Tag: Harrison Wallace

Penn State’s first touchdown of the Andy Kotelnicki era was a big one!

Drew Allar connected with Harrison Wallace for a long touchdown, the first of 2024!

Penn State’s offense got off to a bit of a rough start in the first quarter of the season on the road at West Virginia, but the second quarter started off with a big explosive play the program had been hoping to see in 2024. [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] connected over the middle with [autotag]Harrison Wallace[/autotag] on the first play of the second quarter, and Wallace went the distance for a 50-yard touchdown.

Wallace was one of the wide receivers Penn State is hoping to see more out of this season, and he certainly got things off on the right foot in the season opener. Wallace was slowed by some injuries last season, but he has the potential to be a key part of the offense as long as he stays on the field making plays like this.

https://twitter.com/cfbonfox/status/1829923457926074594?s=46&t=GPFWfOop7onmolozjiWcDg

Fox play-by-play announcer went in on the “Coach K” reference to new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki was tasked with finding ways to get more production out of the offense. After a couple of tough possessions to open up the game, maybe this helps get things rolling for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State opted to go for a two-point conversion following the touchdown, but came up incomplete on a pass attempt, keeping the lead at 6-0.

Penn State’s defense has also gotten off to a good start under the direction of Tom Allen. The defense forced a turnover and a second forced fumble and came up with a big 4th-and-short stop to keep West Virginia off the board.

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Penn State’s offensive keys to victory vs. UMass

What to watch with Penn State’s offense against UMass.

Nobody is going to try and convince anyone that UMass has a legitimate shot to upset Penn State on Saturday.

So, this won’t be about what the offense of the Nittany Lions needs to do in order to secure a victory. This will be about what they need to work on before their looming matchups with Ohio State next weekend and Michigan in mid-November.

The first key is explosives, explosives, explosives.

Since the first deep touchdown pass from [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] to [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] in Week 1 against West Virginia, this offense has seemingly not had a big play in an important moment. That’s a concern going forward when facing elevated competition.

They’re still averaging 40.6 points per game this season and have scored over 30 points in every game, but will the offense be good enough to win those two big games how it’s currently operating?

Explosive plays would go a long way in helping the cause.

The second key to victory is establishing a secondary option in the wide receiver room.

It’s clear that Lambert-Smith has become the No. 1 receiver in this offense and who Allar trusts the most, but they need to find another one who they can go to quickly. When [autotag]Harrison Wallace[/autotag] comes back from injury he’s expected to step into that role. This week, receivers should be auditioning for that secondary spot in the offense.

The third is to get the running game going.

It seems like there is very little confidence amongst the running backs so far this season. [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] haven’t had those big runs like last year and it’s affecting how they’re running the ball. Using this game against UMass to get the confidence back is a must for Penn State going forward.

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Where is Dante Cephas on Penn State’s depth chart?

Where will Dante Cephas fit on the Penn State depth chart this fall?

After the departure of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] to the NFL after last year’s season, Penn State’s wide receiver depth chart was full of inexperienced players. Returners [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Harrison Wallace[/autotag] combined for 43 receptions and 662 yards.

The Nittany Lions hit the transfer portal bringing in [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag] from Kent State. In two seasons as a starter, he caught 130 balls for 1,984 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Like Tinsley the year prior, Cephas is expected to step in and make an immediate impact for Penn State this season.

Reports out of training camp suggest he has gotten off to a slow start, causing him to be in the rotation of players competing for the final starting spot. Lambert-Smith and Wallace are two of the expected starters with an opening still available to be earned.

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] was asked about where Cephas stands on the depth chart in his recent availability to the media and he reiterated this point saying, “Yeah, he’s in that group that’s battling. We got a competitive group of four to five guys that are battling — he’s apart of that conversation.”

When making the transition from a smaller conference to the Power 5 level, it’s an adjustment adapting to the increased speed and athleticism. It’s harder to get open and compete physically against defensive backs. On top of that, Franklin is a coach who emphasizes the need to compete at practice, something Cephas is learning about.

“It’s not saying that he’s not a big time player, but there’s a difference between getting up one or two days a week, or one or two times a year in a season vs. coming out here every single day with that type of competitiveness that you need to be successful,” Franklin said.

Cephas is going to have plenty of opportunities to work his way into a starting role with Penn State this season. He’s a talented player who should make an impact once he gets used to the different level of competition it takes to play in the Big 10.

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Report Card: Penn State defense gets ‘A’ in win over Indiana

Penn State defense shines in the postgame report card after Indiana win.

Following a full team victory the way Penn State had in Week 10 against Indiana, there are plenty of compliments to be handed out with few negative criticisms. It could have been incredibly easy for a team to fold on the road a week after a tough loss to Ohio State, but the Nittany Lions responded in a positive way by going on the road and letting talent prevail in a defensive mismatch.

Penn State’s defense was stellar and the offense took care of business against an undermanned Indiana team scuffling into November and down the final stretch of the regular season.

Here are the grades for Penn State, position by position, following its 45-14 victory at Indiana on Saturday.

Quarterback

Nov 5, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) throws a pass during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B

[autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] turned in a solid enough of a day throwing the football to ensure Penn State would emerge victorious. With over 200 passing yards and an interception that was tipped by his receiver, it was more than adequate enough to feel good before coming out of the game as freshman [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] got some reps in the second half.

Allar made the most of his quarter and a half running the offense with a pair of touchdowns, some nicely-placed passes with zip, and showing off the ability to read what Indiana was trying to do defensively to make some adjustments at the line.

All in all, this was just what [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] would have wanted.

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Tennessee offers 2021 Penn State commit

The Vols are looking to flip this Alabama product.

The early signing period for the 2021 recruiting class is fast-approaching, and Tennessee is looking to get in late with Alabama wide receiver prospect and Penn State commitment Harrison Wallace.

The Vols offered the Pike Road, Alabama prospect this week.

Wallace is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver that is rated a 3-star by the 247Sports Composite. He is also rated the No. 88 wide receiver in his class and the No. 21 prospect in Alabama.

Wallace has not received a large amount of attention from SEC teams, with South Carolina as his only other offer.

Maryland, Duke, Jackson State and Houston are among the other programs to offer Wallace.

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