Penn State First Half Rush Defense
Penn State has started the season 4-0 and has a chance to make a season-defining statement this weekend against No. 4 Ohio State. For the Nittany Lions to leave the Beaver Stadium playing field with an unblemished record, they are going to have to find a way to slow down the opposing team’s rushing attack.
Once again the Penn State rush defense found itself being gouged in the first half at Illinois. They allowed 174 rushing yards in the first half alone (245 total rushing yards). Currently, the Nittany Lions rank 11th in the Big Ten in team rush defense allowing an eye-popping 172.50 yards per game. That is an unsustainable rate for a team that has conference and potentially national title aspirations.
Penn State has been able to make subtle adjustments at halftime to limit the opposition. Still, if the defense can’t make corrections on the fly, Ohio State’s scintillating duo of Mike Weber and JK Dobbins will bludgeon them. Undoubtedly Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry is stressing gap assignments and sure-tackling this week in practice.
The Nittany Lions must limit Ohio State’s big-play capabilities, especially the big runs. In the first half against Illinois, they struggled doing so and it allowed the Illini to stay in the game longer than most would have liked.