Penn State OC on Ben Brahmer: ‘For him to Have 1 Catch isn’t Right in my Mind’

Penn State isn’t using one of its most talented offensive players, and the offensive coordinator knows it.

Through the first two games, tight end Ben Brahmer was one of Penn State’s most productive offensive players, catching three touchdown passes and catching six of his nine targets.

He ended Penn State’s Week 2 win over Temple with 79 yards and two touchdowns, catching five of his six targets.

In the four games since, Brahmer has caught 11 passes for 95 yards on 18 targets. Penn State fans and even national broadcasters have noticed that Brahmer hasn’t been a big factor, and so has Taylor Mouser.

Mouser gave a direct answer when asked if he thought Penn State was getting the most out of Brahmer.

“No, I don’t,” he told reporters at his biweekly Tuesday presser.

“I told him after the game that for him to have one catch, it’s unacceptable. And on my sheet, like my targets to get Ben the ball, we called all the plays that I had started to get him the ball and, for whatever reason, they took it away, and they were gonna make somebody else catch the ball. And it was good to see Rapp engage, step up and make some plays. But I certainly have a checklist on my call sheet of, like, these are the best ways to get them the ball. And obviously, it doesn’t guarantee anything. But for him to have one catch isn’t right in my mind, and I need to make sure that we get him the ball more because he is one of our best players, and that’s a focal point for me every week, and has been for the last couple years.”

Against USC, Brahmer was only targeted three times.

Fellow tight end Andrew Rappleyea was targeted 10 times.

Does this signal a changing of the guard of who Penn State’s top tight end is, at least in the passing game? It’s early to say.

But it seems clear that Penn State isn’t happy with how Brahmer is being used.

Penn State takes on Michigan Saturday at 3:30 on CBS from The Big House.