It's tough to know exactly where Penn State stands as a top team in America after week 1, but I am a firm believer that what I saw this past Saturday was one of the most exciting teams that I've seen from a Penn State team perspective.
It's impossible to play a perfect game, but yesterday, from a statistical and emotional standpoint, was pretty close. In fact if you wanted to pick the best performance by any team in the country, it would be hard pressed to say there was a better one than what Penn State displayed in their opener.
Idaho clearly was not anywhere near Penn State's level, but I wouldn't necessarily put them as worse than Middle Tennessee State or Florida Atlantic. It's your typical cup cake starter game, one that hopes to establish momentum and really get an easy win. There are pros and cons to these games that I don't want to get into, but for our purposes, let's assume that it is what it is. An opportunity to play a team that we think might run some similar offensive and defensive schemes that our other opponents might employ.
However, what Penn State did yesterday is almost to a tee what you want to have happen in one of these games.
Let's start with the offensive line play. While not perfect, it was certainly the most complete and dominant game that I've seen ANY Penn State line play. It's only one game but you have to give the lions share of the game to the offensive line. They gave up zero sacks. They help deliver creases and holes that allowed for big time runs by multiple backs. While Devyn Ford will get the statistical credit in the paper, I would like to point out that his electric 81 yard run was successful due to a huge hole opened up by a strong double team by the center and guard and the tackle locking out the edge.
The quarterback position was the one that for most fans held the most interest. Sean Clifford has been talked about as someone that has been impressive at practice but a player that fans have had smaller exposure to. Will Levis would be getting his first real game experience. While I wouldn't describe either of there numbers as incredible, I did think this game showcased what they were good at. Both can run and are willing to do so, and both are willing to take shots down the field while still taking care of the football. There were zero turnovers from the quarterback position.
The receiving core and backs were at times electric and for the most part efficient. I didn't see many drops, and I thought the effort to maximize plays was there. It's clear that overall, this team might be as explosive as any team before it. There is speed and play making talent across the entire spectrum.
But what I really loved about this game for the offense came at the very end. When Nick Eury went legend mode and ran six times, for 44 yards and scored a touchdown.
Eury is a redshirt junior, a kid that earned his spot as a preferred walk-on and by all accounts a little bit behind the other four running backs in the room that played Saturday. He is the underdog that every team needs to keep them grounded, keep them glued. Because sometimes it's that spirit of the underdog that helps create championship habits.
I was enthralled to see the support of the team being constant. When Pat Friarmeuth went down after a hard collision, he had two teammates there to pick him up and walk with him back to the sideline. As the starters left the field they remained engaged, looking on as their replacements got opportunities to shine as well.
After Brandon Smith delivered a hard hit late in the fourth quarter that will be shown on multiple highlight reels, I saw Franklin pull him aside and coach about why it's important to wrap and to avoid tackling with just a shoulder as he was then put under review for targeting.
I imagine while Franklin loves the enthusiasm and the ability to hit hard, he doesn't want to have his linebackers suspended or thrown out of a game.
To me, this team may have it all. In addition to being physically one of the most gifted teams in recent memory, they seem to have the enthusiasm, camaraderie, drive, and discipline to reach those ultimate goals.
In order to do that, they need to continue to keep pushing each other and striving to do even better this next week against Buffalo. If want to play and beat Michigan, Ohio State or Clemson and Alabama, then they have to push on a Tuesdays and Wednesday of Buffalo week to keep making sure they're prepared and ready when that moment comes.
I'm not saying after one game, that this is the best Penn State team of all-time. I'm not saying this team is even better than last years team. But I am saying from a day 1 first impression of Penn State football in 2019, I have not seen a team since the early 1990's look that dominant.
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