UW notes: Second-half sequence of three penalties in four snaps shows offensive misery
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Wisconsin’s inability to sustain any offensive momentum against Penn State was captured during an ugly four-play sequence in the second half:
A false start, a 7-yard run, a snap infraction and another false start.
“We’ve got to be able to eliminate the presnap penalties,” left guard Michael Deiter said after UW’s 22-10 loss Saturday. “Not being able to protect – giving up sacks, hurries – and then false starts, they kill you.
“If you’re not on – with a bunch of bonehead stuff like that – it’s going to be hard to beat good teams on the road. It’s going to be hard to win at all.”
Trailing, 19-10, UW took over at its 27 after a Penn State punt.
Eleven seconds remained in the third quarter, so the Badgers remained in striking distance despite doing little after Jonathan Taylor’s 71-yard touchdown run 4 minutes 56 seconds into the game.
Guard Beau Benzschawel moved before the snap and turned first and 10 into first and 15 from the 22.
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Then after Taylor picked up 8 yards to the 30 to set up a manageable second and 7, center Tyler Biadasz was called for a snap infraction.
That left UW facing second and 12 from its 25.
Right tackle David Edwards moved early on the next play. That wiped out what could have been a completion from Jack Coan to A.J. Taylor and left UW facing second and 17 from the 20.
Coan hit Jake Ferguson for 7 yards but then threw incomplete on third down.
Series over.
UW coach Paul Chryst was asked whether that sequence offered a picture of an ill-prepared team.
“No, it’s the guys that jump,” he said.
Third-down blues
Penn State entered the day last in the Big Ten in time of possession at 27 minutes 34 seconds.
They had lost the time of possession battle in each of their previous three games – by 7:56, 10:36 and 15:22.
Yet on Saturday the Nittany Lions converted 6 of 15 third-down chances and held the ball for 33:59 for an edge of 7:58.
“That is one of the things we’ve got to do better, stopping them and giving the ball back to our offense,” senior linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel said. “We can’t allow them to continue to get first down after first down.”
UW’s offense continued its recent struggles by converting just 4 of 15 chances.
Beginning with the loss at Michigan, UW has converted 2 of 11 chances, 3 of 8 chances against Illinois, 4 of 12 against Northwestern, 8 of 12 against Rutgers and 4 of 15 Saturday.
That is a combined 21 of 58, or 36.2%.
“In the end, for an offense to get rhythm you have to get first downs and we didn't do that,” Chryst said. “We weren’t great on third down so it's hard to get into a rhythm. That’s a credit also to their defense. It’s a good defense and we did some good things offensively but not nearly enough and not consistent.”
Set up camp in the backfield
Penn State entered the day with 67 tackles for loss in nine games, an average of 7.4 per game
UW had allowed 28 tackles for loss through nine games, an average of 3.1.
The Nittany Lions finished with seven tackles for loss, five sacks, for a combined 49 yards in losses.
“We knew the challenge we had coming in with Wisconsin,” said Penn State end Shareef Miller, who had two sacks and a fumble recovery. “They have a great offensive line. A lot of their guys are All-Americans, so we were up to the test today.”
Burning a timeout
UW trailed, 22-10, and faced third and 1 from its 24 when the coaches got the call in late and had to burn a timeout with 5:01 left.
So what happened?
“We were kind of waiting to see what personnel group was going to come in,” Chryst said, referring to Penn State’s defense. “Early in the game they switched what they've been doing and went with a heavier six down linemen.
“So we were waiting to see what we were going to have and we had no chance, so I didn't want to risk anything. If we don't get it there the rest of the time doesn't matter, so that's what happened.
“I didn’t want us rushing. I thought it was important to be settled in on that play and give us a chance to get it.”
Big day for Fond du Lac standout
Penn State defensive tackle Robert Windsor, who committed to the Nittany Lions when Gary Andersen was UW’s coach and stood firm despite a late push from Chryst, recorded two sacks and six tackles.
He got up and celebrated after his second sack and appeared to imitate Aaron Rodgers’ championship belt move.
“Obviously, it was unique to me because being from Wisconsin, being 45 minutes from the university,” Windsor said. “I have friends on that team. So it made it more fun for me. …
“I made the right decision to come here. This is our second time beating them now, once in the Big Ten championship and now.”
Extra points
Taylor pushed his season rushing total to 1,548 yards to become the fourth UW player to put together consecutive 1,500-yard seasons. He joins Doak Walker Award winners Ron Dayne (1998-‘99), Montee Ball (2011-‘12) and Melvin Gordon (2013-‘14). …
Senior linebacker T.J. Edwards recorded a season-high 14 tackles, his ninth double-digit tackle game at UW. He has recorded double-digit tackles in three of the last five games. …
Deiter made his 51st start at UW, matching cornerback Sojourn Shelton (2013-'16) for the most in school history. Deiter has never missed a start at UW.
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