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Tuesday, September 10, 2002

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley did not have a lot statistical success during his first two seasons on the job. His defense ranked last in the Big Ten Conference against the rush, ninth in pass defense and 10th in total defense last year after mediocre rankings in 2000.

	Penn State linebacker LaMar Stewart will be one of the keys to stopping Nebraska's option attack Saturday. (Lake Fong, Post-Gazette)

One thing Bradley's units have done well, though, is defend against the option. While Antwaan Randle El and Indiana's offense ran up and down the field on most Big Ten opponents the past two seasons, Penn State's defense bottled him up.

In two games against the Nittany Lions, Randle El and Indiana's option attack did minimal damage. In Penn State's 28-14 victory last season at University Park, the Nittany Lions held the Hoosiers to their lowest point total of the season, despite giving up 523 yards. Indiana had scored 56 and 37 points the previous two weeks against Northwestern and Michigan State. The Hoosiers finished the season first in the Big Ten in rushing and averaged almost 28 points per game.

In 2000, the Lions held the Hoosiers to 24 points and 316 total yards in a 27-24 victory in Indianapolis. That Indiana team also led the Big Ten in rushing and averaged 30.6 points per game.

Penn State will face another option team Saturday night when No. 8 Nebraska visits Beaver Stadium for a nationally televised game on ABC. Bradley said there are similarities between Indiana and Nebraska, but the Cornhuskers have a stronger offensive line and can attack a defense with a variety of plays, including traps, belly option and speed option.

"The speed is very similar to Indiana," Bradley said. "The great offensive line of Nebraska, that's a difference. They're big and strong, and they knock you off the football more than Indiana. Their [running backs are] strong, much more shoulders square runners, getting up the field.

"Randle El and Indiana didn't do as many different things, and their passing attacks are very different. Randle El would throw more, while Nebraska is going to run the ball downfield. And Nebraska has more different options. They have different ways to attack on runs."

After struggling in its first two games against Arizona State and Troy State, the Cornhuskers seemed to find their stride on offense against Utah State last week. They had 418 total yards, including 288 on the ground, and raced to a 30 -point halftime lead before putting it on cruise control in the second half of a 44-13 victory.

The Cornhuskers had relied on their defense and special teams to win their first two games.

"They looked good," Bradley said of the Utah State game.

Penn State's defense should provide a more formidable challenge than any of Nebraska's first three opponents. Penn State's strength is its defensive front four of Michael Haynes, Jimmy Kennedy, Anthony Adams and John Bronson. Its weakness is a porous pass defense that allowed Central Florida 345 yards through the air in the opener Aug. 31.

Nebraska is not a strong passing team. The Cornhuskers are averaging 256.7 yards rushing per game; 92.3 yards passing. Quarterback Jammal Lord is 19 for 40 for 252 yards and three touchdowns in three games. He leads the team in rushing with 254 yards and three touchdowns. The running attack has been weakened by the absence of running back Thunder Collins, who is serving a suspension for violating NCAA rules. Dahrran Diedrick is second on the team in rushing with 235 yards.

"I see Nebraska obviously as a running team," outside linebacker LaMar Stewart said. "That's what we like to do: stop the run. We're coming in with another perspective. I think we feel a lot more comfortable because that's what we like to do."

Defensive ends Haynes and Bronson and the play of outside linebackers Stewart and Derek Wake and the safeties will be particularly important. They will be responsible for containing the quarterback and option backs. It will be up to Kennedy and Adams to stop the fullback up the middle.

"There are two things we have to do to win this game," Bradley said. "We have to be assignment conscious and we have to tackle well. When you play against an option team, you have to know what your responsibilities are."

One thing Bradley is wary of that hasn't been evident in Nebraska's first three games is the gadget play. Against the first three inferior opponents, Coach Frank Solich didn't dip into his bag of tricks for a big play because he didn't have to in order to win the game.

Bradley points to the Oklahoma game last season when quarterback Eric Crouch caught a touchdown pass off a reverse for a tide-turning score, and he expects Solich to try one against the Lions' young secondary.

"I think they're saving them all up for us," Bradley said. "I've seen them run a triple-reverse pass. They always have a new wrinkle. You never know what you're going to get. They do some really neat things."

NOTES -- Nebraska is 1-6 in road games against ranked opponents during Solich's four seasons at the helm. The lone victory came at Notre Dame two years ago. Penn State is ranked 25th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll but is unranked in the Associated Press poll. ... Tyler Reed, a redshirt freshman from Thomas Jefferson, has been promoted to backup right guard behind starter Tyler Lenda.