The Penn State-Illinois Report Card: A 'Pretty Big Ten Win'
Penn State coach James Franklin won't be drawn into conversations about winning ugly. "That was a pretty Big Ten win on the road," Franklin said after the Lions' 30-13 victory over Illinois on Saturday. The No. 7 Lions certainly demonstrated some flaws but still managed to control the Illini as whole. As Franklin noted in Champaign, Penn State (3-0) never lost the lead, didn't lose control of the game and ultimately won by 17 points (its third straight cover, by the way).
The Penn State-Illinois report card will note those flaws without letting them dominate the conversation. With that, to the grades.
The Penn State Nittany Lions celebrate their 30-13 win over Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports
OFFENSE: C+
The Lions weren't thrilled with this game, nor should they have been: They scored one first-half touchdown despite starting at their own 40-yard line or better on 4 of 7 drives. They rushed for 2 yards in the first quarter. And quarterback Drew Allar went 10-for-20 in the first half. Yes, this game required resiliency against Illinois tackle Johnny Newton and his nine-man defensive front, which rattled the Lions' line (left tackle Olu Fashanu had a tough day). There were three drops (starting receiver Tre Wallace did not play due to injury). And the Lions had seven carries stopped for no gain or loss. Despite all that, Penn State scored 30 points for the 10th consecutive game, and a third-string running back threw a touchdown pass. In all, a passing effort with room for correction.
DEFENSE: A-
Penn State's pass defense is an absolute terror. The pass rush so rattled Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer that he threw four interceptions and was replaced. Two of those picks were by cornerbacks Daequan Hardy and Johnny Dixon in single coverage. That's impressive and were boosted by the pass rush of Adisa Isaac and coordinator Manny Diaz's variety of blitzes. A week after his pick-6 vs. Delaware, linebacker Dominic DeLuca tied for the team lead in tackles (6) and forced a fumble for the game's first turnover. Also, welcome back defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, whose two tackles were sacks. Izzard missed the first two games for undisclosed reasons.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B-
The game's sneaky-important play came from punt returner Kaden Saunders, who gained 19 yards late in the second quarter to set up a field goal before halftime. Nicholas Singleton, finding too many people to run against offensively, looked angry on a 31-yard kickoff return. Alex Felkins made three field goals, one from 45 yards, but didn't get enough height on the blocked attempt — and Illinois' Johnny Newton used some nice leverage on the long snapper's back to elevate for the block.
COACHING: B
Manny Diaz's defense, which can provoke big-play terror, still has more takeaways (seven) than touchdowns allowed (five) through three games. His risks have rewarded so far. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich pulled the trick play at the right time, after running a bit too often into big Illinois fronts early. And Franklin pulled his team out of the 11 a.m. road funk to finish well.
OVERALL: B-
Haven't yet mentioned the penalties (7 for 70 yards) that messed with the Lions' field position and momentum. Two were unsportsmanlike calls, which frustrated Franklin. "They're discipline penalties," the coach said wearily. "We've got to eliminate those." Some warning signs still are present, notably the short-yardage run game and interior defense. But overall, the Lions met the moment.
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