Sharapova suffers shock defeat
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Author: Sharapova suffers shock defeat
British teenager Heather Watson’s impressive run at the Auckland Classic comes to an end with defeat by Shuai Peng in the last eight.
Beavers WR Rodgers gets medical hardship (AP)
Oregon State flanker James Rodgers has been granted a medical hardship for this past season, meaning he can return for 2011. Rodgers, a senior, played in four of the team’s first five games before he suffered a left knee injury that required surgery. A team captain, Rodgers was averaging 176.8 all-purpose yards per game when he was injured, ranking him sixth in the nation.
Houllier position safe at Villa
Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier will be given time to turn around the fortunes of the struggling Premier League club, BBC Sport understands.
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Big Ten sticking with Legends, Leaders (AP)
Big Ten sticking with Legends, Leaders (AP)
Legends and Leaders, the names for the Big Ten’s two new divisions, are sticking around. At least through next football season. With the addition of Nebraska as its 12th team, the Big Ten announced in December it would field two six-team divisions in football with the winners meeting in a league title game.
Test cricket betting – West Indies long odds at series sweep against Sri Lanka
West Indies v Sri Lanka test series betting Betsafe Odds Tuesday, November 16, 11pm EST (LT) West Indies +600 Draw +325 Sri Lanka -300 [Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 55% bonus on your first deposit here at BetUS? Find out more exciting details HERE.] Could Sri Lanka’s third most prolific Test bowler Lasith Malinga have prevented West Indies captain Chris Gayle’s day…
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Fever assistant Kloppenburg to coach WNBA’s Shock (AP)
Fever assistant Kloppenburg to coach WNBA’s Shock (AP)
TULSA, Okla. (AP)—The Tulsa Shock hired Indiana Fever assistant Gary Kloppenburg on Tuesday to be their next head coach. Kloppenburg spent the past four seasons with the Fever, who made the playoffs each of those seasons and lost in the Eastern Conference finals last year. He also has been an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA. He replaces Hall of Fame player Teresa Edwards, who took over on an interim basis after Nolan Richardson stepped down last season. Kloppenburg will be charged with improving the franchise with the league’s worst record of the past two seasons, following a relocation from Detroit. The Shock won only three games last season and are 9-59 in two seasons in Tulsa. “I am really excited about the opportunity to come to Tulsa, rolling up my sleeves and getting to work on building a winning franchise,” Kloppenburg said in a statement released by the team. “I’ll work non-stop with our staff and front office to build a team that the community can be proud of. We have a good core of young players to build around and with the upcoming free agency period and draft, we will have a chance to be competitive right away.” Kloppenburg will be formally introduced Wednesday. His former boss, Indiana’s Lin Dunn, predicted that Kloppenburg “will make Tulsa an immediate playoff contender.” “We are extremely excited and looking forward to Gary leading our team on the court in 2012 and beyond,” team owner Bill Cameron said. “His experience in this league along with his reputation and basketball knowledge will translate to progress on the court in 2012.” Despite having the league’s worst record each of the past two seasons, Tulsa again won’t have the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. The Shock lost the draft lottery and won’t select until the fourth pick. They also have the 17th and 25th picks. Kloppenburg also expressed hope that Tulsa will pursue free agents once the signing period begins Jan. 15. “There are a number of excellent free agents available that I am confident will want to come to Tulsa and become a part of a franchise on the rise, and we will be aggressively reaching out to them in the coming months,” Kloppenburg said. “I envision a Shock team next season that will play tough and aggressive pressure defense as well as be able to run an up tempo and early flow offense. We know we have a lot of hard work to do in 2012, but good players and coaches relish challenges such as the one in front of us.”
