Blocked punt sparks Penn State

By Steve Maslowsky
For The Tribune-Democrat

STATE COLLEGE November 16, 2008 12:16 am

— Nathan Stupar didn’t know he had blocked Chris Hagerup’s punt until after the play, but the pain in his forearm gave him a pretty good idea that he had.
Stupar’s punt block with 35 seconds left in the first half allowed Penn State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) to enter the locker room with the lead, and helped the Nittany Lions overcome a sluggish start to defeat Indiana 34-7 and keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive.
Stupar came close to blocking two of Indiana’s first three punts, and finally broke through near the end of the second quarter.
His block allowed Kevin Kelly to kick a field goal to put the Lions up 10-7 at the break, but the block did come at a small price for Stupar.
“Something hit my forearm, I wasn’t really sure if it was the ball,” Stupar said. “I think I tipped the ball and his foot because it hurt really bad when I was on the ground. … The ball was just rolling and I’m like, ‘I guess I did block it.’ It was a good feeling.”
Coach Joe Paterno was especially pleased the special teams play in general.
In addition to Stupar’s block, the Lions downed two of their own punts inside of Indiana’s 2-yard line.
“I thought that was where the game turned around,” Paterno said. “Their kicking game really hurt them.”
Special teams were one of the few bright spots the Lions experienced in a sloppy first half Saturday, as Penn State struggled to put points on the board in the first half, fumbling on Indiana’s 2-yard line and missing a 40-yard field goal.
Despite committing three turnovers, Daryll Clark tossed two touchdown passes. One went to Derrick Williams and another was to Deon Butler, who passed Bobby Engram to become Penn State’s all-time leader in receptions.
The Lions’ rushing attack also carried the offense in the second half, as Williams and Evan Royster each ran for scores to put the game away.
The win gives the Lions a chance to secure a Rose Bowl berth and Big Ten championship with a win over Michigan State next Saturday, but a significant amount of attention will be focused on Paterno, who does not have a contract in place for next season. The 81-year-old has been battling a hip injury that has forced him to coach from the press box since October.
Paterno conceded Saturday that he would pursue a remedy for his hip condition as soon as possible.
“I’m going to have to get something done with this thing as soon as the Michigan State game is over,” Paterno said. “The next day probably. … I probably have to get a hip replacement or something like that, I don’t know.”
Despite his health problems and uncertain contract status, Paterno dismissed the notion that next week could be his final game as head coach, and defensive coordinator Tom Bradley echoed that sentiment.
“Coach has no plans to retire,” Bradley said. “You know we hear it all the time, all the rumors and different things going on. … Coach isn’t going anywhere, I want to get him back down on the field soon, I think that would be good.”