What was learned during Penn State's Fiesta Bowl win? taken in Glendale, Ariz.

Trace McSorley. - WAISS ARAMESH / FOR DKPS

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Trace McSorley's toughness has never been questioned. During the past two seasons he hasn't missed a start while extending plays with his legs and helping lead Penn State to 22 victories.

Saturday night, with the opportunity ripe for the picking as the Nittany Lions looked to end the season on a positive, McSorley was yet again the quarterback that delivered play after play, the one that James Franklin and staff fell hard for when McSorley was a high schooler with aspirations of being a quarterback, despite some schools thinking otherwise.

After completing 32 of 41 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns -- plus rushing for 60 more yards -- McSorley was named the Fiesta Bowl's offensive MVP. He joined the defensive MVP, safety Marcus Allen, on the podium and it was yet again a reminder of the special player the Lions have throwing the ball -- the calm, cool and collected quarterback who bounces up time and time again.

"I can't imagine there's a better quarterback in the country in terms of decision-making and leadership and toughness," Franklin said.

McSorley tested Franklin's toughness as he playfully punched Franklin in the ribs after the quarterback's first touchdown pass of the game, something former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead used to do to Franklin after every score. McSorley's legs helped keep Washington's defense honest as he gashed them for a long gain of 24 yards and also worked from the sideline while offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne called the game from the booth.

The communication wasn't an issue for the quarterback and the play caller. Promoting Rahne to his new role was partially because of his relationship with all of these quarterbacks that he's recruited, but especially with McSorley. It was Rahne who watched McSorley throw early in the morning as the then Virginia high schooler was eyeing college scholarship offers and it was Rahne on the other end of the headset as McSorley lofted two touchdowns to DaeSean Hamilton.

While Tommy Stevens and all the intrigue that comes with the two-quarterback package helps McSorley and the rest of the offense by giving the defense a lot to take into account, Penn State was reminded of something that perhaps fans maybe sometimes take for granted: They've got one heck of a quarterback.

And just how tough was he on this night?

Well, maybe too tough for his own good. McSorley was drilled with what looked like a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter and got up shaking his helmet. It's the type of play that can make this game hard to watch, the kind of blow to the head that gives everyone pause. Well, everyone except for McSorley and apparently those who are supposed to be cautious with players taking blows to the head during the course of the game. Why he didn't exit for at least one play was surprising, to say the least.

"No," McSorley said when I asked him if he had any thought of getting taken out of the game after the hit. That of course is what McSorley and so many athletes would say.

"I slid, got hit in the head and honestly I thought I'd see a flag or something and I didn't see that," he said. "Shook it off and moved on to the next play."

I asked Rahne, the offensive coordinator, why McSorley wasn't taken out for at least one play after the hit.

"Yeah, I mean, I think he threw a touchdown two plays later, right, so I'm pretty sure he was OK," Rahne said. "You know, it is what it is. Those calls are bang-bang and things like that. The one thing about him is he's a great athlete, so you gotta be able to use his legs. And when you do that, there's times that he's probably going to take a couple hits, but he's probably the toughest kid I've been around in my entire life, so I'm not too concerned about that."

Still, in order for McSorley to hoist more trophies like he did in the Fiesta Bowl, those types of hits will have to be minimized and will always make fans hold their breath while No. 9 bounces back up seemingly time and time again.

2. Who put the stamp on the offense?

While it was Rahne's debut in his new role, he was quick to credit everyone else -- from wide receiver coach Josh Gattis and new tight ends coach Tyler Bowen, to offensive line coach Matt Limegrover -- for the offensive outburst.

There's no Rahne stamp to put on the offense, rather a collective effort and that, he said, will hold true moving forward into next season.

"I think it's our stamp. I'm going to lean heavily on Josh Gattis, I'm going to lean heavily on Matt Limegrover, I'm going to lean heavily on Tyler Bowen, our GAs," Gattis said. "Those guys are unbelievable football coaches and whoever they hire at the running back spot. This is our stamp, not my stamp. I was just really excited about the way we came together and gameplanned, and it kind of fit on game day exactly how I thought it would be."

The one thing that wasn't as sure-fire as Rahne hoped was the team's use of the shovel pass. The Lions ran five shovel pass plays during the game, a new look for the offense and perhaps that will be something they use again should it line up well with the opponent. However, this was the one criticism of Rahne's otherwise excellent game plan. Well, that and the turnovers for which the new OC took some of the blame, rather than putting it on the players for not executing.

