After a devastating loss to Michigan, there is one PSU position that needs the most help. The Penn State Nittany Lions lost 41-17, against the Michigan Wolverines. This was Penn State’s first loss of the season. While the defense could not stop the run, before the game against Michigan they were doing a decent job there. What has not done a great job is a different PSU position.
Penn State’s offensive line has consistently been in a rough position and it was even more noticeable during their loss against Michigan. A poor offensive line can impact teams in multiple ways and is something that Penn State needs to fix if they still want to be a top college football team.
Effect on the Passing Game
With a poor offensive line, it can be insanely difficult for the quarterback to have time to pass the ball. Having a PSU position this weak can greatly affect the overall passing game, causing poor ball placement. It will also result in an increase in gaining no yards, and even turnovers. In the end, this lessens a team’s chances of scoring points, which was evident vs Michigan.
QB Sacks/Pressures
Penn State has been sacked seven times through three quarterbacks according to ESPN. To give the Nittany Lions credit, there have been many occasions through the season where quarterback Sean Clifford was able to throw the ball away in order to avoid the sack.
Still, having to throw the ball away is partially a result of a poor offensive line. While incompletions cannot completely only be blamed on this struggling PSU position, Clifford has completed 85 out of 137 passing attempts. The other quarterback on the team who has played in multiple games, Drew Allar, has completed 12 out of 19.
Poor Run Game
Despite being off to a strong start with surprising standouts from freshmen, the Penn State run game went downhill. It is underestimated how often the run game revolves around the offensive line. Without a strong run block, it is difficult to get anything going for the team. This season, the Nittany Lions total 963 total yards in six games, according to ESPN. The rushing leader is freshman running back, Nick Singleton, totaling 463 yards.
If I was asked at the beginning of the season, I would argue Penn State’s offensive line was better at run blocking than pass blocking. Now, with the run game slowing down, it is clear there needs to be an improvement for the PSU position there as well.
PSU Position vs Michigan
The Nittany Lions showed off their poor offensive line in their loss against Michigan. The Wolverines’ defense totaled only two sacks and four tackles for loss, but also three pass deflections and five QB Pressures according to ESPN’s Box Score. There were many moments where both Clifford and Allar were forced to throw the ball away due to being pressured. Clifford completed seven out of 19 passes, while Allar completed five out of ten.
The run game also was a struggle, demonstrating the poor PSU position. The longest run was for 74 yards by Clifford in the second quarter of the game. The team totaled only 111 yards, which is only 37 yards outside of Clifford’s run. Clifford carried the ball six times, and multiple were from running from defenders and not being able to get the ball to his receivers.
The team averaged five yards per carry, and they needed much more in order to get the win. A way for them to get more wins going forward is to fix this poor PSU Position. One bright side is that one of the touchdowns was because of a rushing play by running back Kaytron Allen and it was a very good play on a fourth-down attempt.
Overall Offensive Line
The NCAA ranks Penn State at 39 in sacks allowed. The Nittany Lions are listed as being sacked seven times for 47 yards. That is almost half of the football field’s worth of sacks. The team averages being sacked 1.4 times per game. The NCAA also ranks the team 26th for time of possession. The offensive line will have to fix their issues and not only protect their quarterbacks, but their running backs too. This is the worst PSU position to struggle, understanding it can make or break a team.
Penn State will play Minnesota at home next week, and it will be their famous whiteout game. This PSU position will need to step up to show that the Nittany Lions can still compete.
For More NFL and NCAA Football Content
Check out this Penn State article that previewed the game vs Michigan, and how the team could have won. Also, check out my most recent article on the San Francisco 49ers players.