Penn State won't change where Ty Howle, Ja'Juan Seider are on game day following firing of Mike Yurcich

Penn State is not adjusting where some of its coaches will be positioned on game day following the firing of offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. The now former member of the Lions’ coaching staff moved from field level to the press box ahead of the 2023 season. It seemed to work well, even if the team failed to succeed as much as it needed to on offense in its two losses this fall. How will the program adjust for his absence moving forward?

Co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Ty Howle, who was in the box all season, will remain there. Co-offensive coordinator Ja’Juan Seider, who is sharing Yurcich’s responsibilities with Howle, will stay on the sideline. Both wil have a role in play calling, head coach James Franklin said Monday.

Those two guys will be handling the game planning as well as the offensive staff, and that’s really literally what I just walked out of with those guys,” Franklin said. “They’re doing a really good job right now. I’ve been pleased. I think we’re a little bit more collaborative right now than what we have been here recently. I think it’s been good. It’s been good.

“So I literally just walked out of there. When I get done from here I’ll go back in there. I would say that my presence is similar to what it’s been in the past over my 13 years as a head coach. In terms of playcalling, you know, we’re going to work that kind of out throughout this week and on game day, but they’ll both have a role in playcalling.”

What’s up with Rutgers?

Rutgers can simply be summed up as a team that has (or at least had) a strong defense with very little semblance of an offense. The Scarlet Knights were just shut out 22-0 at Iowa. Fourteen of the Hawkeyes’ 22 points came in the fourth quarter, however, when the RU defense was surely shot after what ultimately ended up being 38 minutes on the field. So, a tired, weary defense is coming to State College. And, the offense is dealing with injuries, including an undisclosed one for star running back Kyle Monagai, who leads the Big Ten with an average of 94.2 rushing yards per game and a conference-high 942 yards this season.

Gavin Wimsatt has nearly as many interceptions (six) as passing touchdowns (eight) as the team’s starting quarterback. Christian Dremel is the team’s leading receiver with 30 catches for 390 yards and two touchdowns. No. 2 option JaQuae Jackson was hurt last week and his status is unclear. Linebackers Deion Jennings and Mohamed Toure lead Rutgers into Penn State with 74 and 79 tackles so far, respectivly.

Weather report

There could be some rain the morning. But, it is likely to dry out by kickoff. Weather.com says the following: “A shower or two around the area in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 56F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.”

Early Penn State-Rutgers storylines

–Can the Rutgers defense cause Penn State problems on offense? That is easily the Scarlet Knights’ best unit on the field. And, the Lions have shown they are capable of struggling to move the ball against any opponent.

–Will any surprise players go through Senior Day festivities? That list is always of interest for this very reason. It will come out on Friday.

–Is receiver Harrison Wallace III going to return for Penn State this week? He was out last week but was seen on the field during pregame warmups with his right arm no longer in a brace. We doubt it. But, time will tell.

–Will Monagai play for Rutgers? Their offense is struggles to move the ball with him in the lineup. It will face a taller task if he’s out this week. We’ll learn more throughout the week. But, it is easily one of the top topics to watch over the next few days.