Watch James Franklin's postgame press conference following Penn State's 34-12 win over West Virginia
MORGANTOWN – Penn State fans have been waiting for months to see what new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki would bring to this year’s offense. As far as first impressions go, Nittany Lion fans couldn’t have asked for a better start, as Penn State totaled 457 yards of offense in a dominant 34-12 win over West Virginia Saturday in Morgantown.
Quarterback Drew Allar finished the game with 216 yards passing and three touchdowns, completing 11 of 17 attempts. Beau Pribula also got in on the action, throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Warren late in the game.
However, this game may end up going down as wide receiver Trey Wallace’s coming out party, as the junior totaled five receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns. That included an impressive catch in the back of the end zone with just seconds remaining in the first half.
But the run game also found success, as running back Nick Singleton totaled 114 yards rushing, including a momentum-gaining 40-yard touchdown to open the second half after a two-hour rain delay. Allar also made some key first-down conversions with his feet, totaling six rushes for 44 yards.
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“We call him Lamar Allar,” James Franklin joked, referring to Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson when asked about Allar’s rushing on Saturday. “I thought he ran better than probably people expected last year. He’s dropped 10 pounds. I think he’s done a really good job in the weight room becoming more explosive. We always talk like, obviously, mobility at the quarterback position is important, but if your quarterback can get you just two to three first downs a game with his legs, it changes everything.”
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Defensively, Penn State didn’t allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter, limiting West Virginia to just 246 yards of total offense. Mountaineer quarterback Garrett Greene completed just 54 percent of his passes for 161 yards, while West Virginia’s run game was held to 85 yards in the game.
Safety KJ Winston picked up right where he left off last season, leading the team in tackles with 12 while also adding a forced fumble. In fact, both of Penn State’s safeties played great, as Jaylen Reed also had nine tackles and two pass breakups.
“We were able to come on the road in a very, very tough environment and get a win against a team that, I don’t know what the right word is, under-ranked or whatever it is,” Franklin said during his opening statement. “I think that’s a good football team. I think they’re going to end up having a really good year. So, we’re appreciative of coming out of here with a W.”
