Tag: Taquan Roberson

5 takeaways from Penn State’s loss to Iowa

Penn State took one on the chin against Iowa but the bye week comes at a great time and all is not lost.

OK, that was a tough one for Penn State on Saturday, and the hopes of an undefeated season came to an end for the Nittany Lions against the Iowa Hawkeyes. But was it really all that bad in the grand scheme of things?

As difficult as it may have been to watch Penn State slowly lose its grip on a double-digit lead in Kinnick Stadium before having to escape a field-rushing of Iowa faithful at the bitter end, there may have been some signs of hope for the rest of the season.

Losing Sean Clifford was literally a game-changing moment

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

There is no overlooking the single biggest difference in the game, no matter how many angles you choose to look at it. Penn State losing Sean Clifford was a huge momentum swing in the game. Clifford headed to the locker room with Penn State owning a 17-3 lead (it would be 17-10 by the time the offense returned to the field, however), and the offense never looked the same again.

Ta’Quan Roberson was put in a bad spot and the play-calling and field position didn’t really give him much of a chance. Do you know what could have helped out Roberson a little bit? A competent running game.

The lack of a running game hurt more than the backup QB

Byron Houlgrave-USA TODAY Sports

One of Penn State’s biggest weak point this season has been its lack of a running game. After seemingly taken some steps forward a week ago against Indiana, Penn State’s running game was never able to get going against the Hawkeyes.

Sean Clifford was the team’s leading rusher with 36 yards on three carries, and he missed most of the game. Perhaps this is more evidence of the importance of Clifford’s impact on the game, but Roberson was able to rush for 27 yards on 10 carries and Keyvone Lee added 30 yards on 10 carries. But Noah Cain was contained and John Lovett was banged up. As a team, 107 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Iowa doesn’t sound terrible. But Penn State needed a stable running attack to power its way out of bad field position with an inexperienced backup quarterback, and it was unable to deliver.

NEXT: The defense did all it could for as long as it could

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Penn State’s lack of QB depth finally came back to bite them against Iowa

Postgame reaction: Penn State’s biggest offseason storyline came back to bite Nittany Lions in loss to Iowa

One of the biggest offseason storylines for Penn State finally caught up to them in Week 6. With starting quarterback Sean Clifford being knocked out of the game by the Iowa Hawkeyes midway through the second quarter, the biggest concern about the experience behind the starting quarterback was put on full display at the worst possible time.

Ta’Quan Roberson came off the sideline to relieve the injured Clifford, who returned to the Penn State sideline in street clothes in the second half after an early exit to the team’s locker room in the second quarter. Roberson inherited a 17-10 lead (it was 17-3 when Clifford made his way to the locker room, but Iowa had the football and scored before Roberson entered the game), and Penn State’s offense never looked the same for the rest of the game.

Roberson was unable to get Penn State out of its own side of the field, routinely backed up against his own goal line for much of the game, and the rhythm was nowhere to be found with a plethora of false start penalties in a rocking Kinnick Stadium.

It is unfair to go all-in on criticizing the play of Roberson, as he clearly put on display the kind of miscues you expect a freshman to make with poor decision-making and inaccurate passing against a defense like Iowa’s. It is an unenvious position to be thrust into.

But the blame for the situation does fall back on James Franklin and the entire coaching staff for not having a more reliable option ready to go behind Clifford if and when needed. When Will Levis opted to enter the transfer portal and eventually make his way to Kentucky, Penn State was an obvious candidate to tap the transfer portal for a backup quarterback option to bring some experience behind Clifford.

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And to Penn State’s credit, they did appear to be in the mix for LSU transfer quarterback TJ Finley, who would have appeared to be the perfect fit for what Penn State was in need of. But Finley instead decided to transfer to another SEC school, the Auburn Tigers. It’s not Penn State’s fault Finely decided to go to another SEC school. But not being able to come up with another option is one that ultimately may have cost Penn State on Saturday.

But there is no guarantee a transfer option would have fared any better. Any experience may have been more favorable to Penn State against Iowa than what played out with Roberson, but that could just be mere speculation and benefitting from the use of hindsight from Week 6.

Could Saturday’s result have been avoided? Sure, probably. Should Penn State have made a stronger push to secure a backup quarterback in the transfer portal? It’s easy to pinpoint this game and say “absolutely.”

Any argument that Penn State would be fine without adding a transfer option after watching what unfolded against Iowa would be difficult to stand behind. But there are other reasons Penn State lost to Iowa too, including a lack of a running game against a good defense.

