Sunday Column: Freshmen Show Home Crowd They’re Ready to Provide More Than Depth

Love was in the air for the Nittany Lions in their home opener against Ohio, in the form of a feathery 32-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Drew Allar to rookie receiver Omari Evans, and it was on the ground, in the form of 179 yards and two big-play tuddies from freshman Nick Singleton. A dozen true freshmen saw the field for the home team in a mostly clean, well-rounded 46-10 pounding of an overmatched MAC squad, but Allar and Singleton were the darlings of the crowd, and they underscored what has been an inescapable theme of the season:

Now that Penn State has found love, what are they gonna do with it?

This was the game plan James Franklin had talked about executing all week, and it didn’t involve scheme or audibles. Rather, Franklin had emphasized the importance of developing depth, of getting some of these young and exciting players live reps when it counted, especially during one of the few weeks on the schedule that wasn’t supposed to be a four-quarter rock fight.

Singleton and his hard-running freshman colleague, Kaytron Allen, had already earned their way into meaningful minutes by virtue of both their performances during preseason camp and their solid debuts in last week’s win at Purdue. But against a defense that was a step slower than the Boilermakers and likely two or more steps slower than some of the other defenses the Nittany Lions will see this year, Singleton showed the extra gear that’s had Nittany Nation salivating since he committed last July. Allen, who continues to run with presence and power beyond his years between the tackles and also show promise as a receiver, would not have scored on the inside handoff that Singleton took outside to the house. Nor would have Keyvone Lee, nor Devyn Ford, nor any but a very select few running backs who have come through a program not historically short on select running backs.

Are the creases Singleton must hit to spring those big runs going to be there very often? No, not against better defenses and, with this still-finding-itself offensive line, probably not that often against so-so defenses, either. But he will need to continue to be provided with chances to find them, and the first two weeks are clear signs he will get them.

Allar’s path to consistent playing time seems far less clear, mostly because Sean Clifford simply is playing too well right now to justify giving him the hook. Now, if his lengthy history is any indication, there will be stretches later this fall where a change could be justified, and they’ll likely come right before or after stretches in which Clifford will look like an all-conference player or future pro. It’s part of what makes 14 so confounding.

But, just as Singleton did, Allar showed last week that the moment wasn’t too big for him, and this week showed even more. He showed the ability to stand in against a big (and illegal) hit and still deliver a strike, to bounce back from busted plays or sacks, to survive when his coaches insisted on calling running plays for him when his body is about as well designed for QB keepers as P.J. Mustipher’s is for jockeying a Derby horse. And, just as Singleton did, he continued to show that quick-strike, the range-is-the-gym ability (which, to be fair, Clifford has displayed on occasion over the years) that could be sorely needed for an offense that has converted just 8 of 26 third downs to open the season.

Franklin hoped to use the Ohio game, and likely the Central Michigan game two weeks from now, as opportunities to get his younger players some reps, so that the gap between starter and backup at most positions gets a little smaller. It’s harder if not impossible to do that against the marquee opponents on the schedule, when even small differences between starter and backup can be the difference in one or two plays and in turn, the game. In this regard, Saturday was very much a success, as the Lions took care of early business and got their backups significant playing time. If they can do it again in two weeks, and perhaps in smaller doses throughout the Big Ten schedule, they will be in good stead, having sounder insurance in case of injury and more qualified bodies to rotate into the lineup.

There is a difference between freshmen who can handle their business if called upon, of which Penn State and Franklin have been blessed to have many during his tenure, and freshmen who are simply too good to not call upon, even if you may have a capable veteran starter at the spot already. It’s soooooo early, but Singleton and Allar look an awful lot like they belong in the second category. The coaches’ task moving forward may not be finding room for them as much as it may be making room.