Penn State grasps Utah's physical identity for Rose Bowl
Penn State head coach James Franklin didn’t dress up an opponent that doesn’t want it. Set to face Utah on Monday in the Rose Bowl, the initial impressions of the Utes haven’t changed as the game has drawn near.
Utah is a tough program led by a tough head coach in Kyle Whittingham.
So, while the Nittany Lions have spent the month preparing for everything Utah might present in the matchup, the focal point has been consistent.
“I think one of the things that stands out, that I would say not only this year but traditionally with Utah and specifically in their conference,” Franklin told reporters Saturday at Rose Bowl media day. “I think they’re built very much so from an old-school perspective, in terms of hard-nosed, physical, sound in everything they do. They’ve been able to typically dominate the fronts on the O-line and D-line. That’s something that jumped out to me right away.
“All the analytics things that you look at that usually determine good football teams, they’re pretty much strong in all those areas. But I think it’s the physicality, the toughness that stood out to us.”
Utah scouting report
Utah’s stats bear out the sentiment this season.
Boasting a well-balanced offense that can both run (10th) and pass (46th), while scoring consistently (7th), quarterback Cam Rising is the straw that stirs the drink. Defensively, Utah stops the run (18th) and keeps opponents off the scoreboard (21st) while simultaneously protecting and taking away the football.
Throw in a third-down conversion percentage, and a defensive stop rate, which both number among the top 10 programs in the country, and the formula for the Utes’ success is straightforward.
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“I think old-school, fundamentalist, toughness, sound, offense, defense, and special teams, a lot of coaches give special teams lip service. I don’t think he does that. They’re doing it well in all three phases,” said Franklin. “It’s going to take us to play well in all three phases to find a way to get this win.”
Penn State approach
Pointing to a mentality that filters from Whittingham to Rising, Franklin said the quarterback embodies the spirit. And that fact demonstrated itself when, in the PAC-12 Championship Game, Rising took a wicked shot and didn’t hesitate to bounce right back from the pummeling of Southern Cal’s defense.
“When your quarterback has that type of toughness, it resonates through the entire program. I’m a big believer (that)… your quarterback better be the toughest player on your field,” Franklin said. “And, it may not be the pounding every single play, but when you’ve got to stand in the pocket and there’s a free blitzer coming, and you know he’s coming and you’ve got to stand there in a defenseless position and deliver the ball, that takes a mental and physical toughness that very few people have and very few positions have to display it in that way.”
Crediting Rising and the rest of the program for having that toughness, it’s a test Penn State understands and is determined to pass in the Rose Bowl.
