Penn State Football: Temple Game Is Time To Fix Frustrating Passing Attack

The Nittany Lions did not look good against Alabama last week at all.  They had their shot to take down a superior program in Beaver Stadium and that opportunity came and went, swiftly.  There is no time to worry about what could have been against the Crimson Tide.  It's time to focus on getting better before Big Ten play begins.

Penn State has a stud running back, yet again.  There is no question Silas Redd will make big plays on the ground en route to a big season for him.  He was very impressive against Indiana State in limited action and, although held to 65 yards on 22 carries last weekend against Alabama, he showed toughness against a dominant defensive unit.

The main concern is the passing attack, in which Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden combined to complete just 12 of 39 passes.  That is an unacceptable statistic at any level of football, regardless of the competition. 

Something has to get better before conference play begins, even if it's the playcalling.  Until a definitive starter is named out of the two quarterbacks, the coordinators have to put these guys in position to be successful. 

The Nittany Lions have two games to get ready for Big Ten play and it starts Saturday at Temple—a game in which Penn State has not lost since 1941. 

Former Penn State running back and all-time leading rusher Evan Royster had a terrific game against Temple a year ago.  Joe Paterno will likely ride Silas Redd to another productive performance, which would be smart since offensively Redd is their best offensive weapon right now.

At the same time, it would be foolish not to make a calculated effort to fine-tune the passing game.  Senior receiver Derek Moye and company must get involved and show a capability to make some big plays and stretch the field this week.  It needs to be noted that Rob Boldin had a good game against Temple last year as well going 18-for-28 with 223 yards. 

Don't be surprised to see Boldin take the majority of the snaps this week due to his success against the Owls last year, and equally due to McGloin's inability to complete all but one pass in 10 attempts last week.  Boldin's success as a freshman last year should shine through against Temple and in turn against Eastern Michigan the following week, cementing the job for him.

Joe Paterno still has not said much about his quarterback situation.  At this stage of the season, with Indiana looming around the corner to start Big Ten play, he needs to make up his mind soon.  Flip-flopping quarterbacks in conference play will almost certainly result in another disappointing 7-6 Nittany Lion season. 

The time to fix the passing game is now, even if it causes the Temple game to be a close one like last year.  They must force themselves to figure it out in the next two weeks. 

A lot of pressure rests on the two competing quarterbacks, but likewise for the play callers to put them in a position to make the throws.  Derek Moye must strive to be a reliable target and be a senior leader through this process for Penn State to right the ship before they play Indiana October 1st.