Better late than never on this weekās edition of Letās Go State! No housekeeping today so letās just dive into it!!
Vision š
Those who regularly follow Penn State had an inkling of what Drew Allar could be as the programās quarterback. So it wasnāt that surprising to look up at the end of the game and see that QB1 had gone 21 of 29 for 325 yards and 3 tuddy passes. But even the die-hards had to be impressed ā and if you are a more casual fan of college football seeing Allar for the first timeā¦ whew boy, look out!
The former 5-star and #1 quarterback recruit in the country lived up to the hype during his first collegiate start on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium in front of the fourth-largest crowd in program history. Allar said postgame that he was more anxious than nervous to get out and play in front of the home crowd. He took that angst and created early fireworks when he connected with KeAndre āKLSā Lambert-Smith (more on him in a minute) for a dazzling 72-yard tuddy.
Allarās first touchdown pass of 2023 was a sign of what was to come. He was able to display all of his impressive traits ā physical and mental ā while picking apart the West Virginia defense. The touchdown bomb to KLS saw Allar execute a play-action fake, then step up into the pocket as it collapsed, keep his eyes downfield, and deliver a 40ish-yard strike, on the run, to KLS, who then did the rest while sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
All night long, Allar impressed more with his ability to create plays on the run than when everything was going right. Opponents need to watch out if heās able to keep his vision downfield while showcasing accurate throws. So often, youāll find a young quarterback step up in the pocket and immediately take off running. It didnāt seem to me that running was ever Allarās instinct. To have the ability to see downfield while scrambling to extend a play, as a true sophomore in your first career start, is extraordinary for Allar and Penn State.
Itās only one game but it was a momentous one that has raised the ceiling of what people think Penn State can do in 2023.
Big Play Dre š„
In the middle of the Allar hoopla stood Lambert-Smith, better known as Big Play Dre. The junior wideout continued building on his late-season success from 2022 and the Rose Bowl victory, hauling in two tuddies. It could have been three had Allar not been off on a slant throw where KLS had nothing but green grass ahead of him.
In all, KLS walked away with only four receptions, but two of those were tuddies, and he totaled 123 receiving yards.
Having a big-time threat like KLS will open up opportunities for other receivers, which could prove to be a huge boost for a room that has been searching for an identity in recent seasons. But letās also not forget to give credit to KLS for working through his mental hurdles ā he has said himself that he thinks too much sometimes ā to find better consistency over his last handful of games.
Cliff šØāš©āš¦āš¦
Speaking of other wide receivers and getting opportunities, the Clifford family once again graced the television screen on Saturday night. This time, it wasnāt super-senior Sean, but rather his younger brother, Liam.
The redshirt sophomore receiver dazzled in his elevated role on Saturday. The numbers arenāt overly impressive, two catches for twenty-five yards, but the way Penn State was able to use Clifford as a slot receiver and as a blocker is what stood out to me.
Iāve heard nothing but positive comments about Liam during preseason camp, and after Saturdayās stellar game, Iād only expect his role to grow as the team gains more trust in his abilities.
Psychological š§
There are always critical takeaways even in victory. The most poignant of those was on special teams ā specifically the field goal unit. The rest of the special teams was solid: All the punts were hauled in, extra points were made, and coverage was good.
But itās impossible to ignore the six points that Penn State left on the board. Especially when you factor in that the two missed field goals were not considered high leverage by any means. Sander Sahaydak missed wide-right from 38 and 34 yards out before being replaced later in the game by Alex Felkins, who nailed a 25-yarder in his only attempt.
Teams like Penn State that have playoff aspirations need to be strong on the margins. Marginally speaking, Penn State scored an āFā on Saturday. Most of James Franklinās losses while with the Nittany Lions have been close contests. They canāt afford to leave behind three or six points. Thatās how much this seemingly unimportant unit means to this team.
There is also a psychological piece to it. Had Sahaydak connected on one or both of his attempts, Penn State would have gone into halftime with a two-possession lead. That significantly changes the way the opponent feels running off the field. In addition, kicking is unlike most other positions in football. If you throw a bad pass as a quarterback, or miss a tackle on defense, most times youāll pretty quickly have another chance at redemption. As a kicker, you never know when that next chance is coming. Sometimes, the coaches take it out of your hands, like Penn State did on Saturday. Other times, the offense may never get into a position to take a field goal attempt.
So there is a huge hangover effect with the kicking woes thatāll likely carry over into next weekās matchup versus Delaware. Donāt be surprised to see both kickers out there in a game that should be much āeasierā for Penn State to build an early lead. Competition is good, but this is not a position where you want that competition to last much longer, especially with a big Week 3 matchup at Illinois looming.
Stella Lion š¦
Stellaās prediction that Nicholas Singleton would score a tuddy came true! Send her to Vegas while sheās hot š¤Ŗ
What did Stella think about the rest of the game? And what are her thoughts about this upcoming weekās game? Check out the latest āStella Lionā video below!
Game Chat š±
Penn State stays home to take on Delaware on Saturday, September 9, at 12 p.m. ET. Expect the chat thread to open right around kickoff!
