PSU chops down Sycamores
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STATE COLLEGE – At the end of the day, the only quarterback to figure in on a touchdown was Shane McGregor.
The third-stringer scored on a 3-yard keeper up the middle in the fourth quarter and Indiana State broke the shutout with 2:10 left in Penn State’s 41-7 season-opening win.
Coach Joe Paterno said Rob Bolden (6-for-12, 37 yards) and Matt McGloin (6-for-8, 77 yards) will likely continue their timeshare next week against No. 2 Alabama.
Penn State racked up 245 yards on the ground, led by Silas Redd’s 104 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries.
For full coverage of Penn State’s opening win, see Sunday’s edition of The Times Leader.
Joe Suhey has tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run to increase Penn State’s lead over Indiana State to 34-0 after three quarters at Beaver Stadium.
After each taking a quarter in the first half, quarterbacks Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin began rotating every other series. But the ground game is still the story for Penn State. All five touchdowns for the Nittany Lions have come on the ground.
Pass protection remains an issue for the Lions, as does the situation with kicker. Evan Lewis has been ineffective as a replacement for the suspended Anthony Fera, missing both of his field goal attempts while also missing an extra point.
True freshman Sam Ficken made his first appearance after Lewis’ missed extra point, handling the ensuing kickoff.
Penn State spent the last nine months debating about its starting quarterback. Chaz Powell figured he could stretch things out for another nine minutes.
The Nittany Lions won the opening coin toss for the 2011 season and elected to receive. Powell promptly took the kickoff and cut across the field to his right, racing untouched for a 95-yard touchdown.
Not a bad way to start the season.
Rob Bolden started and played the first quarter while Matt McGloin took over for all of the second quarter. Bolden led one touchdown drive and McGloin was at the helm for two as the Lions head into halftime with a 28-0 lead over Indiana State.
Penn State did almost all of its damage on the ground as Silas Redd made it 14-0 on a 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and fullback Michael Zordich scored from the 1 in the second quarter to run the lead to 21-0.
Redd picked up his second score of the half on a 4-yard scamper. He racked up 94 yards and the two touchdowns on just 10 carries.
Bolden went just 2-of-5 for 9 yards in his quarter, though two deep passes hit off the hands of Penn State receivers.
McGloin was 5-of-7 for 69 yards including a 29-yard connection with favorite target Derek Moye. But he almost handed Indiana State a touchdown while trying to dump off a pass while being sacked, putting the ball right in the gut of a Sycamores lineman, who dropped it.
Newly minted captain Drew Astorino added an interception to highlight the Lions’ defensive effort. Penn State couldn’t convert, however, as new kicker Evan Lewis hooked a 38-yard field goal attempt — the first of his career — wide right.
Penn State opens the 2011 season at noon against Indiana State, and timesleader.com will be providing updates throughout the game.
Sophomore Rob Bolden was first off the bus and will start at quarterback. He will rotate with West Scranton’s Matt McGloin throughout the game.
Coach Joe Paterno is not on the field for warm-ups and is expected to spend the game in the coaches booth as he recovers from injuries to right arm and hip.
But wide receiver Curtis Drake is on the field and catching passes in warm-ups and could conceivably play against the Sycamores despite being listed as out for the game. In the spring, Paterno said he thought Drake could miss the entire season after breaking his leg for the second time in as many years.
Check back to timesleader.com during the afternoon. For instant updates, follow on Twitter.
