MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK
Penn State wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 52-6 win against Villanova on Saturday afternoon in front of more than 109k fans at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions enter the bye week ranked #2 in the latest AP Poll with a 3-0 record. Head coach James Franklin stressed the importance of improvement and avoiding complacency heading into a grueling nine-game Big Ten schedule. Here’s my biggest takeaways from the non-conference slate and the victory over Villanova.
Third Down Efficiency
Franklin said after the game that the offense made strides on third down, but still has room for growth. On Saturday, Penn State went 5/11 on third down, including 4/6 in third and short situations, after struggling on third and short against FIU. In these critical situations, Quarterback Drew Allar has focused the short and intermediate passing game on utilizing the tight ends and wide receiver Trebor Peña.