3. Brenton Strange, Tight End
During Penn State’s offseason, there was talk of offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s offense making a lot of use of the tight ends. Through Penn State’s first two games, the unit was not much of a factor. Against Auburn the tight ends showed up, led by Brenton Strange.
The redshirt sophomore out of West Virginia showed up in a big way Saturday night. Strange posted four receptions for 71 yards, his longest catch a 40-yard rumble setting up the Nittany Lions final touchdown of the night. His receptions, yards, and longest catch were all career highs for Strange.
He also caught a touchdown late in the first half, helping the Nittany Lions take the lead for good. This was after a 14-play 91-yard drive, Penn State’s longest drive of the young season.
Yurcich utilized all three tight ends against Auburn. Theo Johnson had a catch for 37 yards. Tyler Warren had a catch for 22 yards and took a direct snap two yards over the top for a goal-line touchdown. When Penn State used the three tight end set and ran the ball, they usually found success through the heart of the Auburn defense.
Strange had a career night for the Nittany Lions. We should expect to see more of him and the rest of his unit as the season progresses.