STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- What does one make of the Penn State offensive line?
Seriously. The No. 2 Lions beat the Wolverines and the top-ranked Michigan defense with a group that struggled prior to the bye week. Trace McSorley was sacked 10 times in two games and it looked like this line could really slow this team down. However, the Lions' new offensive wrinkles and some strong pick ups from the running backs allowed Saquon Barkley to get rolling, and also allowed McSorley to connect on some deep shots.
“I think all eight of you sitting here have said in the past couple weeks stuff about the offensive line and things about Saquon, but all of us kind of proved everyone wrong against a top defense and a top defensive front," senior offensive lineman Brendan Mahon said Saturday night. "Those guys are great. I can’t give them enogh praise for how hard they played and we played amazing together. The five of us played as one. It really showed."
Things are never as good or as bad as they seem, right?
Remember, those shot plays, much like the jump ball to tight end Mike Gesicki, don't happen if the quarterback doesn't have the time to move around, look downfield and get the throw off. Credit the o-line where it's due.
While Joe Moorhead hates the notion that the Lions just simply sling 50-50 balls -- and we all know that's not how this offense works -- the Lions do have to credit the pass protection for helping to give these plays time to develop. And, perhaps a little positivity from No. 26 goes a long way while he waited for this line to find its footing? Barkley went to bat time after time for this line, even after the Northwestern game when he was getting hit in the backfield before he could even get going.
Mahon said that didn't go unnoticed.
"It’s definitely a nice pick up," he said of Barkley's support. "We all make mistakes. As a senior offensive lineman with some younger guys around me, that’s something I find myself doing, just picking the younger guys up. Saquon even does that for me. If I miss a block or I make a mistake he comes up and goes, ‘We’ll get him next time.’ That’s just the kind of guy he is."
Now, will Will Fries, Connor McGovern, Ryan Bates, Steven Gonzalez and Mahon be able to be a strength two weeks in a row? We'll see Saturday at The Horseshoe.
EXPLOSIVE PLAY TRACKER
The Nittany Lions won the explosive play battle against Michigan, 12-8, and Penn State has had more explosive plays than their opponent in every game this season.
Just how much more explosive have they been than their opponent? Well, through seven games the Lions have posted 81 explosive plays, and held their opponents to 42. Remember, these are passes of 15-plus yards and rushes of 12-plus yards. Same measurement for both sides of the ball.
The Lions' defense was gashed the worst against Iowa -- in terms of longest run and longest completion surrendered this season -- when they gave up a 70-yard catch and also a 35-yard run.
Just how good has this Penn State defense been at eliminating explosive plays? They've surrendered 23 catches of 15-plus yards and 19 rushes of 12-plus yards. The biggest, or more impressive stat, is that they've only been gashed for three runs of 25-plus yards this season and six catches of 25-plus yards. That's a strong showing, especially against the run, in that category.
The Lions have 52 completions of 15-plus yards thus far. So, who has McSorley hit most of his explosive plays? That's DaeSean Hamilton, who leads the Lions in this category with 17 receptions of 15-plus yards. Here's the breakdown:
Receptions of 15-plus yards:
Hamilton: 17
Barkley: 8
Juwan Johnson: 8
Mike Gesicki: 5
Saeed Blacknall: 5
DeAndre Thompkins: 5
Brandon Polk: 4
HE SAID IT
Urban Meyer met with the media Monday in Ohio and he was asked plenty about the Nittany Lions, specifically about Barkley.
Meyer certainly has recollections, or maybe nightmares, about Barkley after he carved up the Buckeyes' defense for 194 rushing yards as a true freshman. While there's been plenty of turnover on both of these teams since then, Barkley has been the constant -- and Meyer is well aware of the talent on the opposite sideline.
"He's the best all-purpose guy we've probably faced in probably, maybe my career," Meyer said. "He's obviously a great running back. But they do a good job using him and creating matchup issues. I think back when I had Percy Harvin, we did some of that. He wasn't quite -- his body couldn't take the pounding that a running back takes."
"But his threat -- no disrespect for the great running backs -- you have different ways of bottling up great running backs. It's hard, especially this guy, really hard," Meyer continued. "But the fact that they motion him out and create matchup nightmares, that's what makes this guy -- he's -- I'd be careful to say this, but he's as good an all-purpose running back as we've seen. And that's 30 years."
ICYMI
Kicker Quinn Nordin's missed extra-point Saturday night created a buzz inside Beaver Stadium. The former Penn State verbal pledge was also ridiculed on social media afterward.
Nordin committed to Penn State with an elaborate video that featured an airplane, then had a sleepover with Jim Harbaugh and flipped his pledge to Michigan. Only fitting that Penn State's punter, Blake Gillikin, and the Lions' assistant director of player personnel, Kenny Sanders, shared this jab on social media after the game.
2 Touchdowns... 1 extra point ??♂️ pic.twitter.com/GsPqLdQ0BQ
— Kenny Sanders (@knnysndrs) October 22, 2017
Yeah, Nordin won't be living that commitment video down anytime soon.
WHAT'S NEXT?
James Franklin meets with the media Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. for his weekly news conference in Beaver Stadium. Cornerback Grant Haley and left tackle Ryan Bates will do the same, and Marcus Allen also meets with the media on Tuesday.