What we learned about Penn State during its 6-0 start

No. 3 Penn State is off to a 6-0 start for the second straight season and is well-positioned to secure its first playoff berth in program history. That’s what we learned in the Nittany Lions’ first six games.

Penn State is a second-half team

Penn State had a few Slow start to this season. The Nittany Lions trailed Bowling Green and USC at halftime and entered halftime tied against Illinois. But Penn State has absolutely flipped a switch in the third quarter this season, outscoring its opponents 59-3 in the quarter. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen's unit gave up just 146 yards in the third quarter for an average of 2.4 yards per game, giving the offense additional possessions.

This was evident last weekend against USC, where Penn State trailed 20-6 and appeared headed for its first loss of the season. Instead, the Nittany Lions offense marched downfield with two touchdown drives, tying the game at 20-20. Then Penn State's defense forced USC to punt on its first two drives of the half.

The game against the Trojans also showed us Drew Allar's clutch gene, which he hasn't had to use very often in his career. Penn State got the ball with 5:56 left and needed a touchdown to tie the game. Allar led the Nittany Lions on a rushing march that included two fourth-down conversions and ultimately led to a Nick Singleton touchdown. Penn State won in overtime.

Playing from behind isn't sustainable, but it's encouraging to see how well Penn State came out of the locker room in the second half. It seems like halftime adjustments work wonders, and comebacks like last week show how fiery this team is when they need to be.

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Penn State's offense is more explosive under Kotelnicki

One of Penn State's biggest problems last year was its lack of explosive offensive play. With first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki now calling the plays, the Nittany Lions have made major strides on that front.

First up is Allar, who continues to make progress as the starting quarterback in his second season. Allar increased his high completion percentage and maintained his low interception numbers from last year leading up to the USC game. He has also made strides in his big-play skills, using his arms and legs.

Allar has gone from a passing average of 6.8 yards per attempt to 10.2 yards and is on pace for a career-high in rushing yards. He throws fewer passes, just 24 attempts per game, but those completions were more productive and were complemented by a good running game.

The wide receivers have also benefited from the new offense. Tre Wallace and Liam Clifford both set career highs in receiving yards, while Omari Evans has emerged as one of the team's best deep threats.

Of course, we can't ignore the elephant in the room. Tight end Tyler Warren has been incredible this season, recording 40 catches for 513 yards. He has also been used everywhere you can imagine, from direct shotgun snaps, under center, to snapping the ball up the middle. If any player's draft stock has skyrocketed this season, it's Warren.

On the ground, Singleton and Kaytron Allen remained reliable as Penn State's one-two punch at running back. And the offensive line, which has produced three new starters, looks solid overall.

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Penn State's defense isn't as dynamic, but it's solid

Defensive coordinator Tom Allen He had difficult shoes to fill when he took the job at Penn State. Former coordinator Manny Diaz, now the head coach at Duke, fielded one of the best units in the country last year.

In 2023, Penn State recorded 24 takeaways and 49 sacks, the latter leading the nation and setting a program record. The Nittany Lions also led the nation in allowing just 75.5 rushing yards per game.

Based on these eye-popping numbers, Allen's defense wasn't as dynamic in 2024. Penn State has forced just eight takeaways and 14 sacks, which is down to about 17 takeaways and 30 sacks this season. In terms of yardage, the Nittany Lions are giving up 262.5 yards per game this year and allowing fewer passing yards per game than they did in the 2023 season. That just means Allen's defense is still playing well, just not in the same areas as Diaz's defense.

Abdul Carter's move to defense has been well done, with Carter totaling four sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. With Dani Dennis-Sutton on the other side and Zane Durant at center, Penn State's defensive line was great.

At linebacker, Tony Rojas and Kobe King were good starters, but Allen said, “We need more guys stepping up, more guys making plays, more guys we can rotate there that will be able to play at high.” Level to play.” ” Those guys include Dom DeLuca, Tyler Elsdon and Ta'Mere Robinson, who have played a ton of snaps at linebacker.

After losing its top three cornerbacks, Penn State's secondary has taken on a new look, led by transfer corners AJ Harris and Jalen Kimber. This duo has played well so far this season and has been complemented by young cornerbacks Cam Miller, Elliot Washington II and Zion Tracy, who continue to develop.

At safety, Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley have made big strides. Reed has flown around the field as one of Penn State's best tacklers, leading the team with 39 total. Wheatley stepped in as a starter after KJ Winston's injury and has also made a solid impression. Overall, the freshmen in the secondary did well.

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Sam Woloson has covered Penn State athletics for three years and is currently managing editor of The Daily Collegian. His work has also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Huntingdon Daily News and Rivals. Follow him on X @sam_woloson