Penn State Addresses 'Big Concern' on Offense During Bye Week
Penn State's offensive to-do list during the bye week included one major objective: to calibrate the relationship between quarterback Drew Allar and his receivers. Not that it's been negative. Occasionally awkward might be a better description, especially during last week's game at Northwestern, where Allar went 18 for 33 (8 for 17 in the first half) and seemed to have some timing breaks with his receivers.
Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich noticed. In fact, he called it a concern.
"Yeah, it's a big concern with me right now and to us as an entire staff, and we've got to remedy that fast," Yurcich said on a bye-week Zoom call with reporters. "And we've got to be on point with our landmarks and our depths of routes and our timing. That is something that we're going to address. And that is a big issue we have to clean up."
Penn State's passing game has flowed through mixed messaging this season, with moments of acute sharpness blunted by uneven execution. KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Trey Wallace, Liam Clifford and Malik McClain have made some exceptional plays, and Lambert-Smith has been one of the Big Ten's most effective receivers. He ranks second in receptions (25) and fourth in yards per game while recording the team's only reception longer than 50 yards. According to receivers coach Marques Hagans, Lambert-Smith has been a model of consistency. Hagans is looking for that type of consistency from the rest of the room, even regarding how they celebrate.
"We've got to be more willing to finish in the run game and then win our one-on-one battles when our opportunities are called: create separation, get open, make the plays, make guys miss," Hagans said. "And continue to bring energy by celebrating with out teammates, being the first guys there when they score, helping guys up off the ground. Just making sure that we understand that it’s a selfless group and we put the team first."
Penn State's receivers room has been a discussion point since winter workouts, which began without NFL receivers Mitchell Tinsley (Washington) and Parker Washington (Jacksonville). The Lions brought in transfer receivers Malik McClain (Florida State) and Dante Cephas (Kent State), both of whom have started games. They also have dealt with some injury issues, notably to preseason projected starters Trey Wallace and Omari Evans.
Penn State coach James Franklin said that Wallace's return (he missed three games, including the visit to Northwestern) would boost some of those timing issues. So will the bye-week work.
"We’ve got some new guys that we’re still trying to kind of work some of that out, with all the different coverages, with the different techniques," Franklin said. "But yeah, we’ve just got to continue to grind on it and continue to get more reps."
Penn State leads the Big Ten in scoring (40.6 points per game), prompting Yurcich to remind that the team is "playing winning football right now." Still, he has noted some of these pass-game issues as bye-week matters to address.
"If we can just continue to make strides and get better and accelerate — and I think with time that will happen, especially with some inexperience at wide receiver and at the quarterback position, first-time starter — we will continue to get better as long as our confidence continues to grow. And our offense does need to understand that they've done certain things very well. And we have to face the facts of what we need to get better at, and honestly self-evaluate and attack those areas."
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