Tag: Outback Bowl

Best Twitter reactions to Penn State’s loss in the Outback Bowl

Best Twitter reactions to Penn State’s Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas

Penn State didn’t exactly have a great day on the football field in Tampa to start the new year. Penn State came out on the wrong end of a 24-10 decision against Arkansas in the 2022 Outback Bowl. things rarely looked pretty for the Nittany Lions on the field, and it wasn’t much rosier on Twitter either.

The first half of the Outback Bowl wasn’t exactly impressing the casual viewers, but that made for some good ridicule along the way to halftime, which saw Penn State lead the Razorbacks 10-7 at the time.

You could tell things were weird when Penn State attempted a fake punt that saw Jordan Stout launch a ball almost halfway down the field before falling incomplete. It was a moment to soak in, for sure.

Next: Twitter reacts to a rare Penn State Outback Bowl highlight and more

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Instant Reaction: Penn State falls to Arkansas 24-10 in the 2022 Outback Bowl

Instant reaction: Penn State loses to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, 24-10

Penn State has fallen to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl by a final score of 24-10.

Penn State had several defensive players opt-out to prep for the draft, but the veteran presence of guys like Ji’Ayir Brown and Jesse Luketa helped the Nittany Lions substantially in this game.

As many people hoped for, in the absence of Jahan Dotson, that didn’t seem to be too much of a problem for Penn State early in this game. Parker Washington how do you solve an impressive game and a monster first half, including a highlight-reel one-handed catch in the second quarter.

Much of the second half was all Arkansas. Penn State’s defense struggled to stop the run for much of the game, whether it big plays from Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders or even quarterback KJ Jefferson, who has shown how dangerous he can be with his feet this season.

Along with the opt-outs, this was also a good opportunity for the underclassmen, and we got a brief glimpse of what the 2022 Penn State defense could look like.

Co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter was calling plays this afternoon for the defense. However, newly hired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was in attendance for today’s game.

It was certainly an interesting season for Penn State, to say the least. From starting out 5-0 and even finding their way in the top four in the first half of the season, the team fell short in a good amount of games the second half of the season. That trend continued in the Outback Bowl.

Despite the up-and-down 2021 season by Penn State, they have a promising group of recruits coming in the next couple of years along with some key veteran talent returning in 2022.

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Outback Bowl: Depleted Penn State defense no match for Razorbacks

Penn State football: Penn State’s defense played like a unit missing six starters and Arkansas took advantage of it in the Outback Bowl

For as many things Penn State did well on defense enduring the 2021 season, there were some concerns about the ability to stop the run against teams that knew how to attack on the ground. Against Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, and without six defensive starters, it was only a matter of time before the Razorbacks kept that trend going.

Penn State’s defense played well in the first half of the Outback Bowl, but it didn’t have nearly enough gas in the tank after halftime, and the Razorbacks capitalized on that in a big way. Big dual-threat quarterback KJ Jefferson and the running back duo of Raheim Sanders and Dominique Johnson steamrolled and overpowered the Penn State defense filled with players being thrown into new roles or getting their first significant taste of pivotal game-time action.

Penn State’s defensive line, which was already without PJ Mustipher to a season-ending injury during the regular season, played without Arnold Ebiketie and Derrick Tangelo. Both players opted out of the bowl season to begin preparing for the NFL. The linebacker position was down Penn State’s top two tacklers from the regular season with Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith each opting out. And the secondary was without Jaquan Brisker and Tariq Castro-Fields. Their replacements played well for 30 minutes, but that was simply too much talent to make up for as the game continued on and halftime adjustments were made.

Arkansas rushed for over 300 yards in the game, with the majority of that coming after halftime when Arkansas realized there was no more need to try throwing the football against the Nittany Lions. Arkansas averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt in the game, which is a horrible number

There really is no other way to explain this performance than to say Arkansas smelled blood in the water and pounced on it as much as it could. And who could really blame them? The era of players opting out has drawn plenty of criticism from some and has been a hot topic of debate, but the reality is this exactly what can happen to a team. If Penn State wasn’t missing those six starters on defense, would Arkansas still have dominated on the ground? Who knows for sure, but you would have liked Penn State’s chances a lot more if the opt-outs didn’t exist.

It will be very easy to use the opt-outs as an excuse for the performance of the defense, because it is a legitimate point to be made. James Franklin will likely be on the receiving end of plenty of criticism for how his defense played and adjusted, and that will be fair to a certain point. But he can not be put at fault for preparing for a bowl game without six starters on defense. If Franklin will be deserving any further scrutiny, it will be for the performance of the offense, which was shut out in the second half and was out of sorts all game long.

Did opt-outs cost Penn State a bowl victory. Of course not. And is the future of the defense in shambles? Hardly. There will still be plenty to like about what Penn State can do on defense next season with Manny Diaz entrenched as the defensive coordinator and everyone having a full offseason to properly prepare for their new roles.

And perhaps this experience in the Outback Bowl will create a little bit of extra motivation to come back bigger and better in 2022.

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Penn State tried the most ambitious fake punt of the season and it failed miserably

That could have gone a bit better, Penn State.

While some bemoan the deteriorating importance of non-College Football Playoff bowl games, these contests remain a great opportunity for teams to evaluate their depth and, more importantly for fans like us, to try out new plays and concepts.

It’s also a time to be more aggressive than you would be during the regular season, so it’s understandable why Penn State would choose to go for it on fourth down from the Arkansas 36 with a 10-7 lead in the Outback Bowl. However, the Nittany Lions had 13 yards to gain for a first down, and instead of running a play — a higher-percentage option — coach James Franklin opted for trickery.

