10 Questions with Victory Bell Rings about Penn State Football

Penn State had the 3rd lowest Time of Possession in the Big Ten in 2016, is that because of the quick-strike deep shots the offense took?  Does TOP hurt the defense noticeably?

Joe Moorhead’s quick strike offense doesn’t boast a great TOP, but it’s hard to argue the results.  It didn’t bother the defense most of the season either, and it allowed just 25.4 points per game in a 14-game season.

Badger of Honor:

Given the high number of fast-paced offensive teams (much to Brett Bielema’s dismay) obviously schools have figured out how to protect the defense which is on the field a lot.  For one thing, college rosters are huge so you’re less concerned with fatigue since you can rotate in more bodies. That just means you have to be able to play your depth.  One of Wisconsin’s annual strengths on defense is the depth a various positions, especially in the front-seven.  The difference between first and second string just isn’t as wide as you may see at other schools.  Still, the quick-pace schools do know how to play at slower speeds to bleed clock when protecting a lead.  That means using Saquon Barkley to grind down opposing defenses and see the game out.  Given all the firepower on offense, the Penn State defense doesn’t need to dominate.  It just has to keep the Nittany Lions in the game and give the offense as many chances as possible.  A 25.4 points per game average was 8th in the Big Ten.  But when your offense is 3rd in the Big Ten with 37.6 points per game, that takes a lot of pressure off the defense.