Penn State finds success with rotation of wide receivers

Penn State’s passing game took a major step in the right direction against Michigan State.

Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ 42-0 victory over the Spartans at Ford Field on Friday night. Allar has 23 touchdown passes and has only been intercepted once in 12 games.

Allen’s signature throw occurred midway through the third quarter, a 60-yard heave to second-year wideout Omari Evans that positioned Penn State at the Spartans’ 2.

Two plays later, backup quarterback Beau Pribula scored on a 2-yard run to extend PSU’s lead to 28-0.

“Yes, I was really glad I was able to showcase my speed,” Evans said afterward.

“I was thinking, ‘I gotta catch this.’ I was really falling (down) before (the catch), so I just wanted to catch the ball. I really wanted the touchdown, too.

“At least Beau got the touchdown.”

Evans, a standout in the spring game, has receptions of 60 and 25 yards in Penn State’s last two games. He has just four catches for the year, though.

Penn State used a rotation of Evans, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Dante Cephas, Malick Meiga, Malik McClain and Liam Clifford against Michigan State. Ten different Lions caught passes.

Pribula completed both of his attempts for 11 yards, including an 8-yard scoring throw to tight end Tyler Warren early in the third quarter.

Since moving on from offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich a day after Penn State’s 24-15 loss to Michigan at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 11, James Franklin said he and his offensive assistants have emphasized a rotation at the wideout position.

“I think there’s some talent there,” Franklin said Friday when asked about PSU’s wide receiver group.

“I think sometimes as coaches, you focus on things that guys can’t do, rather than saying, ‘OK, here’s something that this guy does really well. Let’s allow him to use that’.”

It’s also worth noting that Lambert-Smith, who had been the Lions’ top option at wideout for much of the season, has just two catches for 28 yards in Penn State’s last three games.

“I think the biggest thing is, we’ve got some guys that I think, can really do some good things,” Franklin said.

“We have played to their strengths. We’ve focused on the things that they can do.”