Week 9 Grades

Contrary to what James Franklin said after the game, his team's efforts against the Hoosiers were anything but "pretty."  Terrible offense by both teams led to punt after punt after punt.  Nevertheless, the Nittany Lions are now just 1 game away from bowl eligibility, and that's pretty awesome.  Before I jinx them, let's roll out some grades!

Offense
QB: (D+) I went into this in depth yesterday, so I won't bore you again today.  Plain and simple, Hackenberg has regressed.  He's in the middle of a perfect storm - sophomore slump, no offensive line, no running game, all new receivers, all new coaching staff, all new scheme, the departure of his assumed mentor to the pros, etc.  It's a recipe for disaster, so most people are willing to give him a break this year.  Even so, when you have your 5th consecutive game with an interception, this time for a TD, you're not getting a very good grade from me.

OL: (C+) Also addressed at length in the wrap up yesterday.  For the most part, it was more of the same on Saturday.  But there was noticeable improvement at times, especially with the return of Miles Deiffenbach to boost the line's spirits.  As Miles gets worked back into the starting lineup more and more, and as Donovan Smith returns, expect even better improvement bordering on competency.

RB: (B) There are sparks: Belton's 92 yd TD obviously, his 16 yd wildcat run, Akeel Lynch's 20 yd run to the outside, and his serendipitous catch of a Hackenberg drop which turned into positive yardage.  However, these only look good when compared to the total body of work for the season.  Any other RB group in the country would probably get an F for a performance like this.  For every 1 good play, there are at least 3 plays where the RBs are stuffed at the line or even for a loss.  Unfortunately, expect more of the same until the issues on the offensive line are worked out.

WR: (B-) Things started off pretty bad with 3 drops on the opening possession, but did get slightly better as the day went on.  Geno Lewis led the way with 4 catches for 39 yds, while Daesean Hamilton has become a shell of his former self, only pulling in 2 catches for 33 yds.  Chris Godwin also had 2 catches for 25 yds, while fellow freshman Saeed Blacknall had just 1 catch, but it was for 11 yds and a 1st down.  In fact, all 4 WRs had a 1st down grab in the game, keeping the chains moving for a sputtering offense.

TE: (C) Jesse James did not look like his normal self, dropping several difficult but definitely catchable balls.  Eventually he got back on track with 2 catches for 32 yds, but it was still concerning.  With Adam Breneman out for the season, freshman Mike Gesicki has tried to fill his shoes.  He only had 1 catch, but it was a big one going for 28 yds right up the middle and keeping a promising drive alive.  Neither Kyle Carter nor Brent Wilkerson had receptions.  Yet, at certain times against Indiana, James Franklin had upwards of 4 TEs in the game simultaneously, proving just how deep this group is.  They need to continue using their size to force matchup problems for opposing defenses, and they still need to help more with blocking especially given our offensive line troubles.

Defense
DL: (A) Listen to these stats: Indiana never reached the redzone on Saturday, did not score a single offensive point, had their Heisman candidate RB held to a season low and his first sub-100 yd game of the season, and were forced to punt the ball a total of 11 times.  Now that wasn't entirely the work of the defensive line, but it definitely starts with these guys.  CJ Olaniyan and Austin Johnson led the way with 6 tackles each, while Deion Barnes and Anthony Zettel each added 3, including Zettel's tackle for a loss and sack.  The back ups continue to impress, combing for 4 tackles, 2 for a loss, and even a forced fumble by Tyrone Smith!

LB: (A+) Indiana's QB Zander Diamont may not be very good at throwing the ball, but the kid is elusive as all hell.  On at least two occasions, he somehow evaded the usually sure-handed clutches of one Mike Hull, making the senior potential All-American LB look downright silly.  Speaking of Mike Hull, he was not pleased with what he viewed as dirty play by Indiana's offense, and it wound up costing him a personal foul.  Even with that, he once again led the team in tackles, although this time he tied his fellow LB Nyeem Wartman for that honor with 7.  Wartman had one of his best days ever, almost recovering a forced fumble, and snatching an interception from Diamont that effectively sealed the win for Penn State.  Brandon Bell wasn't far behind his fellow LBs, racking up 6 tackles of his own including 2 for a loss.

DB: (A+) Jordan Lucas is playing at an exceptionally high level right now, shutting down his side of the field and making opposing offenses one dimensional.  He tied Marcus Allen for 2nd place on the team tackles list with 6.  Allen, a true freshman safety, continues to fly around the field making plays everywhere and looking like a veteran.  Fellow safety Adrian Amos had 3 tackles including 2 pass breakups.  And Jesse Della Valle did technically record an interception, although it came on a garbage Hail Mary pass to end the 1st half.

Special Teams
K: (A-) Sam Ficken hit 2 more FGs against the Hoosiers, but did have his 3rd block of the season.  Those 3 blocks are the only "misses" he's had.  Grant Haley gives this unit the minus as he continues to refuse touchbacks.  Belton's 92 yd TD came immediately after Haley inexplicably tried to field a kick off and only made it to the 8 yd line.  The freshman is clearly talented and most of Nittany Nation can tell he's right on the verge of breaking one for a TD, but right now we're all just waiting.

P: (B) The punters continue to struggle, even with the switch to Dan Pasquariello; but man is this punt coverage team good!  Grant Haley and fellow freshman CB Christian Campbell are the definition of "gunners" as they fly down the field and give opposing returners exactly nowhere to go.  With how often our defense forces punts, covering them has become very important, and those two have come up big nearly every time.  Oh, and Jesse Della Vallee had one of his best returns of the season for 24 yds... right before Hackenberg threw that pick 6 and ruined it.

I was going to do a bonus grade for Indiana's attendance, but that would just be cruel.  Instead I'll remind you that you can always send questions or comments to PSUOptimus@gmail.com.  Check me out on Facebook and please like and share my page if you enjoy this blog.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!