Despite the Nittany Lions being 5-0, through the first five games of the season, the team still had their fair share of question marks. No unit exited the first five games of the season with more question marks than Penn State's special teams.
Everyone knows the struggles of placekicking through five games, especially the first four games before a switch was made. Punting had been inconsistent, and the return game had been non-existent.
Despite these struggles, when the Nittany Lions needed them most the team's special teams units stepped up in a big way Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles. Without the performance of Justin Lustig's special teams units, the now no. 3 Nittany Lions would not have left Los Angeles with a victory over USC.
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Outside of wide receiver, there were few areas that USC appeared to have a clear advantage over Penn State entering this game. One area, however, the Trojans appeared to have a clear advantage was on special teams.
Zachariah Branch gives the Trojans one of the most dangerous return units in the country, placekicker Michael Lentz had been near automatic entering Saturday's contest, and punter Eddie Czaplicki has quickly adjusted to life in the Big Ten averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Despite USC's on-paper advantage on special teams, the Nittany Lions overcame that on Saturday. At no point was this more on display than in overtime.
Riley Thompson finds consistency
Ok, so, it might be difficult to say Riley Thompson truly found consistency as he only punted twice. But the past few weeks had been a struggle for Thompson who averaged 36.5 yards per punt or less in two of Penn State's last three games.
That said, Thompson averaged 42.5 yards per punt and both punts pinned USC inside the 20-yard line. Most importantly, Thompson's performance prevented a dangerous USC return game from finding any traction.
Gabe Nwosu had one job and he did it
To circle back to Branch, it was vital that Gabe Nwosu consistently put kickoffs in the end zone for touchbacks. This gave Nwosu just one job, and it was a job that he completed.
Branch was only able to return two of Nwosu's seven kickoffs. On the two kicks that Branch was able to return, the kick coverage unit stepped up and worked with Nwosu to limit Branch to just 29 total return yards. Branch had a long return of just 16 yards, and both of those returns were stuffed inside the 20-yard line.
The Ryan Barker hero arc begins
After Sander Sahaydak missed two field goals against Illinois, Ryan Barker took over for Sahaydak in the 4th quarter of Penn State's 21-7 victory connecting on his lone PAT attempt. Against UCLA, the redshirt freshman made his first career start going 3/3 on PATs and 2/2 on field goals.
In just his second career start Barker was essentially thrown to the wolves. On the road against a good USC team, Barker needed to be perfect for his team to win and he did just that.
Barker went 3/3 on PATs, and, most importantly, was 4/4 on field goals. This included drilling a game-winning 36-yard field goal in overtime after Lentz had missed a kick on USC's overtime possession.
Most impressively, Barker's kicks left no doubt. Barker did not just make all of his kicks, Barker nailed them without question. Through two career starts Barker has not just seized the placekicking job, he has watched his hero arc begin by kicking the team to victory against USC.
Return game struggles continue
If there is any blemish on the performance of Penn State's special teams units on Saturday afternoon it was the return game. Zion Tracy once again handled punt return duties, returning just one punt or a single yard. That said, for a second consecutive week Tracy did the most important job of a punt returner - he fielded the ball and avoided turnovers.
Penn State only returned one kickoff, a 22-yard return by Nicholas Singleton.
Sure, you would love to see Penn State get more out of their return units, especially the punt return group. That said, as long as neither return unit is turning the ball over and putting the team in bad field position spots, it is hard to complain.
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