Penn State
Report
Game balls
OFFENSE
RB Jon Hilliman
Boston College
Few teams ran for as many yards as the Eagles freshman did on Saturday, breaking through for 147 yards and the two longest runs Penn State has allowed this season, a 49-yarder and a 44-yarder, both in the first quarter.
DEFENSE
OLB Nyeem Wartman
Penn State
The sophomore from Valley View was all over the field, leading Penn State with 11 tackles and setting the tone for a defense that relied on big plays, not necessarily a series of small ones, to keep the game close.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Sam Ficken, Penn State
He drilled a 44-yard field goal to tie the game with 25 seconds left, then hit the game-winning extra point in overtime. Quite an end to a career filled with ups and downs.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
QB Christian Hackenberg
Penn State
Hackenberg threw for 371 yards, threw three touchdown passes and led a game-tying drive capped by Sam Ficken’s 44-yard field goal. Better yet, he didn’t turn the ball over. May have been Hackenberg’s best game of the season, all around.
Report card
Quarterback: He wasn’t perfect, but that was as close to a complete effort as Christian Hackenberg has had all season. He completed 34-of-50 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns. His numbers would have been better had it not been for a few drops, and he responded brilliantly when the coaching staff put the game on his shoulders late. GRADE: A+
Running back: There wasn’t much that could be done behind an offensive line struggling against a very veteran, sound defense. But Akeel Lynch came through with the big 35-yard run that set up the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. Would still think you’d see more from Belton in the passing game though.GRADE: B-
Receiver: Kind of a bizarre game for Penn State, which had the passing game working. Chris Godwin had a career high with seven catches, including a 72-yard touchdown, and Eugene Lewis came on when PSU needed some big plays in the third quarter. Still, too many drops, as a whole. But three wideouts had big moments, including DaeSean Hamilton, with six catches and a score. GRADE: B
Offensive line: Protection of Hackenberg was acceptable, all things considered. But C Angelo Mangiro struggled with some snaps, there were some pre-snap penalties and this group couldn’t get a run game going even before LG Miles Dieffenbach left with an injury. Another so-so performance, at best GRADE: C-
Defensive line: Against a veteran offensive line certainly in the argument as the best it has faced all season, the front four held its own. Anthony Zettel was the real story, having a monster game. GRADE: B+
Linebacker: Brandon Bell somehow got caught out of position on a few long BC runs, but and Mike Hull was strangely quiet for most of the game. But Nyeem Wartman was not. The Valley View grad led Penn State with 11 tackles, and established himself as one of the better three-down linebackers in the Big Ten. GRADE: C+
Secondary: Jordan Lucas didn’t start, but he was a force against the run — and in spying QB Tyler Murphy — in the second half. Ditto the other CB, Trevor Williams. Not that there was much expected from the Boston College pass game, but the secondary was key in shutting it down. Murphy’s longest pass was a 19-yard completion. GRADE: A-
Special teams: Penn State really struggled here in the first half, losing the field position battle and giving up a long return to Myles Willis that set up a Boston College score at the start of the second half. They have to get better here. GRADE: D+
Coaching: The offensive staff deserves a hat tip, because they kept PSU in the game. With a clearly healthier Hackenberg, the Lions took some chances up field and stretched the field enough to get the offense going. They did what they had to do to stay in the game. The surprising thing is the defense lost the battle against the offensive line in the run game. GRADE: C+