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Welp. Let’s just go ahead and rip this band aid off already, shall we?
Quarterback: C-
Will Levis’ first start of 2020 was going okay (I suppose) until he fumbled twice in the third quarter, which prompted the inserting of Sean Clifford back into the QB spot. Cliff somehow threw a pair of touchdown strikes on his first two passes of the game before ending with his patented pick-six late in the game.
Running Back: C
Keyvone Lee is starting to emerge as the top guy in this group, as he rushed for an early TD to give PSU fans a brief moment of joy with a 7-3 lead and also caught six passes for 41 yards receiving. Still a big “yikes” to see the running backs have fewer total carries (13) than the QB’s (21).
Wide Receiver: A-
Jahan Dotson continues to put up studly numbers and remains one of the couple of bright spots in this hellscape of a season, as he caught eight balls for 139 yards and a TD. Parker Washington also had a pair of receptions, as well.
Tight End: B
With Pat Freiermuth’s Penn State career now over, it was time for Brenton Strange to step up, which he did with a TD catch. Theo Johnson also saw his most extensive playing time yet, catching a pair of balls himself.
Offensive Line: D
There’s no sugarcoating just how much Iowa kicked PSU’s ass in the trenches on both sides of the ball. At this point, I’m at a complete loss for words to describe the atrociousness of the O-line.
Defensive Line: C-
Yes, they did get a few sacks, but it was when the they had already dug themselves too huge of a hole to climb out of. Jayson Oweh biting hard on a fake toss epitomized the D-line’s play in 2020. Much like the O-line, they also got handled in the trenches.
Linebacker: D
Oooh, ‘member when we all thought ‘Linebacker U’ was back? Yes, I ‘member!
Secondary: D
A trash can, a scarecrow, a mannequin, and one of the numerous cardboard cutout fans sitting in the Beaver Stadium stands could probably cover as well as the PSU secondary right now.
Special Teams: B-
Three of Jordan Stout’s four kickoffs went for touchbacks, so par for the course with him. Stout’s punting was also solid, averaging 45 yards including a long of 52. Placekicking however, wasn’t so hot as Jake Pinegar missed an extra point. Jahan Dotson had a decent 17-yard punt return, but otherwise nothing to note in the return game.