Penn State Football vs Illinois: Nittany Lions’ Reasons for Optimism, and Worry
By Nick Kreiser
Penn State Football hosts Illinois Saturday at Beaver Stadium, and while the Nittany Lions are heavily favored, there are still some causes for concern.
There is some clarity for Penn State Football at the quarterback position now, but it is still a question mark for Saturday against Illinois.
Also, there is not much that the Illini do very well, but one thing that they do well, does not match up well with something that the Nittany Lions struggle with.
Fortunately though, Penn State has a clear advantage at most places on the field, including in the secondary and at wide receiver.
These are the causes for concern for the Nittany Lions for the Illinois game, as well as why fans should ultimately remain optimistic that they will get the job done.
Reason for Optimism – Penn State Football’s Wide Receivers vs Illinois’ Secondary
Illinois’ secondary is not great.
And the Illini defense backs are certainly outmatched in terms of athleticism and talent compared to Penn State Football’s top three wideouts.
This is where the Illini stand from a statistical standpoint in pass defense;
- 8.1 yards per pass attempt allowed (last in the Big Ten)
- 11 total passing touchdowns allowed (second last in the Big Ten)
- 64.2% opponent’s completion percentage (third last in the Big Ten)
The Nittany Lions’ receivers will certainly be able to get open, especially against Illinois’ man coverage.
Obviously it will depend a little bit about who ultimately winds up playing quarterback for the Nittany Lions this weekend, but at the end of the day, it should not matter very much against this Illinois defense.
Plus, Mike Yurcich has loved to run screen passes so far this season, and the Illini secondary struggles to make tackles in the open field, which is a plus for Penn State. The wide receivers will be able to pick up a lot of yards after the catch, especially Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington.
Penn State Football’s talented group of wide receivers will be able to make plays against Illinois’ secondary and help lead this team to a win, regardless of who is at quarterback.