Penn State enters Week 4 with a lot still to prove, even at 3-0 and ranked No. 13 in the country. Wisconsin is coming to Beaver Stadium for the Big Ten opener, and with Matt Campbell’s group already missing two key pieces - Max Granville for the season and Koby Howard for an “extended period” - the Nittany Lions could use a clean, convincing performance in front of a big crowd of recruits.
That means Penn State may need several things to break its way against the Badgers. A few specific outcomes would go a long way toward making Wisconsin’s day miserable in Happy Valley.
One place to start is Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph. He was a 1,000-yard rusher at Old Dominion last season and took home Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year honors, but he’s been held to just 82 yards on 25 carries so far in Wisconsin’s offense.
Penn State’s defense did let Temple’s Jaxon Smolik get loose, but D’Anton Lynn’s group should be better built to handle quarterback runs. Tony Rojas and Kooper Ebel give the linebacking corps real range, and with the defensive line not bringing a ton of pass-rush juice, Lynn could lean on a mush-rush approach to keep Joseph contained and make him win from the pocket.
Penn State’s backfield also has a chance to sort itself out in a way that puts James Peoples front and center. The conversation around the running backs has mostly been about Quinton Martin Jr. and Carson Hansen, but Peoples looks like the clear best option on passing downs.
He protects well, catches the ball cleanly and should keep the third-down and two-minute work. He could also end up carving out more of the early-down workload than expected.
Against the toughest defense Penn State has seen so far, there should be enough situations to get him on the field, and if he starts taking carries away from Martin and Hansen, he could quickly become the top back in the room.
The pass rush has a name to watch, too: Yvan Kemajou. His 17% pass-rush win rate this year is solid rather than flashy, but he appeared to be heating up against Buffalo, and this matchup gives him a real opening.
Wisconsin left tackle PJ Wilkins has already allowed six pressures and has been rough as a pass blocker, even if he hasn’t given up a sack yet. Kemajou needs to be Penn State’s most disruptive rusher this season, and Week 4 should give him plenty of chances to pin his ears back.
In the passing game, Zay Robinson could be the beneficiary of Koby Howard’s absence. Penn State will probably want to lean even harder into its 12- and 13-personnel looks, but if Andrew Rappleyea, who was listed as questionable mid-week, plays, he may not be fully healthy.
That could push the Nittany Lions toward more 11 personnel than usual against Wisconsin. The easiest move would be sliding Robinson into Howard’s slot role, and that’s where the pressure point may be.
Wisconsin has already faced Notre Dame, which uses the slot heavily, but nickel Bryce West has still allowed a team-high 12 catches on 15 targets. Zay Robinson should get tested there, while Penn State may also look at Wisconsin’s safeties against Ben Brahmer, especially near the goal line.
Between the 20s, though, Robinson could be the receiver seeing the most action.
In Other News...
Penn State Staffer Faces Serious Off-Field Legal Trouble
A Penn State football staffer is facing serious off-field legal trouble after police in downtown State College found Jordan Lucas asleep in a vehicle under circumstances that quickly turned into a legal issue. Lucas, an assistant cornerbacks coach, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI along with three summary traffic violations after the stop, which also involved a suspended drivers license and expired vehicle registration.
Penn State has already acknowledged the charges and said Lucas remains with the program while the legal matter continues. For a coaching staff that has spent much of the season trying to keep the focus on the field, the situation adds an unwelcome off-field storyline involving a relatively new face in the defensive room. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Offensive Line Just Got Thinner At The Worst Time
Penn States offensive line took another hit at a bad time, with coach Matt Campbell announcing that Will Tompkins is done for the season because of injury. Tompkins had been part of the early rotation, logging 31 snaps over the first three games after transferring in from Iowa State, and he gave the Nittany Lions another experienced body in a group that can rarely afford to lose one.
The longer-term picture still offers something for Penn State to work with, since Tompkins is expected to keep four years of eligibility after this season. For now, though, his absence leaves the staff with one less option up front as the season keeps moving and the line depth gets put under more pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Lost A Dangerous Weapon Before Wisconsin
Penn States receiving group took a hit in the Week 3 win over Buffalo, and it comes at an awkward time with Big Ten play beginning. Koby Howard suffered an injury in that game and head coach Matt Campbell confirmed he will be out for an extended period, leaving the Nittany Lions without their most productive pass catcher heading into Wisconsin.
Howard has led Penn State in receiving yards through three games, so his absence forces a real adjustment in how the offense attacks the field. The injury is not season-ending, but missing him for the opener changes the shape of the passing game and puts more pressure on the rest of the receiving corps to fill the void. [Read more 🡒]