Penn State Football Report
Through the first two games of the 2016 college football season, the Nittany Lions find themselves at a record of 2-2 (0-1 Big Ten). Penn State has experienced ups and downs so far, with a blowout of Kent State, a heartbreaker against Pitt, a game too close for comfort against Temple, and a blowout at the hands of Michigan.
Here are the game grades for the first third of Penn State’s 2016 campaign:
Quarterback: B
After Christian Hackenberg declared for the NFL draft, the Penn State quarterback situation was up in the air. Through the first four games of the year Trace McSorley has replaced Hackenberg well. McSorley has exhibited a strong arm to compliment his ability to run the ball. Penn State’s newest signal caller has thrown for 949 yards and five passing touchdowns. He must be able to limit his turnovers, as has three interceptions and three fumbles so far, but McSorley has definitely been a bright spot for the Nittany Lions.
Running Back: A
Saquon Barkley had eight total touchdowns last season. While he couldn’t find the end zone against Michigan on Saturday, in Penn State’s first three games he had seven total touchdowns. Barkley also has 317 yards rushing and 146 yards receiving. He is without a doubt Penn State’s most talented player and is playing like it.
Wide Receivers: B+
It is essential to give an inexperienced quarterback as many weapons as possible to ease into his new role. This is exactly what James Franklin has done. Chris Godwin, DaeSean Hamilton, and DeAndre Thompkins have all excelled in Penn State’s new offense. Godwin leads the team with 228 yards receiving, Thompkins has 165 receiving yards and Hamilton has recorded 152 yards through the air.
Tight End: B
Mike Gesicki has officially broken out this season. The junior has recorded 14 receptions for 181 yards. To put that in perspective, he only caught 13 balls for 125 yards in 2015 and 11 balls for 114 yards in 2014. Gesicki adds big play potential at the tight end position, with catches of 52 yards and 30 yards so far. With three solid wide receivers, a superstar running back, and the emergence of Mike Gesicki, the offense has looked, with the exception of the Michigan game, much better than anticipated.
Offensive Line: C
This group has been chastised for quite some time. In the first two games of the season their naysayers were proven correct. McSorley was under pressure far too often and the left side of the line allowed a sack leading to a fumble twice. These fumbles were also recovered for touchdowns. The offensive line bounced back from two rough performances against Temple, yet followed that performance by allowing six sacks against Michigan. This unit is going to need to improve its play, as Ohio State’s, Iowa’s, and Michigan State’s impressive defensive lines await.
Defense: C+
It’s hard to give a fair grade to this defense because of the injuries that have decimated this side of the ball. More than half of the starters on the defense have suffered injuries. That being said the defense created key turnovers in week one against Kent State, were gashed on the ground by Pitt, got into the backfield against Temple, and were again leveled on the ground, this time by Michigan. This team needs to be able to stop the run, but more importantly get healthy to improve in the next eight games.
Special Teams: A-
No longer is special teams a weakness for the Nittany Lions. With the tremendous leg of punter Blake Gillikin and an exciting return man in Miles Sanders, this unit looks tremendous early on. While there were mistakes against Temple, and Michigan completely dominated this group, which they do to almost any team, this group is still a strength for this football team.
Coaching Staff: C+
Penn State still does not excel in big games. They started off slow against rival Pitt, and were demolished by fourth ranked Michigan. This has been an alarming trend under head coach James Franklin, whose decision to kick a field goal against Michigan down multiple touchdowns and two yards from the end zone still baffles me. The offense has looked very effective under new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead yet Franklin and defensive coordinator Brent Pry still have work to do to make sure the defense can stop the run.
Overall: B
Penn State is still reeling from the sanctions imposed from the NCAA. But even with said sanctions this is a group of young men who have played well given the circumstances. The future is bright with an improving offense, but in the meantime, the defense must get healthy and stop the run to have success in a competitive Big Ten conference.
Charles Hart is a freshman majoring in print journalism. To contact him, email charliethart@gmail.com.
