Prugar: Penn State Right Where it Needs to be… for Now

Penn State enters the bye week 5-0 and No. 6 in the country.

Life is good for PSU with its stout defense and turnover-free offense.

But it could be better.

It could be way better.

Penn State’s defense has dominated at the point of attack. It sits No. 1 in the country in total defense, allowing a paltry 210 yards and 9.6 points per game.

Offensively, PSU has averaged 40.6 points through five games. Sure, that’s boosted by a 63-point output against Delaware. But Penn State has scored 30 or more points in each game thus far and that matters in this college football landscape.

Though that looks good for the most part, there’s still much to be desired from Penn State’s offense. There have been far more deep balls in the fields beyond Beaver Stadium than on the field inside Beaver Stadium.

That hasn’t YET become a problem. Sure, it’s a tad concerning, but let’s be honest, they haven’t needed the big plays against teams like West Virginia or Illinois or even Iowa. Staying the course has worked wonders for the offense and allowing Drew Allar to dictate the pace of the game has been a welcoming sight.

Allar still has a long way to go to reach the upper echelon of top Penn State quarterbacks, but his penchant for not doing stupid things with the football is welcomed with the offense having yet to turn the ball over this season.

He possesses the arm talent and skill to stretch teams out defensively and will in due time. The return of WR2 Trey Wallace will boost a wide receiver group that hasn’t overwhelmed or underwhelmed, but rather just maintained.

This, of course, could all be by design seeing as the PSU was the far better team on paper in every one of their five matchups this season. That won’t be the case for much longer. 

There are four teams with one or fewer losses remaining on the schedule. That includes the matchup at the Horseshoe against Ohio State in two weeks, a game in College Park against a Maryland team that should have only one loss entering that contest as well as Michigan and Rutgers.

The slate won’t get easy as Penn State trudges on, but I do believe the best is yet to come on both sides of the football, especially offensivley. Mike Yurich and company are going to loosen the reigns on Allar in the passing game and there will be some deep connections.

As for now, Penn State’s right where it wants to be, 5-0 with a week off as the Big Ten battles on.