It’s not quite back to the drawing board for Penn State after the minor setback, but a season that was described as being “Sean Clifford or bust” continues to be the theme of the fall for the Nittany Lions.

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Instant Reaction: Sean Clifford knocked out as Penn State suffers first loss at Iowa

Penn State takes the loss after losing Sean Clifford to an injury at Iowa.

For the first time this season, Penn State is ending the week with a loss. Penn State came up short on the road against Iowa in a 23-20 game that saw the game played mostly without Nittany Lions starting quarterback Sean Clifford.

Both offenses really couldn’t get the ball moving overall throughout much of the game. Clifford exited the game shortly before halftime and didn’t play the rest of the game.

Ta’Quan Roberson entered the game and the offense still couldn’t get the job done. As many people had kind of expected, this game was mostly a defensive battle.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras struggled even more than Penn State’s quarterbacks did all game. Iowa also didn’t put six up on the board until halfway through the second quarter, which was impressive from Penn State on the defensive side.

Penn State put their first points on the board halfway through the first quarter with a Noah Cain touchdown run.

Both defenses had a combined five interceptions throughout the game.

Penn State’s offense also struggled to convert on third down, along with 11 penalties throughout the game.

Penalties certainly hurt the Nittany Lions, along with losing Clifford.

Penn State enters their bye week with an otherwise impressive 5-1 record before heading back home to face Illinois.

Even though it was only a three-point loss, it will be tough for the Nittany Lions to make a case for the top four. Granted, Iowa’s schedule the rest of the way is very weak compared to Penn State’s, which should help Penn State’s case. But, they have to win out.

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Sean Clifford leaves first half for medical attention at Iowa

Penn State QB Sean Clifford leaves game with injury as Iowa gets massive momentum swing

If the first half of this Penn State-Iowa game hasn’t been enough of a roller coaster ride for the Nittany Lions, let’s add another wrinkle to the story. Quarterback Sean Clifford was seen heading to the Penn State locker room midway through the first half of the game, although it is unknown just what may have caused Clifford to head to the medical tent and then the locker room in the middle of the second quarter.

Clifford was taken hard to the ground on the final play of Penn State’s drive that ended in a field goal.

With Clifford unavailable, Ta’Quan Roberson entered the game to lead the Penn State offense. Roberson fumbled the first snap but recovered, and then was nearly intercepted on his second snap.

Things just got a bit tighter in Iowa City as Iowa has cut into the deficit with Penn State leading 17-10.

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2021 Penn State depth chart projection: Quarterbacks

Is it Sean Clifford or bust for the Penn State offense at QB in 2021? Projecting the QB depth this fall.

When it comes to projecting the depth chart at my position on Penn State’s roster in 2021, the quarterback position is pretty darn easy to do. Sean Clifford is locked in as the starting quarterback as he enters his third year in the role after succeeding Trace McSorley. The issue Penn State faces is a lack of experience behind him.

One of the biggest questions during the spring was what Penn State would be able to do to address the lack of experience behind their starting quarterback. If Clifford is injured or seems off track as he was at the start of the 2020 season, Penn State head coach James Franklin doesn’t exactly have a quarterback he should feel too comfortable in throwing out on the field in the heat of the action.

Or does he?

The possibility of adding a transfer quarterback that fits what Penn State is trying to do offensively with new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich was atop the offseason to-do list for Franklin and the Nittany Lions. Franklin stressed Penn State would be reluctant to add a transfer quarterback just to add one and instead insisted it was important to find someone who was the right fit. As camp nears its opening, no transfer quarterback has made his way through the transfer portal to Happy Valley, suggesting Penn State either never found their ideal fit on the market or they missed out on the best option.

Is it Sean Clifford or bust for the Penn State offense, or has Franklin gained more confidence in what the Nittany Lions have behind him on the depth chart?

Here’s a look at the projected quarterback depth chart for the 2021 season.

5 questions for Penn State at Big Ten media day

5 questions Penn State will be asked during Big Ten media day

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The summer convergence of Big Ten media, coaches, and players will take place this week in Chicago. As they arrive in the Windy City from Happy Valley, Penn State head coach James Franklin and his player representatives will have some tough questions to answer after last season.

Penn State limped out of the gates of the modified 2020 season to a historically bad 0-5 record before turning a corner and ending the season on a four-game winning streak. The Nittany Lions missed an opportunity to even their record and avoid a losing season by deciding as a team not to participate in a postseason bowl game at the end of a trying year. But perhaps the biggest question for Penn State to answer in 2021 was whether or not you can chalk up the 2020 season to being a product of unique circumstances or if it is a sign of a program on the decline.