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Chiefs keep Crennel as head coach (AP)
Chiefs keep Crennel as head coach (AP)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—The Kansas City Chiefs made Romeo Crennel the permanent head coach on Monday after he led the floundering team to a pair of wins late in the season. Crennel had been the interim coach and the leading candidate to replace Todd Haley, who was fired last month. He was scheduled to be introduced at an afternoon news conference. “We are very excited to name Romeo the new head coach of the Chiefs,” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said in a prepared statement. “In 30 years as a coach in the National Football League, Romeo has established an outstanding track record of success, and we believe his experience and proven ability make him the best person to help us reach our goal of consistently competing for championships.” The former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Crennel had been serving as defensive coordinator when general manager Scott Pioli made him the interim coach. He quickly united a disjointed locker room and instantly endeared himself to fans in Kansas City, leading a team that had been ransacked by injuries over Green Bay, the Packers’ only loss this season. Crennel’s lone defeat came in overtime against Oakland, which knocked the Chiefs (7-9) from playoff contention. But he rallied his team to a season-ending victory over the Broncos, after which players spontaneously began to chant his name in the locker room in Denver. “Romeo’s vast experience and intelligence have helped him achieve success at the highest level,” Pioli said. “The way in which he creates accountability and respect amongst the team creates a very productive work environment and will be critical in continuing to develop our young core of players.” Crennel was considered the front-runner to get the full-time job not only because of his work over the final three weeks of the season, but because of his calm demeanor and strong ties to Pioli, whom he worked with during his days running the New England Patriots defense. “I have a deep appreciation for the vision that Clark Hunt has and his commitment to building a championship-caliber team,” Crennel said. “I believe in the types of players that we are trying to win with and the identity we are trying to create.” Pioli also spoke to former Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio before settling on the in-house candidate. “It is a rare opportunity to be a part of an organization like the Kansas City Chiefs with its storied history and passionate fans,” Crennel said, “and I am eager to get to work and bring this franchise and our fans the success they deserve.” Crennel went 24-40 during four years in Cleveland, though the record is somewhat misleading. He took over a suffering franchise short on talent and went 6-10 and 4-12 in his first two seasons, missing the playoffs each year. But his breakthrough came in 2007, when the Browns went 10-6 and fell just short of the playoffs, earning Crennel a two-year contract extension. After falling back to 4-12, though, the affable Crennel was summarily fired. He figures to have a much better chance of success in Kansas City, where Pioli has locked up several young players to long-term deals and continues to overhaul an aging roster. The Chiefs should be the favorites to win the wide-open AFC West next year. They nearly claimed a second straight division crown despite losing several star players to season-ending injuries. Tight end Tony Moeaki, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry were lost to knee injuries by the second week of the season. Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel joined them on injured reserve in Week 10 after he hurt his throwing hand in a game against Denver. That left the team in the hands of journeyman Tyler Palko. The Chiefs claimed quarterback Kyle Orton off waivers from Denver, but he hurt his hand on the first pass he attempted against Chicago, and did not return until the final three weeks of the regular season. By that time, Haley had been fired and Crennel had been given the reins. “Throughout the year, we were all over a little bit. We came to a common ground over the last three weeks,” said fullback Le’Ron McClain, who is a free agent but has said he hopes to return to the team next season. “We started doing good when Romeo stepped in.” Fisher reportedly spoke briefly with the Chiefs about the head coaching job, but he’s expected to decide between St. Louis and Miami. Philbin also was linked to the job, and Del Rio’s agent, Phil DePicciotto, had conversations with the Chiefs about the former Jaguars coach taking over. Crennel will likely have to hire a defensive coordinator to replace himself, and also could be in the market for a new offensive coordinator. The Chiefs struggled to move the ball under longtime assistant Bill Muir, who was in his first season as a coordinator. Muir has been contemplating retirement. “Trying to put a staff together is a tough deal, because maybe the guys you want aren’t available, so you have to look other places. You end up trying to do the best you can, getting the best guys you get,” Crennel said. “You have to adapt and adjust as you go along.”
