What We Learned From Penn State's Win Over Ohio
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Thoughts big and small from Penn State's 46-10 victory over Ohio at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.
Nicholas Singleton Will Be Starting Soon
Penn State coach James Franklin likes his four running backs (he should) and can employ them many ways. But freshman Nicholas Singleton is the torch-bearer.
Singleton had more carries of 40+ yards (three) against Ohio than the team had all of last season (two). He's faster to the edge than any Penn State back since Journey Brown. He's the big-play threat (10 carries for 179 yards) that the offense sorely missed the past two seasons.
"I pointed downfield before he even hit the sideline," Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown said of Singleton's 70-yard touchdown run. "Once he got that edge, nobody was catching him. I knew it."
Franklin will continue to rotate backs, but Singleton will get the most carries and just might start at Auburn. Here's why.
"We didn't always have the speed to get to the edge like he does," Franklin said.
Penn State Doesn't Have a Quarterback Controversy
Not even close. Yes, Drew Allar looked sharp again, completing 6 of 8 passes, two for touchdowns. He demonstrated more running ability than expected ("He's no Trace McSorley but does enough to keep people honest," Franklin said) and likely has the best arm on the team.
But Sean Clifford has played more than 2,000 snaps. He gives Penn State the best chance to win stressed games, as he did last week at Purdue. His ceiling might not be as high as Allar's, but his floor currently is a few levels above.
What Penn State has at quarterback is a situation demonstrably better than last year. Clifford himself said so.
"I know how important it is to give those guys reps," he said. "If anything happens to me, I want to win games."
Penn State is much better positioned to do that this year with Clifford/Allar/Christian Veilleux in the room.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar threw two touchdown passes in his Beaver Stadium debut Saturday, a 46-10 win over Ohio.
Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports
But You're Going to See More of Allar
Franklin said he planned to get Allar a series in the second quarter, which didn't happen because of the situation. Penn State's offense didn't have a great second quarter, save for the final minute. Don't be surprised if Franklin tries it at Auburn, though.
The coaching staff has set high expectations for Allar and wants to get him substantial, tangible playing time this season. Until something goes sideways with Clifford, Allar will play beside him and in a supporting role. Still, the Lions can run nearly every ounce of their offense with Allar and not feel constrained. Is it similar to the Michigan/JJ McCarthy situation of 2021? Perhaps.
Players Making Moves
Receiver Tre Wallace: The redshirt freshman rededicated himself this past offseason, knowing that a bunch of true freshmen receivers were ready to grab playing time. Wallace has been a rising offensive contributor, making four catches Saturday.
Tight end Tyler Warren: With Theo Johnson out, Warren might be Penn State's best tight end (though Brenton Strange had the big play vs. Purdue). He covers a lot of territory and remains a hidden Wildcat threat.
Abdul Carter: The freshman linebacker played substantially behind starter Curtis Jacobs, making five tackles and showing some hitting power. He needs seasoning on angles and pursuit, but that will come.
Johnny Dixon: The cornerback made his first defensive start and led the Lions with 1.5 tackles for loss.
Did You Notice?
Penn State played 12 true freshmen, including offensive linemen Drew Shelton and Vega Ioane.
Tight end Theo Johnson missed his second consecutive game, as did defensive linemen Coziah Izzard and Smith Vilbert.
Receiver Liam Clifford made his first career catch. Alas, it was from Christian Veilleux and not his older brother.
Penn State's offense caught 31 of its 40 targets. Parker Washington was a perfect 4-for-4.
Tank Smith, Penn State's 5-7, 234-pound running back, had two carries for 14 yards.
Ohio played four different quarterbacks.
Advanced Stats
Why was Penn State a shaky 3-for-12 on third down? It's average third-down distance was 9.5 yards.
Ohio was 0-for-10 on passes of 15+ yards.
The Lions averaged 6.9 yards per carry, thanks largely to Singleton's big gains. They also had eight carries stuffed for no gain or a loss.
Adjusted for five sacks, Penn State averaged 9.3 yards per carry.
Penn State was exceptional on first down, completing 11 of 14 passes and averaging 9.2 yards per rush.
Read More
The Penn State-Ohio report card
The Nicholas Singleton era begins at Penn State
What's new at Beaver Stadium this season?
Lions Legacy Club, a new NIL collective, has big plans for Penn State football
Ten former Penn State players make NFL roster as rookies
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