"It probably wasn't quite as effective as I thought it would be. I thought they played it really well," Rahne said of the shovel pass. "The shovel pass is just another way to get a run play called and when you know how the ends are going to play. I thought in general they played it really well."

3. How did the rush work?

Penn State played the entire first half without starting defensive end Shareef Miller and went the entire game without speed rusher Shaka Toney. The ESPN broadcast mentioned that both were suspended. Franklin in his post-game news conference phrased it differently, adding that both weren't part of the rotation.

Miller said he wouldn't get into it too much afterward.

"I was frustrated, too, not being able to play in the first half. I felt helpless," Miller told me. "I worked so hard my time here to be a starter at Penn State and I got it taken away from me the first half. I didn't complain. I wasn't mad at my coaches. It's just something I've got to learn and to grow from. It's a life lesson. Moving forward, I won't make a mistake like this because I could've hurt the team and stuff like that."

How the defense was able to keep Washington in check without two huge pieces of their pass rush for the entire game was impressive.

They again showed Kevin Givens' versatility as he started at defensive end opposite Ryan Buchholz, the latter making his first start since the Ohio State game. They then dug deeper into the defensive end rotation as freshman Yetur Gross-Matos was on the field earlier than usual, working with tackle Tyrell Chavis who came in and registered a sack right away. When Miller, who rode the bike in the first half on the sideline, stepped on the field to start the second half he promptly recorded a sack. For all the criticisms of the pass rush, the Fiesta Bowl worked out well for them, even when they were shorthanded.

"Givens filled in my place and played a real good game," Miller said. "A lot of the young guys stepped up."

Toney, meanwhile, looked dejected as the Lions celebrated. He stood off to the side peeling the tape off his fingers and looking down at the ground. The Lions' pass rush specialist didn't play a snap in the game and clearly was upset, and likely embarrassed by it. To work all season and not be able to play in the biggest game likely will stick with him as motivation moving forward.

"It's tough," said Miller, who put his arm around Toney and tried to console him. Barkley gave him a high-five at the half as the back looped behind him as the Lions went into the locker room. "I know he really doesn't want to hear it right now. I know he's frustrated right now and he really doesn't want to hear from anybody right now. As a big brother I've just got to be there for him. I understand how he was feeling because that's how I was feeling in the first half not able to play. He'll be fine though."

4. When will the decision come?

It could happen this week, next week or whenever he wants, but Barkley has until Monday, Jan. 15 to declare for the NFL Draft, if he so chooses.

Barkley told ESPN the decision won't come until it "smacks me on the head," so clearly there's no timeframe. However, Penn State resumes classes next Monday, which in all likelihood means Barkley will make his intentions known before then. Todd McShay has Barkley projected as the top back in this draft class and ranked No. 8 overall.

"The thing going through my mind right now is I'm excited," Barkley said. "I'm happy that we were able to send the seniors off on a good note."

Adding a 92-yard touchdown run to his list of accomplishments certainly didn't hurt.

QUICK HITS

Chasz Wright started at right tackle but was spelled by Ryan Bates. Bates hasn't started since sustaining a lower body injury against Ohio State. With Wright making strides in bowl prep, Limegrover said he told both players he was going to go with the hot hand there, and if both were OK he'd go with the rotation, ultimately what Penn State did.

Look for Bates to go back to left tackle in the offseason while Wright's work, improvement and weight drop in the lead-up to the game were big reasons why he played as much as he did, Limegrover said.

• The final kick of Tyler Davis' collegiate career was a miss that gave Washington hope that was short-lived until senior Brandon Smith sealed the game a few plays later.

• Several of Penn State's seniors will quickly head their separate ways now that their playing careers are complete. Three already accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl, Barkley has a decision to make and Pro Day, which Penn State typically holds in mid-March, will be next for them.

• Franklin's glasses were knocked off during the Gatorade shower and while he looked mad as he seemed ready to sprint toward whoever did it -- and from my vantage point it was the excitable and fun-loving Marcus Allen who grabbed the cooler -- Franklin cleared the air on Twitter afterward saying he certainly wasn't mad about it.

How could he be? Franklin's annual retention bonus kicks in on Dec. 31, with the head coach this year earning $300,000 for still being Penn State's head coach. That figure jumps to $500,000 starting in 2021.

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