Penn State Takes Creative Approach to Keep Players Sharp This Spring

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State has multiple players who are not participating or are limited in spring practice because of injuries or offseason surgeries. However, that doesn’t mean the coaches are going easy on them.

Taylor Mouser, the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, gives his players exams to ensure they understand their offensive formations through and through. They have become primary teaching opportunities for Mouser and his Penn State offense during spring drills.

“The challenge that I stress to our staff is, how are we getting our guys that [aren’t practicing] engaged?” Mouser said after a recent practice. “We give those guys a test after every meeting that we have. We put them on the board and we grade them and we’re tough on them. They have championship grades or failing grades.”

About 30 Nittany Lions have missed time or are limited this spring, including quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Alex Manske. During Penn State’s first open practice, linebackers Tony Rojas and Alex Tatsch performed walkthrough reps, and multiple players worked on the side. At the second open practice, Penn State had only three tight ends and three running backs available.

As a result, Penn State’s annual Blue-White event April 25 at Beaver Stadium is expected to look more like a practice than a scrimmage game because of limited depth in certain areas. Though some aren’t getting live reps, Mouser still wants to make his players think. That’s what the tests are designed for.

“Anybody could draw up the base look [of the offense], which is always easy and it’s good, it’s obviously the starting point,” Mouser said. “But we like to give them a test of the one-offs, the third downs, the exotics, the short-yardage stuff just to make them think like, ‘Yeah I know this.’”

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht goes through a throwing drill at practice at Holuba Hall. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State On SI

Mouser, who was Iowa State’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons, is tasked with teaching his offense to a new blended roster this spring. But with a large group of former Cyclones still playing in his system, it is only new to half the team.

“When we go install it, we have a good chunk of, ‘Hey, this is when we ran the play and it didn’t work and why,’” Mouser said. “And we have that for the Iowa State guys, and sometimes you learn more when you’re installing it. Those guys learn more from when it gets messed up.

“It’s never going to look perfect all the time, so I think our ability to grow from the cut-ups from those guys with what didn’t work and then the [Penn State players] see why we yelled at the Iowa State guys. Those guys don’t make the same mistake twice. … I want to make sure those Penn State guys can go and be able to get it right vs. the wrinkles that are going to be different.”

It’s not just running the plays; it’s understanding the why behind them that is important. Mouser said he’s committed to developing the football IQ of his players so that when the season does come around, they’re situationally prepared.

“Mouse made himself a really great student of the game,” Penn State coach Matt Campbell said. “I think if you talk to [former Iowa State receivers] Allen Lazard and Hakeem Butler, some of those great players we had early on at Iowa State, they'd give a lot of credit for their development to him.”

Penn State coach Matt Campbell said QB Rocco Becht will be "ready to rock and roll" for the season.

Campbell added that Becht is "way ahead" of his rehab schedule this spring following offseason shoulder surgery.

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Similarly, offensive line coach Ryan Clanton rotates players through different roles and across the line to prevent memorization.

“I think once you have a greater understanding of why you’re running certain plays, you play faster rather than just memorizing your job responsibility, which is what most linemen do,” Clanton said earlier this spring.

Campbell’s approach to spring practice has been to go “slow and right” and be very intentional about every rep. Changing Penn State’s practice schedule to the mornings has been praised by both staff and players as the Nittany Lions enter a new era of the program.

Everyone is being held accountable, and Mouser’s playbook written tests are just the start.

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive coordinator is giving his players exams during spring practice. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

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