Temple Team in the Last Three Minutes of the Game, Witnessed by the Owls’ Third Largest Home Crowd of 57,323 and an ESPN Television Audience
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URL:http://www.alumni.psu.edu/fbl Username: psualum Password: weare Sept. 19, 2011 * Vol. 74, No. 3 enn State’s Nittany Lions came home from PPhiladelphia Saturday with a win they didn’t deserve. Despite making just about every mistake in the book – fumbles, an interception, dropped passes, a blocked punt, a 52-yard touchdown nullified by a holding penalty, missed tackles, missed blocks and missed field goals – the Lions eked out a 14-10 victory over a tough Temple team in the last three minutes of the game, witnessed by the Owls’ third largest home crowd of 57,323 and an ESPN television audience. Former Penn State gridiron captain Al Golden, Class of 1991, built a solid founda- tion as Temple’s head coach from 2006 to 2010, before leaving to become head coach at Miami last winter. And Steve Addazio, former offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer at Florida, has continued the building job at the North Broad Street campus. Last year the Owls flew out to a 13-6 lead over Penn State in the first quarter at Beaver Stadium, and the Lions never recovered until SEAN STANLEY sacks Mike Gerardi and forces fumble on Temple’s final play of the game won by Lions, 14–10. Colin Wagner kicked his fifth field goal with just 1:38 left in the third quarter. Fullback Joe Paterno was 14 years old. The two teams five yards on the ground and 61 through the Michael Zordich sealed the victory with a one- tied in 1950, Paterno’s first year as an assistant air. Stanley was another hero, notching five yard touchdown plunge on State’s first trip into coach on Rip Engle’s staff. tackles, including the six-yard sack of Gerardi, the end zone with just 3:35 left in the game. Paterno has not lost in 28 games against the in addition to forcing two fumbles. This year the Owls, who soared past their Owls during his 46-year tenure as a head coach. Cornerback Chaz Powell got the first pick first two opponents by a combined 73 points, Only four times in those meetings has Penn off Gerardi earlier in the final frame and led the Lions at Lincoln Financial Field, until State won by a closer margin than Saturday’s – returned it 26 yards to the TE-26. But the the same Michael Zordich made a similar one- one point wins in 1975 and 76, a two-point edge offense sputtered in three plays, and Evan yard plunge to paydirt with just 2:42 left in the in 1985 and a three-point victory in 1978. And Lewis bounced a 36-yard field goal attempt contest. Just as important as the touchdown those were years in which State had a composite off the right upright, so the Lions came away run was Zordich’s recovery of quarterback record of 38 wins and only 10 losses. with no points. Thankfully, Mauti made his Rob Bolden’s fumble two plays earlier on the The margin of victory in the 1975 game, spectacular diving interception four plays later Temple four-yard line with just 3:06 left on the which kicked off Philadelphia’s year-long on the TE-44. clock. Else State would likely never have had Bicentennial celebration at Franklin Field, This time Bolden drove the Lions slowly the opportunity to cross the Temple goal line. was provided by a 100-yard kickoff return by a toward the goal line, completing a 10-yard pass Both of Zordich’s critical plays were wit- young wide receiver named Rich Mauti – father to Devon Smith on 3rd & 7 and an 11-yard strike nessed by his father, who played at Penn State of current Lion linebacker Mike Mauti, whose to Derek Moye on 4th & 2. Tailback Brandon from 1982 to 1985 and is now an assistant coach fourth- quarter interception set up the Lions’ Beachum converted a 4th & 1 with a two-yard of the Philadelphia Eagles in whose stadium winning touchdown drive Saturday. smash up the middle, just before Zordich’s Saturday’s game was played. Mauti, a roommate of Zordich, was one of scoring plunge. Even then the wounded Owls came flying the heroes of the Lion defense, which kept State The visitors’ first touchdown came in the back in a minute and a half on the passing left in the game, while the offense squandered op- second quarter, when Temple’s freshly red- arm of Mike Gerardi, until defensive end Sean portunity after opportunity. He led the Lions painted end zone was invaded by Silas Redd to Stanley sacked him and forced