Upon Further Review: Five things we learned from Penn State vs Ball State
Penn State Nittany Lions football took an early lead and never looked back in its 44-13 win over Ball State on Saturday.
The win moved James Franklin's team to 2-0 for the season, and set up a big-time clash with Auburn next Saturday with ESPN's College GameDay in town.
Let's get into some of the lessons from Penn State's win.
1. Slow and steady can win the race
Penn State football's offense shifted gears against Ball State.
After using big play, down-the-field passing plays to beat Wisconsin in Week One, the Nittany Lions approached Week Two much differently.
The Nittany Lions ran the ball for 240 yards and controlled posession for the majority of the game on their way to a win.
They did not complete a pass for more than 25 yards after producing three passes of 40 or more yards last week.
It was a different and more methodical approach — one that took advantage of a Ball State secondary that decided to avoid getting beat over the top at all costs.
You need to be able to win in multiple ways to get where Penn State wants to go, and the Nittany Lions look to be capable of doing that from what we’ve seen from them so far.
2. Mike Yurcich will get creative with his tight ends
Penn State's second drive of the game revealed one of the more interesting sets we've seen from offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
The NIttany Lions sent tight ends Tyler Warren, Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange wide to the right, and motioned Noah Cain to the same direction for a swing pass.
Sean Clifford's throw was off-target, but it was clear that Yurcich intended to use his tight ends to get Cain out in space with big bodies in front of him to make blocks.
We saw quite a few three tight end looks from Yurcich and the Nittany Lions on the day, with all three of the tight ends who were on the field for that play earning at least 20 snaps — although it should be noted some of Warren's snaps came toward the end of the game with the outcome already decided.
We're still waiting for this group to truly break out in the passing game, but it's clear that Yurcich views all three of them as assets to his offense.
3. Brandon Smith's new role at Will linebacker suits him
Brandon Smith was not particularly noticeable in the Will linebacker role during Penn State's first game of the season, but on Saturday, his impact wasn't so subtle.
Smith was among the highest rated Penn State defensive players on the day by Pro Football Focus and also its leading tackler with seven, making his presence known inside the box in a way he wasn't always able to while playing at Sam — where he took on more responsibility in coverage.
The athleticism and physicality that make him a true fit at the Will position came in the second quarter, when he filled a gap and absolutely trucked Ball State running back Carson Steele.
A few plays later, he hammered Cardinals tight end Dylan Koch.
That's what the Nittany Lions need from Smith after they struggled to tackle for much of last season.
4. Sean Clifford hasn't lost his wheels
After he carried the ball just six times — four excluding sacks — for the Nittany Lions against Wisconsin, it seemed fair to wonder whether Sean Clifford would have some limits placed on his propensity to run the ball under Yurcich.
Clifford removed some of that doubt on Saturday, carrying the ball 11 times for 66 yards and a touchdown — including one rush of 43 yards. He was just three yards behind Noah Cain, who finished the game as Penn State's leading rusher.
5. Eric Wilson seems to have the left guard spot solidified
If it wasn't clear last week, it certainly now seems apparent that Eric Wilson is Penn State's go-to guy at left guard.
Wilson played 70 snaps for the Nittany Lions on Saturday. Anthony Whigan, who Franklin said would share the position in a rotation with Wilson to start the season, did not see the field on offense.
*******
• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated
• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98, @GregPickel, @ThomasFrankCarr
• Follow us on Instagram
• Like us on Facebook