IU football offense struggles against stiff competition from Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Penn. – After hours of rain, the sun finally peeked out at Beaver Stadium, even though it had set on IU’s season long ago.

Already eliminated from bowl eligibility, the Hoosiers set their sights on upsetting No. 8 Penn State, even though the program had never beat the Nittany Lions. What began as a tight game ended in yet another rout following a lethargic second-half outing.

Entering the game, opponents had outscored the Hoosiers 163-68 in the second half this season. After Saturday, Penn State added 24 more second-half points, while holding the Hoosiers scoreless – it was the fifth time IU failed to score in the final two quarters of a game this year.

“I don’t know why,” said junior defensive end Jammie Kirlew. “I thought we had a great first half. There’s just something in the third quarter where we didn’t capitalize. ... I really don’t know.”

For the second straight week, right before the half, the Hoosiers took a blow that seemed to end any and all momentum. Junior quarterback Kellen Lewis aggravated his high ankle sprain, once again, and a blocked punt allowed the Nittany Lions to get a field goal before the break.

Down 10-7, IU was still competing and still within reach of a possible upset against the team leading the Big Ten. Though they did not dominate on either side of the ball in the first two quarters, they managed to hang with Penn State.

Then the third quarter began. For whatever reason, the Hoosiers came out flat after halftime and looked like a completely different team.

“That’s the question,” said senior running back Marcus Thigpen. “I don’t know what it is about the second half. We still have the same drive. We’ve just been undisciplined this year.”

The Nittany Lions scored 24 points in their first five possessions to open the second half, while the Hoosiers punted five times and turned the ball over on downs twice over the same stretch.

Whatever limited offense IU produced in the first half vanished at the half, once again. Penn State held IU to one first down, 14 yards rushing, 22 yards through the air and the Hoosiers held the ball for only 11:22 after halftime.

Over the weeks of a disappointing season, the second-half woes have become a common theme even though IU has trailed by more than eight points only once at halftime in 2008.

“We just haven’t had the continuity week by week, practice by practice, to progress offensively the way we had hoped,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “When you play a great defensive team like that, I think it catches up with you, and I think that’s what happened today.”

Lynch credited the Penn State defense, which is ranked the No. 6 total defense in the country, for stopping IU.

As for why the Hoosiers cannot compete beyond the second quarter, it certainly is not whether IU has lost its fire, Kirlew said. Still, he had a hard time conjuring up a solution to his team’s struggles.

“If I did, I’d definitely say something, so we can fix it,” Kirlew said. “We always come out ready to take over and sometimes, things just don’t go our way.”