Game Moments š
Q1
12:50: Adisa Issac got into the backfield to set an early tone for the Penn State defense, forcing West Virginia to punt. I remember thinking to myself, Okay, itās Drew Time, letās go. PSU 0 - WVU 0
10:26: Just like that, it WAS Drew Time. The beautiful 72-yarder I illustrated earlier sent me into a frenzy. Allarās athletic prowess on that play even impressed Christine! But I was just like, wow, okay, this is gonna be real, isnāt it?! Franklinās happiness made me smile, too š PSU 7 - WVU 0
3:45: A lot of people had pointed to the misplaced throw by Allar in the endzone as the one he shouldn't have made, but this one, to me, was worse. I counted six(!) white unis in the area where Allar tried to connect with tight end Theo Johnson on a short throw. The NBC telecast did point out that the West Virginia defense showed pressure before dropping back into a zone, so credit them for a good scheme. But those are the types of throws that Clifford and Co. used to make. If Allar is truly going to elevate the ceiling, he canāt be trying to squeeze balls like that. Throw the ball away and live for another down. PSU 7 - WVU 0
1:22: The biggest blown assignment for the night on defense allowed West Virginia to get into a position to score a tuddy. I have no idea what the secondary was doing on that play. Itās not like it was a well-thrown ball, either, as it floated in the air forever. But if thatās the worse the defense will play then I think weāll take it. PSU 7 - WVU 0
Q2
10:34: West Virginia scored early in the second quarter to knot the game at seven. On this play, Allar rolls to his right before delivering another dime across the middle to KLS. A few plays later, Stellaās prediction of a Nicholas Singleton tuddy came true and the Nittany Lions regained the lead. The offensive line was a bit spotty at times but the goalline blocking was great on that particular play. PSU 14 - WVU 7
5:05: Penn State caught a break on a 4th and 5 when West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene missed Traylon Ray on a slant route. But it pumped up the crowd and allowed the Nittany Lions an opportunity to build on their lead. PSU 14 - WVU 7
2:09: The 38-yard attempt by Sander Sahaydak went wide right and never really looked like it was going in. I always do my best not to get too hung up on kicking, especially at the college level, but I have to admit I was a bit nervous given the speculation the media had portrayed all off-season. PSU 14 - WVU 7
1:28: The BIG DAWG š¶ linebacker Curtis Jacobs got into the backfield to take down Greene for an electrifying sack. Jacobs is one of my favorite dudes and that was a big play late in the first half. PSU 14 - WVU 7
1:11: Liam Clifford took a dump pass over the middle from Allar into field goal territory for Penn State. Clifford seems to have terrific hands and nimble feet, which should make him a serious weapon out of the slot receiver position. PSU 14 - WVU 7
00:26: With a chance at redemption, Sahaydak again missed wide right and again never gave it a chance. Now I was really concerned. The game had felt largely dominated by Penn State yet they only went into half up one possession. Please, donāt let those misses come back to haunt them, I thought to myself. PSU 14 - WVU 7
Q3
8:42: Another play-action pass, another beautiful throw, another KLS tuddy. This time, Allar gave the ball more finesse than oomph as he connected with KLS in the back of the endzone. Beautiful execution all around. PSU 21 - WVU 7
2:58: Another turnover on downs was created by the Penn State rush unit. They didnāt sack Greene but they made him get rid of the ball early and it resulted in an incomplete pass. The ball was in no-manās land so going for it was the right call, just not well executed by West Virginia. PSU 21 - WVU 7
Q4
15:00: The Penn State offense stalled in the red zone but allowed Alex Felkins to come in and do something Sahaydak couldnāt ā nail a 25-yard field goal. PSU 24 - WVU 7
10:33: Abdul Carter, the latest of the Stix City linebackers at Lineback U, created another turnover on downs when he plummled Greene into the ground for his first sack of the season. Carter is HIM on defense like Allar is for the team on offense. So fun to watch! PSU 24 - WVU 7
7:40 Malik McClain put the game on ice with a nifty 25-yard tuddy catch and run. McClain is a wild card that could prove to be huge for the receiving unit if he can continue to be productive. The scoreboard said this game was over and I also sighed relief that I could watch the rest of the game stress-free.
P.S. Liam Clifford had a nice block downfield to spring McClain! PSU 31 - WVU 7
3:38: Greene scored a tuddy on an RPO he chose to keep. It was a garbage-time score but it was an important score for those who bet on the pre-game spread (-21). PSU 31 - WVU 14
00:12: Beau Pribula rumbled into the endzone for six more points and made the ābetting boysā at Barstool lose their shit. All the better for me. Pribula didnāt see much time on the field but figures to find himself in unique quarterback sets for the Nittany Lions during 2023. He doesnāt dazzle like Allar but he comes with his own pedigree and gives Penn State the option to throw different looks at unexpected times.
In all, a great way to punctuate win number one of 2023! PSU 38 - WVU 14
FINAL: PSU 38 - WVU 14
UP NEXT: Saturday, September 9, at 12 p.m. ET versus Delaware from Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania.