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Penn State Football: Offense looking for quicker start in week one

By Collin Wieder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 3: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions avoids a tackle by Nate Holley #18 of the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium on September 3, 2016 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 3: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions avoids a tackle by Nate Holley #18 of the Kent State Golden Flashes during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium on September 3, 2016 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
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Penn State football won its opener against Kent State 33-13 last year. Despite the win, the offense didn’t play efficient starting early season struggles.

A strong end to the 2016 season has Penn State football fans confident about the upcoming season. There’s a reason to be excited because of the way the offense played well down the stretch. Despite that great finish, it’s the beginning that snagged the 2016 season. Penn State football opens the year against Akron this Saturday, and it would serve them better for a stronger start.

Obviously, teams don’t look clean or perfect in the opener but it’s key for a strong start against Akron. Last year, the team’s offense didn’t struggle necessarily, but it didn’t play efficiently at all times. The Nittany Lions started 2-2 and a lot of that had to do with offensive inconsistencies.

In the opener against Kent State, the team put up 33 points but if you dive deeper it was an average start. Trace McSorley played solid, but he hit just barely over 50 percent of his passes while tossing two touchdowns and zero picks. He added 47 yards on the ground, while Saquon Barkley led the team with 105 rushing yards and one touchdown.

The offense didn’t operate as smooth and that’s partially due to a new quarterback under center. Even with a new scrambling QB, it took time to adjust to its new signal caller. Against Kent State, Penn State compiled 354 yards of total offense, but it came at just over five yards per play.

The decent showing followed with a turnover-prone second game against Pitt. In fact, the offense turned the ball over 10 times during its 2-2 start. The Nittany Lions rolled up yards but undid much of their work with poorly timed turnovers. If Penn State does that this year, they’ll likely be eliminated from College Football Playoff contention.

Penn State’s offense didn’t find its consistent success until game six against Maryland. Up-and-down play against Pitt, Temple, Michigan and Minnesota came with mixed results. Turnovers needed to be cleaned up and Barkley hadn’t found his stride just yet. If they can push open his lanes early, the offense can become a dual threat through the air and on the ground.

Must Read: Previewing Penn State Football’s Early Season Defensive Starters

Akron will have some playmakers, so if the Nittany Lions start slow, it could turn into a game. As long as Penn State shows off the high-powered offense it end the season with last year, it should be fine.

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