Penn State has so many problems right now that it has to be difficult for head coach Matt Campbell to decide where to start trying to solve them. At least after the Week 4 loss to Wisconsin, Campbell could feel good about D’Anton Lynn’s defense, but after giving up 500 yards and 400 on the ground in Friday night’s 34-13 loss to Northwestern, even that side of the ball is in crisis mode.
Offensively, without star wide receiver Koby Howard, Penn State can’t get anyone open downfield, and when offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser does scheme someone open, Rocco Becht has rarely been hitting them. Then there’s the putrid run game, which managed 48 yards on 22 carries at Ryan Field.
The group that has the largest impact on both the pass and run game is the offensive line. And if Campbell is ready to tinker, he should start with a change, particularly at center.
Matt Campbell should consider starting Vaea Ikakoula over Brock Riker in Week 6
Texas State transfer Brock Riker was an All-Sun Belt performer last season at just 275 pounds. To hang in the Big Ten after transferring to Penn State, however, he put on about 30 pounds in one offseason, and he looks like a player still adjusting to his new body and the increased level of competition.
Riker allowed four pressures on Friday night and has given up seven pressures across his two games in Big Ten play. Against Northwestern, Penn State only attempted three runs to the A-gaps on either side of Riker and managed just six yards. Now, it’s not as though Penn State is running the ball well anywhere, directionally, but Riker is failing to get the push he needs on the interior.
Riker isn’t the only one. Trevor Buhr has been questionable at left guard, and first-year starter Cooper Cousins had his worst game at right guard on Friday night. But Riker has probably been the most glaring weakness on the line and has the most ready-made replacement in Vaea Ikakoula.
The redshirt freshman Iowa State transfer from Hawaii played 52 snaps against Buffalo when Riker was banged up with an injury. While it was Buffalo and he wasn’t necessarily dominant, he acquitted himself fairly well. Enough to convince Campbell and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton to give him the start against USC in Week 6.
It can’t get much worse for this offense, and there aren’t many other positions to start making changes to.
Penn State doesn’t have many answers without Koby Howard
Howard is game-altering player for Penn State’s offense. He forced the defense to respect the vertical threat and explosive passing game in a way that nobody else on this roster can. Brett Eskildsen has been brutal on the outside the last two weeks, but is true freshman Amarion Jackson or fellow Iowa State transfer Karon Brookins going to meaningfully change the outcome for this passing game? Probably not.
Mouser and wide receiver coach Kashif Moore have already begun to try Zay Robinson out the outside, which was unexpected for a player who looked to be slot-only at 5-foot-11. The tight end room is deep, but well settled into its roles, and while a QB change should be on the table at some point, making it heading into the toughest part of the schedule with USC and Michigan up next would be a bit too reactionary and would likely set up Alex Manske to fail.
There’s no offensive change that Campbell and Mouser shouldn’t consider right now. In terms of being ready to make changes, they should start up front because that has the biggest chance of materially impacting the entire offense.
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