Penn State plays in its final home game of the 2021 season on Saturday Here are five storylines to watch for in the Nittany Lions’ showdown against Rutgers.
1. Will the Nittany Lions come out flat against Rutgers?
Just over a month ago, Penn State was looking like it was well on its way to a 6-0 start and a potential top-five matchup against Ohio State. Now, the Nittany Lions are 6-4 with four losses in their last five games. Every major goal for Penn State at this point is unreachable. No Big Ten East division crown, no Big Ten championship game, and no New Year's Six bowl,s let alone any chance at the College Football Playoffs.
Can James Franklin have his team up and ready to play in this one despite all the recent setbacks? Historically, under Franklin, the answer has been "no." The Nittany Lions have often struggled, not just coming off losses, but also late in the season when their chances of a Big Ten title or a College Football Playoff berth have gone to the wayside. Most seasons, their overall talent has been enough to allow them to escape games that they played poorly in or perhaps came out flat in and dug themselves into an early hole.
With a fan base already upset with the way the season has progressed, a loss to Rutgers could send the tension and dismay from the into a whole different stratosphere.
2. Is this the last time we see Sean Clifford in Beaver Stadium?
We can all assume that star wide receiver Jahan Dotson will be playing in his final game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. He'll leave the field when the clock strikes zero on Saturday afternoon as one of the greatest Penn State wide receivers ever.
However, it still remains to be seen whether or not this will be Sean Clifford's farewell to the Penn State faithful as well. It's safe to say that the Cincinnati, Ohio native has been through a lot in his time at Penn State, with some great highs in 2019 but also some extreme lows in 2020 and, of course, the back half of this season.
Whether it's this season or next, Clifford will leave Penn State with a mixed bag when it comes to his legacy on the field. On Saturday, he has a strong chance of surpassing Christian Hackenberg (just 119 yards short) in all-time passing yards, moving him up to No. 2 on that list. if he returns next season, he'll likely need less than 2,500 yarfds to surpass Trace McSorley's program-record 9,8999 passing yards.
Another player who could be playing in his final game at Beaver Stadium is defensive end Jesse Luketa. Luketa has had a breakout season for Penn State this season after making the move from linebacker to defensive end and has potentially played himself into being an NFL Draft pick this upcoming spring. With that said, another year of film on the edge and improvements at the position could lead to him be taken in the middle rounds in 2023
3. How will the offensive line perform following their rough showing against Michigan?
Last week was one of the worst offensive line performances during the James Franklin era. The Nittany Lions allowed seven sacks in their 21-17 loss to Michigan. Perhaps making the effort all the more disappointing was the fact that the run blocking in the game was much improved compared to earlier efforts.
The pass blocking, however, was a disaster. Tackles Rasheed Walker and Caeden Wallace looked way over-matched against Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, two of the best defensive lineman in the country. While Rutgers doesn’t have the firepower that Michigan’s defensive line possess, one still has to wonder about the Nittany Lions' offensive line headed into the contest.
Additionally, several members of Penn State’s offensive line missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness per James Franklin, begging the question of who exactly will play on Saturday. While those players (Wallace, Walker and Mike Miranda chief among them) could potentially be ready to go for Saturday, there's also a solid chance that Penn State is forced to play offensive linemen with little or even no game experience.
4. The wide receiver room outside of Jahan Dotson
As mentioned to above, it’s very likely that Jahan Dotson is playing the final games of his Penn State career. Assuming that's the case, the next two games and the ensuing bowl game will serve as not just a farewell to Dotson, but also an opportunity to find our exactly what the Nittany Lions have at wide receiver going forward. Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith will both be at the top of the depth chart next season barring any unforeseen circumstances. Beyond that is a bit of mystery. The Nittany Lions’ coaching staff is extremely high on Canadian import Malick Meiga and believes he could be a play maker in the near future. Meiga made a catch for eight yards in Penn State’s final possession last weekend against Michigan but has just two receptions on the season after returning from injury. Despite the lack of catches, Meiga’s playing time has increased in recent weeks and it says something that Franklin and wide receiver coach Taylor Stubblefield trusted Meiga to be on the field last week in such a crucial situation.
Could Meiga potentially have a breakout game against Rutgers? That, as well as how Penn State continues to utilize its tight ends, will be worth keeping an eye on against the Scarlet Knights.
5. Can Keyvone Lee continue to his recent success?
If it weren’t for an injury that took him off the field for a few plays last week against Michigan, sophomore running back Keyvone Lee could've been looking at Penn State’s first 100-yard game of the season on the ground. Instead, he fell just short, racking up 88 yards on 20 carries.
This week, the Nittany Lions rushing attack faces a quality Rutgers front seven that has had success against the run, including holding Michigan to just 112 yards and 2.9 yards per carry earlier this season. With the struggles of Penn State’s offensive line, this weekend’s matchup in the trenches could prove tough for the unit as well as Lee. It will be interesting to see if Lee can continue to be the most effective ball carrier for the Nittany Lions.
While the results mean considerably less than they did a few weeks ago in regards to the 2021 season, any positive momentum that Lee could take into the offseason may prove to be pivotal not just for his development, but for the development of the entire backfield.
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