The Nittany Lions offense has been on a crazy journey this season. Whether it be the season-ending injury to Drew Allar, hindering the explosiveness of the passing game, or the emergence of Kaytron Allen as the bell cow in this offense, the Penn State offense has struggled with identity all year. However, going into the final game of the year, Penn State seems to have settled on a formula of a dominant run game bolstered by a quietly efficient passing game. This should work well against a Rutgers defense that could struggle against Penn State’s multiplicity. Here are some offensive keys to success in Penn State’s final game.
Exploit a porous Rutgers run defense
This has been the no-brainer offensive mindset for the Nittany Lions in their past few games. Both Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton have dominated against the weaker run defenses in the league, and Rutgers is no different. They rank 129th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and allow an average of 6.57 yards per game. In their potential last hurrah as backfield mates, expect both to be at the top of their games come Saturday.
Stay efficient in the passing game
What with one of the most dominant rushing attacks in the country, Penn State hasn’t had to rely on the arm of Grunkemeyer that much. As a result, Grunkemeyer has really focused more on efficiency and keeping the offense on schedule rather than trying to be too explosive. Rutgers’ pass defense isn’t much better than their run D, so it will be paramount for Grunk to keep that secondary honest. While Penn State shouldn’t expect offensive fireworks in the pass game, I would not be surprised if there are a couple big plays to be had for them.
Control tempo of the game
This will be tough as Rutgers will try and control the game as much as possible. As one of the best teams in terms of time of possession, they’ll most likely look to win the game offensively. It’s then up to the Nittany Lions to make sure that doesn’t happen. They have to stay out of bad down-and-distance situations and make sure Athan Kaliakmanis and Co. stay on the sidelines for long stretches. A track meet favors Rutgers, but if Penn State just play their game, they can get out of Piscataway with a win and bowl berth.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Offensive keys for Penn State against Rutgers
