Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald loves to say it: “Stats are for losers.”
And in the case of Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, they are.
Hackenberg ranks 62nd nationally in passing efficiency rating, thanks to a pedestrian completion percentage of 60.7 and five interceptions to four touchdown passes.
Yet many project him to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft as soon as he’s eligible in 2016. UMass coach Mark Whipple, who tutored Ben Roethlisberger and Donovan McNabb in the NFL, even suggested Hackenberg would have been the first player taken in 2014. Yes, 2014.
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Fitzgerald, whose team takes on Penn State on Saturday in State College, Pa., can see why so many are so enamored with the 6-foot-4, 234-pound sophomore.
“If he’s not the best in our league and the best in the country, he’s in the conversation,” Fitzgerald said. “He has mobility and great escapability. Penn State is not an option team, but he is a very good athlete for a big young man and he can make every throw. He always has his eyes down the field.”
Said NU defensive tackle Greg Kuhar: “What we’ve been preaching is that he will throw whenever. He will be getting hit and still throw the ball. So we have to put pressure on him and make sure he knows that we are there.”
Hackenberg’s stats are mediocre because of Penn State’s leaky offensive line. One example: He fired a perfect 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jesse James late in the Rutgers game, but it got negated by holding. Although Hackenberg moves well, the Nittany Lions have allowed 10 sacks, the most among Big Ten teams.
Penn State also has a good rushing tandem in the rugged Zack Zwinak and the speedy Bill Belton (“Thunder and lightning,” Fitzgerald called them), but the stats don’t bear that out either. Belton averages 4 yards per carry and Zwinak 2.9.
“Belton has great quicks, change of direction and top-end speed,” Fitzgerald said. “Zack is really physical. They complement each other really, really well.”
Penn State does dominate statistically in rushing defense, yielding a league-low 1.8 yards per rush.
“Their defense,” Fitzgerald said, “is ridiculous.”
Extra points: NU middle linebacker Collin Ellis (concussion) will miss the game, with untested Anthony Walker likely starting in his place. … Safety Ibraheim Campbell, receiver Cam Dickerson and defensive end Deonte Gibson are probable, and receiver Tony Jones is good to go. … The Wildcats’ flight to central Pennsylvania was delayed about two hours Friday after the FAA-induced ground stop.
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein