Week 1 Wrap Up

The long anticipated trip to Dublin, Ireland is now officially over.  James Franklin and company heard all the critics and doubters, but didn't let it get to them as they put together a solid week 1 performance and came away with a victory.  Penn Staters consumed all the Guinness in Temple Bar, boarded their planes, and partied the whole way home.  It was a game that proved to be equal parts record-breaking air show, and sloppy first game jitters.  As with any season opener, there were a plethora of learning opportunities, but just as many flashes of the potential this team has.  So let's get to what happened.  But first, here's what victory looks like!  How cool is that trophy?  The football is made from 4,500 year old Irish bog yew (aka ancient wood) and the metal frame is made of recycled steel from Three Rivers Stadium and designed to evoke the facemask of an American Football helmet.  All I know is it will look sweet in a trophy case back at Beaver Stadium.

Coach Franklin decided to make me look like an idiot, going for an air raid style of offense instead of the conservative running attack I predicted.  I was correct about Zwinak getting the bulk of the carries, although he only managed 32 yds on 12 attempts.  Bill Belton didn't fare much better rushing 10 times for just 16 yds.  As everyone guessed correctly, the offensive line struggled to get any kind of push and created absolutely no holes for the running backs.  Thankfully, they were competent enough in pass protection that Christian Hackenberg was able to shatter the single-game passing record, becoming the first QB in Penn State history to have a 400+ yd game in the process.

Here's what you need to know about the young gunslinger before he slowly morphs into mythological status.  Hackenberg can be absolutely brilliant.  Everyone already knew this from day one and this game just gave us the statistical data to back it up.  32 of 47 for 454 yds in a single game.  Two receivers with 100+ yds in a single game for the first time in over 6 years.  A superb 79 yd TD pass with the touch of Peyton Manning.  It was all there.  Yet, the decision making was inconsistent at best, and his release seemed slow.  Far too often, Hack would try and thread the ball into windows so tight, it was as if he had gotten cocky and was just trying to show off.  Then there were the 2 interceptions that can only be described as rookie mistakes.  As many have already said about Christian, the potential seems limitless, but for now there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Then, of course, there were the questions at wide receiver.  Who could possibly step up and match or exceed the incredible production of Allen Robinson?  We got an emphatic answer on Saturday morning in Lewis & Hamilton, attorneys at law... or at least they sound like a law firm to me.  Geno Lewis and redshirt freshman Daesean Hamilton torched the supposedly stout UCF secondary, breaking their ankles and making them look silly all morning long.  Hamilton quickly got everyone's attention grabbing 11 catches for a whopping 165 yds and moving the chains early and often.  Not to be outdone, Lewis, the veteran of the receiving corps, pulled in 8 catches of his own for 173 yds, including a bobbled circus-style catch and the aforementioned 79 yd bomb for a TD where he outran 3 Golden Knights by at least 10 yds.  Oh, and if "one picture perfect TD pass... probably to Geno Lewis" sounds familiar, it's because you read my prediction on Friday night.

As for the defense, they looked nasty (in a good way).  The front four, lead by converted DT Anthony Zettel dominated the line of scrimmage, stuffing the UCF running game, while DE Deion Barnes was a consistent presence in the backfield.  There was a very impressive goal line stand in the 1st quarter that epitomized how the defense played all day.  Now some people may be critical of the secondary who, aside from Amos and Lucas, showed definite signs of rust.  However, the UCF receivers are legit and better than most of the teams Penn State will see this year.  I saw a lot of good things given the circumstances and by the time conference teams come calling, I expect this group to ready for prime time.

In the end, and as I predicted, it all came down to a last second field goal by Sam Ficken.  How many times have we seen this scenario play out?  Ficken's underdog story has been well documented.  He went from the goat who missed 4 FGs in a 1-point loss to Virginia back in 2012 to the kid who beat Wisconsin in OT on Senior Day of that same year.  Against UCF, he earned his sometimes ironically given nickname "Mr. Automatic" by putting 4 FGs through the uprights, including the game winner with 3 seconds left.  Once the celebration began, we were treated to the most adorable picture of the day: James Franklin picking up Sam Ficken while saying "I'm so happy for you!"

For anyone watching the game, and subsequently looking at the stat sheet, you would think that Penn State cruised to a week 1 victory over some poor FCS opponent to the tune of 56-0.  Yet somehow, this was actually a game against the reigning Fiesta Bowl champs, and the Lions only squeeked by on a last second field goal.  In classic Penn State form, the defense bailed out the rest of the team on numerous occasions and ensured the victory.  There are plenty of lessons to be learned from this game, but I now have even more trust in this coaching staff to fix the mistakes and have a very successful year.  Much of that success will be dependent on freshmen, both true and redshirt, stepping up.  If yesterday's game was an indication, many of those freshmen players are ready and willing to answer the call.

Oh, and I wonder what happened to that whole “waxing” we were supposed to receive?  Well, Lee Corso, do you have anything to say now?  Didn't think so.

It's time to get back into the season swing of things.  So, be sure to come back tomorrow for the weekly grades, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!