So what are we to actually make of 2020?

Head coach James Franklin will be very likely to be asked some questions riding along the lines of wondering how Penn State bounces back in 2021 after last year’s setbacks. You can fully expect Franklin to push forward and leave 2020 behind him, but it is an important question to raise for anyone trying to figure out who Penn State is in 2021.

Prior to last season, Penn State had won 11 games three out of the previous four seasons with three appearances in a New Years Six bowl game and winning two of them. This is why the 2020 results were so surprising for many. Injuries and player availability throughout the week were issues as well, as Penn State at times may have been riding a thinner roster than realized at times due to COVID protocols.

So when Franklin is asked about last season and what to expect this season, expect the standard response that Penn State has a lot going right in the program and they are ready to prove something after last season.

Will Penn State still add a transfer quarterback?

As things stand right now, Penn State’s offense is Sean Clifford or bust, or so it would seem. One of the main talking points during the spring football practice season was what Penn State will do to add depth and exp[erience at the quarterback position. Pulling a target from the transfer portal seemed obvious, and Penn State did make a push to add to its roster at the position before ultimately losing out on TJ Finley from LSU. Spring has now come and gone and the summer is half over and Penn State still has not found a suitable passer in the transfer portal to pad the depth chart.

When will Penn State grab a QB out of the transfer portal?

So, is this still part of the game plan, or is Penn State now going to move forward running the risk of not having experience behind Clifford? The ceiling may be pretty high for options like Taquan Roberson and Christian Veilleux, but Franklin made it seem pretty clear he’d much prefer to have a more experienced option available should he need it this fall.

NEXT: What is the confidence level of the defensive line?

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When will Penn State grab a QB out of the transfer portal?

Penn State is still on the search for the right quarterback out of the transfer portal.

Penn State has been active in the transfer portal this offseason. The activity reportedly has continued with the pending addition of former Florida State cornerback, but there is still one position Penn State is expected to add to through the transfer portal before the start of the 2021 season. The quarterback position was thought to be high on the list of offseason priorities for Penn State, yet the Nittnay Lions have not found the right addition just yet.

Head coach James Franklin said during spring football practices that Penn State would not be adding a quarterback just to add a quarterback. Instead, Franklin stressed the importance of finding the right fit for the Penn State offense, and preferably someone with some real game experience to fall back on should the Nittany Lions need it.

It’s been a while since we last took a hard look at the list of available quarterbacks in the transfer portal this offseason. Some of the names we previously explored have since gone on to make their transfer destinations known (like Joe Milton transferring from Michigan to Tennessee). But some options, including Austin Kendall from West Virginia and Devon Modster from Cal are among those still lingering.

One of the names that popped up after our initial review was former LSU quarterback TJ Finley. While Penn State was considered to be in the final running, he chose to stay in the SEC and transfer to Auburn instead. So it was back to the drawing board for Penn State.

As the month of June comes to a close and with Penn State focusing plenty of energy on the recruiting efforts for the Class of 2022, just where does finding a new quarterback sit on the offseason to-do list right now?

First, the idea that Penn State doesn’t view adding a quarterback as a priority this summer should probably be removed from the discussion. Franklin and his staff are fully aware that there is a serious lack of experience behind their third-year starter, Sean Clifford. Should Clifford need to be replaced for any reason, there would still be a much better comfort level riding the ship with someone who has some experience playing college football compared to the current backup options in Taquan Roberson and Christian Veilleux. That is not to say either of those two are or will be bad quarterbacks, but there is something to be said about experience and neither of them have it at this time.

Second, there really may not be much of a rush right now. The transfer portal is still full of quarterback options and the season does not start for another two months. Even an addition in late July gives a transfer the entire month of August to be with the team and go through a full fall camp before the start of the season. And if they already have some experience, the transition could be smoother.

Or third, maybe there are still more options on the way? The transfer portal is always having names added to it and it is still possible a quarterback that fits what Penn State is aiming for could still come along. So if Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich aren’t blown away by any current options in the transfer portal, perhaps another new addition could open their eyes at some point.

For now, the waiting game continues.

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When will Penn State grab a QB out of the transfer portal?

Penn State is still on the search for the right quarterback out of the transfer portal.

