Penn State Football: Grades vs Kentucky

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ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Lynn Bowden Jr. #1 of the Kentucky Wildcats runs for a first down after catching a pass against Jan Johnson #36 of the Penn State Nittany Lions in the third quarter of the VRBO Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 1, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Linebackers

The linebackers have been a weakness for Penn State all season, but brighter days are certainly ahead for this positional unit. In this game, obviously they’re also liable for letting Benny Snell run wild, especially at the end of the game.

However, I continue to be impressed with Micah Parsons, who led Penn State in tackles this season with 82 despite never starting a game. Considering he’s a true freshman, it sure looks like Parsons has the potential to turn into an all-time great for Penn State. He led Penn State with 13 tackles vs. Kentucky.

Jan Johnson chipped into the effort with six tackles, while Cam Brown and Ellis Brooks had three. Brown was ejected in the second half due to a targeting penalty, meaning he’ll miss the first half of next season’s opening game.

In the 2019 season, look to see five star recruit Brandon Smith in the rotation at linebacker, as he’ll be a true freshman next season.

Grade: C+

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