It took a lot out of every starter. There was no break in Penn State’s 33-30 win at USC on Saturday. Just a lot of catching up and keeping things close until the final whistle. It was the Nittany Lions’ closest game of the season, which meant tons of playing time for the team’s best players in order to pull out the victory.
Who played and how much? Here’s a breakdown of the snap counts, courtesy of Pro Football Focus, from the win against the Trojans and what they could mean.
Quarterback
Drew Allar – 76
Beau Pribula – 5
There wasn’t an offensive snap without Allar on the field, even if that meant sharing the wealth with his backup, Pribula, there with him. Allar was spectacular, despite three interceptions, this weekend. And much of the credit should go to offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who orchestrated a crafty game plan that proved successful despite a slow start in the first half.
Running back
Nick Singleton – 43
Kaytron Allen – 41
Quinton Martin Jr. – 2
Kotelnicki made the proper adjustments at halftime likely knowing that Penn State wasn’t getting its best out of its two star running backs. Singleton returned from injury, but posted his worst game rushing this year with season-lows of 10 carries and 26 yards for an ugly 2.6 yards per clip. If the Nittany Lions want to beat Ohio State on Nov. 2, the run game has to reawaken.
Wide receiver
Liam Clifford – 58
Harrison Wallace – 52
Julian Fleming – 37
Omari Evans – 17
All four of Penn State’s top wide receivers played a role in Saturday’s win. They were, of course, overshadowed by tight end Tyler Warren’s record-setting performance. But without Omari Evans’ 16-yard reception that set up a touchdown to start the second half or Julian Fleming’s two fourth-down catches that led to a game-tying score late in the fourth quarter, this game potentially could’ve been out of reach.
Tight end
Tyler Warren – 68
Khalil Dinkins – 33
Luke Reynolds – 17
What else is there to say about Warren’s performance? He took snaps at center, quarterback and tight end. It’s possible what he did in that game will never be done again. What is likely to continue, however, is his role as Allar’s top receiving target. So should Kotelnicki’s implementations of three-tight end looks with Dinkins and Reynolds.
Offensive line
Drew Shelton (left tackle) – 76
Nick Dawkins (center) – 76
Vega Ioane (left guard) – 76
Anthony Donkoh (right tackle) – 75
Sal Wormley (right guard) – 63
JB Nelson (right guard) – 13
Cooper Cousins (left guard) – 5
Nolan Rucci (right tackle) – 3
The Trojans brought an aggressive pass rush, but Penn State’s offensive linemen remained sturdy. They allowed just one tackle for loss and no sacks. The game also saw a number of creative formations, such as the snap Warren took at center and the plays in which Ioane was put in motion. Donkoh, who injured his shoulder against the Bruins, played nearly every snap.
Cornerback
Jalen Kimber – 54
A.J. Harris – 47
Cam Miller (slot/traditional) – 32
Zion Tracy (slot/traditional) – 31
Elliot Washington Jr. – 28
This was the first major test for the Nittany Lions’ secondary before facing the Buckeyes. And, for the most part, they performed well. There were, however, some potential pass interferences that could have been called against Miller and Tracy, but weren’t. They can’t expect to get away with those every game, and it’s an area that should be emphasized over the bye week.
Safety
Jaylen Reed – 60
Zakee Wheatley – 58
Dejuan Lane – 2
James Franklin described Reed as a “tough dude from Detroit” postgame, but that didn’t mean his star safety wasn’t caught up in emotions after his game-saving interception ultimately led to overtime and a win. Reed played every snap on Saturday, and Wheatley was close behind, as the duo continued to almost single-handedly lead to the room in the wake of Kevin Winston Jr.’s injury.
Linebacker
Tony Rojas – 49
Kobe King – 42
Dominic DeLuca – 11
Tyler Elsdon – 6
Rojas and King held down the fort as DeLuca, who returned from injury last weekend, remains limited. There were also times when defensive end Abdul Carter moved to linebacker, his traditional position, and other times when he spied USC quarterback Miller Moss from behind the defensive line.
Defensive end
Abdul Carter – 52
Dani Dennis-Sutton – 49
Amin Vanover – 17
Smith Vilbert – 14
Carter played a versatile role and picked up his fourth sack in four games, but the pass rush was not nearly as dynamic as defensive coordinator Tom Allen likely would’ve liked it to be against the Trojans. Remember — this was supposed to be potentially the team’s top overall unit entering the year. After six games, the defensive ends still lack consistency.
Defensive tackle
Zane Durant – 43
Dvon J-Thomas – 35
Alonzo Ford Jr. – 11
Coziah Izzard – 11
Hakeem Beamon – 8
The Nittany Lions entered this game as one of the nation’s top run defenses, allowing only 76.4 rushing yards per game. But in the first half alone, they allowed USC to rush for 147. The defensive line evidently found its footing in the second half, allowing only 42, but this weekend served as the first true disappointment for Durant, J-Thomas and what’s been such a solid interior defensive line.
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