He dialed up a fake punt, and while the idea was interesting, the execution left a lot to be desired. Rather than lining up in a normal punt formation, PSU lined up with five players on the outside, one near the long snapper and two on the right (one of which had his hand in the dirt, for some reason) while the upback came in motion and ran a screen.

Punter Jordan Stout took the snap, and with no protection up front, he immediately felt the heat. He actually made a nice move to juke out the rusher, but what happened next was… a choice.

Stout channeled his inner Patrick Mahomes and launched the ball as hard as he possibly could toward the end zone. It sailed more than 40 yards through the air, which would have been impressive if it went toward anyone in particular. But it flew past the receivers, hit an Arkansas defender on the hands and fell to the turf as Penn State turned it over on downs.

Look, I’m all for being aggressive in a bowl game, and punting from your opponent’s side of the field is among the most cowardly acts in football. But perhaps the Nittany Lions would have been better served to have quarterback Sean Clifford, the guy whose job it is to throw passes, attempt that conversion instead.

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WATCH: Sean Clifford finds KeAndre Lambert-Smith WIDE OPEN for TD

WATCH: Sean Clifford made sure not to miss a WIDE OPEN KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 42-yard TD in the Outback Bowl

Penn State’s offense was struggling to get much going against Arkansas in the first quarter, but Sean Clifford eventually found wide receiver wide open. And he did not miss.

Clifford connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 42-yard touchdown that may be the easiest score of the day for either team. Lambert-Smith pulled off from his man and Arkansas seemed lost in coverage as the Penn State speedster was wide open for a 42-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.

Let’s have another look at how Lambert-Smith got so open.

And just like that, we have a brand new ballgame in the Outback Bowl with the score tied at 7-7.

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WATCH: Parker Washington gets elevated for ridiculous one-handed catch

WATCH: Parker Washington makes amazing one-handed catch vs Arkansas in the Outback Bowl

Penn State is playing the Outback Bowl without Jahan Dotson, but that doesn’t mean the Penn State offense is without a receiver capable of making some big highlights. Parker Washington proved that early in the second quarter with a thrilling one-handed catch that required some air to come down with.

Washington, Penn State’s leading receiver after Dotson, went up and bailed out Sean Clifford on a possible overthrow on a drive at the start of the second quarter. Washington tracked the ball perfectly and made the adjustment he needed to make to go up and get the ball with one hand.

Unfortunately for Penn State, the big play was unable to lead to any points on the drive. Penn State ended the drive a few plays later with a punt, trailing Arkansas 7-0.

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WATCH: Ji’Ayir Brown picks off Arkansas in end zone

WATCH: Ji’Ayir Brown picks off Arkansas in the end zone

Leave it to Ji’Ayir Brown to come up with the first turnover of the Outback Bowl. Penn State’s leader in interceptions during the 2021 regular season ended the first offensive series by Arkansas by getting his hands on the football in the end zone, thwarting what could have been a monster start for the Razorbacks.

After Penn State’s opening drive ended with a horribly missed 50-yard field goal by Jake Pinegar, Arkansas moved right down the field on the re-worked Penn State defense. But once inside the red zone, the Penn State defense did what they had done for much of the season. Ji’Ayir Brown stepped in front of a pass by Razorback quarterback KJ Jefferson for an interception in the back of the end zone.

Penn State turned the ball right back over to Arkansas a few plays later though when Sean Clifford was intercepted.

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Tariq Castro-Fields out for Outback Bowl for Penn State

No Tariq Castro-Fields for Penn State in the Outback Bowl; sixth defensive starter not playing

During a week with so many announcements about NFL futures and skipping the Outback Bowl, little was known about the status of veteran cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields. But as the Outback Bowl approached on Saturday, it became official. Castro-Fields will not play in the game as he begins to turn the page to his NFL future.

Castro-Fields is the sixth defensive starter Penn State will be without in the Outback Bowl, joining players like Jaquan Brisker, Brandon Smith, Ellis Brooks, and Arnold Ebiketie in opting out of the game with an eye toward the future.

With Castro-Fields not on the field, Kalen King is expected to take over at the position. The freshman is among the stars of Penn State’s Class of 2021 and made an early splash in the spring. This will be his first real test but also will be a good opportunity to begin the transition. King is expected to be a key starter for the defense in 2022 for the Nittany Lions.

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Jonathan Sutherland getting time at linebacker in Outback Bowl

Here is how Penn State has adjusted its defensive roster for the Outback Bowl

With the absence of two starting linebackers for the Outback Bowl, Penn State was going to have to work out some alternative plans for the position against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Fortunately, one player who may be expected to be a fixture at the position in 2022 is available for the bowl game.

Jonathan Sutherland, special teams captain who has played safety when asked to play defense, will be getting some time at linebacker in the Outback Bowl, judging by pregame observations from the Penn State beat in the press box in Tampa.

Audrey Snyder of The Athletic managed to update her starting lineup sheet while seeing who was getting reps at a variety of positions in pregame warmups.

Sutherland looks to be moving into the position previously held by Curtis Jacobs, who will apparently be moving form SAM to WILL linebacker for the Outback Bowl. Jesse Luketa, who has played both linebacker and on the defensive line for the Nittany Lions, looks to be situated in the middle of the linebackers.

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Outback Bowl: Defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.

With Penn State’s matchup against the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Nittany Lions defense will have a tough obstacle to overcome after losing many of their key players to opt-outs. However, they do still have the talent to keep this game close and even go back to State College with an Outback Bowl victory.

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on Saturday.