Penn State coach Matt Campbell addressed two key decisions he made during Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin that were a big enough deal that they’re still being talked about three days later.
On two occasions in the second half, Penn State ran the ball on third and 12.
The first instance took place four minutes into the third quarter.
With Penn State up by a touchdown and well into field goal range at the Wisconsin 26, PSU decided to play it safe and ran it with James Peoples on 3rd and 12.
Ryan Barker then kicked a field goal to put PSU up by double digits.
Two drives later, Penn State, still up by 10, again had a 3rd and 12, this one at its own 10 yard line.
Again, PSU ran it with Peoples and didn’t get the first down, and this time, Penn State couldn’t salvage any points and had to punt.
In case you don’t know by now, Wisconsin came back and won.
Campbell explained himself.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.‘YOU DON’T WANT TO SCREW IT UP’
“You’re playing with such a lead early on that you don’t want to screw it up, and you’re playing such great defense, and you’re putting yourself in such a great situation … the flow of the game, the turnovers, just wanted to keep playing field position.”
DID WE WANT TO SCREW AROUND?
The overall theme for each questionable decision Campbell has addressed throughout his postgame presser and Tuesday presser is that he wanted Penn State to protect its lead.
He emphasized that again when asked about punting on 4th and 1 early in the fourth quarter, a decision Campbell said Saturday would “eat at me.”
Penn State set up to go for it, and then the third quarter ended.
PSU set up to go for it again, but called time out.
“My biggest thing that kept replaying in my mind was we were playing such good defense and the reality of did we want to screw around here?” Campbell said.
“Situationally I didn’t feel like it was the right time and the right place to maybe panic and give them a short field and feel like they could have more time to get themselves back into the football game.”
Penn State takes on Northwestern on the road Friday at 8 on Fox.
