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[ Monday, Nov. 1, 1999 ]
Lions take fight out of Illini
By JOHN GIBLIN
Collegian Staff Writer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a game that was closer than it should have been, the Penn State football team received a lift from an unlikely source.
The Nittany Lions defeated Illinois 27-7 Saturday, but the Fighting Illini proved more of a challenge than expected.
"We thought it was going to be a close game," Penn State center Eric Cole said. "Personally I wanted to crawl in a hole.
PHOTO: Lee McMahon
Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner is sacked by the Penn State defense in Saturday’s game.
"Everything's close — everyone's got good players, so it's going to be close every week."
Illinois was the first to score, taking a 7-0 lead on a 34-yard dash up the middle by running back Rocky Harvey.
The sophomore finished the day with 131 yards on 20 carries, including a 39-yard dash with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter.
While the Penn State defense couldn't contain Harvey, it was highly effective in the third quarter — the quarter that changed the momentum of the game.
Coming out of halftime tied at seven, Penn State chose to kick off rather than receive the ball, despite already kicking to Illinois to begin the game.
The tactical maneuver was an effective one. The Penn State defense shut down the Illini on four plays and forced Illinois punter Steve Fitts into a 26-yard kick.
"Our coaches had a great strategy of kicking off twice because they had faith in our defense, like we all do," Cole said.
Four plays after regaining possession, a 44-yard Travis Forney field goal gave the Lions a 10-7 lead — their first of the game.
With 2:22 remaining in the quarter, reserve quarterback Rashard Casey rolled right and hit tight end Tony Stewart with an off-balance throw for a touchdown to increase Penn State's cushion to 17-7.
But the most miraculous play by Casey was on Penn State's following offensive series. On the first and only play of the drive, the junior sprinted to his right but found an Illinois defender stonewalling his path. After dodging yet another orange-and-blue lineman and regaining his balance, Casey sprinted up the Illinois sideline for a 34-yard touchdown.
"I think we needed to get different players in there in the second half if things weren't going right to see if they can make something happen," Stewart said. "Rashard got in there and made something happen."
Casey had replaced starting quarterback Kevin Thompson after the senior co-captain threw three interceptions.
Thompson's first interception, only 3:09 into the game, proved harmless as Illinois went three and out on the ensuing drive.
The second, by Illinois cornerback Tony Francis in the end zone, prevented the Lions from taking the lead and allowed Illinois to remain in the game. Penn State coach Joe Paterno said Stewart ran the wrong route on the play.
"I don't know what Tony was thinking," Paterno said.
Paterno and his starting quarterback apparently got into an argument following the play — a rare display for both player and coach.
"I told him, 'Don't throw the interception,' " Paterno said. "He said, 'There were two guys in my face, and the wind caught the ball.' "
Despite the tussle with Thompson, Paterno, who said he was not a "two-quarterback man," was able to keep his team undefeated by using each quarterback when best needed.
