Paterno, Penn State search for answers
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Joe Paterno talked at the start of the season about wanting to see how Penn State performed under pressure.
After two straight losses, he likely isn't happy with the results.
It was back to the video room Sunday for the Penn State coach as he tries to figure out how to fix his reeling offense -- again.
"I haven't got the slightest idea," Paterno said Saturday when asked where the 27-20 loss to Illinois left his team. "I'm going to have to go back and look at the tapes, spend some time with the players and staff and go from there."
The loss left Penn State (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) tied for last in the conference and out of the AP Top 25 two weeks after peaking at No. 10.
The Nittany Lions have lost two straight for the first time since 2004, when back-to-back defeats at Wisconsin and Minnesota started a six-game skid.
Against Illinois on Saturday, moving the ball between the 20-yard lines wasn't as much of a problem as in the sluggish loss to Michigan the previous week. Playmaking wideouts Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler got involved early.
Maligned quarterback Anthony Morelli helped orchestrate some nice drives to keep Penn State in the game after Illinois raced to first-half leads of 14-3 and 21-10. The defense had trouble early shutting down the Illini rushing attack.
The "D" rallied in the second half, but then a familiar problem arose for the offense -- trouble in the red zone. Penn State scored on just three of six trips inside the opponent's 20.
Penn State could muster just a field goal from three consecutive third-quarter drives that started in Illinois territory. Morelli, a senior captain, had turnovers in crucial situations.
Trailing 24-20 late in the third quarter, Morelli's pass from the Illinois 20 appeared to be underthrown to the end zone, and Illinois linebacker J. Leman made a leaping interception.
"Defense is a funny thing," Leman said. "We just need to come out with more energy. Defense is all about emotion."
Later, Morelli fumbled near the Illinois 9 after scrambling out of the pocket and trying to dive for a first down on a fourth-and-long with two-plus minutes left.
"Obviously, we weren't effective down there," Paterno said about the red-zone woes. "It's something we're going to have to address."
Morelli finished 21-for-38 for a career-high 298 yards with 3 interceptions and a touchdown. He didn't speak with reporters after the game.
"We came out ready and eager, we just couldn't capitalize on some key plays and the turnovers hurt," cornerback Justin King said about the second half.
Morelli walked off the field with his head down after his last turnover -- an interception off a wobbly pass with nine seconds left -- and filed silently past Paterno as Illinois celebrated on the other side of the field.
Asked specifically to evaluate Morelli, Paterno said he couldn't comment about anyone's performance until he studied the videotapes.
A bit of good news for Paterno is that four of Penn State's next five games are at Beaver Stadium, starting this weekend against Iowa, which is also winless in the Big Ten.
But the remaining home schedule is brutal, with games versus Wisconsin, Ohio State and Purdue, all unbeaten. That makes this weekend's contest against the Hawkeyes even more pressure-packed for the Nittany Lions.