A late resurrection to beat Indiana? 3 things we learned about Penn State football
STATE COLLEGE − Two long pass plays should live with this Penn State football defense for quite a while.
If there was ever a time when one of the nation's top units needed to pick up its team ...
The Nittany Lions were back at home ... coming off an emotionally-gutting defeat ... playing a pedestrian opponent.
And this defense, ranked No. 1 nationally in total yards allowed and sacks promptly, inexplicably, yielded not just one momentum-crushing long touchdown to the previously collapsing Indiana Hoosiers, but two.
Then, later, a third.
Of all things, the one thing Penn State could always count on this season ...
It was this kind of tedious, cursing-induced kind of day for the Penn State faithful who came out to Beaver Stadium to witness this 33-24 struggle-of-a-victory.
Here are three things we learned about the suddenly shaky Nittany Lions:
Defensive failure: No pass rush, no pressure
The numbers were hard to comprehend.
How could an opposing quarterback from Indiana, one who couldn't even hold onto the starting position this season, complete just a dozen pass through three-plus quarters − and yet produce this: 263 yards, three touchdowns and an entire nerves-jangling stadium crowd.
That's what someone named Brendan Sorsby did to this Penn State defense that had been so deep, fast and suffocating through seven games.
Without star pass rusher Chop Robinson, the Lions created little pass rush on a suspect front. They needed cornerback blitzes to produce their only sacks through three quarters. They earned just three tackles for loss against a average-at-best line of blockers.
They mysteriously could not find ways to turn back a 2-5 offense.
Drew Allar, PSU pass game treads water until ...
The Ohio State game was the worst collegiate performance, by far, for first-year starting QB Drew Allar. His mechanics took a step back, routinely throwing off his back foot and not following through on passes.
He threw one incompletion after another.
Saturday was not much better against a much weaker defense.
Allar was 18-of-27 for just 146 yards and could not find any receivers downfield, once more. Often, Allar scrambled around the pocket, desperately looking to track down any type of open target.
He was sacked three times and threw a handful of other passes away.
He threw his first interception of his career that led to the tying points late.
Redemption? Allar, to his credit, hung in there impressively and lofted a wondrous pass down the right side that KeAndre Lambert-Smith turned into a 57-yard touchdown with 1:46 left.
Penn State special teams continues to star
Australian punter Riley Thompson just keeps getting better − and when needed more than ever.
The transfer averaged 49 yards on six more punts with two downed inside the 20. The Hoosiers' dangerous return game earned next to nothing all day.
The return game sparked again − and nearly earned much more. Nick Singleton returned a kickoff 50 yards and was one broken tackle away from a touchdown.
Earlier, new punt returner Daequan Hardy did take one back all the way, a stunning show of cuts and weaves freeing him for the score. But it was called back by a block-in-the-back penalty.
What PSU needs now: 4 things Penn State football must do to recover, rev in time for Michigan
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football vs. Indiana: Drew Allar to KeAndre Lamber-Smith
