In steps Ta’Quan Roberson
One of the biggest concerns with the passing game this season was not the lack of talent or potential of Penn State’s backup option, TaQuan Roberson, but the lack of experience. Although Penn State found a couple of games to get Roberson on the field in clean-up duty of lopsided games, Roberson was thrown into an unenvious situation on the road against No. 3 Iowa and the ball-hawking Hawkeye defense. The lack of experience shined brightly on the young quarterback and Penn State slowly saw their lead evaporate and turn into a loss with Roberson at the helm.
Placing blame on a backup quarterback can be easy to do but there were plenty of other factors that played into the result against Iowa. Regardless of the outcome against the Hawkeyes, the question is now whether or not Penn State will be able to trust Roberson to lead the offense in a key spot again in 2021.
But first there is a more important question to ask.
Will Clifford be back?
It may have been a small sample size in the worst possible scenario, but the evidence this season is backing up the idea that Penn State’s success this season will ride on the arm of Sean Clifford. If Clifford is able to return after the bye week against Illinois, Penn State should get right back on track and remain a viable contender in the Big Ten East Division race with Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State.
But if Penn State has to rely on Roberson at the quarterback situation, the realistic expectations may be quickly revised. How much we learn about Clifford’s status is not likely to shed much light because James Franklin is not one to share much information with regard to injure players.
There is a path to success if Penn State has to ride with Roberson. Having a bye week after the Iowa game gives Yurcich more time to more properly prepare Roberson for running with the first-team offense if needed, and a home game against Illinois should provide a better chance to get in a groove than being thrown into a road situation midway through a game against Iowa.