Penn State’s offense has struggled to stretch the field vertically this season, and the downfield passing game has only become more futile after Drew Allar’s season-ending injury. In the last two games against Iowa and Ohio State, the Nittany Lions only completed one pass over 20 yards. Backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer is averaging just 4.25 yards per completion.
The Nittany Lion passing game over the past two weeks has mostly been limited to screens and short passing concepts. While the strategy helps keep plays simple for a young quarterback like Grunkemeyer, it also makes the plays predictable for opposing defenses. Interim head coach Terry Smith said he’s talking with the offensive staff about moving the ball more vertically, rather than horizontally.
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“We have to develop the play-action, we have to develop the intermediate game, which is that 12- to 18-yard range, and just take more shots there,” Smith said during Monday’s press conference. “And then obviously you got to take selective five, six, seven shots vertically down the field. I have to get it fixed. We will throw the ball down the field this week.”
Smith made similar remarks last week leading into the Ohio State game, stating that he told offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, “we don’t want to throw the ball so much horizontally, but we want to throw it vertically.”
Penn State’s passing offense has been criticized for several seasons now. It started with a call for the Nittany Lions to get more talented wide receivers via the transfer portal, which they did by adding Kyron Hudson, Trebor Peña and Devonte Ross. Those players have shown flashes, but they haven’t been a consistent solution. Now, the focus has shifted more toward the play-calling and specific personnel usage.
Apr 26, 2025; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Koby Howard (3) runs with the ball during the first quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The White team defeated the Blue team 10-8. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
One player who’s shown potential this season is true freshman Koby Howard, who had the team’s longest receptions both against Iowa (14 yards) and Ohio State (26 yards). Smith said Howard has earned opportunities to play, but he explained it’s not that simple with younger players.
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“The challenge with any young player, especially freshmen, is learning the system completely,” Smith said. “You know, we have tons of plays with a ton of different options off each particular play, so a lot of times with young receivers they may run routes short or they are not quite where they’re supposed to be where the quarterback wants them. So a lot of times the coach doesn’t have confidence to put them in because they may make that mental error.”
Smith said the staff has to do a good job of teaching players like Howard and getting them up to speed so they can be a part of more plays. It’s also a matter of scheme fits — the offense is designed with certain players in mind, such as Peña, who catches several screen passes and jet sweeps in a game. Howard doesn’t necessarily have that niche in the playbook, so it’s up to Kotelnicki and the offensive staff to find ways to use his skill set.
“It’s my job to make sure it gets changed,” Smith said about the passing game. “It will get changed this week.”
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Smith: Penn State will ‘throw the ball downfield’ against Indiana
