Penn State looked more like themselves against USC, but ultimately couldn't overcome a highly efficient USC offense, falling 31-23. That being said, the team performed much better than expected, with the offense looking much improved, albeit against a shaky USC defense. While it certainly won't comfort passionate fans after yet another loss, perhaps signs of better things to come could keep them optimistic. Here is the report card after the loss to the Trojans.
Quarterback: B
This was much more like it from Rocco Becht, as the most experienced QB in the nation started to look the part. Especially early on in the game, Becht settled in nicely rolling out and using all his different weapons in this offense. His chemistry with both Chase Sowell and Andrew Rappleyea
kept Penn State in this game till the very end. He also was very effective on QB sneaks and fourth down as well. That being said, he had a couple of opportunities to come up big in the clutch, and he didn't quite live up to the moment. Still, it looks like he could play a little bit more evenly down the stretch.
Running Backs: D-
While the offense looked much better against the USC defense, this running back unit still looked pretty terrible. They ended up only rushing for 68 yards on 31 carries. The only true positive came from Carson Hansenscoring in his second straight game, but even he only had 28 yards on 14 carries. Either offensicve cooridnator Taylor Mouser can figure out the proper way to find creativity in the run game for this offense, or this group will continue to struggle. That would certainly be a shame for a room that has a lot of talent that doesn't seem to be put to good use.
Receivers and Tight Ends: B+
I was actually pleasantly surprised by the receivers, but not necessarily in the way you would expect. It's quite clear that without Koby Howard, this will be more of a committee approach, but each and every one of these guys stepped up in their own way. Chase Sowell led the unit in yards, but it was Andrew Rappleyea who truly stood out. In short-yardage and red zone situations, it was the redshirt junior who looked to be the difference maker for the Nittany Lions' offense in terms of their ability to punch a couple of touchdowns in the end zone. The goat of the game though, was Brett Eskildsen, who fumbled away a chance at a potential game-tying drive, despite a slight improvement in his play. Hopefully, this group continues their upward trajectory no matter the status of Howard.
Defense: C-
At times, this defense looked opportunistic and timely. But mostly, they just looked a little bit off the pace. While they improved in terms of their run defense, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava sometimes looked way too comfortable operating the offense and threw for 301 yards as a result. That being said, the fact that Trojans running back King Miller was the only effective runner for the Trojans in this game should be encouragement that some parts of D'Anton Lynn's defense are starting to click. Still, it wasn't enough to hold down one of the nation's most prolific offenses.
Special Teams: A
Ryan Barker deserves a lot of credit for keeping Penn State in this thing, converting all three of his field goals. While the Nittany Lions may have wanted more 6-point trips in the red zone than 3-point ones, it's good to know they have a reliable kicker. In other news, Nathan Tiyce was same old, same old and only had to punt three times. Zay Robinson may have been ineffective in the return game, but overall a good day for this unit.
Coaching: C+
Sure, it's another Big Ten loss for Matt Campbell. Still, the Nittany Lions looked much more competent than they did the past two weeks. However, two things still stick out when it comes to Matt Campbell: Penn State's disciplinary issues and fourth-down ambitions. Sometimes, Matt Campbell's decision-making leaves a lot to be desired. While he made some good decisions in terms of fourth-down plays, especially on the first drive, he still hasn't put together a comprehensive coaching performance. Still, he's pretty close.
Overall: C+
There was a lot more passion and improvement from this Penn State squad, but unfortunately, it wasn't another win. As I mentioned, some fans may not like the result, but some fans could look on the bright side and say the Nittany Lions gave a ranked Big Ten opponent a solid game. From here, it will be all about growing into the conference and seeing if Matt Campbell can adapt throughout a Big Ten season amidst adversity.
Up next for Penn State
Penn State's next game will be on the road at Michigan Stadium to take on the Michigan Wolverines on October 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State postgame report card: Grading Nittany Lions vs. USC
