Penn State Football News

January 10, 2007

Nittany Lion Defense One of Four Units Ranked in Top 15 Nationally in Five Primary Categories

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., January 10, 2007– For the third consecutive year, the Penn State defense was among the top units in the nation, finishing in the top 15 nationally in the four primary statistical categories and sacks, according to the NCAA.

The Nittany Lions were one of only four teams that finished in the top 15 nationally in rushing, pass efficiency, total and scoring defense and sacks, being joined by Ohio State, LSU and TCU.

Penn State won five of its last six games and defeated then-No. 17 Tennessee in the Outback Bowl to finish with a 9-4 record. The Nittany Lions were ranked No. 24 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches poll, earning their 32nd Top 25 finish under Coach Joe Paterno.

The four teams Penn State lost to earned a combined record of 45-7 and all four were ranked in the final Top 20, with three in the Top 10.

Penn State has won 22 of its last 27 games and is one of 13 teams with a combined 20 or more victories the past two seasons.

Over the past three seasons, Penn State has ranked in the top 15 nationally each year in total, scoring and pass efficiency defense, with a pair of top 10 finishes in rushing defense and sacks.

In the NCAA's final statistical rankings for the 2006 season, Penn State was No. 7 nationally in rushing defense for the second consecutive year, allowing just 87.5 yards per game, its best mark since allowing just 69.4 ypg during the 1986 National Championship season. The Nittany Lions continued to improve against the run for the third straight year, having allowed 209.1 ypg in 2003, 129.3 ypg in 2004 and 93.0 ypg in 2005.

The Nittany Lions posted their second consecutive top 10 ranking in scoring defense, permitting just 14.4 points per game to rank ninth. The figure was PSU’s best since allowing 13.9 ppg in 1991. Penn State held 10 opponents to 17 or fewer points, including the last seven. Over the last five games, the Lions allowed just 36 points (7.2), recording a pair of shutouts, the 36th and 37th under Paterno.

The Nittany Lions allowed only three touchdowns over the final 25 quarters of the season.

Penn State ranked 15th in the nation in total defense at 284.5 ypg, its best average since the 1991 squad permitted 280.0 ypg. The Lions were 14th in pass efficiency defense for the second consecutive season with a 105.9 rating. The Lions grabbed 13 interceptions, six by Big Ten leader Anthony Scirrotto (West Deptford, N.J.), and allowed 10 touchdown passes.

In addition, the Nittany Lions were tied for sixth in the nation in sacks, recording 40 for a 3.08 per game average.

In the Big Ten rankings, Penn State was second in rushing defense and sacks, third in scoring and pass efficiency defense and fourth in total defense.

Penn State was 43rd nationally in rushing offense (150.0 ypg), led by senior tailback Tony Hunt (Alexandria, Va.). The 2007 Outback Bowl MVP averaged 106.6 ypg, good for 12th in the nation and third in the conference. Hunt earned eight 100-yard rushing games this season (15 career), with all eight century-busting efforts good for 130 yards or more, including 158 in the Outback Bowl win over Tennessee. His 3,320 career rushing yards are second only to Curt Warner (3,398) in the Penn State records book.

Penn State also earned high national rankings in: fewest penalty yards (T 4th, 33.6 ypg), fewest penalties (10th, 4.4 per game) and punt return coverage (10th, 4.46 ypr).

In the individual NCAA statistics, sophomore placekicker Kevin Kelly (Langhorne) was tied for second nationally in field goals, making 22 for a 1.69 per game average. Kelly led the Big Ten in field goals and kick scoring and was tied with Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill for the conference overall scoring lead at 7.4 ppg. Kelly’s 22 field goals tied Matt Bahr’s school record from 1978 and his 34 field goal attempts broke the PSU season mark of 33 by Chris Bahr in 1975.

A sophomore safety, Scirrotto’s six interceptions led the Big Ten and were tied for 14th in the nation. A first team All-Big Ten selection, his six picks were tied for 10th-best in Penn State season annals.

Joe Paterno enters his 42nd season as head coach with 15 returning starters (8 offense, 6 defense, 1 specialist). The Nittany Lions have a blockbuster 2007 home schedule that includes five bowl teams from this past season: Notre Dame (Sept. 8), Iowa (Oct. 6), Wisconsin (Oct. 13- Homecoming), Ohio State (Oct. 27) and Purdue (Nov. 3).

Source: Penn State Sports Information Department