5 things I’m watching at the start of the 2018 Season.
2018 has the potential to be a special season for the boys in blue. The most obvious reason for optimism is a legitimate Heisman candidate QB lining up under center who is poised to become the program’s all-time winningest signal caller (not to mention setting passing records that will be all but unbreakable). Aside from the stability of having a 3rd year starter at quarterback, there are several questions that will shape Penn State’s Season.
1.) Can The Middle Of The Defense Hold Up In The Big Ten East?: Penn State lost 9 defenders to the NFL this summer (which in and of itself is a tremendous accomplishment for any team, let alone one that was destined to be irrelevant for decades after the 2011 NCAA sanctions). These former Nittany Lions accounted for 428 tackles and included 7 of the team’s top 10 tacklers (8 if you include the uncertain future of Manny Bowen). The bulk of this production came from the center of a defense that, on more than one occasion, struggled against the more physical teams in the Big Ten. Replacing the top three tackles, top two middle line backers, and the only two safeties to see any meaningful playing time could be the determining factor in the 2018-2019 season.
2.) Will the Offensive Line Finally Be A Strength?: For several years now, I have looked to the 2018 season as the first time in at least 6 years that the offensive line wont be a complete liability. When James Franklin arrived in Happy Valley in 2014, the Penn State Roster had 9 scholarship offensive lineman that included 4 freshman and two sophomores who had been playing defensive tackle the year before. Since then, Penn State has recruited offensive linemen as well as anyone else in the Big Ten and is back up to a more stable 15 scholarship lineman. However, these things take time. For comparisons sake, in 2017, the two teams to play in the national championship (Alabama and Georgia) had six and five upperclassmen linemen in their 2-deep, respectively, while Penn State had only three. This year they will have five, all with significant playing experience. A small improvement, but one that could prove crucial to the success of the 2018 team.
3.) How Will Defenses Play A Saquon-less PSU Offense?: Saquon Barkley was the greatest offensive player to ever don a blue and white jersey (I say that more as a fact than an opinion). Because of this, defenses placed eight or nine defenders in the box in order to do their best to contain him, sometimes all but ignoring Penn State’s other offensive weapons. It dosn’t matter how good your offense is, if a defense decides that its sole focus is to take away the run game, its going to be difficult to move the ball on the ground (hence McSorley’s record breaking 3,614 yards through the air in 2016 and 3,570 in 2017). With Barkley taking his talents to the Big Apple, it will be interesting to see if the Penn State offense sees a more balanced approach from opposing defenses and how that effects the balance between rushing and passing production. I believe it is very possible that McSorley surpasses 500 rushing yards while Barkley’s heir, Miles Sanders, rushes for more yards (1,271) than his first round predecessor.
4.) How Good Is Micah Parsons?: The easy answer to that question is “Really freakin’ good.” The 5* recruit out of Harrisburg is the highest rated recruit to sign with the Nittany Lions in 13 years (Derrick Williams). He is the type of athlete that could line up at almost any position on the football field and dominate. He played Defensive End, Linebacker, Running Back, and Wide Receiver in high school and is now poised to play yet another position. In 2018, the freshman phenom will be playing the most iconic position at Penn State: Linebacker. So the question is less “will he make an impact” and more “how much of an impact will he make and how quickly?” The linebacking unit is in dire need of playmakers, so it will be intriguing to see how quickly Parsons can acclimate to his new position and whether or not he can dominate the turf in Beaver Stadium as well as he did in high school
5.) Who’s Going to Catch the Ball?: Penn State loses 110 catches, 1,429 yards, and 18 touchdowns from 2017 as the program’s all-time leading receiver (DaeSean Hamilton) and record breaking tight end (Mike Gesicki) leave for the NFL. There is no shortage of young talent on the roster that is more than capable of filling the void, but who will step up? The returning receivers, tight ends, and running backs on the 2018 squad had a combined 9 receiving touchdowns last year. Two of those came from the backup quarterback and another two came from 3rd and 4th string tight ends in garbage time. Starters Juwan Johnson and DeAndre Thompkins return while newcomer and 5* recruit Justin Shorter is, by all accounts, ready to start from day one. Redshirt freshman Mac Himpenhammer had an impressive Blue White Game and redshirt junior Brandon Polk (AKA the Jet Sweep Wizard) returns from a season lost to injury. One way or another, there is a significant amount of production that needs to be replaced and it will be interesting to see who emerges from a crowded and talented receiving corps.