STATE COLLEGE — Penn State football beat FIU 34-0 on Saturday in Beaver Stadium. The result left many wanting more from the Lions. That much is very clear after taking a trip around the Internet following the team’s second win of the year. And, head coach James Franklin seemingly agrees.
“We started out sluggish,” Franklin said. “We did not execute the way we needed to early on for a number of reasons. Obviously third down was a factor in that. We missed some throws; we dropped some passes. We allowed them on defense to stay on schedule too often. I think it was a combination of all those things. I would have liked to see us start stronger and faster.
“That’s a better football team [FIU]. I think they’re going to have a good year in that conference. Standing out there on that field, I thought they had some really good players, and I thought they were coached well. I thought they were efficient with what they did today. I have to give them a ton of credit, but I was not happy with how we started. Starting fast on offense, defense and special teams, we did not do that today.”
Here’s what’s being said about the latest Lions win.
Penn State offense is a work in progress
That’s the take from Mason Smith of the York Daily Record. On one hand, both of the Lions’ starting running backs scored touchdowns to make the margin of victory wider. On the other hand, it’s a big problem that both were still in the game with 3:29 to go against the Panthers.
“Penn State’s offense is far from supbar — 409 yards of total offense is nothing to ignore, regardless of oppoent,” Smith writes. “But this is an offense loaded with weapons everywhere, and there’s enough firepower for James Franklin’s squad to far surpass what was shown against FIU.
“That said, this is only the second game this cast of characters has played together, so part of the progression is simply playing more together and figuring out how to maximize each other’s talents. It’s also on offensive coordinator Any Kotelnicki to find the perfect balance of all these weapons.”
Penn State’s offense is far from supbar — 409 yards of total offense is nothing to ignore, regardless of oppoent. But this is an offense loaded with weapons everywhere, and there’s enough firepower for James Franklin’s squad to far surpass what was shown against FIU.
That said, this is only the second game this cast of characters has played together, so part of the progression is simply playing more together and figuring out how to maximize each other’s talents. It’s also on offensive coordinator Any Kotelnicki to find the perfect balance of all these weapons.
The Lions are not dominant yet
This was clear as day to anyone who watched Saturday’s contest, which made it the perfect way for SI’s Mark Wogenrich to sum up his B+ overall grade for the Lions’ effort on Saturday.
“Did Penn State improve from Week 1 to Week 2? In some ways, sure,” Wogenrich writes. “But watching that game through the lens of Oregon’s visit in late September, and the Nittany Lions have a grocery list of things to correct. Yes, Allen’s run was phenomenal. But the fact that he, Allar and the starters were on the field with 3:40 to play vs. FIU was notable. As Franklin said, this team isn’t dominant yet.”
Coleman gets his first game ball
In handing out his top picks on offense, defense, and special teams, BWI’s Sean Fitz gave his defensive game ball to freshman Chaz Coleman. His strip sack led to the Lions’ final score of the day.
“This year’s preseason camp darling, Coleman showed an advanced spin move and an elite burst throughout the game,” Fitz writes. “He backside crashed on a ballcarrier for a tackle for loss in the third quarter on a play that not many veterans would make. Coleman seems to be special, and the leap from week one to week two was obvious. At first look, Penn State’s young defensive ends showed notable progress as a whole.”
Allar’s must be better by Oregon
We wrap up here. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was inefficient on a day where he completed 19 of 33 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns. It’s not the kind of game that will be a top 10 Oregon team in the White Out game, Bob Flounders writes for PennLive.
“Penn State is not going to be favored by six touchdowns every week,” Flounders writes. “It’s on Allar if the Lions’ passing attack fizzles against Oregon, Ohio State, Iowa and Indiana.
“The QB will be measured by how he performs in a few games this season. The first one is coming in a couple of weeks.”
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