Penn State Football: keys to success for the Nittany Lions against Michigan

Today, Penn State Football will take their undefeated record into Ann Arbor for a top 10 showdown against also unbeaten Michigan.

To win these types of matchups, you of course need to play well in all phases and in all facets of the game, but there are always some that stick out a little more than others based on what the opposition does well and what they don’t do so well.

Today is no exception, so here are five keys to success for Penn State Football as they take on Michigan on Saturday afternoon.

Key to success on offense #1 – play quick on offense

This first key to success is twofold.

First, Mike Yurcich should look to go up-tempo from time to time throughout the game, as Indiana had some success doing so last week against the Wolverines. Even if they’re not always running a play right away, hurrying to the line of scrimmage after a big run or a completion and not allowing the defense to substitute could prove to be successful.

The second part of this is that Sean Clifford needs to get the ball out quick. Michigan has recorded 22 sacks already on the season which is tied for fifth nationally. Even though Penn State’s offensive line has improved, Clifford holding onto the ball too long is a recipe for disaster in this one.

It’ll be important of course for Clifford not to rush throws, but he also needs to have a good sense of when and where pressure is coming from and either a) try to scramble for positive yards if there’s a lane, or b) get outside the tackle box and throw it away. Incompletions aren’t necessarily ideal, but they’re far better than taking sacks or throwing interceptions.

Short, quick passes will be key for the passing game in this one. Get the ball into the hands of your playmakers and let them do their thing. The more success you have doing that, the less likely you are to have to push the ball downfield late in the game.