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The Penn State player Ohio State football fans fear most remains a year away
- Updated: Oct. 25, 2022, 2:36 p.m.|
- Published: Oct. 25, 2022, 6:00 a.m.
Penn State quarterback and Ohio native Drew Allar projects as the quarterback of the future, even if Sean Clifford remains entrenched as the starter this season. THE PATRIOT-NEWS
By
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Penn State emerged as a true Ohio State football nemesis over the past decade, putting a scare in the Buckeyes on more than one occasion and pushing them to their limit on others.
Ohio State still won nine of the last 10. Even when the Nittany Lions knocked them off in 2016 and won the Big Ten, the Buckeyes still received the playoff bid.
All along, OSU fans have asked themselves what Penn State could accomplish with a real quarterback. They may have one, and even more unnerving, he comes from Ohio.
No, not Sean Clifford, although the Cincinnati kid is suiting up for the Nittany Lions in his sixth and (what better be) final season. He and his consistently middle-of-the-road style will start Saturday’s game in Beaver Stadium.
The guy Buckeye followers have some trepidation about may only enter as the mop-up man. Medina’s Drew Allar was a five-star prospect ranked No. 32 overall in the 247Sports composite for the 2022 class. Ohio State passed on him despite his talent and achievements because it already had Quinn Ewers looming in the 2023 (and as it turned out, 2022) class. An attempt to sneak back in late did not gain traction.
Allar has looked like a true freshman in brief windows. His most extensive action came against Michigan after Clifford got banged up. Allar completed 5 of 10 passes for 37 yards and took a sack.
If Allar plays Saturday, it likely means either Clifford is hurt again or things are going very well for OSU. Yet if he plays, he will also be refining his game in real time for the starts he expects to make in 2023. That will include a visit to Ohio Stadium.
Allard is big (6-foot-5, 230 pounds), strong-armed and prolific. Ohio’s 2021 Mr. Football threw for 4,444 yards and 48 touchdowns as a Medina senior.
Clifford has completed 63.6% of his passes in three games against OSU, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt with a 4-3 touchdown-interception ratio. It’s fine, and honestly, there are plenty of Big Ten programs who would die for Clifford’s predictable adequacy.
With Allar, though, Penn State encroached into OSU coach Ryan Day’s play for elite quarterbacks. Michigan did the same when it brought in J.J. McCarthy — another prospect the Buckeyes passed over. That move is working out fairly well for the Wolverines.
The guy developing Allar right now? That’s Mike Yurcich, the former OSU quarterbacks coach who now runs James Franklin’s offense.
Penn State already knew how to antagonize OSU and play them more consistently tough than any Big Ten opponent. Allar might actually be the guy who can beat the Buckeyes. The full calendar year countdown to that opportunity begins Saturday.
Among those who will play from the start, five who could cause OSU problems:
Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown returns an interception during the third quarter against Minnesota last Saturday.THE PATRIOT-NEWS
Ji’Ayir Brown, safety
Having a safety as one’s leading tackler is seldom the mark of a highly functioning defense. Brown, though, does a little bit of everything as one of the Nittany Lions’ defensive leaders. His three interceptions lead the team, and he has been an effective blitzer as well.
Brown recorded six tackles and allowed only one reception against OSU last season. At worst he is a smart, veteran player at the back end of the defense who might be able to limit Stroud’s deep threat.
2022 stats: 41 tackles (31 solos), 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 INTs, 2 PBUs, 4 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble
Joey Porter Jr., cornerback
According to Pro Football Focus, Purdue threw at Porter 14 times in the season opener. He had nearly as many passes broken up (five) as receptions allowed (six). In the six games since, the song of the former NFL Pro Bowler has faced a total of 12 targets.
Porter is putting together the rare defensive back season worthy of Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year consideration. Last week, Iowa used Riley Moss to attempt to limit Marvin Harrison Jr. (primarly) and Emeka Egbuka. Porter may draw a similar assignment.
2022 stats: 21 tackles (16 solos), 11 PBUs, 1 QB hurry, 1 fumble recovery
Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton ranks second among Big Ten players in rushing yard per attempt to Ohio State's Miyan Williams.THE PATRIOT-NEWS
Nicholas Singleton, running back
Many who were optimistic about Penn State prior to the season put faith in a big debut from this five-star, top-50 prospect. He did not disappoint, rushing for over 300 yards and four touchdowns on only 20 carries in his second and third games against Ohio and at Auburn.
He is the only player in the nation with five runs of 40 or more yards. His 6.84 yards per carry is second only to Miyan Williams among Big Ten backs. He may be looking for some redemption after a six-carry, 19-yard letdown against Michigan.
2022 stats: 82-581 rushing (6.8 avg.), 7 TDs, 5 receptions, 39 yards
Brenton Strange, tight end
To be clear, this is a step down in tight end matchups for the Buckeyes. Sam LaPorta finished with six of Iowa’s 11 receptions last week. Penn State likely saw it could have some success if it is willing to slide Strange out wide and look for advantageous physical matchups against OSU’s cornerbacks.
Strange has totaled only three receptions in his last three games. He is targeted frequently in the red zone, though, with four touchdowns among his first 15 receptions.
2022 stats: 17 receptions, 248 yards, 14.41 avg., 4 TDs
Parker Washington, wide receiver
Jahan Dotson’s departure for the NFL left a playmaker void on the outside. Washington acted as an effective complement the past two seasons. In two meetings with OSU he totaled 181 yards on 13 receptions. One of his two career 100-yard games came last season in Ohio Stadium.
Without Dotson, though, Washington hasn’t displayed the same big-game penchant. He has totaled between 58 and 73 yards in five of seven games, and didn’t get out of the 30s in the other two.
2022 stats: 30 receptions, 388 yards, 12.93 avg., 1 TD
https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2022/...tball-fans-fear-most-remains-a-year-away.html
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