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Run game a major focus for Penn State this spring
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Penn State’s poor rushing attack in 2021 has been discussed ad nauseum. The Nittany Lions finished last season with a disappointing 7-6 record largely because of the inability to pick up yardage on the ground.
This spring, head coach James Franklin, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and the rest of the staff is making it a priority.
“They’re building a lot of confidence in this run game. I like it,” running back Keyvone Lee said, per Audrey Snyder of The Athletic. “We have a lot to prove and I can’t wait to prove the doubters wrong.”
PSU is emphasizing running the ball this spring, Keyvone Lee said. "They're building a lot of confidence in this run game. I like it." Said PSU has worked on running the ball on 4th & short and even 3rd & long. "We have a lot to prove and I can't wait to prove the doubters wrong"
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) April 19, 2022
Penn State owned the B1G’s 13th-ranked rushing attack, averaging just 108 yards per game on the ground. That number ranked 118th out of 130 teams on the national level. It was a far cry from what the Nittany Lions hoped to be able to do through the run game.
None of Penn State’s ball carriers finished the year with a 100-yard game in 13 contests last season. The offensive line’s woes were a major concern in many games last year.
“Any fault of the run game is a fault of mine because I’m the offensive coordinator,” Yurcich said earlier this spring.
Penn State’s spring game is scheduled for Saturday, April 23. We’ll see how much the run game has improved through the 14 practices earlier this spring.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB