Northwestern's new spread offense has worked well for the Wildcats, especially for running back Damien Anderson.
After scoring only four touchdowns during his sophomore year two years ago, Anderson crossed the goal line 23 times last season. Third-year coach Randy Walker implemented the spread, used mostly in the Pac-10 Conference, but the Northwestern players have caught on.
Anderson is averaging 108 yards per game and has scored six touchdowns in Northwestern's first five games. The Wilmington, Ill., native is averaging more than four yards per carry and causing headaches for defenders.
"It's just being decisive," Anderson said. "You just have to get in the end zone. That has to be your goal."
Anderson weighs 207 pounds and is just under 6-feet tall, but sneaks between gaps and uses his quickness very well in the open field. He is the nation's leading returning rusher and was second in yards last season behind Texas Christian's LaDainian Tomlinson.
The spread offense coach Walker has implemented has worked to Anderson's advantage, too. Whether it is Anderson getting the ball from the backfield, or quarterback Zak Kustok confusing the defense by faking to the running back, the Wildcats have put in an offense that works.
"The defensive backs and the linebackers have to honor the receivers," Anderson said. "You have to pick your poison."
Defenses have been on their heels for five games and now Penn State will have its shot at stopping Anderson. The Nittany Lions don't have a great record against running backs this season as Miami's Clinton Portis, Wisconsin's Anthony Davis and Michigan's B.J. Askew ran all over the Penn State defense.
Tomorrow, the Lions will face the best runner they've seen all year. But Penn State has faced and beaten the spread offense before, last season against Purdue.
The Lions solved coach Joe Tiller's version of using the entire field and upset the Boilermakers at Beaver Stadium 22-20.
Coach Joe Paterno said Northwestern's offense is a slightly different version of what Purdue ran last season, with a little more concentration on the running game. With Anderson in the backfield, why wouldn't the Wildcats run more?
"Northwestern really relies on the run more than Purdue did," Paterno said. "Northwestern will run everything without a huddle."
But Anderson is the key to stopping the Wildcats offense.
The lone game Northwestern lost this season, a 38-20 defeat to Ohio State, Anderson only rushed for 80 yards on 21 carries. And when the Wildcats slipped past Michigan State by one point, the running back had 75 yards on 28 carries.
Anderson said he is confident that the Wildcats offense will work either way the defense tries to defend against it.
If the defense concentrates on him, Kustok and the passing game will get Northwestern its points. But if the defense keeps pressure on the Wildcats air game, Anderson will run wild.
At least that is Northwestern's game plan and it has worked so far.
"It's a matter of us going out there and being assertive," Anderson said. "We need to play assertive and confident football. You are acting rather than reacting."
