What are Penn State's biggest strengths and weaknesses?
How loose will Saquon Barkley get on the Ohio State run defense?
How will a confident Penn State secondary respond to J.T. Barrett and the Buckeye passing attack?
These are all great questions, so we brought in some experts: Mike Treb, Bill DiFilippo and Peter Berkes of the excellent Penn State site Roar Lions Roar to answer these questions and more ahead of No. 2 Ohio State's clash with the Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley Saturday night.
Saquon Barkley torched Ohio State’s defense last year to the tune of 194 yards rushing.
Sam Hubbard said, “He just kind of came out of nowhere and was making crazy runs,
crazy pays and hurdling guys.” What do you expect from him Saturday?
Peter Berkes, Roar Lions Roar: I can see this going one of two ways. If Penn State can avoid falling behind early and can get a push up front, I think Barkley can have a productive day. However, considering the matchup and Penn State’s run blocking issues this year, I think the more likely scenario is Barkley’s biggest contributions will come in the passing game as the Nittany Lions try to play catch up. I’m not expecting him to repeat last year’s performance, how about that?
Bill DiFilippo, Roar Lions Roar: The wonderful thing about Saquon Barkley is that you can’t go in expecting anything, because he’s capable of so many remarkable feats of athleticism that he still manages to blow your mind. You all saw it last year: Ohio State’s defensive front was in the Nittany Lion backfield by the time the ball was snapped, and yet Barkley still went for 194 yards. In a way, I think he likes when teams are over-aggressive because then he can put moves on defensive linemen and get into the second or third level.
So all I expect is that he’s going to do something really, really great. The dude had 136 all-purpose yards against Michigan, which doesn’t seem like a lot if you didn’t watch, but with how the Wolverines dictated every single aspect of the game, it was amazing. He blew away Ezekiel Elliott last year, and Zeke is the man, so…
Yeah, Barkley is pretty good / James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Treb, Roar Lions Roar: For Penn State to have a solid chance at knocking off Ohio State, Saquon Barkley will have to exceed his 194-yard performance from last year. He’s improved his game in all areas: passcatching, blitz pickup and on-field leadership. Hell, he made it a point of emphasis to get faster in the offseason after he was caught from behind a couple times in 2015. Barkley must bring everything to bear Saturday night. At least one Buckeye will get juked out of his cleats.
Aside from Barkley, who else should Ohio State fans keep an eye out for on Penn
State’s offense? What about the Nittany Lions’ defense?
MT: Offensively, wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins has been on fire. Thompkins has filled in for injured Saeed Blacknall and produced mightily. He dealt with some fumbling and confidence issues last season (his redshirt freshman year), but has become a threat for defenders and a go-to for quarterback Trace McSorley.
Linebacker Brandon Smith was a complete unknown prior to the season. Seriously, most of the RLR staff had no idea who the guy was. A comical list of injuries to Penn State’s linebackers gave the former walk-on a shot to play, and two weeks ago he was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, tallying 14 tackles and an interception against Maryland. Watch for Smith’s activity around J.T. Barrett.
PB: Tight end Mike Gesicki could be a really valuable player on Saturday, giving Trace McSorley an outlet against Ohio State’s pressure. On defense, if he’s healthy enough to play, linebacker Jason Cabinda is a huge boost to a defense that has been absolutely ravaged by injuries this year.
BF: The Nittany Lions have a ton of talent in the passing game – Chris Godwin is awesome and capable of dragging defenders for extra yards (shout out Eli Apple, no matter what side you were on in that game I think we can all admit that was hilarious), DaeSean Hamilton has been a good, steady receiver for his entire career save for his one dropped pass against Pittsburgh, and there are some other dudes (TE Mike Gesicki, WR DeAndre Thompkins) who have come up huge in the passing game this year. Even Barkley has been a factor through the air, which is fun.
On defense, there are two dudes who I think are standouts: Marcus Allen and John Reid. Allen is a safety who, when he is on (and in fairness, this isn’t always the case), is a heat-seeking missile and cleans up any mistake made by the front seven. Reid is a corner who gets better every game and also returns punts for the Nittany Lions. Plus, Penn State’s defense sometimes has issues with tackling and these two are about as sure of tacklers as the team has.
