It’s a mystery that has puzzled Penn State football fans and many others.
How could a veteran offense that rushed for at least 189 yards in seven of its last eight games last season struggle to push the pile so far this season?
How could the Nittany Lions sputter in the red zone against overmatched opponents?
Why couldn’t they roll up big offensive numbers against two mediocre FBS teams and one from the FCS and dominate those teams from start to finish?
Why did they muster only 109 yards in the first three quarters against Oregon?
Everything that happens in football stems from the line of scrimmage.
And to this point, the Penn State offensive line that was superb in those final eight games last season has been anything but.
Every preseason magazine projected that the Lions would have one of the very best offensive lines in the country.
Coach James Franklin said in August that the offensive line, which included five guys who made at least six starts last season, might be as good or better than any in school history.
Through four games, they’re not close.
But why? Was right guard Sal Wormley, now a rookie on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, that valuable? Do the Lions miss fiery assistant offensive line coach Frank Leonard, the football lifer who returned to New England to be closer to his family?
Maybe only those inside Lasch Building know the answer.
Something’s not right. The offense hasn’t been able to get into a prolonged rhythm in any game.
I asked about the offensive line Monday at Franklin’s weekly press conference. He rarely throws players under the bus, but he came close.
“The O-line has, like a lot of things on offense, just not been consistent,” Franklin answered. “And that’s really been all year so far.”
Penn State ranks 66th nationally in total offense, 53rd in rushing and 79th in passing. That’s not what was expected from an offense that returned quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, tight end Khalil Dinkins and five offensive linemen: Drew Shelton, Vega Ioane, Nick Dawkins, Anthony Donkoh and Nolan Rucci.
Allar shouldn’t receive absolution for throwing a game-ending interception in the second overtime against Oregon. He’s missed some throws, but he also has faced more pressure in the pocket than he should have.
He didn’t have time to set his feet against the Ducks, who often put heat on him, and completed two passes while falling backwards. He’s an easy target for casual fans because he plays quarterback, the most visible position.
Then there’s Singleton, a preseason All-American who has rushed for 3,000-plus yards but who has averaged just 3.8 yards per carry. He hasn’t suddenly lost his ability, just like Saquon Barkley hasn’t because he’s averaging 3.1 yards a pop with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nothing is wrong with Singleton. He just needs one long run to get him going.
How much does the offense miss Tyler Warren? A lot. But remember that Warren didn’t get much notice until the sixth game at USC when he made 17 catches for 224 yards.
Penn State is still searching for answers.
“We’ve been inconsistent in how we’ve been trying to run it,” Franklin said. “Those are the things we look at every single week. What do we need to do to be successful? What are we doing well? How can we build on those things?
“What are we not doing well? How can we either fix those things or pivot in a different direction? Just because this is how we did it last year doesn’t mean that’s how we have to do it this year.”
Penn State rushed for 292 yards against Oregon in the Big Ten title game, which prompted Ducks coach Dan Lanning to add bulk to the Ducks’ defensive line. Then the Lions ran for 204 yards against Notre Dame’s very good defense in the Orange Bowl.
It doesn’t make sense.
“Everybody’s got something to say, but I feel like we still have the best O-line in the country,” Allen said. “We just gotta get back to working on how to get better today and learn from Saturday.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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