Penn State Football Report Card: Kent State Edition

The Nittany Lions closed non-conference play with a record-setting, 56-0 victory over the Golden Flashes.

Penn State receiver Liam Clifford is lifted into the air by offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh (68) and tight end Tyler Warren after scoring a touchdown against Kent State. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State coach James Franklin, seldom one to look ahead, needed only a few minutes Saturday to peer into the Nittany Lions' future.

"I'm calling for White Out ... energy," Franklin said, foreshadowing Penn State's prime-time Big Ten opener against Illinois on Sept. 28 at Beaver Stadium. The moment was a reminder that, however dominant the Nittany Lions were in their 56-0 victory over Kent State on Saturday, the schedule truly begins now. Penn State is onto the Big Ten schedule, beginning it against the ranked, unbeaten Illini (4-0).

Before getting there, however, Penn State needed to make some declarative statements about itself. Kent State wasn't going to be competitive even against a sloppy, disinterested team. But for the most part, the Nittany Lions were efficient and effective in winning their 22nd consecutive non-conference game.

With that, a Penn State report card.

RELATED: Breakdown of Penn State's 56-0 win over Kent State

OFFENSE: A-

Franklin called the team records (718 total yards and 40 first downs) "special" from an historic perspective, which they were. Of course, Kent State didn't have the defensive manpower to stop anything Penn State tried. Drew Allar is matching his performance level with his confidence. He saw open receivers, threw a few open, made solid reads and ended the game early in the third quarter. In other words, Allar (17-for-21, 309 yards, 3 touchdowns) performed his job with ruthless efficiency.

Penn State also made certain to showcase tight end Tyler Warren, whom Franklin once again called the "best tight end in college football." Warren (5 catches, 50 yards) threw and caught touchdown passes, made a leaping one-handed grab, blocked fiercely for the backs and showcased how much of a ruthless weapon he can be. Running back Cam Wallace (9 carries, 39 yards, TD) looked sharp before sustaining an unfortunate injury late in the fourth quarter. Receiver Omari Evans got open downfield again for 59 yards. We're docking the Nittany Lions because coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who needed just three games to break a 98-year-old school record for total offense, poured out too much gimmickry in the first half. Yes, it's a lot of homework for Illinois, but some of the plays proved disruptive to Penn State's flow.

DEFENSE: B+

Kent State was unlikely to score with a healthy offense. Losing two quarterbacks in the first half, including starter Devin Kargman on the second play, merely made things worse. Still, ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton got their first sacks and overwhelmed Kent State's line. "I just knew that, as long as I continued to do my job, the plays would come to me," Carter said. "I was never upset, I was never worried."

Also, Penn State made a big change on defense. Coordinator Tom Allen, who spent the first two weeks on the sideline, moved to the coaches' booth. "I thought it went really well," Franklin said of the change, which may or may not continue against Illinois.

Importantly, Penn State got plenty of snaps for freshman safety Dejuan Lane, whose developement the coaches want to accelerate with starter KJ Winston injured. Lane didn't look startled, made a couple tackles and gave Penn State options to consider. Namely, they most certainly want to move safety Jaylen Reed back to the hybrid linebacker/safety "Lion" position that he played so effectively at West Virginia. "I agree," Reed said.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

If you're going to nitpick, this is the place. Kicker Gabriel Nwosu booted the first kickoff out of bounds, which frustrates Franklin to no end. Riley Thompson punted just twice but averaged 35.5 yards per attempt and had a long of 38. However, Kaden Saunders, playing through a training-camp injury that has limited his punt returns, took one back 23 yards, his longest of the season. That was a positive.

COACHING: B+

Kotelnicki's fidgetiness aside, Penn State's staff managed the day well. Franklin was particularly proud of his staff for its clock usage late in the second quarter, when it scored twice in 3 minutes and used just one timeout. Alas, those penalties continue to mount. Penn State committed seven more for 65 yards, which nearly matched Kent State's total offense (67 yards). That included three more defensive offsides, now nine in three games. "I'm going to hold people accountable," Franklin said.

OVERALL: B+

Penn State accomplished most of its goals, though injuries to linebacker Dom DeLuca and running back Cam Wallace stung. The Nittany Lions replaced their starters in the third quarter, gave meaningful reps to a significant number of players and paid Kent State $1.6 million for its troubles.

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Penn State on SI 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 X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.