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Cardinals’ Duncan takes leave of absence (AP)
Cardinals’ Duncan takes leave of absence (AP)
ST. LOUIS (AP)—Derek Lilliquist will be making the calls from the St. Louis Cardinals dugout instead of receiving them next season. The Cardinals retooled their coaching staff Friday while Dave Duncan takes an open-ended leave of absence, elevating Lilliquist from bullpen coach to pitching coach and replacing him in the pen with Dyar Miller. General manager John Mozeliak said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that he didn’t know whether Duncan planned on returning for a 17th season. Mozeliak said reports that Duncan will retire were speculation at this point. “Honestly, I don’t know that answer,” Mozeliak said. “The one thing I wanted to make clear, I did want Lilly and Dyar to know they’d be with the team. I want clarity going into 2012.” If Duncan does not return, the Cardinals will be defending their World Series title without three of their biggest figures. Tony La Russa retired as the third-winningest manager in major history the day after the World Series parade. Three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols, who anchored the No. 3 spot in the lineup for 11 seasons, agreed to a $240 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The 45-year-old Lilliquist filled in as pitching coach when the 66-year-old Duncan took a leave of absence last August to be with his wife, Jeanine, following surgery to remove a brain tumor. Duncan returned to the team in time for its run to a World Series championship but the Cardinals announced Thursday he was taking another leave related to his wife’s recovery. During Lilliquist’s time as the fill-in pitching coach, the Cardinals charged from 10 1/2 games back in the NL wild card standings. They clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the season, then upset the Phillies, Brewers and Rangers to take the title. “I think he has the confidence of our pitchers and obviously has had the time to learn under Dave,” Mozeliak said of Lilliquist. “He was always somebody that I believed had a bright future.” Duncan returned in time for the regular season finale at the request of La Russa, who had decided a month earlier that he would be retiring, and wanted Duncan at his side when his managing career concluded. Duncan coached alongside La Russa for 33 seasons with the Chicago White Sox (1979-86), Oakland Athletics (1986-95) and Cardinals. He’s coached several Cy Young winners, including LaMarr Hoyt, Dennis Eckersley and Chris Carpenter, and has been credited with resurrecting the careers of countless pitchers including Woody Williams and Jeff Suppan, who played major roles on Cardinals postseason runs. Lilliquist was bullpen coach last year and had been retained in that spot under new manager Mike Matheny. The 65-year-old Miller, who pitched for seven major league seasons, has been with the organization since 1985.
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Penn St. staff facing uncertain future (AP)
Penn St. staff facing uncertain future (AP)
DALLAS (AP)—Penn State interim coach Tom Bradley planned to hit the recruiting trail this week upon returning from a lost trip to Texas knowing full well his itinerary may change at any minute. Nearly two months after Joe Paterno was fired, the school still hasn’t settled on a permanent replacement. “I’m going to work until the very end until they tell me I’m no longer needed,” Bradley said Monday. “That’s what Penn State is paying me to do and what is in my heart that I am going to do. Because I love this university and I love the people.” Bradley and most of the rest of the Penn State contingent in Dallas were scheduled to return to Happy Valley on Tuesday, a day following a 30-14 loss to No. 20 Houston at the TicketCity Bowl in Dallas. The dispiriting defeat capped a tumultuous two months that began with child sex abuse charges against retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and the ouster of Paterno in the scandal’s aftermath. Receivers coach Mike McQueary, a key witness in the state attorney general’s case against Sandusky, is also on administrative leave. Most of the rest of the staff, including Bradley, have worked with Paterno for years—if not decades. Bradley and defensive line coach Larry Johnson are among the candidates who have been interviewed in a search that could end in the next few weeks. Mike Harrison, the agent for San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, said Monday that Roman interviewed in November and is on the “short list” for the job. Acting athletic director David Joyner said Sunday there was no one who could be classified as a leading candidate for the position in what the school has described as a “deliberate search.” Paterno, Division I’s winningest coach with 409 victories, had been the Nittany Lions’ leader for 46 seasons. Joyner hopes to give the next coach at least a few weeks to recruit before high school seniors can officially announce their college choices starting Feb. 1. As they await their fates, the current coaches plan to recruit until they’re told otherwise. “I don’t know if it’s the end of an era for Penn state football, but it feels like it’s a change,” Johnson said. “We know that a change is finally going to come, and that’s tough to say—that a change