Skip to main content
penn-state logo

Penn State defense suffocates Maryland offense in shutout win over the Terps

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•11/12/22•

GregPickel

On3 image
Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. (Althouse/BWI)

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State defenders could sense that Maryland’s offense was uncomfortable early in Saturday’s 30-0 win over the Terps. Then, they did everything they could to make sure that feeling never went away, and it did not. In fact, it only worsened throughout a dominating four quarters.

The stat sheet tells the story. Coordinator Manny Diaz’s unit tallies seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, and six pass breakups. Maryland had just 27 yards at halftime and 134 overall. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa was endlessly harassed. The ground game never had a chance to get going. And, even without starting linebacker Curtis Jacobs, who missed the game due to injury, the defense was simply outstanding from start to finish.

“We were able to get tackles for loss,” head coach James Franklin said. “We were able to get sacks, and were able to get them off schedule; we felt like we had some pretty good matchups. They obviously have some injuries as well. I think those matchups favored us, and we were able to do it. The other thing is bigger guys will get more and more comfortable and confident with how we want to play football. To be disruptive and vertical, up the field and through gaps. When you get people off schedule, you’re able to suffocate the run. When you’re able to get tackles for loss and put them in obvious passing situations, that helps as well. On top of that, we’re going to give up a play because of man coverage from time to time. Even without Joey, we were able to play good man coverage.

“Now the quarterback has got to hold on to the ball, and that helps too. It’s a complimentary defense. It’s complimentary football which we played tonight: offense, defense, and special teams. We started fast with the opening kick, to pin them inside the 10. We go three and out on defense, then the offense goes down and scores. That was a real positive for us.”

It was a positive, indeed, as the Lions moved on to 8-2.

How did Penn State defense’s thrive?

Chop Robinson has never had a shutout in college. He’s also never had to play against his former team before. But he accomplished both on Saturday night. The one-time Terp who transferred into the Lions’ program this offseason finished with two sacks, two tackles, and a lot of plays that changed the game but didn’t end up on the stat sheet. He, and the pass rush, were terrific on this night.

“Once you start [suffocating] an to offense, you can see the guys turning against each other, pointing fingers arguing with each other,” Robinson said. “And once you have that, you take control of the game.”

Penn State did exactly that from the midway point of the first quarter, which is when Robinson first started noticing the Maryland in-fighting, and throughout the rest of the game.

“We just keyed in on trying to contain the QB, and ended it up playing out a lot better than we thought,” end Adisa Isaac said.

Truer words have rarely been spoken. But, to a man, the Penn State players who talked after the game aren’t ready to just sit back and enjoy this tremendous performance. Instead, they’re ready to get back in the Lasch Building, make the corrections, and get ready to do it again next week. It’s the mindset Franklin and Diaz instill in their players, and it’s working wonders for this defense so far in November.

You may also like