Opposing Sideline: Answers to 5 Questions on Penn State's Season So Far
When the Associated Press preseason college football poll came out during the summer, Indiana was actually a couple of notches ahead Penn State. The Hoosiers, who were 6-1 in the Big Ten a year ago including an overtime win over the Nittany Lions in the season opener, were ranked No. 17 and Penn State was two slots behind.
A lot has changed during the first month of the season. Both have played two ranked teams in September, and Penn State has won twice, beating Wisconsin and Auburn, while Indiana has lost to Iowa to Cincinnati.
So now, the Nittany Lions are up to No. 4 in the country in this week's Associated Press poll and the Hoosiers are nowhere to be found, not even receiving votes.
The two teams get together at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night, with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff televised live on ABC. To get a feel for why the Nittany Lions are 4-0, I reached out to my colleague on our Sports Illustrated Penn State site, Mark Wogenrich of All Penn State, to pick his brain.
I had five questions for him. Here are his answers:
1. Penn State has gone from No. 19 in the preseason to No. 4 now thanks to a couple of big wins. Were they underrated to start the season?
Probably not, considering how 2020 went. The Lions strung together four wins to close a disappointing year but still had to install a new offense — its third in three years — and sort out a defense that allowed 30-plus in five consecutive games for the first time in school history.
But you saw signs of improvement during spring and the preseason, especially with quarterback Sean Clifford and the secondary. Though they weren’t underrated in August, the Lions might be seeing some poll inflation at No. 4 now based on the perceived quality of the Wisconsin and Auburn wins. That said, Penn State has played — for the most part — effective, mistake-free, sound football so far.
Penn State coach James Franklin (right) hugs quarterback Sean Clifford after the Nittany Lions defeated Auburn 28-20 on Sept. 18. (Dan Rainville/USA TODAY Sports.)
2. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford caught a lot of flak for the losing streak last year, but he's the veteran quarterback in this league and he seems to be playing well so far this year. How's he been?
Better than ever. Clifford’s performance vs. Auburn — 28-for-32 passing, 280 yards, 2 TDs, one meaningless interception — was the best of his career, and he followed that against Villanova by becoming the first Penn State QB to throw for 400 yards at Beaver Stadium.
After the first half of the Wisconsin game, Clifford has been the bounce-back story of Penn State’s offense. First-year coordinator Mike Yurcich mostly has reined in Clifford’s penchant for hero ball, improved his footwork and taught him to scan the field better while still harnessing Clifford’s big-play skills.
He has three receivers who catch everything: Jahan Dotson is a top-10 receiver in Penn State history, while Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith are growing as playmakers. This is Penn State’s best group of receivers since the 2016 Big Ten title team.
3. Penn State still doesn't seem to be running the ball well. What's the problem there?
It’s primarily the eight-year Achilles’ heel of James Franklin’s tenure at Penn State: the offensive line. Franklin is working with his fourth offensive line coach, Phil Trautwein, who has some linemen. Tackles Rasheed Walker and Caedan Wallace project as NFL players.
Further, the coaching staff was over the moon about its running back room, which returned 2019 breakout star Noah Cain from a 2020 injury, two talented young backs and a veteran transfer in John Lovett from Baylor. But the whole operation has been disappointing and, surprisingly, not physical enough. The Lions rank 13th in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game and per carry and produced just 18 yards on 17 carries in the first half vs. Villanova. Yurcich compensates by throwing a lot of receiver screens — 29 in four games — but third-and-short is a perplexing bind for this team.
4. Now that Indiana finally has a second win in this season, what's the perception of the Hoosiers there in Happy Valley? Are they taken seriously now?
Franklin certainly takes the Hoosiers seriously. They’ve been an absolute thorn in his side despite his 6-1 record. The 2018 team was lucky to get out of Bloomington with a win, and the 2019 team traded punches with Indiana before running the ball well late.
Franklin absolutely would love a game like that, in which his offense asserts itself with an 18-play scoring drive to seal the win. As for 2020, that game stood as the tentpole around which Penn State built its offseason. Nobody associated with the team will dare say the word “revenge,” but fans certainly want some Saturday.
Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. celebrates with fans near the end of their 28-20 win over Auburn at Beaver Stadium. (Matthew OHare/USA TODAY Sports)
5. Who's been playing well on that defense? It's really looked good so far.
Franklin and defensive coordinator Brent Pry landed two key starters from the transfer portal in tackle Derrick Tangelo (Duke) and end Arnold Ebiketie (Temple). Ebiketie has been the defense’s most disruptive player, with 17 QB pressures and 10 hits. He also blocked a field goal against Wisconsin.
The secondary is exceptional, starting with NFL prospects Joey Porter Jr and Jaquan Brisker. Porter (6-2) is Penn State’s best cover cornerback, and Brisker has been aggressive in coverage and run support.
The defense gives up yards but absolutely makes plays when it counts. Linebacker Brandon Smith, who reminds some people of Cowboys star Micah Parsons, has turned a corner this season after shifting his responsibilities to be more of a box linebacker. Overall, this defense stands far above the 2020 group.
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