So here they are, very nearly 10 months since Penn State’s Cotton Bowl triumph over Memphis, and it’s the ideal opportunity for the Nittany Lions to play football once more. It’s PSU and Indiana in Bloomington this evening, and as openers go, this one is no walkover for James Franklin’s group.
Here are about six of their late-week considerations on the game
Could Indiana’s safeguard handle Penn State’s wide bodies? On the off chance that the Lions win, anticipate that their capable hostile line should have a “enormous” state (get it?) in the issue.
From tackle to handle, Penn State is athletic and experienced, drove by fifth-year focus Michal Menet and redshirt sophomore left tackle Rasheed Walker.
Indiana lead trainer Tom Allen comprehends what’s coming, as well.
“The primary concern is, (the Lions) have a gifted hostile line that is basically discount back, aside from one person (Steven Gonzalez),” Allen said toward the beginning of the week.
“They had a great deal of good number 2s a year ago, so they are truly outstanding in the whole nation at that position. We know about that. Our folks need to address that difficulty head on.”
The drive that executed the Hoosiers last season has not agreed with their protection. Penn State dominated the match 34-27 at Beaver Stadium and IU had no response for a PSU run game that accumulated 192 yards on 45 surges.
Also, with the Lions sticking to a 27-24 lead from the get-go in the final quarter, PSU quarterback Sean Clifford drove his group on a 18-play, 75-yard walk that ate up 9:01. The Lions changed over two or three third downs and two fourth-and-ones, the last in an objective to-go circumstance. Clifford’s one-yard TD run completed the guests.
“I recollect the entire drive,” Hoosiers linebacker Cam Brown said for the current week.
“They had a lot of good number 2s last year, so they are one of the best in the entire country at that position. We are aware of that. Our guys have to meet that challenge head on.”
Kirk Ciarrocca’s arrangement for Pat Freiermuth. What will Penn State’s new hostile organizer do with his champion tight end? Freiermuth, who turns 22 on Sunday, has accumulated 69 gets for 875 yards and 15 scores in his initial two seasons. He is a first class red zone weapon just as an effect blocker in the run game.
Ciarrocca, who in his 31st year as a mentor, has never had a tight end like Freiermuth available to him. During Kirk’s last two seasons as the Minnesota hostile organizer, the Golden Gophers’ most gainful tight end in 2018 got three passes for 75 yards. Furthermore, in 2019? Four gets for 51 yards.
Shaka Toney’s re-visitation of Bloomington. Toney, the Lions’ veteran guarded end, is falling off a season in which he acquired second-group All-Big Ten distinctions. Be that as it may, his best hour at Penn State may have come at Memorial Stadium in 2018. Penn State held off the Hoosiers 33-28 and Toney enlisted four sacks in the final quarter, every one of them in the last 6:18.
Noah’s new job. With Penn State include back Journey Brown sidelined with an undisclosed clinical issue, it figures to be a bustling day for Lions sophomore Noah Cain, who set a PSU first year recruit record in 2019 with eight hurrying scores.
Cain has added about 20 pounds to his edge — he’s up to 226 — and Cain will in general improve with more work. It was Cain who was the Lions’ champion in a dirty 17-12 street succeed at Iowa a year back. He conveyed multiple times for 102 yards and a score.
Presently or never? The Indiana-Penn State arrangement couldn’t be more uneven, regardless of whether the Hoosiers have played the Lions intense in various ongoing challenges. IU is 1-22 versus PSU yet this present Hoosiers’ group is profound and gifted.
Quarterback Michael Penix gets an opportunity to be extraordinary. The hosts get PSU without its best player (Micah Parsons) and its best running back (Journey Brown). On the off chance that not this year, at that point when?