a fumble on with six tackles, including three for eight yards convert State’s first red-zone scoring chance. fourth and 10 at the PS-34. The Lions ran the in losses. The sophomore tailback followed Zordich’s final minute off the clock to clinch their 29th Dominating defensive tackle Devon Still, block, then broke a tackle and cut off Smith’s consecutive triumph over Temple in a series also had six stops, including a six-yard sack of block on the 17-yard scoring scamper. Lewis’ that started in 1931. Temple QB Chester Stewart, to set the tone at extra-point kick temporarily tied the score that Temple won three of the first four games in the outset of the second half, during which Temple had put on the board 17 minutes earlier, the series – Penn State’s fifth longest with any State shut out the Owls and surrendered only when Bernard Pierce capped the Owls’ open- opponent – but has not beaten the Lions since ing 82-yard drive with a two-yard TD plunge. 1941, when State’s octogenarian head coach PENN STATE 0 7 0 7 14 Gerardi’s scrambling pass completions 10 TEMPLE 7 3 0 0 10 Photos by Steve Manuel ’84, ‘92g R E C A P 1st Quarter TE: Pierce 2-yd run caps 8-pl 82-yd drive in 4:05 keyed by Gerardi passes 10 yds to Rodriguez & 33 yds to Miller & pass intf. pen. on Powell. (McManus kick) 6:545 2nd Quarter PS: Redd 17-yd run caps 7-pl 50-yd drive in 3:13 set up by Hull partial punt block & keyed by McGloin 7-yd pass to Brown on 3rd & 5 & face mask pen. on Temple. (Lewis kick) 4:57 TE: McManus 40-yd FG caps 8-pl 39-yd drive in 4:12 set up by Brown 21-yd KO ret. & keyed by Stewart 16-yd pass to Jones & Brown 15-yd run. 0:37 4th Quarter 1 2 PS: Zordich 1-yd run caps 12-pl 44-yd drive in 6:04 set up by Mauti intcpt. & keyed by Bolden passes 10 yds to Smith on 3rd & 7 & 11 yds to Moye on 4th & 2 & Zordich rec. of Bolden fum. & Beachum 2-yd run on 4th & 1. Attendance: 57,323 yards to Evan Rodriguez and 33 yards to Deon Miller, both along the left sideline, keyed the 8-play march. Thirty-seven seconds before halftime kicker Brandon McManus booted a 40-yard field goal to regain the lead for the home team. That 9 10 concluded an 8-play 39-yard drive set up by Matt Brown’s 21-yard return of a short kickoff 1: DEFENSIVE END Jack Crawford (81) & defensive tackle by Anthony Fera. Devon Still (71) show lots of love to Owl tailback Bernard Lion quarterback Matt McGloin moved his Pierce. 2: JUSTIN BROWN catches pass and eludes grasp of team quickly in the remaining 32 seconds and Temple linebacker Tahir Whitehead 3: POWELL returns inter- got State to the TE-32 with a beautiful 40-yard ception 26 yards in fourth quarter. 4: SILAS REDD cuts off block pass to Moye down the right sideline. Fresh- by Mike Zordich (9), twists away from defender and runs 17 man Sam Ficken stepped up for a 49-yard field yards for Lions’ first touchdown Saturday. 5: MIKE MAUTI puts goal try, but it was blocked by Temple’s Zamel a hurtin’ on Temple’s Bernard Pierce. 6: DEREK MOYE makes Johnson, as the half expired. 11-yard catch on 4th down to keep Lions’ final touchdown drive In his post-game press conference, a dis- alive. 7: MOYE leaps high for one of his seven catches for 112 appointed Addazio, who had helped Florida yards9 against Temple. 8: DEFENSIVE END Jack Crawford leaps overcome State’s fourth-quarter lead to beat high to harass Temple passer Mike Gerardi. 9: DEFENSIVE the Lions in the Outback Bowl in January, TACKLE Jordan Hill should have had sack, but Temple QB Mike emphasized “there is no moral victory” for the Gerardi threw ball away. 10: BLUE BAND traveled to Philadel- Owls, despite their inspired play. phia and played for crowd in Lincoln Financial Field in addition But Owl fans, very few of whom have ever to stops at high school games on way down and back. seen a victory over Penn State, could be forgiven if they considered it such, after the way their team played. They will get another chance next year in Beaver Stadium, but the thousands who tailgated lustily outside the Linc with the Temple insignia made famous by Bill Cosby floating above an upside down Penn State en- sign – the signal of distress -- will not have that opportunity again until 2015. 8 Temple football has come a long way in the last five years and brought the fans along with it. Whether past games were played in the Linc, the Vet or Franklin Field, there was still a home field advantage for the Lions, as three- quarters of the crowd wore blue and white.