Penn State run defense searching for answers

By foxsports
Published

While beating Penn State 23-21 on Saturday, Northwestern seemed to demoralize the Nittany Lions late with its running game. 

After it was over, head coach James Franklin credited the work done by the Wildcats coaching staff, which had to adjust following the loss of quarterback Clayton Thorson to injury. 

“We’ve been really good against the run for a long time -- We were not today," Franklin told reporters in Evanston. "I think they were doing a bunch of 'look-look' things to the sideline, finding out what we were lined up in defensively, and then checking the play." 

Every defensive scheme has weak points, and coach Pat Fitzgerald's team was able to identify them and exploit them with their blocking schemes and talented running back Justin Jackson, who totaled 188 yards on the ground. 

He was still finding holes late in the fourth quarter as the Wildcats drove for the eventual game-winning field goal. 

"(Northwestern was) running into looks that they anticipated and could see," Franklin said. "We’re going to have to watch the film and look at that." 

(H/T Centre Daily Times)