Offense
QB: (A-) Sure, Hackenberg put up impressive stats (34/50, 371 yds, 4 TDS), and his late game heroics were exciting, but he gets the minus thanks to his 2 bobbled snaps and more than a couple bad throws. Still, he was the MVP and put together arguably his best performance of the year so I can't dock him too much. The good news is the sophomore slump is officially over and we should be able to expect big things from him next year... like, record shattering kinds of things. On the recruiting front, 3-star Indiana native Tommy Stevens will enroll early and join Trace McSorely as Hackenberg's backups for 2015.
OL: (B+) Even with the loss of Miles Deiffenbach, the offensive line gave one of their best performances of the year. The running game was still lacking, but most importantly, Hackenberg finally had time to make his reads and get the ball where it needed to be. Plus they only allowed 2 sacks! Thankfully, reinforcements are on the way for this depleted group, with 4 freshmen coming off their redshirt season, JUCO transfer Paris Palmer coming to town, and 4-star OT Sterling Jenkins enrolling early. Even so, the losses of Deiffenbach to graduation and Donovan Smith to the NFL will hurt, let's just hope not too much.
RB: (C+) It wasn't nearly as ugly as some games this season, but Akeel Lynch only managed 77 yds on 17 carries, and almost half of those yds came on one 35 yd run. Worse still was Bill Belton only gaining 9 yds on 3 carries. Of the three original starters from this season, only Lynch returns in 2015, but with an entire offseason to get better and behind a hopefully improved O-line I expect him to have a breakout year. There's also ample talent behind him if it's discovered that he can't get the job done.
WR: (A+) Wow. This group probably best exemplifies the youth movement at Penn State (although CB has a case as well). 3 different receivers had 7 catches and a TD in this game. True freshman Chris Godwin led the way with 140 yds, Geno Lewis was next with 82 yds, and redshirt freshman Daesean Hamilton finished the day with 51 yds. The other true freshman WR, Saeed Blacknall, only had 1 catch for 15 yds, but his presence was felt all season long. Things get scary next year as none of the current receivers are leaving, De'Andre Thompkins is coming off his redshirt season, and 4-star talent like Juwan Johnson, Brandon Polk, and Irvin Charles are all joining the mix. Hack should like his options for the foreseeable future.
TE: (A+) That overtime drive alone is all the evidence you need for this grade. Jesse James running over a poor DB for a clutch 17 yd 1st down and then Kyle Carter’s TD catch were as responsible for
Defense
DL: (C) Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson both had decent games combining for 13 tackles and 3 for a loss. CJ Olaniyan and Deion Barnes added 7 more tackles. But I just can't get over the 305 rushing yds they allowed, nor the 2 rushing TDs. Our once elite rush defense was exposed in a big way on a big stage and there's no way these guys will get anything above a C from me because of it. However, Boston College really is that good at running the ball and the D-line played lights out for the rest of the season, so they get a pass. CJ Olaniyan is the only senior of the group and he'll be replaced by 3-star recruit Ryan Buchholz, along with a bevy of backups and redshirts. In other words, I'm not concerned about this group at all.
LB: (C+) See the BC rushing stats above if you're questioning this grade. The good news is that although Mike Hull under-performed with only 6 tackles, his counterpart Nyeem Wartman led the team with 11 tackles and looks like the clear candidate to replace Hull (the only senior) as the next Linebacker U disciple. Like the D-line, we'll chalk this up to a rare bad game and instead focus on the future as Ben Kline returns from injury, Troy Reeder comes off his redshirt, and recruits Jake Cooper and Manny Bowen enter the fold.
DB: (B+) The secondary was the lone bright spot on an otherwise disappointing day for the defense. Adrian Amos and Jordan Lucas led the way with 7 tackles a piece, but it was Lucas's sack and tackle for a loss that gives him the edge. Freshman Marcus Allen added another 6 tackles while Trevor Williams and Jesse Della Valle combined for 5. Still, no one had an interception on BC's QB whose passing skills are suspect to say the least. In fact, they allowed Tyler Murphy to go 11 of 19 for 97 yds and a TD. Not elite numbers by any measure, but more than I was expecting. Amos and Della Valle (along with the injured Ryan Keiser) are all seniors and all safeties, so the middle of the defensive backfield will take a big hit. But none of the CBs (Lucas and Williams) are leaving and on top of freshmen Grant Haley and Christian Campbell (who received significant playing time this year) Penn State brings in possibly the best CB duo in the country with John Reid and Garrett Taylor. I wouldn't be surprised if the bulk of any transfers this offseason come from the secondary.
Special Teams
K: (A+) He didn't have to do much, but Sam Ficken finished his collegiate career in the best way possible. He hit a 45 yarder to send the game into overtime, and finished it off with an extra point that won the whole thing. No team will miss their departing kicker more than Penn State; not just because of his skill, but also because he's an all around great person and an even better story. We wish Ficken the best of luck as he tries to make an NFL roster and hopefully win over yet another fan base with his awesomeness.
P: (B) Dan Pasquariello had another rough day averaging only 34 yds on 6 punts. Either he or Chris Gulla will need to step up in the offseason to solidify their spot as the starter. The loser of that battle has a good chance at replacing Ficken for placekicking duties. There might also be some recruits coming in, but they generally don't get scholarships (at least not initially) so I can't really speak with any authority on this position.
Today's bonus grade is an A+++ to the Pinstripe Bowl for a classy production from start to finish. The teams were a great match, the venue was brilliant, and somehow getting an announcer from each school to handle the broadcast worked out perfectly. Even while watching on TV from home it was obvious that the entire bowl experience was damn near magical in its execution. Thank you bowl officials!
Well that will just about do it. Stop back in tomorrow as I write my last post of 2014 on the last day of 2014. Funny how that worked out, huh? Head on over to my Facebook page and give it a like or share if you're a fan of what I'm doing. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!
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