Hawkeyes in for full Penn State effect

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The noise in an opposing Big Ten stadium almost kind of physically hits you. Iowa defensive end Matt Nelson used terms like "zone out" and "tone out" to describe how he keeps it together.

His job is to somehow peel back the layer of 100,000 fans screaming for his abject failure and listen to what's being said. For that to happen, Nelson has to sift through what's basically the sound of a jet engine for that one voice he needs to send him in the right direction.

'It is 100,000 people screaming,' the sophomore said. 'So yes, that does take a toll mentally a little bit. You have to kind of just zone out and focus on the call.'

Nelson is a sophomore and Saturday will be his first game in one of the Big Ten's mega-stadiums. It'll be the first conference road game in a mega-stadium for a lot of Hawkeyes (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) when they travel to No. 12 Penn State (6-2, 4-1).

Iowa played at Ohio Stadium in 2013 and fell to Ohio State before 104,944 fans. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson was one of the few Hawkeyes on the sidelines that day.

'It's been so long, I can't even remember what it was like,' Johnson said. 'I've never been to Penn State. It's going to be a challenge going somewhere you've never been. It takes so much mental focus to go in and just play your game.'

Penn State has the 107,282-seat Beaver Stadium behind it Saturday, but that's not all.

— You've seen the Penn State 'White Outs' on television. You know them when you do see them. Yes, Iowa won its only White Out game in 2009, but the Nittany Lions have drawn energy off this for two victories over Ohio State, including a 24-21 victory over then-No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 22.

Penn State head coach James Franklin has done this equation. 'White Out' + supercharged hostile environment = victory.

So ... Franklin tweeted after last week's victory over Purdue ...

We need Beaver Stadium sold out & rocking next wk against Iowa! TOGETHER we are tough to beat! Who says we can only have 1 whiteout a yr!October 29, 2016

We need Beaver Stadium sold out & rocking next wk against Iowa! TOGETHER we are tough to beat! Who says we can only have 1 whiteout a yr!

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin)

'It's funny, what I said after the game was I wanted the stadium to be rocking and sold out and create an unbelievable environment,' Franklin said. 'Then I put in there, 'Who says we can only have one White Out a year?' I was really talking about the mentality and what we need in terms of an environment and excitement in the stadium. But it kind of went crazy, went viral and people ran with it.'

And so maybe another 'White Out.' Let's go with unofficial but coach-sanctioned 'White Out.'

'Most importantly we need that stadium rocking,' Franklin said. 'I would assume that most people are going to wear some of our colors anyway, white or blue, but most importantly we need that stadium rocking. We need a home-field advantage.'

— Saturday also happens to be PSU's fifth annual 'Seats for Servicemembers' game. The program honors the families of veterans and their families and loved ones by providing tickets at no cost to active and retired service members, along with a tailgate at the Bryce Jordan Center.

PSU will provide 7,500 tickets for tonight's game. That carries its own momentum, along with it also being PSU's Military Appreciation Night.

— Perhaps hitting closer to home for PSU players is freshman defensive lineman Immanuel Iyke, who happens to be a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

At the beginning of the season, Iyke told his story to the team, including his family background as a Nigerian immigrant, and the significance his military experience held in his life.

Iyke will lead the Lions out of the tunnel Saturday with an American flag in his hands.

'He shared some of the experiences that he had, which really hit home to our team,' Franklin said. 'So for Immanuel, not only will this be special for him, but he'll lead our team out with an American flag. We thought that would be important for our military appreciation game.'

So, yeah. The Hawkeyes are in for the full Penn State, Beaver Stadium and probably very organic 'White Out' effect.

Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse played his prep football at Waukon, a Class 2A football school. That included stops at such places as Central Springs High School in Manly. Of course, Hesse started in the Rose Bowl last season, but this trip has his full attention.

'Obviously, the amount of people is going to be multiplied by like a hundred,' Hesse said with a laugh while comparing the road trip to Central Springs to Penn State. 'You like going into big crowds. If the crowd is into it, players feed off it, no matter what the sport is. Ultimately, nothing outside the white lines matters. As far as I'm concerned, the white lines in Manly, Iowa, are the same parameters that are going to be in Happy Valley on Saturday.'

You have to want this stage. You have to crave these moments. This is what separates competitors from quilters.

'It's going to be a great atmosphere,' quarterback C.J. Beathard said. 'It's one of those things you dream about when you're a kid. Stadiums like this, big crowds, night game, it's going to be awesome. We're excited. We'll be juiced for this game.'

Obviously, Iowa's Kinnick Stadium doesn't have the 100,000 scale and it won't. When the north end zone renovation ends in 2019, the stadium stands to lose around 1,500 in capacity, going from 70,585 to somewhere around 69,000.

That doesn't mean a trip to Kinnick doesn't have teeth. The sideline space is maybe 20 paces from the playing field to the bleachers. Fans are right on top of the opponents. Going into Iowa's last home game, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst was asked about the dialogue with Kinnick crowds. He kind of smiled, hinting that, yes, there's intensity in the setting.

'Kinnick does provide a homefield advantage for our football team and it's mostly about the fans,' Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said. 'But I think the way Kinnick Stadium was developed also adds volume. Fans are right on top of the field. It's a combination of the fans and the facility.'

2-Minute Drill: Breaking down Iowa-Penn State

When Iowa introduced the north end zone renovation in mid-October, it did so with a shield logo that read 'Kinnick Edge.' The campaign might not amplify beyond the fundraising drive to pay for the north end zone. Still, there's a point to it and that is Iowa believes Kinnick and fans add push and pull, despite a 2-3 record this season and 17-9 over the last four.

Whether Kinnick Edge becomes a rallying cry or a T-shirt, the goal is to push Kinnick to 'elite venue' status. Or, in the opinions of a lot of Iowa fans, maintain its 'elite venue' status.

'The best way to evaluate it is to compare what happens in Kinnick Stadium to what happens across the country,' Barta said. 'Anybody who does that, comes back and says, 'Wow, that's one of the best stadiums in America.''

Then, Saturday's game should be a solid measure for Iowa on a couple of levels.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com