Game Grades: Penn State vs. Wisconsin
Penn State pulled out a 22-10 win in cold, windy weather to move to 7-3. Let’s see how each unit of the Nittany Lions’ performance graded out.
Offense: B
Quarterback Trace McSorley passed for 160 yards and a touchdown on an efficient 19 for 25 passing day. The Nittany Lions relied heavily on short passes with the game time temperature in the low 30s, as McSorley’s longest throw went for 30 yards to freshman wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who has seen an increased role of late with injuries and struggles at the position.
Otherwise, the Lions used screen passes, focusing on getting the ball out quickly. Penn State relied heavily on running back Miles Sanders, feeding him 23 times for a total of 169 yards and a touchdown. In recent weeks, McSorley was largely providing the ground game with scrambles and designed runs, but Sanders showed his athleticism and toughness on several exciting runs.
DeAndre Thompkins caught McSorley’s touchdown pass and KJ Hamler, as well as Pat Freiermuth, had big first down catches. Penn State got enough points to defeat a team with a wide-eyed freshman backup quarterback but being forced to kick five field goals doesn’t exactly count as a good showing for the red zone offense.
Defense: A-
As expected, Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor got his carries, totaling 185 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown. The big plays in the run game continue to hurt Penn State, as gaping holes in the defensive line and poor gap discipline by the linebackers result in large gains for opponents of the Nittany Lion.
Taylor kept Wisconsin in good position on drives, getting good chunks to put them in manageable third-down situations, but the Badger offense proved to be one dimensional.
Freshman quarterback Jack Coan filled in for Alex Hornibrook and appeared overwhelmed by the Nittany Lions’ defense, completing less than 50 percent of his passes for 60 yards, averaging only three yards per attempt. He also threw two interceptions, one of which was a poorly advised throw that Amani Oruwariye easily grabbed for Penn State.
Coan seemed timid in the pocket and too willing to dump the ball off short of the marker. The Lions took advantage of this lack of decisiveness, sacking Coan five times. Micah Parsons continues to impress, totaling seven tackles and flying all over the field.
Special Teams: B+
Both teams had difficulties in aspects of special teams, as the wind and cold both were factors. Kicker Jake Pinegar battled gusts of wind all game long, as he made three of his five attempts, several of which were low and barely snuck over the crossbar of the uprights.
His longest make was from 49 yards, but he also shanked an extra point attempt. Punter Blake Gillikin averaged 38 yards on his punts, lacking a booming kick, but doing a good job a pinning Wisconsin in poor field position.
Coaching: B+
Offensively, Penn State had a clear plan to use quick, short passes to wear down the Wisconsin defense, and they executed that plan well. The game was nowhere near perfect, however, as the Lions gave up big run plays to Taylor because of a lack of gap discipline.
Also, the fumble on the exchange between Tommy Stevens and Sanders when Penn State had a chance to run the clock out seemed to have been caused by a miscommunication. Overcomplication of the offense is still a concern from a play-calling standpoint.
Jeremy Ganes is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jlg6097@psu.edu.
