Penn State Football: Grades versus Rutgers
By Dylan Burd
Running Backs
Against a team that was allowing 230 rushing yards per game (outside the top-100 in the FBS), you would have thought that Penn State would dominate on the ground, and that just didn’t happen.
Miles Sanders rushed for 88 yards on 27 carries against Rutgers and averaged only 3.3 yards per carry. That was disappointing after a dominant performance against Wisconsin a week ago. However, I wouldn’t pin this all on Sanders because Penn State’s offensive line didn’t have a good day at all.
What’s concerning about Miles Sanders is that he fumbled again against Rutgers, which makes this is third fumble lost of the season. Sanders also played a role in a fumble vsersus Wisconsin that was credited to the team. He’s had ball security issues this season, and that’s never good, especially when your time as a starting running back follows someone who barely fumbled the ball, Saquon Barkley.
In the passing game, Miles Sanders caught four passes for only two yards. True freshman running back Ricky Slade also chipped into the effort in this game with two carries for ten yards.
Overall, in a game where you expected Penn State to run for 300 yards, they only ran for 139, and the running backs only ran for 98 of those yards and had a fumble. That’s not what you want to see vs. Rutgers.