Top 5 Penn State offensive players that need to play well against Utah

Penn State faces Utah in the 2023 Rose Bowl Game on Monday in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. While it will be a team effort to get the Nittany Lions a win, these are the five offensive players that need to have an excellent game if James Franklin’s squad wants to have a shot at winning the first Rose Bowl for Penn State this millennium.

Five Penn State Offensive players who need to step up

5. Brenton Strange

No doubt, Penn State will miss Washington, especially if Utah plays aggressively on defense. Penn State saw Cover 0 in multiple games this season as the defensive pressure package increased in popularity throughout football. Tight end Brenton Strange has more targets against this coverage than any other Nittany Lions receiver, and his presence may make Utah think twice about sending the house. His ability to play through contact and potentially make a big play with a broken tackle will be essential to Penn State’s offensive chances in this scenario. 

Beyond that, his work in play action has helped quarterback Sean Clifford get easy throws and yardage that allows the offense to remain balanced. In his final game as a college football player, Strange will need to show he’s the multi-dimensional threat that the NFL covets in H-back tight ends.

4. KeAndre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert Smith initially struggled when filling a new role after Parker Washington’s injury. He only caught three of his targets against Rutgers and was 0-2 in contested catch situations before bouncing back against Michigan State. In the season’s final game, he tallied five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown and had a perfect passer rating when targeted. 

The question for the Rose Bowl won’t just be how will he play, but also where will he play? In the past, Penn State has moved players around and situated them in new positions they hope to see them fulfill the following year. As a result, lambert-Smith could find himself permanently replacing either Mitchell Tinsley or Washington in the lineup on the 2nd of January. 

3. Sean Clifford

One massive equation in the run game is quarterback Sean Clifford. While Penn State doesn’t have to take the same approach as teams that beat Utah, drawing elements of those game plans is helpful. The Pac-12 is filled with athletic quarterbacks essential to their respective team’s running games. 

Clifford doesn’t have to be Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Caleb Williams for Penn State; he needs to provide a legitimate threat to keep the ball and keep Utah’s backside defenders honest.

Clifford only had 30 carries for 255 yards this season, which is the lowest output of his career on the ground. However, he was efficient, for the most part, in these situations, nabbing five touchdowns and averaging nearly 5 yards per carry.

The running backs need to be the star of the show, but A few early successful runs could set a tone that makes things easier for them and the Penn State offensive line. 

It will also make his life easier as a passer. 

2. Nicholas Singleton

In weeks 1-7, Nicholas Singleton either averaged over ten yards per carry or under 4 for the Penn State offense. He was the epitome of a boom-or-bust runner. Unfortunately, when he struggled to find explosive plays, so did the offense. 

Starting with the game against Minnesota, Singleton averaged 5.7 yards per carry, and his average only dipped below 4 in one game. Utah has a very stingy run defense and a very gap-sound front seven. They don’t have many weaknesses, but in a loss to UCLA, the Utes struggled to contain Bruins running back Zach Charbonnet on outside zone runs. Runs into space were a common theme for the team in 2022 as a thorn in the side of the run game.

While Kaytron Allen will be a massive factor, Singleton’s ability to turn a good play into a game-breaking play for the Penn State offense is essential. He’ll have to bring that same consistency to pair with his big-play ability in the Rose Bowl. 

1. Penn State’s Left tackle

Penn State is entering the Rose Bowl after playing the final month of the season without either starting offensive tackles. Are Olu Fashanu and Caedan Wallace healthy and ready to play? If they are, it’s a massive advantage for Penn State against a Utah pass rush that struggled through its own injuries this season. Utah switched things up and attacked without a bonafide four-man rush, sending Cover 0 blitzes, stunts, and other defensive line games. 

Drew Shelton played well down the stretch, but this will be one of the best-coached defensive fronts that he’s seen this season. If he’s out there, he’ll have to play the best game of his young career to keep quarterback Sean Clifford clean.

Shelton didn’t give up a sack in his four games starting at left tackle for the Nittany Lions, but he did give up three hits. Despite not having a lead rusher, Utah was tied for 15th nationally with 38 sacks in 2022. That’s 29 spots higher than the best pass-rushing team that Shelton faced at Michigan State. So while it might not be one player he faces off against, he’ll have prove he can hold up against the swarm of Utah rushers.  

If he can do that, Utah’s defense can be exposed to zone and man concepts that take longer to develop. Of course, Clifford plays better without pressure, but it’s doubly important in this game for Penn State.