Penn State Sleepwalks Over Akron: A Critical Analysis

In a weekend with top matchups and BCS busters, Penn State played a warm up game Saturday to prepare for the real regular season, with another blow out win against an over-matched MAC team in Akron.  A solid performance in the first half gave way to disinterest and uneven play on both sides of the ball as the team sleepwalked to an easy 31-7 win in Beaver Stadium.

Beyond the one trick play run by safety Andrew Dailey, the offense gained less than 100 yards rushing and averaged less than four yards per carry, low-lighted by Stephfon Green's seven carries for 10 yards, including several key runs for losses in the second half to kill drives. 

This is no knock on Green, as he had very little help from the O-line.  Throughout the game, the offensive line was unable to create push against Akron's 3-3-5 defense, especially in key 3rd-and-short situations.

Though many commentators have focused on the way Akron's defense sold out to stop the run, I am more worried about Penn State's offensive line play.  The three new starting offensive linemen gave up only one sack, but this was assisted by the fact that senior quarterback Daryll Clark boot-legged out on many of his passes. 

This too was troubling, as Clark, a player with three previous concussions, was running too many naked bootlegs with unblocked defenders bearing down on him, and was blown up on one run by an Akron linebacker, knocking his helmet off, and causing all Penn State nation to hold their breath. 

Run blocking seemed timid and slow, with the guards often being pushed back on block down plays, disrupting pulling linemen and running backs in the backfield.

The running game received no help from the two senior tight ends either.  Both Mickey Shuler and Andrew Quarless blocked as if they may break a fingernail, not sealing smaller Akron defenders on key outside runs. And it appears now that both are a little nicked up after the game, which unfortunately is not news to anyone who has been following their careers the last four years.

The wide receivers were a completely new group, and played like it.  They had their moments of absolute success, but also made a few key errors that would have cost the team against a better opponent.  They looked fantastic on the two long, downfield catches for touchdowns in the first half by Derek Moye and Graham Zug. 

But there were also moments of trepidation, such as Chaz Powell failing to come back for the ball and causing an interception, and a bobbled ball by Moye causing him to fail to pick up a first down.  Both of these key plays came in the red zone.    

The red zone was an area of aggravation that I am sure Joe Paterno will address with his team this week.  Penn State failed to convert trips in the red zone into points on two crucial possessions in the first half.  An area in which last years Big Ten Champions were so successful became a trouble spot for the Nittany Lions in the first half.  

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?