The Penn State-Indiana Report Card: Lions Leave No Doubt
The questions surrounding Penn State last week revolved around whether quarterback Drew Allar would grab more playing time, or even replace, starter Sean Clifford. Turns out, though, the bigger question involved the Lions' offensive line.
Penn State routed Indiana 45-14 on Saturday with a first-time line combination that included true freshman Drew Shelton. Yet that group bulldozed room for freshman backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton to rush for 159 yards and four touchdowns on 34 carries.
Meanwhile, Penn State's defense smothered Indiana's clearly undermanned offense, making a school-record 16 tackles for loss with six sacks. The Lions (7-2) took advantage of a date with a hobbled Indiana team that has lost six straight.
To the report card.
OFFENSE: B+
The offensive line, notably Shelton and guard JB Nelson, deserve credit for making the best of a rough situation. The Lions were without starters Olu Fashanu, Landon Tengwall and Caedan Wallace to start the game, then lost guard Hunter Nourzad during it. Still, they buried Indiana's front, propelling the freshman backs to a 4.7 yards-per-carry average.
Allen (18 carries, 86 yards) runs with a heady combination of power and foresight that makes him an every-down back. How Penn State manages carries between he and Singleton will be fascinating to watch. Receiver Mitchell Tinsley propelled an early scoring drive with two fabulous catches, and tight end Brenton Strange pulled off a piece of sorcery by plucking a ball from behind Indiana defender. Clifford was Clifford again, though his interception was tipped and a pretty good deep throw was dropped.
Penn State receiver Mitchell Tinsley made five catches for 63 yards, including this stretch for a key third-down conversion, against Indiana. The Lions won 45-14.
Robert Goddin/USA Today Sports
DEFENSE: A
But for one drive, when Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle got into a little tempo rhythm, Penn State was blistering. The defense made a school-record 16 tackles for loss, punishing Indiana primarily with a four-man rush. Linemen made nine of those TFLs.
Here again, the Lions lost starting linebackers Tyler Elsdon and Curtis Jacobs, but Kobe King replaced Elsdon well (eight tackles, 2.5 for losses). Penn State also intercepted three passes, including career-firsts from Kalen King and freshman Dani Dennis-Sutton, and held Indiana to seven three-and-outs on its 15 series.
Indiana finished with just 196 total yards, 115 of them on two scoring drives (the second against the end of Penn State's defensive travel roster). Yes, the Hoosiers are challenged offensively, but the Lions bludgeoned them.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B-
Weird game for the kicking units, due in part to the weather. Coach James Franklin praised Jake Pinegar, who made the first 50-yard field goal of his five-year career and limited Indiana's talented kickoff returner Jaylin Lucas to just two touches. Parker Washington fumbled while going to the ground on a punt return, which teammate Dominic DeLuca smartly recovered. And an unplayed Indiana punt ultimately bounced for 69 yards.
The Lions also used two punters for the first time this season, with Gabe Nwosu replacing Barney Amor in the second half. Neither was exceptional, though the wind helped no one on special teams.
COACHING: B+
James Franklin and his staff managed a lot of issues this week: the offensive line, the potential for a letdown post-Ohio State and the outside quarterback crisis. They churned through all of it, coming up with a line that played exceptionally well under duress and a defensive plan that put Indiana under constant duress.
Franklin also showed some sideline spirit arguing an officiating decision while Strange and Allen made two of the game's signature plays. The staff should leave Bloomington satisfied.
OVERALL: B+
On the pregame show, Franklin said he showed his team a Bill Gates video about resiliency. Twice this season, Penn State has followed disappointing losses (Clifford called last week's to Ohio State a "heartbreaker") with huge bounceback wins.
That shows Penn State has a resilient roster, one quite capable of winning 10 games this season.
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