Penn State has spent most of this season searching for something it can trust on the ground, and the answer still hasn’t shown up. The Nittany Lions looked like a different offense in their first three wins, when Koby Howard added juice to the passing game and Rocco Becht was slicing through defenses. Once Big Ten play began, though, that momentum vanished, and the running game has remained the one constant problem through all of it.
That frustration has followed Penn State from week to week. The Nittany Lions couldn’t get much going on the ground against Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo, and the same story held against Wisconsin, Northwestern, USC, and Michigan.
Coming out of the Week 8 bye, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser is still trying to find an identity in the run game, and he has said his preferred foundation would be built on inside zone and duo. So far, those ideas have not produced the kind of results he needs.
Mouser has mixed and matched backs in search of a spark, giving carries to Carsen Hansen, James Peoples, and Quinton Martin Jr. None of them has been able to turn the ground game into something dependable, no matter the scheme.
That leaves Penn State with a simple reality heading into Week 9 against Purdue: this is the chance to settle on a staple and a workhorse. If that doesn’t happen now, it may never happen in time to matter.
The good news for Penn State is that Purdue’s defense has been vulnerable on the ground all season. The Boilermakers are even softer against the run than their pass defense, ranking No. 92 in the FBS in defensive rushing success rate and No. 122 in EPA/rush.
They’ve also allowed an explosive rush on 9% of opponent carries. In the Big Ten, only Rutgers has been worse by those numbers, and Penn State doesn’t face Rutgers until Week 12 of 13.
That’s what makes this matchup feel so important for a group still trying to define itself. Washington’s run game has been almost as inefficient as Penn State’s - No. 118 in success rate and No. 80 in EPA/rush, compared to the Nittany Lions at No. 105 and No. 112 - and yet the Huskies still found daylight against Purdue in Week 7. Washington piled up 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and finished with 0.10 EPA/rush on the ground.
For Penn State, that should be the blueprint. The issue isn’t just the backs or the play calls.
It’s the mix of pieces up front, where four new starters have created a line that doesn’t naturally fit one neat style. The right side, with Cooper Cousins and Anthony Donkoh, looks built for a physical downhill attack.
The left side is different, especially Trevor Buhr at left guard, who is better when he can work in space as a puller. Malachi Goodman at left tackle hasn’t been especially effective as a run blocker, and his high pad level has cost him leverage too quickly.
Buhr’s best run-blocking performance came against Michigan, and a big reason was the amount of pulling Mouser asked him to do. Cousins, on the other hand, has struggled when pulled, often lunging at his target and missing.
The backs haven’t helped much either, with a lack of patience showing up in key moments. But before that can be fixed, Penn State has to give the line something consistent to lean on.
That’s why duo makes so much sense here. More than power, counter, or pin-pull looks - all of which gave Washington success against Purdue’s slow second level - duo plays to the strengths of the right side and reduces the damage Goodman can do on the backside. It also gives Penn State a clearer identity than the scattershot approach it has used so far.
Inside zone has not worked. Outside zone has not worked either. If Mouser is going to give this offense a real chance to become functional on the ground, the gap-scheme answer has to be the one he commits to now.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Never Expected A Beaver Stadium Game To Feel Like This
Penn States next trip to Beaver Stadium has taken on an unusual feel, with tickets for the Purdue game showing up at prices that would have seemed unthinkable not long ago. Depending on the vendor, seats are listed starting around $9 to $11, a sign of how differently this matchup is being viewed compared with the kind of marquee fall Saturday that usually brings the place to life.
The backdrop is a Penn State program trying to steady itself in Matt Campbells first year, while Purdue enters with a reminder of how long it has been since the Boilermakers last beat the Nittany Lions, back in 2004. Even with the schedule already stretching into 2026, this one has turned into a strange snapshot of where Penn State stands right now, and how quickly the mood around a game can change when expectations do. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Comes Out Of Its Bye With A Bigger Problem Than Purdue
Penn State comes out of its bye week facing more than just the need to shake off a disappointing loss to USC. The Nittany Lions return to Beaver Stadium for their first home game since that setback, and the matchup with Purdue arrives at a time when the bigger questions are about how this team wants to look and who will define the offense going forward.
The quarterback situation remains at the center of the conversation, but the issues around it reach deeper than one position. Under coach Matt Campbell, Penn State is still trying to settle on an identity, while Purdue enters with some real momentum of its own and an offense that has shown more bite lately. The betting line and ticket availability suggest plenty of interest, but for Penn State the more pressing issue is whether the bye week brought answers or just more time to think about the same ones. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces One Big Doubt Despite Purdue Confidence
Penn State heads into its meeting with Purdue carrying a record that has made every remaining Big Ten game feel like a chance to steady the season. The schedule has eased a bit, and the Nittany Lions are still favored by more than a touchdown, but that number comes with plenty of caveats after an offense that has struggled to finish drives and a defense that has not always been able to paper over the issues.
The biggest question is whether the offense can finally turn trips inside the 20 into touchdowns instead of settling for frustration. One potential boost could come from Koby Howard returning to the mix, which gives Penn State another piece to lean on as it tries to find a cleaner rhythm, but the bigger test is whether the Nittany Lions can show they are more than just a heavy favorite with lingering problems. [Read more 🡒]