BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Losing Journey Brown will present some challenges for Penn State, and it will be up to the remaining running backs to carry the workload and build on their their most recent performance.
That was a 396-yard effort during a 53-39 victory over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl, nearly 10 months ago.
When the Nittany Lions hit the field Saturday against Indiana, it will be a fresh start for the offense, which will welcome new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, as well as offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield.
While all of those additions are sure to make an impact almost immediately, it is Trautwein's line that will be the focal point of the offense against the Hoosiers. It will be tasked for setting the tone up front in hopes of springing a running game that looks primed to have a breakout performance, even without Brown.
Led by sophomore Noah Cain, Devyn Ford and quarterback Sean Clifford, the Penn State rushing attack will look to pick up where it left off last season. In order to be victorious, the Nittany Lions are going to need to dominate the game up front on the strength of an offensive line deep in experience.
The unit, which is anchored by center Michal Menet, has depth and experience of which the Nittany Lions had only dreamed in recent years. The two-deep allows the Penn State linemen to be rotated, when possible, with replacements who not only are experienced, but can play multiple positions.
That versatility could be invaluable against the Hoosiers, who boast one of their most talented teams under coach Tom Allen. The Indiana defense is led by linebacker Micah McFadden, who was the team's defensive MVP in 2019 and who was disruptive in last year's meeting with Penn State, as he had three quarterback hurries and a sack.
The Hoosiers also will benefit from the presence of defensive tackle Jovan Swann, a graduate transfer from Stanford. Swan had 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss for the Cardinal.
It will require a group effort to neutralize those two playmakers, but if the offensive line is able to do that, Clifford and Cain should have a productive day. If the Nittany Lions are able to get out to a fast start and a big lead, fans could also see the debuts of freshmen running backs Caziah Holmes and Keyvone Lee.
The Nittany Lions have earned 22 wins over Indiana in their 23-game all-time series, with the Hoosiers' lone victory coming in 2013. Indiana has played Penn State tough in recent years, though, falling by only five points in 2018 and by a touchdown in 2019.
Expect a close game until the fourth quarter, and should the Nittany Lions be able to wear Indiana down up front, it could become a blowout late in the game.