IU fails to capitalize on Penn State turnovers

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – IU football players don’t play the blame game.

They won’t single out players, and they will always accept responsibility for each loss as a team.

But senior running back Bryan Payton couldn’t help but be disappointed in his own offense that turned four Penn State turnovers into just one score during the first half.

“We win as a team and we lose as a team, but the offense has to hold up our part of the deal,” Payton said. “It’s disappointing, but we just have to execute.”

While IU built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter against No. 18 Penn State on Saturday, the score could have been much different had IU taken advantage of the many opportunities it had on offense.

At first, it seemed IU would do just that.

Following an interception by senior linebacker Matt Mayberry, the offense responded with a drive that ended in a 26-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Ben Chappell to sophomore wide receiver Damarlo Belcher that gave IU its 10-point lead.

But while Penn State’s turnover woes had just begun, IU’s offense was done scoring until the fourth quarter.

On Penn State’s next drive in the first quarter, senior safety Nick Polk intercepted Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark inside IU’s 10-yard line. But IU couldn’t capitalize and was forced into a three-and-out.

That punt provided Penn State’s next turnover. On the return, IU senior linebacker Justin Carrington jarred the ball from returner Drew Astorino.

Again, IU’s offense did not capitalize and punted six plays and 17 yards later.

On a similar situation late in the second quarter, Penn State returner Graham Zug fumbled on the return and IU gained control 29 yards removed the end zone.

Once again, IU did not gain a first down and freshman kicker Nick Freeland missed a 47-yard field goal.

Polk said the defense cannot worry about what the offense is or is not doing.

“We always just want to go out and maintain and continue to keep playing hard no matter what the offense does,” Polk said. “We want to get the ball back for them. We have confidence in the offense.”

Saturday’s game was the fourth time IU has won the turnover battle yet still lost the game. Often, football coaches point to turnovers as the key stat in the game. In fact, IU coach Bill Lynch has emphasized the turnover margin as one of the team’s points of emphasis for his season.

In similar road games against Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan, IU forced 11 total turnovers and turned the ball over only four times on offense. In each of those games, IU had leads before ultimately losing.

Chappell said the trend is hard to explain.

“That’s been a huge issue and there’s different reasons for that,” Chappell said. “It’s just not making plays when they are there and (Penn State) made some good plays themselves.”

However, linebacker and senior leader Mayberry said it’s a team loss, no matter what anyone tries to say.

“The biggest thing is we win or lose as a team,” Mayberry said. “I think that’s the biggest thing as a defensive player and a leader, you can’t worry about what the offense was doing. Coach always says we have to get turnovers, and I think we’ve done a good job of that. So we have to continue and go out and get turnovers.”