Play of the (other) Day: RB Throwback Wheel vs. Ole Miss

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Welp, the highly-anticipated season finale and last unchecked NY6 bowl win “box” on Penn State’s program checklist was a tough watch. No way around it. Season-long themes remained true: out of sync, stagnancy that produced little to no explosive offense. It’s also worth noting that PSU was missing some of their top players.  Negatives aside, let’s take a look at one of, if not the only, exciting offensive play of the afternoon.

Fun.

The Nittany Lions come out in their  2-Quarterback subpackage; as they’ve done a handful of times this season. Regardless of it the defense properly identifies the quirkly personnel wrinkle before the snap or not, any time 2 QBs are on the field, every defensive player subconsciously expects a double pass (I don’t have any scientific studies to prove that, just trust me).

Likely knowing they would get a cover-3 variation against this formation, Co-Interim OCs  Ja’Juan Seider and Ty Howle wisely plotted a way to get Penn State RB 10-Nick Singleton in a footrace against a linebacker — a favorable matchup, “one that he will win,” to quote Chris Fowler from happier times.

X’s and O’s wise, this play is just a RB throwback wheel with some eye candy. At the snap,QB 15-Drew Allar retreats backward to further sell a double pass. Now, no one on Ole Miss is truly 100% fooled, but the deception from Allar does just enough to make the Rebels’ MOF (middle of field) safety flip his hips to that side of the field, away from the eventually wheel.

At the bottom of computer/tablet/cell phone screen, WR 2-Liam Clifford runs a clear out post to occupy the deep-third CB. Although the defender is skeptical of Clifford’s true intentions throughout the entire play, the post again does just enough to create a window for Singleton. The weakside inside backer matches to Singleton, but he is no match against his speed.

9-Beau Pribula’s progression is simple: the wheel down to the delayed shallow route from TE 44-Tyler Warren. It’s fair to say Pribula does not read it exactly like he should, and instead chooses the ‘F it, I’m a better athlete than all you guys’ option. He buys time in the pocket and is able to hit the window between the trailing backer, deep 3rd CB, and MOF safety. This definitely isn’t exactly how it was drawn up during Tuesday’s install meeting, but good things happen when your best players touch the ball. #10 does the rest.