2012 TicketCity Bowl: 5 Things Penn State Needs to Improve on in 2012

After watching Penn State's poor performance against Houston in the TicketCity Bowl, the list of improvements seems endless.

The Nittany Lions didn't pass well, which killed any hope of offensive consistency for their attack.

Defensively, Penn State helped Houston's offense prove themselves against a school from a major conference.

All in all, it was not a good day for the Nittany Lions. Now that the game is over, the Penn State must look ahead to next season.

Here are five things the Nittany Lions must do better in 2012:

Throwing the Ball

It seems general, but it sums up Penn State's struggles this season. The Nittany Lions must either find a better option behind center or find a way to work with what they have.

Rob Bolden completed seven of his 26 passes against the Cougars in Dallas. He threw three interceptions and struggled to throw any route that wasn't 60 yards down the field.

Matt McGloin may have been better if he had been on the field, but he wouldn't have made enough of a difference for a Penn State victory.

The Nittany Lions struggled all season long to throw the ball with any sort of consistency. If they want to improve next season, they have to find a way to fix that.

Can anyone say Paul Jones?

Game Plan on Offense

Penn State's quarterbacks don't lend much help to the Nittany Lion coaching staff, but the coaches could prepare better nonetheless.

The quarterback situation is not a mystery; Penn State knows they must run the ball and play defense at a high level if they wish to be successful.

Instead of running the ball on first and second down then attempting a throw in an obvious passing situation, Penn State must throw the ball earlier. Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin struggled to throw the ball, especially when the defense knew it is coming.

Penn State's coaches must find a way to hide their weakness behind center; throw short passes, run the ball late in the drive and maybe design more runs for Bolden if he is on the field.

Either way, the current game plan isn't working, and it won't work any better next season.

Pressuring the Quarterback Without Blitzing

Penn State's defensive line was dominant in the first half of the season, but that dominance slowed down as Penn State's competition got better.

That became very obvious in the TicketCity Bowl against Houston.

Penn State needed to pressure Case Keenum without bringing extra men on the blitz. That means the Nittany Lion front four had to create pressure on their own.

Next season, Penn State will be without Eric Lattimore, Jack Crawford and Devon Still, so Jordan Hill and Sean Stanley will need to shoulder the load up front.

Penn State's secondary will be inexperienced next season, so the Nittany Lion defensive line will lend them a huge hand if they can create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The Wildcat Formation

If Penn State's passing attack does not improve, the Nittany Lion coaches will need to find a supplement to their straight-forward run offense.

The wildcat formation is a realistic option on a limited basis.

Curtis Drake, Bill Belton and incoming freshman Eugene Lewis were all high school quarterbacks. Silas Redd and Curtis Dukes provide two more athletes in the fold.

Penn State must find a way to get the ball into the hands of their most dangerous players. If their quarterbacks cannot make it happen, alternative measures must be taken.

The wildcat worked against Ohio State this season. Penn State should take a serious look at expanding its role in their offense next season.

Rising to the Occasion

Penn State rattled off nine victories this season, but failed to defeat the three best opponents on their schedule.

Nebraska, Wisconsin and Alabama all handled the Nittany Lions and sent them packing with a loss instead of an upset victory.

Houston may not be as talented as the Nittany Lions on paper, but it could have gone either way.

No matter how you cut it, Penn State failed to rise to the occasion this season. They grabbed narrow victories over weaker opponents and got handled by the Big Ten titans, the Tide and the Cougars.

The Nittany Lions must change that next season. Penn State should have arrived in Dallas with a chip on their shoulder. They were playing for Tom Bradley, their university and respect after getting passed on by four better bowls.

Penn State must play their best in big situations. If they can't, expect more TicketCity Bowls and a not-so-happy Happy Valley.