It’s the midway point in the season, what do you see as Penn State’s biggest strength
and its biggest weakness? How do you see these playing out against Ohio State on
Saturday?
BF: I don’t know if this is the biggest strength, necessarily, but LORD HAVE MERCY WE HAVE A PUNTER. As we all saw during Penn State vs. Ohio State last year, the Nittany Lions were destroyed in the field position game – Penn State couldn’t punt the ball effectively and while the defense played well early on, Cameron Johnston pinned Christian Hackenberg and co. every time he had to boot it.
Now, Penn State has an honest to god good punter in true freshman Blake Gillikin, which I think could impact the field position game so that the offense doesn’t have to go 90+ yards to score every time.
As for biggest weakness, I’ll go with the front seven. It’s young and has lost some dudes (two who are coming back this week – LBs Jason Cabinda and Brandon Bell) to injuries for extended periods of time. This terrifies me, because J.T. Barrett orchestrates the Buckeye rushing attack masterfully. I think the unit will play well, mostly because it has to, but if there are issues stopping Barrett and Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber, it’s going to be a long night.
PB: Penn State’s much more explosive on offense than I was expecting this year, and have gotten long touchdowns from players all over the offense. They’re the No. 16 team in the country in terms of explosiveness according to Bill Connelly’s S&P+ numbers, but the downside is they are remarkably inefficient (80th in the country in success rate). If they’re going to have success against Ohio State, they’ll need multiple sustained drives to keep it away from Ohio State’s offense, and I just don’t know how many of those they can get.
MT: Penn State’s biggest strength is its offense. There are weaknesses within that offense (namely, a still improving offensive line that can give up big plays), but the Nittany Lions have the most productive talent on that side of the ball in years. From Barkley to tight end Mike Gesicki to Thompkins, and wide receivers Chris Godwin and DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State’s offense won’t resemble the stuck-in-the-mud iterations from the last two years.
The biggest weakness is the linebacking depth. James Franklin said it earlier in the year and it’s true: the injury woes are unlike anything the program has seen in its long history. At one point against Michigan, Penn State was down to its fifth- or sixth-string linebacker (we lost count).
Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
There’s been a history of crushing (or exhilarating, depending on your perspective) pick-sixes in this series. Ohio State leads the nation in pick-sixes this season with four. What do you expect out of Penn State’s passing game? Will the Nittany Lions be able to move the ball through the air?
MT: I expect — and implore — Penn State to be very careful when throwing the ball. There is no alternative. McSorley has settled in after six games and seems comfortable overall. However, he was worked over by a very good Michigan defense (albeit on the road); no throwing lanes and tight coverage with a heavy rush. Gesicki is a matchup problem at his height and speed, and could become a midrange focus in the passing game, more so than he usually is for the Lions.
BF: I was kind of shocked to see that Penn State is No. 2 nationally in passing S&P+ on offense. Trace McSorley has been solid under center (well, behind center, as he lines up exclusively in the shotgun), and he has a bevy of weapons in the passing game. Of course, Ohio State’s secondary is really, really good, so while I expect Penn State to move the ball a little, I don’t think we’re going to see McSorley set every school passing record in this game.
PB: Penn State can definitely move the ball through the air. They’ve been doing it all season, but one of the downsides to McSorley’s game is that he’s good for one terrible interception a game. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world, so if he short-arms an out route, it could be going the other way for six with a quickness.
Ohio State’s passing game has sputtered a bit as of late, while Penn State’s secondary
has played well. How will this matchup play out?
PB: When Penn State played Michigan, they were gashed on the ground to the tune of 326 yards on 49 carries, so Wilton Speight’s passing numbers weren’t that impressive. They didn’t need to be, though. I expect something similar against Ohio State, where JT Barrett has okay numbers throwing the ball. John Reid and Malik Golden can absolutely make him pay for mistakes, but I don’t know if it will be enough to really tip the scales in any way.
