I’m bored, I’m looking for some requests for a potential series similar to Charm City Beasts, I wonder what the suggestions are? (Side Voice: DO PENN STATE!) You’re on! Now that I’m attending one of the Penn State campuses this school year, I’ve decided that I want to do a series based on Penn State Football, thank a couple of kids in my Freshman Seminar Class for that suggestion. This series is very similar to Charm City Beasts, a weekly look of behind the scenes actions from the players and coaches based on who they are going to play and how they will prepare for those matchups. Anyways let’s get to the show!
Today on THE PRIDE OF PENN STATE FOOTBALL! A mediocre season and several questions surrounding the structure of the Penn State Football team were discussed over the offseason. In reality a key reason for their 0-5 start last year was due to a majority of their talent opting out thanks to COVID. But despite 2020, the Nittany Lions are looking to return to being a top contender for the BIG10 Title. The optimistic person on the squad was none other than Head Coach James Franklin who made it clear during a bunch of ZOOM calls in the offseason with several University Park radio personalities that this team is one of the best that I’ve coached during my time with Penn State. His defense took the same approach especially after a majority of their underclassmen that opted out last year would be back in 2021. They said that everything we do is for a reason, we came back because we wanted to prove that we are still a good team, and we still have a talented roster.
To open the 2021 season, the Nittany Lions would enter a daunting situation! Not only would they face their kryptonite of teams in the Top 15 on the road they would face another team with massive expectations. Wisconsin. Just like Penn State they have massive chips on their shoulders and following their worst season in almost a decade they are trying to prove their doubters wrong too. With Camp Randall Stadium at a fever pitch everything was back to normal, full capacity crowds, crazy students, and the return of long lasting traditions as well as others. Early in the game this matchup of 2 hungry squads would turn into a defense slaughter. Sean Clifford was getting smacked by the Wisconsin Front 7, Noah Cain having issues finding daylight, not to mention Penn State only gained 43 yards of total offense in the 1st Half with only one 1st Down. (Plus they rarely had the ball) The Lions defense came ready to play. Despite being outweighed by the Badgers O-Line by a combined 55 pounds per player, the Penn State defense was able to keep Chez Mullusi from breaking off a big run. Although Wisconsin got down to the gates of the endzone on numerous occasions in the 1st Half, the Nittany Lions would come up with a massive stop. The 1st time the Badgers got inside the Penn State 10 yard line, they ran 8 plays and couldn’t get in the endzone and had to settle for 3 points. “And it’s BLOCKED! Penn State gets off the field!” Or squander a golden opportunity to score at the goalline. However the Wisconsin defense continued to make Sean Clifford’s life a living hell as he couldn’t find anything deep in the middle of the field. The Badgers took over and proceeded to march down to the Lions 8, looks like we are finally going to have a score in the 1st Half. “Can Penn State do it again? LOSE BALL! THEY FUMBLED THE EXCHANGE AND THE NITTANY LIONS HAVE IT!” Then another massive stop inside the 10 yard line happened and we were still deadlocked at 0-0 entering halftime.
Then James Franklin was going to make sure that his star wideout Jahan Dotson was going to get involved in the 2nd Half. On their first series of the half, Clifford and Co. went right to work. 3 straight completions and a PI call put the ball at the 49 yard line of Wisconsin. I wonder what they will do here? “Play fake, Clifford shuffling, delivers, WIDE OPEN DOTSON! TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE!” Just what the doctor ordered, they went right towards the middle of the field and executed a deep bomb to perfection. Now it was time to see if their opponents could answer? And they did! The Badgers took the ball and ran it down the throats of the vaunted Penn State D. Even with Jaquan Brisker playing through cramps throughout the 2nd Half the game is immediately tied thanks to a touchdown run by Mullusi. But James Franklin is a gambler when it comes to taking shots right after an opposing team gains momentum. Shortly afterwards they chucked one towards KeAndre Lambert Smith and he hauled in the long pass resulting in a 52 yard gain. However the drive stalled and they were forced to settle for a 23 yard chip shot by Jordan Stout. “OH and he missed it! Wide Right! 7 Up!” Graham Mertz and the Badgers took advantage of the missed kick and converted a successful one of their own. Then like they had done during the previous 2 drives, Penn State answered with a big play but this time it was a 34 yard run by Noah Cain. However they got down to the 10 only to be stopped on a 3rd down leading to Stout field goal and a 10-10 tie. The defense then forced a quick 3 and out thus giving Clifford a chance to pick apart the Wisconsin secondary again. The result is another long pass to Dotson getting the ball down to the 21. And then Cain was able to punch it in from a yard out to give Penn State the lead again. Jordan Stout then mouth functioned and missed the extra point! Dude seriously stop it! The Badgers went into chew clock mode and ran the ball down the field. They didn’t pull off long runs but they were solid runs. Plus the occasional 3rd Down conversion through the air. Then Wisconsin got a dose of REFBALL in their favor since Ellis Brooks was called for targeting Mertz via a helmet to helmet hit. Thus ejecting Penn State’s leading tackler from the game. The Badgers got down to the PSU 1 only to be pushed back thanks to a false start penalty. For 3 plays they could not reach the endzone, on 4th Down they would go for the quick read. “Sophomore Quarterback, drops back, floats it in ENDZONE! AND IT’S INTERCEPTED! BRISKER! WOAH! BRISKER! WHAT A GAME! PENN STATE DEFENSE!” What a stop by this relentless group of young defenders and game changing talents. Even if Penn State failed to run out the clock they still can stop them again. With James Franklin playing prevent defense the entire possession, Wisconsin gets down the field in no time. However thanks to an intentional grounding call and 10 second runoff the Badgers have one last chance at victory. Then Ja’Ayir Brown KO’ed their comeback hopes! HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!!! Picked off AGAIN! Ballgame! (Look at James Franklin’s reaction on the sidelines)
For the 1st time in his coaching career Coach Franklin has beaten a Top 15 team on the road. Going into Camp Randall Stadium on Opening Weekend with that environment should have resulted in a loss. Instead the Nittany Lions proved why they once again belong in the discussion as the team to beat in the BIG10. “They were willed up” according to several Penn State assistants. “The energy they had for each other was something that makes a team stronger as the season goes on.” Jaquan Brisker said after the game that “I knew they were going to run a TE vertical on that 4th Down because they ran that a few times earlier in the game. I saw Mertz throw it at me and I was in the right place at the right time.” This is the kind of team that has the ability to make some noise this season with the amount of talent they have on the roster once again. Now with a 4 game homestand coming up including the Whiteout game against Auburn things are going to be fun in Happy Valley this fall. All of that and more coming up on the Pride of PSU Football. WE ARE PENN STATE!
Bragging Rights Sports 