carries. Junior fullback Sean McHugh showed no ill effects from the broken leg that ended his season last year. He caught eight passes for 58 yards and carried the ball five times for 12 yards.