As we begin to put the finishing touches on our Central Michigan reviews, we hand out position grades for Penn State’s position groups for their 33-14 win.
Quarterback: B-
All in all, it was a quality day for Sean Clifford in the boxscore. The sixth-year quarterback completed 22-of-34 passing attempts for 217 yards and three touchdowns. He started off hot completing each of his first eight passes but like the entirety of the team, hit a wall in the second quarter. After his 8-for-8 start, Clifford would miss on seven of his next passing attempts.
During those few series where he struggled, Clifford missed several passes quite badly whether it was overthrowing his receivers, throwing too far in front of them, or throwing behind them. He would get back on track but those second quarter struggles certainly are one of the lasting memories from the game.
Running backs: B
Nick Singleton may have had a quiet day against Central Michigan with just 42 yards on 12 carries but fellow true freshman Kaytron Allen was phenomenal. The former four-star running back totaled 111 yards and one touchdown on the day across 13 carries. His performance was good enough to earn him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
Wide Receivers: B
Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley had nice days, combining for 10 receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown but beyond on that, it was another quiet day overall. Harrison Wallace had two receptions for 39 yards, and Liam Clifford had a pair of his own for 19. KeAndre Lambert-Smith was the only other wide receiver to record a reception with his lone reception going for four yards.
Tight End: B+
This would've been a widely different game without the contributions of Brenton Strange. The West Virginia native had five receptions in the game for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Theo Johnson recorded his first reception of the season in the win as well, good enough for an 11-yard gain.
Offensive Line: B
The offensive line struggled at times when it came to opening up holes on the ground but was strong in their pass protection. They allowed no sacks in the game and allowed Central Michigan to amass just three hurries in the game. The Nittany Lions' pass protection has been solid throughout the season, allowing just five sacks in four games but will need to continue to improve their run blocking.
The offense overall: B
Overall, it's hard to find a ton to complain about when your offense puts up over 400 total yards and 33 points. The offense struggled to be consistent in the win and was sluggish as a whole in the second quarter for the second time in three weeks.
Despite the offensive line struggling to open up lanes at times, the Nittany Lions were still able to get it done on the ground to the tune of 166 yards on 32 carries. The passing attack left more to be desired but at the end of the day, James Franklin and the Nittany Lions coaching staff will take the 22-for-34 for 217 yards and three touchdown stat line from Sean Clifford. That being said, the Nittany Lions can't afford a similar cold streak from Clifford of the offense as the season progresses.
Defensive Line: B+
After a dominating performance against Auburn, Penn State's defensive line had a solid but not as dominant day against Central Michigan. In the pass rush, the Nittany Lions were able to get consistent pressure on Daniel Richardson and Jase Bauer but totaled just two sacks and five quarterback hurries. Against the run, however, they had another strong performance, helping keep the Chippewas to a mere 3.8 yards per carry.
Linebackers: B
The linebackers were solid against the Chippewas, they didn’t stand out for any good reasons per se but they also didn’t stand out for any bad reasons. Central Michigan did have some success on throwing across the middle of the field but the linebackers were also a big reason for keeping the Chippewas’ rushing attack in check.
Secondary: A-
Central Michigan may have totaled 275 passing yards in the game but the Chippewas completed just 55.7% of their passes and averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt. The Nittany Lions' secondary totaled 13 pass breakups, two interceptions and one forced fumble and recovery in the game.
The defense overall: B+
Outside of its two drives in the second quarter in which they allowed Central Michigan to score, the Nittany Lions defense had a strong day. They helped force four turnovers and kept the big plays limited throughout the game rarely letting the Chippewas offense gain any momentum after the game was tied 14-14. Manny Diaz called a quality game as well though his aggressiveness did back fire a few times throughout.
Special Teams: C+
Barney Amor remains one of Penn State's best weapons and one of the few redeemable performances from Saturday. Placekicking continues to be a mess for the Nittany Lions as Jake Pinegar had an extra point blocked and missed a 38-yard field goal in the 4th quarter. They’ll also need more consistency when it comes to kickoffs.
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