Penn State has been active in the transfer portal this offseason. The activity reportedly has continued with the pending addition of former Florida State cornerback, but there is still one position Penn State is expected to add to through the transfer portal before the start of the 2021 season. The quarterback position was thought to be high on the list of offseason priorities for Penn State, yet the Nittnay Lions have not found the right addition just yet.

Head coach James Franklin said during spring football practices that Penn State would not be adding a quarterback just to add a quarterback. Instead, Franklin stressed the importance of finding the right fit for the Penn State offense, and preferably someone with some real game experience to fall back on should the Nittany Lions need it.

It’s been a while since we last took a hard look at the list of available quarterbacks in the transfer portal this offseason. Some of the names we previously explored have since gone on to make their transfer destinations known (like Joe Milton transferring from Michigan to Tennessee). But some options, including Austin Kendall from West Virginia and Devon Modster from Cal are among those still lingering.

One of the names that popped up after our initial review was former LSU quarterback TJ Finley. While Penn State was considered to be in the final running, he chose to stay in the SEC and transfer to Auburn instead. So it was back to the drawing board for Penn State.

As the month of June comes to a close and with Penn State focusing plenty of energy on the recruiting efforts for the Class of 2022, just where does finding a new quarterback sit on the offseason to-do list right now?

First, the idea that Penn State doesn’t view adding a quarterback as a priority this summer should probably be removed from the discussion. Franklin and his staff are fully aware that there is a serious lack of experience behind their third-year starter, Sean Clifford. Should Clifford need to be replaced for any reason, there would still be a much better comfort level riding the ship with someone who has some experience playing college football compared to the current backup options in Taquan Roberson and Christian Veilleux. That is not to say either of those two are or will be bad quarterbacks, but there is something to be said about experience and neither of them have it at this time.

Second, there really may not be much of a rush right now. The transfer portal is still full of quarterback options and the season does not start for another two months. Even an addition in late July gives a transfer the entire month of August to be with the team and go through a full fall camp before the start of the season. And if they already have some experience, the transition could be smoother.

Or third, maybe there are still more options on the way? The transfer portal is always having names added to it and it is still possible a quarterback that fits what Penn State is aiming for could still come along. So if Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich aren’t blown away by any current options in the transfer portal, perhaps another new addition could open their eyes at some point.

For now, the waiting game continues.

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2021 Penn State Nittany Lions Profile Card: Ta’Quan Roberson

Ta’Quan Roberson lacks experience but could end up being Penn State’s backup quarterback if the transfer portal search comes up dry.

Name: Ta’Quan Roberson

Number: 2

Position: Quarterback

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Height: 5′-11″

Weight: 199

Hometown: Orange, NJ

High School: DePaul Catholic

Twitter: @taquanroberson_

Overview

Penn State added one of the nation’s top dual-=threat quarterbacks out of New Jersey in the recruiting class of 2018 with the addition of Ta’Quan Roberson. But with Sean Clifford already in place to succeed Trace McSorley, Roberson’s time remains down the line in Happy Valley as the 2021 season approaches.

The former four-star recruit has appeared in just two games for the Nittany Lions during his first two seasons with the program. While Clifford was the starter, Will Levis was in place to be the first secondary option off the sideline at times. Roberson has played briefly in the regular-season finales each of the past two seasons against Rutgers in 2019 and Illinois in 2020.

Scouts have noted Roberson makes up for a lack of size with great arm strength. He just has not been in a position to fully show what he may be capable of doing as he continues to be developed and prepared for any significant time behind Clifford (or in place of him if needed).

But Roberson’s place on the depth chart could potentially be more solidified in 2021. Following a pair of departures through the transfer portal, Roberson could end up being the next man up behind Clifford unless Penn State taps into the transfer portal for a quarterback between now and the start of the season.

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Everything James Franklin said after Penn State’s final spring football practices

James Franklin has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Penn State football in 2021, but notes there is still work to be done.

Penn State put a bow on its 2021 spring football practice schedule on Friday night with a second live practice in Beaver Stadium open to fans. Now, head coach James Franklin and his staff begin the next phase of the offseason schedule as the Nittany Lions begin preparing for the 2021 season opener on the road at Wisconsin.

A year after the pandemic destroyed the entire offseason schedule, things are beginning to get back to some degree of normal, although some offseason plans still require some alterations. But Franklin, his staff and the entire roster know what the goals are for 2021, and the work is already underway to prove the 2020 season was just a bizarre year going against the grain of where Penn State really is as a program.

Here is a roundup of everything James Franklin had to say in his post-practice press conferences the last two weeks.