After the controversial loss to Indiana, Penn State fans weren't surprised to see their team start 0-2. With Ohio State coming to town in week two, most expected that. However, this time last week, there was still some optimism that the Nittany Lions would start putting together the wins that were expected when the season began, finishing strong enough to make another New Year's Day bowl game.
That all went out the window Saturday night when Mike Locksley and Maryland came into Beaver Stadium and beat the Nittany Lions easily. It was a troubling performance in a spot where the exact opposite was expected to happen. After rewatching the game Sunday morning, we grade out each position group.
Quarterback - Saturday was arguably the worst performance of Sean Clifford's career. If not, it's a close second to last year's game against Ohio State. Given the opponent, we'll lean with yesterday. Clifford continues to struggle with his progressions, and he also overthrew multiple passes that he had to make. He was out of sync from the very start. Most worrisome is the fact that he's gotten worse each game through the first three weeks.
Grade: D
Running Backs - Finding room to run remains a serious issue, but Devyn Ford (nine carries, 36 yards) is also struggling to make something out of nothing. It's not easy to do, but Penn State fans have come to expect that over the past four years. Freshman Caziah Holmes (nine carries, 29 yards) wasn't much better against the Terps, but overall, we're still struggling to grade the backs. They haven't lived up to the standards set, but they need more space to create plays, too.
Grade: C
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - Coming into the season, this position was arguably the biggest concern. It's funny how things play out. Jahan Dotson was solid again Saturday, pulling in nine receptions for 123 yards and a score. Parker Washington also had his best performance with eight catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Washington did struggle to separate at times and let a few balls get away, but he's playing well for a freshman. Behind those two, however, remains a lot of questions. At tight end, Pat Freiermuth played his best game of the season so far, although he did struggle again in limited pass blocking opportunities.
Grade: B
Offensive Line - Clifford was sacked seven times Saturday. For some perspective, Maryland had just one sack against Minnesota and two against Northwestern. Phil Trautwein made it clear in the off-season that he had concerns about making all the changes he planned without a normal spring and summer, and that sure is showing right about now. Will Fries is the only starter that's shown improvement this season. Rasheed Walker played the worst game of his career.
Grade: D
Defensive Line - Jayson Oweh is struggling to collect sacks, but he's been Penn State's top defensive player so far this season. Yesterday he was very good against the run, and it showed with 10 tackles, most on the team. Overall, this unit did a better job than we thought when we rewatched the film. If they can just start creating more negative plays in those crucial moments, it'll go a long way for this defense.
Grade: C+
Linebackers - This may be the most concerning position group for Penn State currently. Ellis Brooks has been average so far, but he hasn't improved from last season. With that said, Brandon Smith and Jesse Luketa are both playing well below expectations so far. Smith scored a 51.4 by Pro Football Focus, while Luketa was even worse with a 41.5. Both are failing grades.
Grade: F
Defensive Backs - There were a lot of concerns last week with all the missed assignments and general confusion, but it was also Ohio State. That receiving corps and play-calling is among the best in the nation, so a rebound was expected. That didn't happen. Taulia Tagovailoa had a 216.7 quarterback rating going into the fourth quarter, and the only reason it dropped was because the game was over and he was going through the motions. After the worst game of his career, Lamont Wade wasn't much better this week. Jaquan Brisker was the only defensive back that put together an above average performance.
Grade: F
Special Teams - Jake Pinegar missed another field goal attempt. He's now one of four on the season. Even Jordan Stout took a step back in the punting game, averaging 40.5 yards. He came into the game averaging just under 50 yards per punt. There's nothing in the return game that gives us the feel that Penn State can break a long one, let alone score.
Grade: C-
Coaching - There have been a lot of concerns to start the season, but after two losses, just about everyone expected Penn State to play motivated; play as if they had something to prove. That performance was the exact opposite. We can look at individual play calls and schemes - throwing fades to a 5-foot-10 freshman wide receiver on fourth and three is asking for problems - but the only thing that really matters here is that this team didn't have the right mindset at all going into this game and it showed right from the start. When you consider the talent currently and the opponent's history, this was the worst loss since James Franklin took over the program.
Grade: F
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