3 things that matter most for Penn State vs. Minnesota start with a battle of the blockers
Frank Bodani
York Daily Record
It's taken James Franklin and his staff five years to build a complete offensive line at Penn State.
NCAA sanctions and recruiting misses had blown a hole in the foundation of the offense. Other promising players did not pan out as expected.
The Nittany Lions could disguise and divert around their weakness for only so long. Temple opened the 2015 season by sacking quarterback Christian Hackenberg 10 times, and these blockers have been picked apart ever since.
Despite a Big Ten title and two 11-win seasons, only now has the depth and talent along the line reached the upper half of the Big Ten.
It's this promising group that must take yet another step as the opposition ratchets up for the stretch run, starting Saturday in Minnesota.
"I think we had six or seven scholarship offensive linemen when we got here, which is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever been a part of, to be honest with you," Franklin said. "We're in a much better place, but we have to keep building.
"You look at the best programs in the United States, they are really good on the offensive line consistently ... You can't really fall behind (there) because it's too hard to fix it. It takes time to fix it.
"The fact that not a lot of people are talking about the O-Line, and I don't get a lot of questions about it, is a good thing."
The Lions have received improved, steady efforts from upperclass center Michal Menet, guard Steven Gonzalez and tackle Will Fries. But the key, so far, has been the superb play of freshman left tackle Rasheed Walker.
Meanwhile, Minnesota averages about 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds per man across their offensive line. They are expert run blockers.
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These two offensive lines will mean everything Saturday.
"It's probably the best offensive line we have played," Franklin said of the Gophers. "They are massive, I mean, massive. ... They have the biggest offensive line I think in the country, college, including the NFL."
Here are three things the Lions must prove in Minnesota to stay undefeated ...
Stuff the run game early
Stopping the run game will probably Penn State defense's biggest challenge yet, considering the size and success of the Gophers' extra-large blockers and this impressive combination of runners.
Senior Rodney Smith is the leader, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and is on the verge of 1,000 yards overall. He's scored seven times. And he's relieved by productive backups. Mohamed Ibrahim and Shannon Brooks have combined to run for 593 yards and seven more touchdowns.
Penn State, meanwhile, is No. 2 nationally in stopping the run.
Who wins this showdown?
The Lions must prevail early to force efficient quarterback Tanner Morgan to throw more than he wants. The Gophers prefer running the ball to make their calculated throws to their big receivers more effective.
If the Lions can cheat on Morgan with their pass rush, this could get out of hand. He is not a runner and his linemen do not appear particularly quick.
Minnesota must be able to run the ball throughout.
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Protect the football, once again
The secret to Penn State's efficiency on offense has been limiting turnovers.
They've needed this while breaking in new running backs, receivers and a quarterback.
So the Lions do not necessarily need to be explosive offensively in Minneapolis. With more strong punting and defense, they simply need to control the ball a bit better and not give it away.
Sean Clifford has been a revelation with his decision-making and not forcing throws. He's been intercepted just three times this season.
Only Ohio State has turned the ball over less than the Lions (7 to 6).
That trend must continue on the road against the confident Gophers. Of note: Safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. already has five interceptions.
Clean up the return game
Big plays are there for the taking.
Though kicking, punting and coverage teams have been special this fall, KJ Hamler's stunning return ability has been wasted at times because of mistakes.
He's already had long kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns called back because of useless penalties.
This would be the finishing piece in the special teams revival — and may even be required for survival down the stretch.
Penn State must stop wasting opportunities.
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