3 questions Penn State answered in shutout Week 1 win vs. Marshall

No. 18 Penn State football dominated in its 45-0 win over Marshall Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions scored on seven drives while kicking the Thundering Herd off the field in a timely manner 11 times.

The only time Marshall had a scoring opportunity was on a field goal attempt with seconds left of the first half. A well-timed timeout by head coach Matt Campbell negated the first attempt that went through the uprights. Jorge Diaz Nicholas' second attempt from 52 yards was no good as it floated far right.

Needless to say, it was an excellent start to Campbell's first season in Happy Valley. After a spring season and fall camp that earned a ton of praise from the coaching staff, Penn State was finally in action and these three questions were answered in Week 1.

3.) Is the wide receiver room actually reliable?

The tight end room may be the favorite target of quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Alex Manske, but it were the wide receivers on Saturday with a lot more to prove. Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said earlier in the week that he believes he has six wide receivers on the roster he trusts to take snaps on gameday.

It's one thing to say there are six wide receivers that could realistically step up when their number is called, and it's another to see it in action. Koby Howard, Brett Eskildsen, Zay Robinson, and Chase Sowell combined for 281 total receiving yards of the Nittany Lions' total 324 on the afternoon. An additional 18 were from wideouts Amarion Jackson and Karon Brookins combined as well.

Sowell got Penn State off on the right foot and caught the first two completed passes of the afternoon for a 33-yard total. Both plays helped start off scoring drives, one for a field goal and another for a touchdown. Howard put the period at the end of that second drive as Becht targeted him down the middle and the sophomore was off the house for a 42-yard touchdown.

Three of the Nittany Lions' four receiving touchdowns were from wide receivers, actually. Eskildsen caught a 25-yard pass at the end of the first quarter, and Robinson had a 39-yard reception for a score as well in addition to Howard's opening score.

Putting points on the board is exactly what Penn State needs out of its wide receivers, but overall production is key. Becht has to trust that this room is reliable, and it's clear from Week 1 that he does.

In addition to the work done on offense, Robinson showed his usefulness as a special teamer as a returner. He returned one kick for 34 yards and three punts for 41 yards. When competition heats up farther into the season, if Robinson isn't logging that many snaps on offense, the Nittany Lions already have him in a consistent role on special teams.

2.) How will Caleb Bacon adapt to his new role at end?

Bacon transferred to Penn State as a linebacker, the position he played the last four seasons. He totaled 131 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles in 36 games.

Now as a Nittany Lion, he might not be in the same role, but expect the same production and impact.

The staff moved Bacon over to defensive end, which is already looking like a smart move. Penn State's linebacker room is stacked, and in order to get all of that talent on the field, it was time to take advantage of Bacon's versatility.

Against Marshall, Bacon had the second-most tackles (six), three tackles for loss, and one sack. He was all over Marshall's offense, blew up nearly every play in the first half, put a ton of pressure on quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, and put his skill set to use in various ways, including at the second level in pass coverage at times. Bacon had a monster performance, especially in those first two quarters.

1.) Was Matt Campbell the right fit for Penn State?

It may be a little hasty to say this based on one performance, but there was a new energy in Happy Valley that even the viewers from home could see. Campbell has emphasized doing things the right way, and that's exactly what the Nittany Lions did on Saturday.

Campbell was composed and made smart decisions on the sideline, including that first half timeout that kept Marshall scoreless. His trust in his leadership on the roster and talent all across the depth chart was evident.

The last time a first-time Penn State head coach shutout a team in their debut was Rip Engle in 1950 over West Virginia. While there were stars out there on Saturday, for sure, Campbell and his Nittany Lions wouldn't have repeated history if the whole team didn't show up. That includes the backups and third-string players stepping up when called upon, keeping the offense rolling as much as possible and keeping the Thundering Herds at bay when the ball was in their hands.

Every week might not have star-studded, morally-high performances from Penn State, but coming out of the gate hot at home proves Campbell is the perfect fit. The culture he's instilled was on display right there alongside talent.

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