MT: Safety Marcus Allen and cornerback John Reid are two of Penn State’s most talented defenders. Allen is tied for third in the Big Ten in tackles, which is not ideal for a safety but the Nittany Lions had no other alternative with so many linebackers out of the lineup. Reid is fast, strong and has terrific ball instincts. If Barrett floats one, watch out for Reid, who also is the team’s punt returner. Both are all over the field.
BF: My big concern is that Barrett’s ability to run opens up things in the Buckeye passing game, and while Noah Brown/Dontre Wilson/etc. have a way to go, they’re still super talented dudes who I think can take advantage of Penn State selling out to stop the run.
Now, if the Nittany Lions are able to contain Barrett and make him throw the ball, I think Penn State has a shot, because the team’s secondary is pretty solid. It’s 40th in passing S&P+ on defense, but I think that’s somewhat inflated due to injuries in the front seven that have made it easier to throw on Penn State. Should the front seven get the job done while letting the secondary focus solely on stopping Ohio State’s receivers, maybe this can get interesting.
If you could add one Ohio State player to Penn State’s roster, who would you choose
and why? (We’re taking Barkley if we have the choice.)
BF: No question it’s Raekwon McMillan. That dude is an animal. Penn State has had issues at linebacker this year and he’s among the best in the nation. Would also like to get Jerome Baker, both because he’s a really good football player and he seems like an awesome person.
MT: We need a monster along the defensive line, so we’ll take Sam Hubbard. We’ll treat him well, feed him right. It’s awful generous of you.
PB: I would like one Bosa, please. Any of them will work just fine.
What is your favorite Penn State–Ohio State moment from games past?
PB: This might be a bit predictable, but Penn State winning in 2008 is probably my favorite. The entire game was so close, and every play felt so massive. I felt like I had just finished a 5k by the time the game ended.
MT: The 2005 tilt. It was a magical season for Penn State, and knocking out the Buckeyes in Beaver Stadium was a highlight moment. I will never forget Tamba Hali sacking Troy Smith, and dumping him over like a wheelbarrow.
BF: So I’m relatively new to this Penn State fan thing – I became a fan when I enrolled here in 2010. I’ve witnessed a few games in person and a few on television but I don’t have the history with them that other folks on our site do. I’ll go with the 2014 game, though. Fun environment, great game, and Anthony Zettel’s pick six was among the loudest I’ve heard Beaver Stadium. I didn’t even care that Penn State lost, it was one hell of a game. Also: I was in the student section when Mike Hull blocked a punt for a touchdown in 2012 and good god did I jump very high on a flimsy metal bleacher.
What’s the one thing Ohio State fans should do when visiting State College?
MT: Visit the All-American Rathskeller (“The Skeller,” to the locals) and get a case of Rolling Rock ponies for you and your friends. It’s loud and a complete dive. The food is terrific, though.
BF: You mean other than get in touch with me and buy a Roar Lions Roar shirt? THEY ARE VERY COMFY AND THEY LOOK NICE YOU SHOULD BUY ONE AND SUPPORT THE BLOG THX LUV U.
I’d say just go for a walk through campus. I kind of take it for granted because I live in town, but my goodness this place is beautiful. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and you should hit those up, absolutely (Nick’s guide was pretty comprehensive, and it was super good because he let me mention that I’ve heard Brand New in a bar called Liberty once), but the most fun I’ve had when I go to other schools comes from when I just walk around and go “man, this place is cool.” And get ice cream from the Creamery. Obviously.
PB: Waffle Shop, family. Also, drink some beers and have a wonderful time.
Finally, what’s your prediction for this one?
PB: Ohio State wins in a walk, 52-20. I think the Buckeyes are one of the top two teams in the country, and at this point, I don’t think Penn State can hang with them for 60 minutes.
MT: Ohio State is simply too talented and battle-tested throughout its entire roster and coaching staff. Penn State gives the Buckeyes a tussle for a quarter-and-a-half or so, and then succumbs. Ohio State 40, Penn State 27.
BF: I have Ohio State fairly comfortably. I would have been a little more confident had the Buckeyes not gone into Norman and Madison and beaten Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Give me OSU 45, PSU 13.
Ohio State and Penn State clash at 8 p.m. on ABC Saturday night. Head over to Roar Lions Roar to learn more about James Franklin's Nittany Lions.
