After watching UCLA and USC slow Penn State’s rushing attack, James Franklin and his coaching staff spent time last week evaluating why it happened and what the Nittany Lions have to do to improve it.
Franklin implied Monday that Penn State’s combined 203 rushing yards in its last two games stemmed from the Bruins and the Trojans designing their defensive schemes to take away the run.
“We gotta do whatever we gotta do to win,” Franklin said. “That will be different each week. That will look different each week based on what we’re doing offensively and what our game plan is. It also will be impacted by how the defense decides to game plan, how the defense decides to play us.”
He expects running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen and tight end Tyler Warren to receive much attention when the third-ranked Lions (3-0 Big Ten, 6-0) meet Wisconsin (3-1, 5-2) Saturday night at 7:30 (TV-NBC) at Camp Randall Stadium.
After running for 239 yards against Illinois, Penn State was averaging 251.0 per game and ranked ninth nationally in rushing.
Since then, the Lions rushed for 85 yards against UCLA without the injured Singleton and for 118 yards against USC. Their average has dipped to 201.2, 25th in the country.
“Most teams are going to go into the game with something they’re adamant they’re not going to give up,” Franklin said, “whether that’s double-teaming 44 (Warren) or whether that’s loading the box to stop the run.
“Most people (opponents) will say, ‘We’re going to stop this. If they’re going to beat us, they’re going to beat us doing these (other) things.’ I think that really impacts a lot of this.”
With USC bottling up the ground game, Penn State went to the air behind Drew Allar, who completed 30-of-43 passes for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions.
Warren set a school record with 17 catches for 224 yards and one TD, and wide receivers Harrison Wallace III, Liam Clifford, Julian Fleming and Omari Evans all had at least one reception.
Fleming made two fourth-down catches for first downs on the Lions’ game-tying 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter of their 33-30 overtime win.
“I’ve been pleased and impressed with our wide receiver room,” Franklin said, “with their production, with their ability to impact games and different guys doing it. Julian Fleming had a huge game for us (at USC). There have been games when Omari has been the guy, Liam Clifford has been the guy or Tre (Wallace) has been the guy.
“It’s helpful that a number of different guys have been impactful and have been making plays for us, which puts some challenges on defenses.”
The wide receivers began this season with several questions about them. Five wide receivers transferred after last season when the group struggled, raising doubts about how effective they would be.
Penn State needs them to be even better with more attention expected for Warren, Singleton and Allen, especially in their next three games against Wisconsin, Ohio State and Washington.
“That’s gonna be really important,” Franklin said. “Not only the running backs, but we all know 44 is going to get a ton of attention moving forward as well. There should be more opportunities for these guys because of that.
“There’s also going to need to be continued growth and production as the year goes on.”
