Looking ahead to Andy Kotelnicki and more of what they're saying about Penn State after the Peach Bowl

Penn State finished 2023 10-3 after it lost to Ole Miss 38-25 in the Peach Bowl on Saturday in Atlanta. The Lions were outgained and beat in numerous statistical categories en route to the postseason setback.

“Specifically to the game, just too many moving parts with the staff and with the players against a good team,” Lions coach James Franklin said. “Too many moving parts, staff and players, to have the type of success that we wanted to have today. A couple other things I would say is getting off the field on third and fourth down on defense and being able to convert and stay on the field on offense. We’ve been great all year long in the third quarter, starting the third quarter with two three and outs on offense when the game was still very, very competitive at that point, that was significant.

“Got to give Ole Miss credit. Got to give Lane and his staff credit. But I think ultimately too many moving parts, staff and players, to have the type of success that we want to have.”

Here’s what is being said locally and nationally after the Lions loss.

Andy Kotelnicki has work to do

That was the direction Johnny McGonigal went at PennLive after the Lions put up plenty of yards but struggled to do what they needed to do when they needed to on offense.

“Kotelnicki has shown he can do more with less,” McGonigal writes. “In his 17 years as an offensive coordinator, he has cultivated a multiple-look, fast-paced system that keeps defenses on their toes. Kotelnicki described his scheme a few weeks ago as one that keeps it simple for the offense while confusing the opposition. That spark, that identity is one that Penn State desperately needs.

“On Saturday, Kotelnicki — on the sideline and in the locker room, removed from coaching duties — provided words of encouragement. This offseason, he has to provide a facelift.”

Read the full story here.

Penn State needs help on offense

This is what national college football writer Barrett Sallee writes for CBS Sports. It’s a popular take that is going to carry into the offseason.

“The inability of the Penn State offense to stretch the field has been a point of consternation all season, and Saturday’s loss did nothing to change things heading into the offseason,” Sallee writes. “Allar was off the mark downfield early and often during the first three quarters, which allowed the Ole Miss defense to key in on running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. The duo had 63 of Penn State’s 65 yards on the opening drive of the game but combined for just 38 yards for the rest of the game. That’s a direct reflection on Allar’s inability to take the top off of the defense, which allows safeties to creep up and make life difficult for the running backs. 

“This was Allar’s first season as the Penn State starting quarterback, and it probably should be his last. It could be backup Beau Pribula, who completed his only passing attempt of the day — a 48-yard touchdown to Singleton. Or Franklin could take a page out of Kiffin’s book and get a signal-caller who can take advantage of the luxury of a stout running game and give his team a chance in the new-look Big Ten next year.”

Read the full story here.

Receivers room needs work

This is another popular take this morning. It’s something that has been discussed ad nausea this year. But, the problem reared its ugly head one final time on Saturday. A Penn State receiver did not catch a pass until the fourth quarter. And, by and large, the group underperformed yet again.

“Penn State’s first reception by a wide receiver came under the 14-minute mark of the fourth quarter,” Mark Wogenrich writes for SI. “Even at that, it was Liam Clifford, who finished the regular season seventh on the team in yardage. 

“Penn State began the season with concerns at receiver and ended it with even more. [KeAndre] Lambert-Smith looked like a No. 1 for about half the year before having just two catches over the last four games of the year. [Dante] Cephas showed flashes with no consistency. Penn State needs improvement badly, whether from the transfer portal or its three freshman signees.”

–Read the full story here.

Final word on Penn State-Ole Miss

We give this space to BWI publisher Sean Fitz this week. He discussed the offense, too.

“New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki was in the house for the matchup. He should have plenty of notes to look over on the flight home. It will start with quarterback, but that’s far from the sole issue for the Nittany Lions,” Fitz writes. “Drew Allar’s processing did not make the strides we thought it could this season. That’s multi-layered. That’s timing, that’s footwork and it all has a ripple effect. Allar’s flashes, which are still there, are also still too few and far between. Even with a first year as a starter in the books and some good numbers on paper, Allar and the program, for that matter, cannot be content with that going into the offseason. (It’s worth noting that his counterpart today, Jaxson Dart, was fantastic). 

“Penn State’s insistence on trying to make the passing game work, even with Mike Yurcich now sitting at home, may be the most frustrating part to watch. The two-week reprieve at the end of the season proved to be more about the other guy than the building blocks for promise. Ole Miss’ defense wasn’t special, although defensive end Jared Ivey was terrific in an MVP performance. Penn State boxed itself in, playing through running backs and tight ends almost exclusively for much of the game.”

Read the full story here.