Balancing weaknesses and strengths, Penn State finds winning formula: Column
Manny Diaz, meeting with reporters earlier this week, was asked what his defense was gaining from its relatively light workload for top-line players. On the field for dramatically fewer plays, his immediate answer was straightforward.
“We’re playing less snaps,” he said.
His Penn State defense, ranked No. 1 for yards allowed, passing yards allowed, and passing efficiency defense, and No. 3 in points allowed, has excelled in its five games. Productive in every sense, though, Diaz also turned his attention outward.
“Our offense has had a big help in that with the way that they possess the football,” Diaz said. “And ideally, that just keeps us fresher for the second half of the season.
“We’ve got some guys who have played 75 percent fewer snaps than they played this time last year. So there’s a real added benefit to that.”
Offensive pros and cons
Though less nationally established than its defensive counterpart, the Nittany Lion offense has provided a significant part of that equation this season.
Ranked No. 41 for total offense at 430.4 yards per game, with a passing offense at No. 65 and team passing efficiency at No. 50, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s outfit has taken statistical steps back from all three categories from the year prior. Acknowledging the need for improvement, particularly in the explosive play category, he’s spent the Nittany Lions’ bye week balancing what hasn’t happened exactly to plan this season against the elements that, in every sense, have.
“We have to continue to improve. And the areas that we need to improve on are more explosive plays. We know that,” Yurcich said. “At the same time, we’re doing some good things. And I think our offense has to understand that we’re doing a lot of difficult things well.
“We’re putting long drives together, we’re keeping the defense off the field, which helps them play better. So we’re playing team offense, but we do need to improve in certain areas.”
A shared statistic, the most notable turn for the Nittany Lions has come in their control of games. In a game of statistical anomalies, Penn State had the ball for 45 minutes, and 27 seconds in its 31-0 win over Iowa on Sept. 23. Averaged out over five games, though, the ball control dominance of the offense has given the program the best time of possession in the nation at 36:07 per game.
Similarly, despite a season with no runs exceeding 19 yards from their two star tailbacks, the Nittany Lions are up in rushing offense. Now ranked No. 28 at 194.8 yards per game, the output is up from last year’s No. 44 ranking at 181.1 ypg on the ground.
And, most importantly, the Nittany Lions are up to No. 12 in scoring offense nationally. At 40.6 points per game, Penn State’s output is the best in the Big Ten. It’s also an improvement of nearly five points per game over the 2022 season.
Penn State offense takes a balanced approach
Keeping perspective through it all, Yurcich has presented the Nittany Lions with a picture of what has worked thus far. He has also stressed what will be necessary to continue the program’s success.
“We have to keep very important things important. Not to say that our area where we’re short is not important. It is, and we’re going to address those things,” Yurcich said. “But, we’re playing winning football right now. And if we can just continue to make strides and get better and accelerate, I think with time that will happen. Especially with some inexperience at wide receiver and the quarterback position.
“We will continue to get better as long as our confidence continues to grow. And our offense does need to understand that they’ve done certain things very well. And we have to face the facts of what we need to get better at, and honestly self-evaluate and attack those areas. That’s how you get better.”
With veterans and coaches off Friday and Saturday, set to return for game week preparation on Sunday, the Nittany Lions intend to do exactly that.
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