Penn State’s ground game heads into today’s trip to Michigan with more questions than answers, and Matt Campbell isn’t pretending otherwise.
The Nittany Lions are 3-3 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play, and the numbers on the run game have been hard to ignore. Their top two rushers, Carson Hansen and James Peoples, have both topped out with a long gain of just 16 yards. In Penn State’s 31-23 loss to USC last Saturday at Beaver Stadium, Hansen and Peoples combined for only 48 yards on 21 carries.
Quinton Martin Jr., who owns the team’s only 100-yard rushing performance this season - exactly 100 yards against Buffalo - has not been able to get much traction in conference play either. Through three Big Ten games, he has totaled 20 yards on nine carries.
Still, Michigan’s defense has not exactly been impenetrable on the ground. The Wolverines are giving up 94.6 rushing yards per game, and opponents have had mixed results trying to find room. Iowa was limited to 2.4 yards per rush in a 20-19 win over Michigan, while Minnesota managed 126 rushing yards in a 20-14 victory two weeks ago, though it took 40 carries to get there.
Campbell was asked Tuesday about what kind of identity this Penn State run game has right now, and he said the picture coming out of fall camp has changed.
“I think we thought we were one thing maybe coming out of fall camp,” Campbell said.
“As we’ve navigated ourselves forward, that’s not exactly where we’re at and where we’d like to be. How do we do well and give those guys confidence to play fast and play with confidence?
“Again, there were moments in the football game, opportunities where those guys did some really good things in the run game,” Campbell continued.
“But the consistency, I know that’s a word I used last week -- I’m going to say it again this week -- that is the missing piece to where we want do go and where we need to be.”
In Other News...
Penn State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Question It Can't Ignore
Penn States 21-18 loss to Michigan left the Nittany Lions at 3-4 and extended a frustrating slide with four straight Big Ten defeats. Even in a game that again exposed how much work the offense still needs, there were some signs of life through the air, with Chase Sowell giving the passing game a bit of a pulse amid the larger problems.
Rocco Bechts turnovers were a major reason the offense kept stalling, and that puts the quarterback spot squarely in view during the upcoming bye week. Matt Campbell suddenly has a decision to weigh, and with Penn State needing something to change before the season slips further, Alex Manske could get a longer look as the staff searches for a cleaner answer under center. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Stayed In It Until The Offense Unraveled Late
Penn State had enough around it to hang around in Ann Arbor, and for a while the game looked like it might come down to a single late swing. The Nittany Lions got a big day from Chase Sowell, who hauled in 11 catches for 151 yards and a late touchdown, while Tony Rojas anchored the defense with 12 tackles in a hard-fought Big Ten matchup at Michigan Stadium.
The problem came after halftime, when the offense could not keep itself on schedule and Michigan turned the game with three touchdowns in the second half. Rocco Becht's two interceptions and lost fumble proved costly in a 21-18 loss, leaving Penn State with the familiar frustration of a game that was still there to be won before it unraveled late. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States QB Debate Just Got More Tense After Michigan
The quarterback conversation around Penn State is getting louder, but Matt Campbell is not adding to it. After a four-game losing streak and a loss to Michigan that included turnovers from starter Rocco Becht, Campbell said he is not considering a change behind center. The timing has only sharpened the scrutiny, with the offense already dealing with the absence of a key wide receiver and a running game that has not done enough to steady things.
On the depth chart, Iowa State transfer Alex Manske and Division III transfer Connor Barry are the next names in line, but Campbell's stance suggests he still sees Becht as the best option to guide the unit through the rough patch. For now, the debate is less about whether Penn State has alternatives and more about whether the current setup can survive long enough for the offense to find any rhythm. [Read more 🡒]