Penn State Football: 3 glaring problems that need to be addressed

2 of 4

Oct 15, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) rushes in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Not big enough?

After the game, James Franklin said to reporters that an issue for Penn State was some positions do not have enough size.

"We got to get bigger. We’re undersized at some spots."

Franklin was most likely aiming this quote at his defensive line, considering he went on to talk about how NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald is the exception and not the rule when it comes to the size of defensive linemen.

On the surface, this sounds a bit crazy. Can a program like Penn State really be undersized on the defensive line?

Looking at Penn State’s defensive tackles, P.J. Mustipher leads the way in terms of size at 6-foot-4 and 318 pounds. No other defensive tackle on the three-deep rotation weighs more than 295 pounds.

For comparison, Michigan has four defensive linemen listed at over 300 pounds and another three over 290 pounds.

So, yes, the Nittany Lions do need to add more size to the defensive line. That will not magically happen before they face Minnesota this upcoming Saturday though. It will take the off-season as Penn State develops and recruits bigger players.

With that said, the size of the defensive line is not the only reason Penn State gave up 418 rushing yards to Michigan. The tackling was subpar and it’s clear that Penn State has some holes at linebacker.

So, Penn State can’t make its players bigger over night, but it can find ways to minimize the impact having smaller players may have. To do that, the Nittany Lions need to stack the box more often, especially this week against run-happy Minnesota.

Additionally, the fastest and most physical players need to be on the field as much as possible. Let’s look at linebacker. It’s obvious that Abdul Carter and Curtis Jacobs are the team’s best linebackers. But because they both play the ‘Will’ position, they are rarely on the field together. That needs to change.

Long term, recruit bigger and develop bigger. For right now, put the best players on the field and have a plan to cover up the deficiencies.

Home/Penn State Football