Penn State Football: Grading the Nittany Lions Through Five Games
By Eric Sion
Sep 13, 2014; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) throws a pass during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Penn State Nittany Lions defeat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Quarterback
Despite losing top target Allen Robinson, there were still high expectations for Christian Hackenberg coming into the season. The true sophomore has a fantastic group of tight ends to throw to, as well as a talented group of young and up-and-coming wide receivers.
Hackenberg came up huge in the wins against UCF and Rutgers. He engineered game-winning drives in both contests, making clutch plays with his feet and his arm.
Sure he struggled in the loss to Northwestern, but some of that performance wasn’t his fault. The lack of touchdowns and stupid interceptions brought Hackenberg’s grade down a bit, but people have to remember that he’s still adjusting to a new playbook and he’s working with a mediocre offensive line.