Penn State seeks rushing savior
Penn State really doesn’t have a No. 1 running back, once again.
And the run game is struggling at a most inopportune time. The Nittany Lions go into a crucial road game at undefeated Iowa with their starter battling through some type of injury and the backups inconsistent.
The Lions are 11th in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (137.2). They are 12th in third-down conversions (36.5%).
Noah Cain, the official starter, played little against Villanova two weeks ago and was ineffective against Indiana. He’s not resembling the rugged, sled dog who pulled Penn State to a fourthquarter victory at Iowa two years ago.
He starred with a handful of big plays in the second half of the opener at Wisconsin. Overall, though, he’s averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. Head coach James Frankin did not provide details on his health.
“I’d like for us be more physical and pound it up there and get the four or five yards and trust it ...,” Franklin said. “I think Noah can do even more. We’ve seen flashes of Noah doing some really good things. I think we’ve all seen what Noah has the ability to do. In terms of what he’s working through, that’s part of football. Everybody this time of the year is working through things.”
Penn State has struggled to find a feature running back since Miles Sanders left after the 2018 season. Or, as Franklin put it, the team has simply relied on rotating talents to keep legs fresh and healthy for entire games and through the season.
Last year, injuries stole their top two options before the second possession of the opening game. Two years ago, the Lions rotated runners beginning to end.
Penn State has mostly used three runners with modest success.
After starring as a rookie, Keyvone Lee has gotten much less work recently even though he was billed as faster, better and more experienced in preseason camp. He’s carried the ball just 28 times. He does hold a 6.2 average and has the longest run from scrimmage, a 44-yarder up the middle against Indiana. But he’s also struggled at times, especially trying to bounce runs to the outside where’s he been caught and dropped.
Franklin admitted that rotating runners doesn’t easily allow for any to get into a rhythm. “But until somebody steps up and shows they are the guy, it’s hard for us … to just crown somebody. We’d love for that to happen again.”
While the offense, overall, ran the ball more effectively against the Hoosiers it still was stop-and-go and struggled decisively on short-yardage situations. Quarterback Sean Clifford still bails the team at times by breaking away from the pocket.
The Lions look even worse when they need just a yard or two to keep a drive going. Holes rarely open and the running backs usually cannot save the situation with an elusive move.
Franklin preached patience and gradual progress.
Iowa’s standout defense, though, may not permit it.
“I think more than anything it’s a mentality. We’ve got to be more physical,” Franklin said. “There are times when we’re on a double team (block) and we’re not getting as much movement as we need to get.
“If we are who I think we are, we’ve got to be able to line up and get a yard or two when we need it … when everybody in the stadium knows we’re going to run the ball.”