is finally going to get here.” Players have said they have grown closer amid the media scrutiny on a scandal in which athletes had no connections. A positive for the next coaching regime is that it appears Penn State’s top juniors and sophomores plan to return. Sophomore Silas Redd, who ran for more than 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns in his first year as the featured tailback, has said he pondered his future with his family and coaches in the week after charges were initially filed before settling on staying committed to Penn State by the Nebraska game Nov. 12. “It would be silly of me to up and leave and sit out a year,” Redd said Saturday, “and I wasn’t willing to do that.” Leading tackler Gerald Hodges, who emerged as a speedy playmaker in his first year as a full-time starter at linebacker, has submitted his name to an NFL draft advisory board, but plans to return. Hodges said he wanted an evaluation for precautionary reasons, but cemented his plans after talking to his parents during Christmas break. “Not a chance at all,” the junior said when asked if he would leave. “I have a semester-and-a-half left to graduate. I’m not in any rush.” Linebacker should be the strength of the defense next season with Hodges and middle linebacker Glenn Carson returning, along with the expected return of standout Michael Mauti from a season-ending left knee injury. Jordan Hill, a junior who formed one-half of the standout defensive tackle tandem with All-American Devon Still, appears to be leaning to return but has said he would also like an evaluation about his potential draft prospects. “I’ll definitely talk to (my teammates). I’ve got close friends on this team and they’ll definitely play a factor,” Hill said. “I want to come back, but you just can’t say there’s a guarantee for anything. I don’t want to base my decision on anybody else. I want to do what’s best for myself.” And Penn State even has some good news on the recruiting trail, securing its first verbal commitment since charges were first filed against Sandusky early November. Sandusky is awaiting trial after pleading not guilty last month. While three recruits have reportedly taken back their verbal commitments, two-way linemen Jamil Pollard of West Deptford (N.J.) High announced at an all-star game in Arlington, Texas last week that he was planning to attend Penn State. Pollard had a scholarship offer from Penn State last summer before it was revoked for academic reasons. “Penn State is going to be Penn State no matter what. One coach or one player is not going to change things,” he told the Courier-Post of Camden, N.J. last week. “You buy into the school, not a coach.”
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Stosur faces tough draw at Brisbane (AP)
Stosur faces tough draw at Brisbane (AP)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP)—U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur faces a difficult road in her first tournament of 2012, with Serena Williams, Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters and former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic on her side of the Brisbane International draw. Hometown favorite Stosur opens play Monday at Pat Rafter Arena against Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus. Williams, who hasn’t played since losing the final to Stosur at Flushing Meadows, arrived in Brisbane on Saturday and will play Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa in the first round. Clijsters and Ivanovic could meet in the second round if they win their opening matches. Top-seeded Andy Murray will play Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in a men’s first-round match Tuesday.
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Phils, Rollins agree on $33M for 3 yrs. (AP)
Phils, Rollins agree on $33M for 3 yrs. (AP)
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Jimmy Rollins is bringing his swagger back to the Phillies. Three people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Rollins has agreed to a 3-year, $33 million contract with Philadelphia. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the agreement is pending a physical. “Gotta deal with me for 3 (4) more years!” Rollins wrote on Twitter. He also thanked former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, who tweeted congratulations to Rollins and the Phillies. Rollins is a three-time All-Star shortstop and the 2007 NL MVP. He has spent his entire career with the Phillies after being selected in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft, and was a free agent for the first time. Rollins, who turned 33 last month, sought at least a five-year deal. The Phillies didn’t want to go that long, and were able to reach an agreement after the market for Rollins lessened. From the start, Rollins said he wanted to stay in Philadelphia. He has been the heart and soul of a team that has won five consecutive NL East titles and the 2008 World Series. Rollins is undeniably the team leader, a charismatic personality who brings a special confidence to the clubhouse. Rollins was the guy who boldly proclaimed the Phillies were the team to beat in the division before the 2007 season, even though Philadelphia hadn’t won anything in 14 years. He backed that up by having an MVP year, and leading the Phillies to their first postseason appearance since 1993. Rollins hasn’t come close to matching the numbers he put up in 2007—.296 average, 30 homers, 94 RBIs, 20 triples, 41 steals. But he remains one of the best defensive players at his position, and is still an offensive threat atop the lineup. He hit .268 with 16 homers, 63 RBIs and 30 steals this year. He has been plagued by leg injuries in three of the last four years, and played in a career-low 88 games in 2010. He started 135 this year. Re-signing Rollins had been a top priority for the Phillies. Their biggest move of the offseason was giving former Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon a $50 million, four-year contract. Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:• Padres deal Mat Latos to Reds in biggest trade of the offseason• Canadiens fire Jacques Martin; can Randy Cunneyworth rescue season?• Male cheerleader gets team disqualified … because he’s a boy
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UCLA fires Neuheisel after 4 seasons (AP)
UCLA fires Neuheisel after 4 seasons (AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP)—UCLA fired coach Rick Neuheisel on Monday after four disappointing seasons in charge of his alma mater. Neuheisel will be allowed to coach the Bruins (6-6, 5-4 Pac-12) in Friday’s Pac-12 title game at Oregon, athletic director Dan Guerrero announced. Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson will be the Bruins’ interim coach if they receive a bowl berth. Neuheisel is 21-28 since taking over the program in December 2007, never building the momentum he needed to reach his goal of challenging Southern California for city supremacy. Guerrero fired Neuheisel two days after UCLA’s 50-0 loss to No. 9 USC, the Bruins’ largest loss since 1930 in their crosstown rivalry game. “I thanked Dan for the opportunity,” Neuheisel said on the Pac-12’s promotional teleconference for the title game, less than an hour after his firing was announced. “I don’t need reasons. Certainly when you’re UCLA coach, you’d like to play better against USC. When you lose in the fashion we did, that’s a difficult pill to swallow.” The Bruins will represent the Pac-12 South in the inaugural league title game on Friday despite finishing two games behind postseason-banned USC in the division standings. UCLA is a 30-point underdog against the Ducks with a Rose Bowl berth on the line for the winner. If UCLA loses to Oregon, the Pac-12 would have to petition the NCAA for bowl eligibility for a 6-7 team. The Bruins haven’t indicated whether they would pursue a waiver, although Johnson’s appointment as interim coach suggests they would. UCLA made it to just one bowl game in Neuheisel’s first three seasons, winning the EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C., in 2009. Neuheisel’s firing before the title game is an ugly end to the 50-year-old coach’s self-described dream job. He was a quarterback at UCLA, leading the Bruins to an unlikely victory in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, 1984. On Sunday, Neuheisel said he believed he deserved to return as the Bruins’ coach, citing their five conference victories, bowl eligibility and title game berth. He said he felt the Bruins had “moved the needle” to keep UCLA on a path to excellence. “We have certainly had some unfortunate evenings where things haven’t gone our way, but I think the program is headed in the right direction,” he said. Neuheisel had more success during his first two head coaching stops at Colorado and Washington, leading the Buffaloes to 33 wins and three bowl victories over four seasons before taking the Huskies to four straight winning seasons and a Rose Bowl victory after the 2000 campaign. Neuheisel eventually was fired by Washington after a series of problems in Seattle ranging from player discipline to a rift with school leadership to his infamous involvement in an NCAA basketball tournament pool. After two years out of coaching and a stint on the Baltimore Ravens’ staff, Neuheisel took over at UCLA. But the Bruins went 4-8 in his first and third seasons, with a 7-6 finish in 2009. He had high expectations for his current team, but the Bruins have won consecutive games just once all season, usually alternating blowout losses and narrow victories. UCLA still went 5-1 at the Rose Bowl this season, and surprising losses by Utah and Arizona State propelled the Bruins into the Pac-12 title game even before their blowout loss to USC. When Neuheisel returned to UCLA, he declared the “football monopoly is over” in the Los Angeles area—words that haunted him with each loss by his Bruins. Neuheisel ended up with much less success than former teammate Karl Dorrell, who was fired in 2007 after going 35-27 in five seasons that included four bowl berths, a 10-2 campaign in 2005 and a Sun Bowl victory. Johnson joined Neuheisel’s staff this season, replacing Norm Chow after Neuheisel’s messy public breakup with the longtime offensive mastermind. The former NFL assistant coach was the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator for most of last season, and he has helped Neuheisel to lead a resurgence of UCLA’s offense this year. Neuheisel and Chow installed Nevada’s pistol offense at UCLA last season, a surprising decision viewed as desperation by two veteran coaches with a wealth of experience in other systems. The switch revived UCLA’s nonexistent ground game, but the formation still felt gimmicky and unsuited to UCLA’s personnel even this season, when the Bruins had decent success with the emergence of Kevin Prince as a running quarterback. Neuheisel remained confident in his abilities until the end, saying last week that he thought UCLA had “closed the gap more” in its rivalry with USC. The Trojans then delivered the third-biggest blowout in the rivalry’s history, shutting out UCLA for the first time since 2001. Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:• Better with age: Former NBA star Yao Ming launches own winery• German footballers use rock-paper-scissors to decide who should kick• Suprising omission in top-10 best NASCAR Sprint Cup tracks
