Penn State preview: 5 storylines to monitor as Nittany Lions prepare to start 2022 campaign

Penn State’s football season is just around the corner, with a game looming against Purdue on Thursday in West Lafayette, Ind. Here are five storylines that could be key to success for the Nittany Lions in 2022.

1. Do or die with O-line

Offensive line is the position group that, arguably, has the most potential to elevate or sink the team. It’s no secret that last year (and throughout the James Franklin era) the Nittany Lions struggled up front.

Franklin was notably neutral — cautiously optimistic at absolute best — when he laid out his expectations for the group at the start of camp.

Penn State returns two starters: redshirt junior right tackle Caeden Wallace and redshirt senior center Juice Scruggs.

Redshirt senior Hunter Nourzad, a key transfer portal acquisition out of Cornell who started 20 consecutive games at right tackle, is competing to secure a starter’s gig at right guard.

A pair of younger players, sophomore Olumuyiwa Fashanu and redshirt freshman Landon Tengwell, are key competitors at left tackle and guard, respectively.

2. Year 2 under Mike Yurcich

Offensive coordinator Mike Yurich is entering his second season and has a significant amount of weapons at his disposal.

While the aforementioned group will be key in determining what Penn State can achieve, the left, right and rear of Penn State’s offensive line is flush with talent.

Sixth-year senior quarterback Sean Clifford has been around the block plenty of times and is about as veteran as it gets.

The talented sophomore wide receiver duo of Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith are back, as are tight ends Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson.

Super senior Mitchell Tinsley, a transfer from Western Kentucky who earned All-Conference USA honors last fall, adds a veteran presence to the wide receivers room.

Kevone Lee, in his second year at Penn State, anchors the tailbacks room, while true freshmen Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, former blue-chip recruits, have a chance to contribute, as well.

In short, the Nittany Lions have an experienced signal-caller in Clifford, who has no shortage of talent around him at the skill positions.

Last year, Yurcich’s offense failed to score at least 20 points five times, including a 24-10 loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.

While Penn State was sound through the air (265.8 yards per game, 26th in the nation), the run game (107.8 yards per game, 118th nationally) was less-than-impressive.

There will be a direct correlation between the performance of the Nittany Lions’ offensive line and how effective the ground attack is.

If Penn State aims to have a season more in line with historical standards, it will need to be more balanced offensively.

3. Minimizing slip-ups in September

Whether it’s Franklin, his staff, players or fans alike, collectively speaking, suffice to say that the greater Penn State football ecosystem has been far from pleased by its football team’s performance over the last two years.

After back-to-back underperforming campaigns, the Nittany Lions have aspirations to get back into New Year’s Six bowl contention.

But from the jump, there are significant obstacles on the schedule, namely in September.

The season-opener at Big Ten foe Purdue is by no means a gimme, with the Boilermakers returning several key starters, sixth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell in particular.

While playing Ohio at home in Week 2 isn’t a matchup to fret over, hitting the road for Auburn the following weekend potentially is, as the Tigers received votes in the AP Top 25 and coaches preseason polls.

A Sept. 24 game at Beaver Stadium vs. Central Michigan rounds out the month. The Chippewas come off a nine-win 2021 season and are led by fourth-year sophomore quarterback Daniel Richardson.

Fortune should favor the Nittany Lions in this matchup, but they’d do well not to overlook the Chippewas.

Penn State can’t afford to stub a toe early into the season. If the Nittany Lions stumble out of the gate and enter the remainder of conference play at say, a 2-2 mark, seasonal expectations might wind up being tapered early on.

4. Rushing the quarterback and run defense

In 2021, Penn State was tied for 74th nationally with 27 sacks. Rushing defense was similarly average, as the Nittany Lions allowed nearly 153 yards on the ground per game, which ranked 67th.

However, there is optimism in State College that the team could show a resurgence in the trenches defensively.

Senior defensive tackle PJ Mustipher is back after a season-ending injury sidelined him after six games last fall, while the Nittany Lions’ interior D-line is buttressed by redshirt junior Dvon Ellis, who will aim to play a bigger role in 2022, along with redshirt sophomore Coziah Izzard.

At defensive end, redshirt juniors Nick Tarburton and Smith Vilbert are back, with sophomore Maryland transfer Chop Robinson looking to make an impact, as well.

A pair of highly-regarded freshmen, tackle Zane Durant and end Dani Dennis-Sutton, also bolster Penn State’s depth in the trenches.

While Penn State was solid defensively for much of the season, allowing just over 17 points per game, a more robust pass rush — especially against the numerous opposing veteran quarterbacks set to test first-year coordinator Manny Diaz’s group — would be a plus.

5. Standouts in the secondary: who is capable of stepping up?

Super senior safety Ja’Ayir Brown is among the most veteran and talented returning players on either side of the ball. In 2021, he had six interceptions, the most by a Penn State defender since 2006.

While the Nittany Lions will miss Jaquan Brisker, now with the Chicago Bears, in the defensive backfield, Brown has the ability to be a stabilizing presence for whomever sees the majority of snaps next to him.

On that front, redshirt junior Keaton Ellis, JUCO transfer Tyrece Mills and redshirt freshman Zakee Wheatley are names to watch.

At cornerback, there is a considerable amount of hype surrounding North Allegheny alum and redshirt junior Joey Porter Jr., who started 13 games last fall, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors from the conference’s coaches after a 51-tackle, four-PBU campaign.

Johnny Dixon got his feet wet at corner last year, appearing in 12 games, while fellow junior Marquis Wilson saw action in eight.

Overall, there is plenty of returning talent within the Penn State secondary that in 2021, ranked 23rd nationally with 199.8 yards through the air allowed per game.