Instant Analysis: Did Penn State finally find QB1?
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team scored over 700 yards and set a program record for total yardage against Kent State in a blowout win over the Golden Flashes at Beaver Stadium. Blue White Illustrated was there to observe the proceedings, and our experts discussed what they saw in our Instant Analysis. Join Sean Fitz, Greg Pickel, and Nate Bauer as they discuss the team’s slow start but impressive finish to the game.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was nearly perfect on the day, completing 81% of his passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. He capped his day off with a 59-yard touchdown strike to Omari Evans to begin the third quarter.
Evans, an early breakout star and the surprising top receiver on the team, finished the day with four catches for 116 yards and nearly got another score late in the game on a slant from Beau Pribula.
However, the top billing on Saturday goes to tight end Tyler Warren. The do-it-all offensive player ran for 16 yards, tossed a 17-yard touchdown, and caught five passses for 50 yards and a score. He also had the highlight of the day with an impressive one-handed catch along the sideline for a first down.
“We were more efficient today on offense. We were still explosive. I think we were 80 percent on third down, which was big,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said after the game.
Defense dominates
Defensively, the Nittany Lions knocked two Kent State quarterbacks out of the game in the first half and suffocated any potential threat in an already overmatched game. Penn State Defensive end Abdul Carter finished the game with four tackles, a tackle and a half for loss, and a sack on the game.
On the day, the Penn State defense allowed 65 total yards, including just 18 yards passing. Several young players got to see the field, including Penn State freshman Max Granville, who notched a quarterback hit in the third quarter of his first collegiate game.
Fellow freshman Dejuan Lane saw a majority of snaps during the game, filling in the void left by Penn State star safety KJ Winston, who suffered a long-term injury before the Bowling Green game and is out for an indefinite period of time.
The Nittany Lions now face Illinois to start the Big Ten regular season on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated for coverage leading into Penn State’s biggest test of the young 2024 season.
