BWI Live: Five things to keep Penn State on schedule against Ohio State

Penn State football has a chance to go into Columbus and come out with a victory on Saturday. But several things need to happen for that to be true. Offensively, the Nittany Lions need to maintain their scheduled, methodical approach to the game against the best overall defense they’ve faced this year. So, how do they get that done?

That’s the subject of today’s Five Things to Watch for. Instead of going over both sides of the ball, we’re focusing specifically on how Penn State stays on schedule against Ohio State and gives its defense a pressure-release valve against the explosive Buckeye’s offense. 

Join us at 10 a.m. on YouTube as we break down the offensive line, receivers, and schematic quirks that will determine the game. 

Five things that will keep the Penn State offense in rhythm

Penn State football still wants to hit explosive plays, and it’s something important to head coach James Franklin. But it’s also the last thing his offense needs to be a complete unit. If the team can hit timely big runs and passes, his team might be the most complete squad in the country. 

Is that necessary to win big games? 

“Number one, I don’t think that there’s a team in the country that has every box checked,” Franklin said. “And that’s college or the NFL. Everybody’s got strengths and weaknesses. And, the reality is, sometimes winning and losing is based more on the matchup of your strength versus theirs. Or your deficiency versus their strength. That’s part of it. But, nobody’s got every box checked,” Franklin said. 

“Where I think some of the questions have been fair, and I recognize it as well, and because I harp on it all the time, the two most important stats in all of football is turnover margin and explosive play differential. Two most important stats in all football. And I can’t talk about that all the time with the team and with [the media] and then act like that stats not important when it’s not in our favor.”

It’s never too late, but we’re not counting on explosive plays. 

As Franklin pointed out, generating explosive plays is still on his team’s to-do list. But with Ohio State’s defenisve style, we’re not expecting them on Saturday. 

Instead, we’ll cover the ways Penn State can stay methodical and efficient on offense. We’ll start with a unique wrinkle in the run game that Ohio State uses. Can offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich manipulate the safeties to his benefit? We’ll explain how he could use motion to create gaps in the secondary. 

Next, we’ll assess the passing game and determine how the team’s top two receivers can play well enough to alleviate pressure on the run game. The running backs are next. We discuss the areas in which Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton need to excel on Saturday. 

Finally, we reach the matchup that may swing the game in Penn State’s favor. We break down how left guard JB Nelson’s return changes the interior matchup against Ohio State. While players like Nelson will determine the day, scheme and formation can help create the environment for them to succeed. 

So, should Penn State play with two tight ends or three receivers? We’ll pick which personnel grouping can challenge Ohio State the most.