3 Key Storylines I'm Watching as Penn State Prepares to Visit Michigan

The Nittany Lions look to find their big tight end and recalibrate at linebacker before facing the Wolverines.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Benjamin Brahmer (18) celebrates with offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh (68) after scoring a touchdown against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State heads to Michigan seeking to end a three-game Big Ten losing streak that has surprised many. “What is going on with Penn State?” CBS Sports analyst Charles Davis asked during a recent interview.

The Nittany Lions have plenty to address before heading to Ann Arbor as 6.5-point underdogs, according to DraftKings. Here are just three storylines we’re following Saturday, starting with a player Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser wants to get more involved.

Where has Ben Brahmer gone?

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Benjamin Brahmer (18) celebrates with offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh (68) after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State desperately wants to find a run game, and Mouser is counting the days to receiver Koby Howard’s return. But the offensive coordinator also left Saturday’s game against USC confused about another issue.

How did Ben Brahmer, Penn State’s 6-7 tight end, have only one catch for 4 yards? More importantly, why was Brahmer targeted just three times and not until 8:36 remained in the game? Mouser said he told his tight end after the game that it was “unacceptable.”

“On my sheet, like my targets to get Ben the ball, we called all the plays that I had starred to get him the ball, and for whatever reason, [USC] took it away,” Mouser said. “They were going to make somebody else catch the ball, and it was good to see [Andrew Rappleyea] and Gabe [Burkle] step up and make some plays, but I certainly have a checklist on my call sheet of like, ‘These are the best ways to get Ben the ball,’ and obviously it doesn't guarantee anything, but for him to have one catch isn't right in my mind.”

Brahmer started the season well, catching three touchdown passes in the first two games, including a five-catch, 79-yard, two-touchdown performance against Temple. He was Penn State’s second-leading receiver behind Howard through the non-conference schedule.

So when Howard got hurt in Week 3 against Buffalo, everything lined up for Brahmer to dominate the target share and have the offense run through him. But that didn’t happen. Brahmer hasn’t eclipsed 50 yards receiving in the three games since and hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since Week 2. Mouser needs that to change.

“I need to make sure that we get him the ball more because he is one of our best players, and that's a focal point for me every week, and has been for the last couple years,” Mouser said. 

How does Penn State address linebacker depth after latest injury?

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks at the scoreboard during the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State’s already-thin linebacker room took another blow this week, as Alex Tatsch is out for the season. Tatsch, injured in practice last week, did not play against USC and was one of just four linebackers to see the field in Big Ten play.  

"Obviously right now we are stressed a little bit at that linebacker room," Penn State coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday night on the Penn State Coaches Show. "With losing Alex here, really tough blow for Alex first and foremost and tough blow for us because of the type of player he's becoming." 

This is a problem for the Nittany Lions, who have already struggled to find the right times to rest star linebacker Tony Rojas so he’s fresh on key downs. Without Tatsch, who was Rojas’ top backup, it’s hard to envision how that will change.  

“Making sure we've got the right depth there is going to be really critical,” Campbell said. “Do we have it, are guys available, what does that look like? I think all those things certainly matter right now for us.”

Penn State played only three linebackers at USC and might not have another healthy outside linebacker behind Rojas to play at Michigan. But Campbell offered some good news, saying that Cam Smith, who hasn’t played since the opener against Marshall, could return Saturday in Ann Arbor.

One other option is possibly moving 6-1, 220-pound safety Marcus Neal Jr. into a linebacker role. Neal did not play against USC, because the Nittany Lions sought to emphasize coverage, but is a capable tackler who plays well in run support. 

"[Neal] is a guy who’s moved all over the place for us through fall camp, trying to put him in the best position to showcase his talent and skill," Campbell said after practice Wednesday. "Those are things that I don’t think happen at the snap of a finger, but incrementally he’s a guy who can certainly find himself more in the linebacker rotation than just at the safety rotation."

Will Penn State’s offense get better in the red zone?

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) reacts from the line of scrimmage during the first quarter against the USC Trojans at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State has a red-zone problem. The offense is scoring on 84.6 percent of its red-zone drives (13th in the Big Ten) but is converting just 53.8 percent of those drives into touchdowns. The Nittany Lions rank 17th in the conference (78th nationally) in red-zone touchdowns.

That was an acute issue last Saturday, when the Nittany Lions kicked two field goals in the USC red zone in the third quarter. That potentially cost them eight points in a 31-23 loss. Penn State also has turned the ball over on downs twice in the red zone.

How does Penn State fix this? Upgrading the run game is the priority. Penn State could use Brahmer more often in the red area, or call designed runs for quarterback Rocco Becht. But something has to give inside the 20-yard line. 

“There's going to be tight windows in the red zone,” Mouser said. “We got to be able to throw and catch and go up when it's not perfect and make plays and be able to run the ball in the red zone. Can't run the ball for no yards on second-and-10. So from my standpoint, it’s being able to call stuff that you can execute well and put our guys in places to be successful and throw stuff that we're good at.”

The Penn State-Michigan kickoff is scheduled for 3:36 p.m. ET Saturday at Michigan Stadium. CBS Sports will televise.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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