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Penn St. earns first win without Paterno (AP)
Penn St. earns first win without Paterno (AP)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—No. 21 Penn State won for the first time since coach Joe Paterno was fired, with Stephfon Green running for two touchdowns and the Nittany Lions’ solid defense holding Ohio State scoreless in the second half of a 20-14 victory Saturday. Penn State (9-2, 6-1) earned a share of the Big Ten’s Leaders Division title and set up a division title game next week at Wisconsin. The winner will play in the conference’s first championship game on Dec. 3. In what was expected to be a defensive struggle, the teams did all of their scoring in the opening half before the defenses took over. Braxton Miller ran for a touchdown and threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Jake Stoneburner for Ohio State (6-5, 3-4), but he had an intentional grounding and three incompletions on the Buckeyes’ final possession. The teams exchanged handshakes at midfield after the opening coin toss— although there was a smattering of boos from the Buckeyes faithful. It was a gesture of mutual respect and sportsmanship in the wake of the scandal which has hit Penn State. A former defensive assistant coach was arrested two weeks earlier for allegedly molesting several young boys. Paterno was fired, the university president and AD lost their jobs and the NCAA is looking into the athletic program’s actions. Ohio State had one last shot to win the game, taking over after a Penn State punt with 36 seconds left. But Miller was being sacked by linebacker Nate Stupar when he was called for intentionally grounding. Miller then was incomplete on three desperation heaves as a small pocket of Penn State fans ran onto the field to celebrate. The teams were scoreless in the third quarter, thanks to a goal-line stand by the Buckeyes. Ohio State handed over the ball at its own 11 when Jordan Hall’s wildcat handoff to Dan Herron was muffed in the backfield and Jordan Hill fell on the loose ball for the Nittany Lions. Helped by two Ohio State penalties, Penn State had a first-and-goal from the 2 but failed to dent the goal line on four running plays. Storm Klein and Michael Bennett stopped Silas Redd as he vaulted the line on fourth-and-goal from inside the 1, stopping him short and bringing the crowd to its feet. The Buckeyes also turned it over on a Carlos Hyde fumble, but the Nittany Lions didn’t score on that turnover either. McGloin completed 10 of 18 passes for 88 yards with one interception. Green rushed 16 times for 93 yards, with Redd adding 63 yards on eight attempts in the bruising battle. Miller, a freshman, ran for 105 yards on 18 attempts, with Herron adding 76 on eight carries. Miller completed 7 of 17 passes for 83 yards. DeVier Posey, playing his first game after serving two NCAA suspensions totaling 10 games for accepting improper benefits, had four catches for 66 yards. Penn State, which had scored 24 points total in its last two games, had 20 in a first half of unexpected offense from both teams against stout defenses. The Nittany Lions, ranked No. 102 in the nation in scoring at 21 points a game, needed just five plays to find the end zone. Green split two tacklers at the line after taking a direct snap and he outraced the defense for a 40-yard score that quieted a crowd of 105,493 on hand for Ohio State’s senior day. Ohio State fell behind 10-0 for the third game in the row later in the quarter when McGloin drove the Nittany Lions 54 yards and Anthony Fera converted a career-best 43-yard field goal. He would later top that by closing the half with a 46-yarder. The Buckeyes, also at times an offensively challenged team, counterpunched with touchdowns on their only two second-quarter possessions. Miller sprinted around right end for a 24-yard touchdown run. He also found Jake Stoneburner at the back of the end zone for a 7-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to 17-14. Stoneburner had three touchdown receptions in the Buckeyes’ first game of the year—a school record for a tight end—but had not caught a pass in the last three games. Penn State took a 17-7 lead in between the two Ohio State touchdowns when Green pinballed into the end zone from 4 yards out. The Nittany Lions had won just two of their last 10 games in Columbus—but both came against true freshmen quarterbacks (Art Schlichter in 1978, Terrelle Pryor in 2008). With a first-year player (Miller) again at the controls for the Buckeyes, they did it for a third time. Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap .
