The Nittany Line: Wolverines' Manningham will challenge Nits' King
FOOTBALL IS a team game, of course, with 11 players on offense trying to mesh more cohesively, more effectively than the 11 players on defense who are attempting to do the same thing. The team whose units - and let's not forget special-teams play - win a majority of those collective battles usually wins.
But the success or failure of any given snap often hinges on individual matchups. And that fact of life could be very apparent tomorrow, when No. 10 Penn State (3-0) is in Ann Arbor, Mich., for its Big Ten opener against unranked but dangerous Michigan (1-2), the conference's preseason favorite.
Highlighted duels pit the Wolverines' big-play wide receiver, Mario Manningham, against Penn State's lockdown corner, Justin King, and Michigan's massive All-America left tackle, Jake Long, against the Nittany Lions' quick but inexperienced and undersized right defensive ends, Maurice Evans and Aaron Maybin.
If Manningham shakes free of King as often as Buffalo's wide receivers did in Penn State's more-difficult-than-expected 45-24 victory last week, it might not really matter if hobbled senior Chad Henne or true freshman Ryan Mallett is the one throwing the passes.
King, a junior who has one interception this season, has been candid about the likelihood that he will at least investigate the possibility of coming out for the NFL draft after this season. That is to be expected of a player who, if he plays up to his potential, could wind up being some team's first-round selection.
Most college opponents choose not to challenge King, but Buffalo, which wound up with 339 passing yards, often went right at him, with surprising success.
More so than most players, cornerbacks live on an island, exposed for all to see when they're beaten. That's not a good thing when Michigan is sending not only Manningham - who scored the winning touchdown on the game's final play as the Wolverines escaped, 27-25, in Penn State's most recent visit to the Big House in 2005 - out on pass routes, but such experienced and capable receivers as Adrian Arrington and Greg Mathews. It's Manningham vs. King, however, that is the marquee showdown.
"He presents quite a challenge," King said of Manningham, a 6-foot, 178-pounder who has 13 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown this season. "Mario's a great receiver. He runs the short routes, he has good double moves, he has speed.
"What else can you say about him? He's special ... a unique receiver."
Of his subpar play against Buffalo, King said he had a bad game, pure and simple. Hey, it happens.
"Last week I had one of those days," King said. "Everybody is going to go through them. It's something I have to put behind me.
"It was just a little thing here, a little thing there. Things weren't going my way the way I wanted them to. I don't want to say I came out flat, but when it rains, it pours. That's the life of a corner. You can't let last week carry over into this week."
Long, a 6-7, 315-pound senior, might be described as tailback Mike Hart's bodyguard. He's the road-grading blocker who clears the path for Hart to average 167 rushing yards per game, third-best nationally. Long also is responsible for protecting the blind side of his quarterback, be it Henne or Ryan Mallett, the 6-7, 252-pounder with the howitzer arm.
Although Wisconsin's Joe Thomas and Penn State's Levi Brown went in the first five picks of this spring's NFL draft, it was Long who was voted the Big Ten's Offensive lineman of the year. He could be a millionaire rookie in the pros now, but he decided to come back for his senior season and try to help the Wolverines win the national championship that they came so close to playing for a year ago.
That goal is gone now, but Long still presents problems for Evans, a 6-2, 269-pound sophomore, and Maybin, a 6-4, 238-pound redshirt freshman, whose forté is speed off the edges.
Judging by what he has seen on tape, Josh Gaines, PSU's starting right defensive end, sees Long as a boulder of a man who is not easily moved, but possibly can be evaded. "We have to play aggressive, Penn State defense," Gaines said. "That's what we have to do.
"[Long is] tall, he's big, he's an All-America. Against him and a zone-blocking o-line with so many big guys that play fast, we'll have to be the fastest and most aggressive we've played all year."
Hanging Chad
Michigan's senior quarterback, Chad Henne, has 39 career starts. True freshman Ryan Mallett has one.
Ask any Penn State defensive player who he expects to see tomorrow, when Michigan attempts to extend its winning streak over the Lions to nine games, and he'll do the politically correct thing and say that, hey, they're both good quarterbacks. But experience counts, and the feeling seems to be that Henne will be out there, sprained knee or not, because he gives his team its best chance to win.
"We're preparing for both of them," Penn State linebacker Sean Lee said. "Ryan Mallett obviously has a ton of talent. But he's not Chad Henne."
Trial delayed
The trial against Anthony Scirrotto and Chris Baker is on hold again. A judge granted the delay after lawyers agreed to it during a conference yesterday. Both sides say they could use more time to review evidence. The case is scheduled for December.
Quotable
"He's like my big brother. I talk to Ed, like, every week. I talked to him right before we played Notre Dame. He told me to hold my head up and keep playing."
- Michigan senior linebacker John Thompson, of his relationship with former Penn State tackle Ed Johnson, who also is from Detroit and is now a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts.
Agenda
Who: No. 10 Penn State at Michigan
When: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m.
Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich.
TV: Channel 6
Radio: WNTP (990-AM); WNPV (1440-AM)
Records: Penn State 3-0, 0-0 Big Ten; Michigan 1-2, 0-0
History: The Wolverines have won eight straight since Penn State's last victory in 1996 and now lead the series, 9-3. A year ago in Beaver Stadium, Michigan dominated statistically, limiting the Nittany Lions to minus-14 yards rushing, in a 17-10 victory that was not as close as the score indicated.
Coaches: Penn State, Joe Paterno (42nd season, 366-121-3); Lloyd Carr (13th season, 114-38)
About Michigan: Freshman Ryan Mallett, all 6-7, 252 pounds of him, was widely regarded as the nation's second-best quarterback prospect coming out of high school last year. Maybe that's why he took such delight in the Wolverines' 38-0 thrashing of Notre Dame a week ago when, in his first college start, he outplayed the consensus No. 1 prep quarterback of 2006, Jimmy Clausen. "I'll take Ryan Mallett all day," Michigan tailback Mike Hart said of the Ryan Mallett-Jimmy Clausen matchup. Added tight end Mike Massey: "Ryan's a very confident kid" ... Tentative against mobile quarterbacks in losses to Appalachian State and Oregon, the Michigan defense played loose, blitzed frequently and sacked Jimmy Clausen eight times. "We just said forget it, we're going to go after the quarterback and whatever happens, happens," defensive tackle Terrance Taylor said.
About Penn State: Left tackle Gerald Cadogan knows he must keep close tabs on Michigan outside linebacker Shawn Crable, a blitzing machine who has eight tackles for losses, including five sacks... Wide receiver Derrick Williams said the Lions, whose offense has waited until the second half to get going in all three of their games, can't afford to wait that long to crank it up. "We can't have a slow start like we had in our first three games. We feel that we have to start off with a bang" ... With 17 sacks, the Lions are tied for first nationally with Indiana and Michigan State. Those sacks have resulted in 122 yards in losses ... Penn State has allowed opponents to convert only 9-of-48 third-down plays (18.8 percent).
Prediction
Penn State 24, Michigan 20.
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