Penn State had one question mark entering the season that stood out among all others. It’s the same question mark that plagued the Nittany Lions in a 20-13 loss to Ohio State on Saturday and the same question mark that could define the team’s fate if it were to make the College Football Playoff.
Are James Franklin’s wide receivers good enough to take his team where it wants to go?
“I think we have improved,” Franklin said on Monday. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. From last year, we’ve improved on the field in practice, production. … I think there has been significant strides made there, but there’s still more work to do, and I think that last game is an example of that.”
It was quite evident against the Buckeyes that they may not be. Harrison Wallace III and Julian Fleming were the only wide receivers to record a catch, combining for just three, against Ohio State. The position group was seemingly outmatched by a durable Buckeyes’ secondary, which locked down everyone but tight end Tyler Warren and running back Nick Singleton.
Wallace nearly became the savior for a stagnant pass game, but near the end of the first half dropped a difficult but catchable ball in the end zone and the pass was intercepted. Penn State has a solid group of receivers — Wallace, Fleming, Omari Evans, Liam Clifford — but no one who is capable of consistently beating their defenders and making the catches that need to be caught.
The loss shouldn’t be pinned on quarterback Drew Allar, who likely has the talent to take over a game but doesn’t have the weapons. He has Warren and, at times, Singleton. But when they are covered closely, there’s hardly any wide receiver capable of being Allar’s go-to target. They made the difference in oh-so-close finish last season and against Ohio State this time around.
The pressure is, once again, on wide receivers coach Marques Hagans and his bunch of struggling pass catchers,
“We have got to be able to threaten people. We got to be able to stretch people. We’ve got to be able to make plays and create separation and make tough catches,” Franklin said. “That needs to happen. I think that needs to be an emphasis, really, for the rest of the season.”
Here are other key topics Franklin discussed at his weekly press conference on Monday.
CREATING A DISCIPLINED DEFENSE MIDSEASON
If Wallace’s second-quarter drop wasn’t the turning point in Saturday’s loss, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against cornerback Elliot Washington II was. Washington made a stop on third down, but stepped over wide receiver Carnell Tate, a clear taunting penalty that ultimately provided the Buckeyes with enough free yardage to score, and take the lead, on that drive.
Franklin said he didn’t turn that call into the Big Ten officials this week because “by the rules, there’s justification for making that call.” The fact of the matter is, it was an undisciplined decision by Washington, who is just the latest member of a defense that has drawn avoidable penalties all season.
How, eight games into the year, can Franklin and defensive coordinator Tom Allen teach the Nittany Lions some discipline? Franklin said the key is to address these penalties in a “team meeting setting.” But it’s almost gotten to the point of no return. Washington’s penalty, in part, led to a winnable loss. The clock is already ticking on this defense to learn some discipline.
“That’s how you address it. You face it head on. You have the conversation,” Franklin said. “Where I think it’s concerning is if it happens in back-to-back weeks, that’s concerning, where you feel like you’ve addressed something that happens again.”
RECENT RUN GAME STRUGGLES
Franklin wants more out of his wide receivers. But without production from running backs Singleton and Kaytron Allen, his offense is sorely unbalanced and easy to defend. Singleton tallied a season-low six carries for 15 yards on Saturday, and Allen wasn’t much better, taking 12 carries for 27 yards.
Neither running back, a duo that Franklin has labeled one of the best in the country, has looked anything but for much of the past four games. It’s been a head scratching stretch for Singleton and Allen after starting the season with an electrifying pace, looking about as good as they ever have.
What’s the reason for the recent dropoff? Franklin said competition “plays a part,” but also suggested he and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki could adjust their schemes to spread the box as much as possible. That would mean more outside runs, which, if successful, could open up what they’re able to do inside.
“I think our traditional running game with the two running backs, we got to get going,” Franklin said.
