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Penn State Football: Positional report card for Week 5 loss to Ohio State

By Evan Whitmoyer

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 29: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions rushes against Baron Browning #5 of the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 29, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 29: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions rushes against Baron Browning #5 of the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 29, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 29: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes shakes hands with head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions before the game on September 29, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 29: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes shakes hands with head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions before the game on September 29, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Secondary: B-

The most memorable missed tackle came from Tariq Castro-Fields, who was in perfect position to tackle Binjimen Victor but failed to bring him down. Victor scored and brought Ohio State back within a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Garrett Taylor did have an interception off a deflection that he returned for 45 yards, and Haskins did struggle for some of the game to make throws with good coverage and pressure on him in the backfield. Also, some of his receivers simply dropped passes, but the secondary was another unit that could have made a difference by just making one more play.

Coaching: D+

The worst play call of the season was made on fourth down with five yards to go when Miles Sanders carried the ball for negative two yards. A series of timeouts were called, but Penn State simply ran the ball and had the play blown up in the backfield.

Also, Penn State elected to receive the ball in the first half instead of deferring to the second half. They ended up punting the ball on that opening drive, but they did have the momentum until Miles Sanders fumbled the ball with about two minutes to go in the second quarter.

James Franklin and his staff simply got out-coached at the end of the game, but Penn State’s defensive game plan was very effective for the majority of the game. They were slowing down the second-best offense in the country with ease.

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Franklin said in his press conference that Penn State is a great program that lost to an elite Ohio State program. He is no longer satisfied with being great and wants to take that next step towards being elite. Despite a disappointing loss, that is inspiring and something Penn State fans will hope can happen in 2019. Still, that play call with the season on the line?

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