The Penn State-West Virginia Report Card: Great Teams Cover

Were the Lions great in a 38-15 win over West Virginia? Not yet. But they had some great moments.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State's 38-15 win over West Virginia wasn't exactly the call to destiny some fans anticipated from the Lions to begin the potential playoff run of 2023. The Lions generated some wow moments, got away with a few mistakes and gave themselves some film to grade critically.

But they also played a methodical, disciplined game (just one penalty), made explosive plays and got to their defensive strengths in the second half. And they covered. Great teams cover, even if they do so on a rushing touchdown by the backup quarterback with 6 seconds left. The first report card of the season finds quarterback Drew Allar and his receivers at the head of the class, a defense looking inward and a special teams group with some consistency issues. To the grades.

OFFENSE: B+

Allar (21-for-29, 325 yards, 3 touchdowns) delivered one of the great quarterback debuts in Penn State history, and his receivers provided a comfortable blanket. If KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Tre Wallace continue getting open and making catches like that, Allar is going to post big numbers this season. Nicholas Singleton (13 carries, 70 yards) didn't break anything, but give him time. That the tight ends (one target among them) weren't significant factors means more future usage. Left tackle Olu Fashanu returned to form, but the line as a whole struggled with some of West Virginia's blitzes.

DEFENSE: B

The group was good on the whole, allowing just one meaningful touchdown and making three sacks. The Mountaineers, though, cooperated by flopping on a trick play and missing an open receiver (who beat Kalen King) for a potential touchdown. Playing a running quarterback in Week 1, after not being allowed to hit the quarterback during training camp, meant the Lions struggled to get up to speed. But they were good on third down (West Virginia was 1-for-6 in the first half) and used more pass rush in the second, which made a difference.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

"Inconsistent," Penn State coach James Franklin said. He's right. This appears to be the team's biggest work in progress. Two missed field goals, prompting a kicking change, and a 29-yard punt were notable. As was a fair catch at the 6-yard line, a learning point for sure. It looks like the kicking competition between Sander Sahaydak and Alex Felkins will continue.

COACHING: B

From the booth, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich gave Allar a manageable set of plays, including a collection of receiver screens, to convert quick, easy completions. He also returned to the T and full-house formations to take advantage of his tight ends as blockers and decoys. And receivers coach Marques Hagans quickly got his room up to speed, as six wideouts caught passes.

OVERALL: B

The fourth-largest crowd (110,747) in Beaver Stadium history saw the debut of a potentially special quarterback, cheered as his backup (Beau Pribula) scored a touchdown and shouldn't have really felt threatened. They also saw a really disciplined team (no turnovers, one false-start penalty). In all, a very positive debut with room to grow.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.