The capacity crowd inside Beaver Stadium let out three collective gasps Saturday night.
The first came after the actual hit as Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman cut Spartan quarterback Brian Hoyer down at midfield.
The next two came after the hit was shown on stadium replay screens.
Hoyer would prefer not to relive the hit, or any of the 49-18 defeat at the hands of the Nittany Lions, but he did have some advice after the game for the quarterback that faces Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
"With Maybin and Evans and [Gaines], those guys rush so hard and so far outside, you've got to try to step up," Hoyer said. "And if your guys up front don't do a good job, there's not going to be anywhere to step up to."
Twelve starting quarterbacks completed 55 percent of their passes for 1,586 yards against the Lions this season, but were harassed constantly in doing so. Starters threw just four touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. The Lion defense sacked every starting quarterback it faced at least once and forced four fumbles.
In total, due to benchings and injuries, Penn State played defense against 20 different quarterbacks on the season.
Hoyer was the most recent addition to the list of ineffective starters. The senior quarterback was pounded on a regular basis by the Lions. Despite completing 25 of 40 passes, Hoyer was sacked three times, hurried and hit throughout the game. Hoyer threw two interceptions. Bowman's hit on Hoyer came in the third quarter after the Spartans tried to run a half back option pass. Hoyer tossed the ball to tailback Javon Ringer, who then floated it back across the field to Hoyer. As the quarterback looked down the field, Bowman planted him in the Beaver Stadium turf as he released the ball.
Penn State cornerback Lydell Sargeant intercepted the pass near the goal line.
The Spartan offense was one dimensional all day. Hoyer didn't get much help from his run game as Ringer was held to just 51 yards on 17 carries.
"We just knew we had to come in and stop Javon Ringer early," Penn State defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu said. "Then we could focus on Hoyer. It's kind of like a first-step, second-step mentality."
DAY TO REMEMBER
Offense: There's no better way to respond to criticism and doubters than to go out and throw four touchdown passes and rush for another. That's what Daryll Clark did. For his efforts, Clark was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday.
Defense: When Michigan State, down by 21 in the second quarter, needed points, Anthony Scirrotto erased any hopes it could have had by picking off Hoyer's pass at midfield. Scirrotto returned the ball 14 yards. After that, Clark needed just one throw to make it a 28-0 game. Scirrotto also notched four tackles.
DAY TO FORGET
Offense: With two carries in garbage time, freshman tailback Brandon Beachum averaged -0.5 yards per carry. That's never good. Nor is it good when the student section wants to see fifth-year senior quarterback Paul Cianciolo throw the ball in his final game. Beachum needed to pick up just two yards on fourth down for four more downs. Instead, he lost a yard and gave Michigan State the ball back. Five plays later, the Spartans put a touchdown and a two point conversion on the board for pride points.
Special Teams: Junior cornerback A.J. Wallace returned his last kick Sept. 27 in the fourth quarter against Illinois. Where has Wallace been on special teams? The corner also saw limited playing time on defense. Wallace recorded just one tackle.
DID YOU NOTICE?
Students in the S-Zone with three signs that read in order: RUN THE BALL!...Most players were OK with putting roses between their teeth. Bowman had his stuck in the holes on his helmet like antennae....Penn State's sideline was a little warmer than it was in Iowa. Joe Paterno said after the game that his players had requested the heaters....The Land Grant Trophy was broken by its handlers in the tunnel leading out to the field. The trophy fell off the push cart and the top portion broke off.
EXTRA POINT
"I told them 'If I were on the sidelines, you wouldn't have the heaters,' " Joe Paterno said postgame. "I said 'But I can't go upstairs in the nice warm booth and tell you guys you have to freeze your butts off.' "
