James Franklin knows it’s time for Penn State to get back to doing what works. That’s why, in January, he made the sudden decision to part ways with Kirk Ciarrocca after one season and hire Mike Yurcich to run the offense.

The fast-paced, up-tempo, snap-the-ball-before-this-sentence-ends offense is being reinstalled in State College. Yurcich has been pretty damn successful operating that way over his last eight seasons on the sidelines.

Franklin wasn’t secretive about what he wants to see from the offense this fall after a less-than-stellar run in 2020. Penn State was at the top of the B1G when it operated at lightning-quick speed under Joe Moorhead from 2016-17. That’s what the Nittany Lions want to look like again.

“You know, we’re back to that,” Franklin said during Penn State’s media days early in fall camp. “That’s really kind of who we wanted to be the entire time that we’ve been here.”

Penn State was able to win a B1G title running that offense under Moorhead. It might be able to work its way back into the conversation again with Yurcich. And it may be sooner than anyone thinks.

Bringing Yurcich to State College could be the biggest hire of Franklin’s tenure with the Nittany Lions, one that could have his team back in contention with Ohio State a season after finishing 4-5. If that sounds premature or overly optimistic, just look at the point totals teams are averaging with Yurcich’s hand in the offense (national rank):

  • 2020: Texas — 42.7 ppg (#7)
  • 2019: Ohio State — 46.9 ppg (#3)
  • 2018: Oklahoma State — 38.4 ppg (#13)
  • 2017: Oklahoma State — 45.0 ppg (#4)
  • 2016: Oklahoma State — 38.5 ppg (#17)
  • 2015: Oklahoma State –39.5 ppg (#14)
  • 2014: Oklahoma State — 27.6 ppg (#76)
  • 2013: Oklahoma State — 39.1 ppg (#13)

Seven times over the last eight years, Yurcich’s offenses have ranked No. 17 or better in scoring average. His stop at Ohio State in 2019 resulted in the Buckeyes’ highest average scoring output since 2013 (45.5 ppg). Oh, and some quarterback named Justin Fields threw for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns with just 3 interceptions.

Texas’s 42.7 points per game average in 2020 was the program’s best offensive season since leading the Big 12 in scoring in 2009. Not bad for a new arrival working through a pandemic.

The weight of the bandwagon is increasing before even mentioning why Yurcich is such a good fit at Penn State. Don’t worry, those reasons are coming.

It really starts with the talent on the roster.

“With the athletes we have at receiver and tight end and running back, that was another big part of it,” Franklin said. “Just getting as many guys involved, getting as many guys touches, getting as many guys in space as possible.”

For as much praise as he gets as an aerial guru, Yurcich’s offenses have often relied on a suitable rushing attack. Six times over his eight years, teams under his thumb have hit at least a 170-yards-per-game average on the ground.

Penn State has a running back group that is five strong. Noah Cain, Keyvone Lee, Devyn Ford, Caziah Holmes and Baylor transfer John Lovett make up the deepest backfield in the B1G. Lee was last year’s leading rusher with 438 yards and 4 touchdowns, Cain is expected to be back at full strength and Lovett piled up over 1,800 yards on the ground and scored 17 touchdowns in four seasons with the Bears.

No, there isn’t a Saquon Barkley like Penn State had in 2016 and 2017. Having a backfield that deep has the potential to yield similar results, though.

Yurcich wants to get the ball in the hands of the backs and run them outside the tackles. That should allow a group of quick and elusive ball carriers to make plays in space, rather than constantly log jamming them up the middle.

Franklin would still like to have that arrow in the quiver but doesn’t want that to be the identity of the offense.

“You still want to make sure you have the ability to run with power,” Franklin said. “We want to be able to run in situational football. You want to be able to run the ball when everyone in the stadium knows you have to run the ball. Whether that’s red zone, low yardage or when it’s four-minute offense.”

The other element of Yurcich’s offense is to stretch the field vertically and horizontally. Most of that effort will come through the air. After last season, that might be where Penn State has the biggest concern.

At times during the 2020 season, Sean Clifford didn’t appear to have a handle on the offense. During Penn State’s program-worst 0-5 start, he threw 8 interceptions and accounted for 10 of the team’s 13 turnovers.

Several factors played into Clifford’s early performance last fall, but it could still be summarized with two words: not good.

Clifford has to play better, there’s no argument about that. But he’s already receiving high marks from Yurcich, which is a great starting point after last year.

“Any quarterback that has his demeanor, attitude and willingness to learn understands that, everyday, there’s something more to attain,” Yurcich said. “His ceiling is very high. He can get a lot better, so that’s my job.

“He’s a tremendous leader. Sean is all about helping this team win. He’s willing to do whatever it takes.”

The greatest misconception is that Clifford has to be playing at a Heisman level for Penn State to get back on top. The Nittany Lions don’t have to think back that far to know that’s not necessarily true. When the team was clicking on all cylinders under Moorhead’s system, Trace McSorley wasn’t exactly posting Baker Mayfield numbers.

McSorley finished his career with a completion rate under 60%. His touchdown-to-interception ratio was slightly better than 3-to-1. Two years in as a starter, and Clifford’s hitting targets at a 60% clip and is finding the end zone 2.5 times more than he’s tossing a pick.

The biggest key for Clifford is getting the ball into the hands of the playmakers at receiver — and cutting down on turnovers. That’s exactly Yurcich’s goal, too.

Penn State has one of the top wide receivers returning in the B1G with Jahan Dotson. Last season, he hauled in 52 catches for 884 yards and 8 touchdowns. Parker Washington is a pretty solid No. 2 guy, totaling 489 yards and 6 touchdowns on 36 receptions as a freshman.

More players need to step up as pass-catchers. Whether that be receiver KeAndre Smith-Lambert, tight end Brenton Strange or someone else, more options need to emerge in the passing attack.

Yurcich is also making that a priority.

“Where are we as a receivers group? Not where we need to be. None of them,” Yurcich said. “We have to continue to improve regardless of what last practice was, regardless of what last game’s result was. There has to be a relentless pursuit to improve. It’s a very humbling game. And once you think you’ve arrived…that’s when you get caught from behind.”

Walking into Penn State, Yurcich is addressing all the areas of concern. It’s not just traditional coach-speak, either. Given his history of success, there’s reason to believe the Nittany Lions can rebound in a big way.

When Moorhead took over as the offensive coordinator in State College, Penn State was coming off a 2015 campaign in which it averaged 23.2 points per game. The following year, the Nittany Lions improved that average by 14 points per contest and rode the up-tempo offense all the way to a B1G championship.

Yurcich is inheriting a team that averaged under 30 points per game for the first time since 2015. He had no trouble improving the offenses of Ohio State and Texas in the blink of an eye.

Why can’t it happen at Penn State this year?