It played out how it should have against Bowling Green. Penn State pulled most of its starters before the end of the third quarter and played 14 freshmen in a 56-0 smothering of Kent State on Saturday. No defensive player played more than 25 snaps, and it was a freshman who was used most. That’s to say, the snap counts from this weekend are quite intriguing.
The Nittany Lions dominated the time of possession, running 81 total plays to the Golden Flashes’ 43. That means that there were a ton of opportunities for a handful of players to get involved, so buckle up. Here’s a look at the team’s snap counts, per Pro Football Focus, and what they could mean.
Quarterback
Drew Allar – 46
Beau Pribula – 38
It’s impressive what Allar did in just over two quarters of work. And besides a first-quarter interception, Pribula had a solid outing in both the pass and run game, as well. The real question with the quarterbacks: why didn’t third-string Ethan Grunkemeyer field a snap? It’s possible that after missing the Bowling Green game with an injury, he wasn’t 100% on Saturday.
Running back
Nick Singleton – 36
Kaytron Allen – 26
Cam Wallace – 19
Quinton Martin Jr.* – 10
Wallace showcased his speed, taking nine carries for 39 yards and his first-career touchdown, but was carted to the locker room with an injury in the fourth quarter. If he’s unable to go against Illinois, it’ll likely be the true freshman Martin who handles the third-term reps. Martin rushed seven times for 24 yards in his collegiate debut against Kent State.
Wide receiver
Harrison Wallace III – 44
Liam Clifford – 43
Julian Fleming – 42
Omari Evans – 32
Tyler Johnson – 27
Tyseer Denmark* – 17
Anthony Ivey – 13
Wallace again fielded the most snaps of any receiver, but it was Evans, Clifford and Fleming who shined among the rest. Evans registered his first career 100-yard game, and now leads the Big Ten with 25.6 yards per reception. Clifford and Fleming, who had previously combined for just one reception in two games, each tallied over 60 receiving yards.
Tight end
Tyler Warren – 41
Luke Reynolds* – 23
Khalil Dinkins – 19
Jerry Cross – 11
Joey Schlaffer – 10
Warren’s greatness is as apparent as ever, but the emergence of the true freshman Reynolds is a promising sign in the wake of a “long-term” injury to redshirt freshman Andrew Rappleyea. Reynolds and Warren each caught highlight-reel receptions as Dinkins, appearing 100% healthy from a preseason injury, caught a touchdown of his own.
Offensive tackle
Anthony Donkoh (right) – 41
J’ven Williams (left) – 41
Nolan Rucci (right) – 39
Drew Shelton (left) – 36
Eagan Boyer* (right) – 14
Williams, a former five-star recruit, saw his most complete game action in two seasons with the program. Williams was, however, called for a holding and late hit, which Franklin will likely talk over with him. Boyer made his college debut on the right side and should be a name to know as he puts on more weight over the course of his career.
Offensive guard
Vega Ioane (left) – 48
Cooper Cousins* (right) – 44
Sal Wormley (right) – 34
JB Nelson (left) – 33
Alex Birchmeier (right) – 15
Chimdy Onoh (left) – 7
It’s significant that Cousins nearly led all linemen in snaps. Cousins should get used to it because, soon enough, he’ll be playing complete games, especially ones he moves to center, as he’s expected to do after Nick Dawkins runs out of eligibility.
Center
Nick Dawkins – 40
Dominic Rulli – 28
Cornerback
Jalen Kimber – 21
Elliot Washington II – 21
Audavion Collins – 15
A.J. Harris – 12
Kenny Woseley Jr.* – 12
Jon Mitchell* – 11
After starting the previous two games, Harris — a Georgia transfer — saw his reps decrease significantly. Why? Likely to increase the opportunities of others, like Woseley and Mitchell, two freshmen who made their debuts on Saturday. There’s a chance Harris returns to the starting lineup against the Fighting Illini as Penn State continues a rotation at cornerback.
Nickel
Cam Miller – 15
Zion Tracy – 15
Antoine Belgrave-Shorter* – 4
Kolin Dinkins – 2
With star safety Kevin Winston Jr. out with a “long-term” injury, primary nickel corner Jaylen Reed was moved back to safety. Reed’s full-time replacement is Miller, who tallied the most snaps at the slot, but a handful of others worked their way into the mix. Perhaps the nickel is a middle ground for freshman Belgrave-Shorter as he transitions from cornerback to safety.
Safety
Dejuan Lane* – 25
Zakee Wheatley – 22
Jaylen Reed – 19
Tyrece Mills – 14
Vaboue Toure* – 11
Lamont Payne Jr. – 2
Lane, a true freshman, played the most snaps of any defensive player. Franklin said postgame he’s trying to “speed up his maturation process” in the wake of Winston’s injury, hence the uptick in playing time. Ideally, Franklin said, he’d like to start Lane and Wheatley and move Reed back to the nickel. It’s just a matter of Lane’s readiness.
Linebacker
Tony Rojas – 24
Anthony Speca* – 20
Ta’Mere Robinson – 17
DaKaari Nelson – 17
Tyler Elsdon – 14
Kobe King – 11
Dominic DeLuca – 3
Ben Chizmar – 2
DeLuca, a starter and team captain, returned to the sidelines after halftime without a helmet. In his place was Speca, a freshman, who played significantly and led the team with five tackles. Saturday also saw the return of Robinson, who missed the Bowling Green game with an injury, and played very well in his bulk of action.
Defensive end
Smith Vilbert – 21
Abdul Carter – 18
Dani Dennis-Sutton – 15
Amin Vanover – 14
Max Granville* – 13
Jaylen Harvey* – 9
Jordan Mayer – 2
Joseph Mupoyi – 2
Carter and Dennis-Sutton each tallied their long-awaited first sacks of the season. But it was the emergence of Granville, who should still be a senior in high school, that may have stood out most among the defensive ends. Granville entered the game in the first quarter, showcasing the trust the coaching staff has in him despite his young age.
Defensive tackle
Zane Durant – 21
Dvon J-Thomas – 20
Alonzo Ford Jr. – 13
Coziah Izzard – 13
Hakeem Beamon – 9
Ty Blanding – 8
Xavier Gilliam* – 7
Kaleb Artis – 3
Gilliam’s potential has been lauded by coaches, specifically strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey. Sunday saw Gilliam’s first game action ahead of what could be a big year in 2025 when J-Thomas, Izzard and Beamon run out of eligibility. Ford and Blanding are other names to watch for prior to next season, especially if Durant declares for the NFL Draft.
* true freshman
