5 things to watch in Saturday’s Cotton Bowl between Penn State and Memphis
The No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) are set to take on the Memphis Tigers (12-1) at noon Saturday (ESPN) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Here are five things you should keep an eye on during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Tight ends coach Tyler Bowen
Bowen is going to call offensive plays for the Nittany Lions after the departure of former offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne. The tight ends coach is expected to be more aggressive in his opportunity and will have every reason to be, now that his audition is guaranteed to be a one-off shot. New offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who held the same position at Minnesota, was announced as the team’s full-time offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Thursday morning and will take over the role after the game ends Saturday.
With the weight of an audition off his shoulders, Bowen should be able to call the game more at ease. He’ll be able to attack like he’s expected to and try to include more explosive plays and more aggression. The offense was No. 17 in the country under Rahne according to Bill Connelly’s SP+, a tempo-adjusted and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. With Bowen’s expected aggression, and Memphis’ explosive offense, which ranks No. 8 in the country in SP+, this game should turn into a shootout.
Watch for Bowen’s decision-making early in this one. If Penn State is attacking, the Cotton Bowl is going to be must-see football.
Who steps up at wide receiver?
Wide receiver is a position group to watch Saturday for two reasons. The first reason is obvious. With the departure of Justin Shorter, who is in the transfer portal, Penn State will need a wide receiver to step up on the outside. Dan Chisena has usually filled that role, but he won’t be back next season and the Nittany Lions will almost assuredly want a returning player to step up in that spot. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Daniel George is a strong candidate to fill that role and could be in for a big day Saturday.
The second reason may not come to fruition, but we’ll know shortly after the game if it has. Redshirt sophomore K.J. Hamler could be playing in his final game for Penn State and is set to announce his choice after the game. Hamler has been the best wideout on the team for the last two seasons and would create a massive void that needs to be filled. If he decides to leave, Penn State fans will want to remember his performance Saturday in the potential finale of his college career.
Memphis’ passing attack
The Tigers have one of the best offenses in the country and can decimate a team through the air. They have weapons across the board who can do serious damage to a secondary. Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, their secondary has been their biggest defensive weakness for stretches this season. The unit especially struggled against Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio State, the three best passing attacks it has faced all season. Those three opponents combined to complete 65-of-83 passing attempts for 898 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Those three opponents all rank in the top 15 in offensive SP+, just like Memphis.
The Tigers have the weapons to exploit the secondary and a repeat of the nightmarish performances Penn State put on display in those three games. They had four players finish with over 500 receiving yards this season. The bunch is led by redshirt junior wideout Damonte Coxie, who finished the year with 68 receptions for 1,144 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns.
The defense has to step up to the level of competition, especially Coxie’s, this Saturday to ensure the Tigers don’t have a chance at the upset.
Memphis quarterback Brady White
Of course, the guy getting the ball to Coxie and the offensive weapons isn’t too shabby either. Redshirt junior quarterback Brady White has been prolific for the Tigers this season and isn’t just the product of a high-powered offense. White was heavily recruited out of high school and had the talent and offers to go to several high-level schools, including Penn State. He ultimately chose Arizona State before graduating and transferring to Memphis where he has started since he was a redshirt sophomore and has had immense success.
White has thrown for 3,560 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions on 237-of-369 passing this season, leading the Tigers offense to its No. 8 SP+ ranking. He’ll have a chance to take on the best defense he’s seen all season when he battles the Nittany Lions. White has the ability to dissect the Penn State secondary, but could have his mind elsewhere when he takes the field Saturday. He’s considering entering the 2020 NFL Draft according to Geoff Calkins of The Daily Memphian. It will be interesting to see how the redshirt junior performs with that potential decision looming.
Long-term replacements at key spots
Penn State will have several starters playing in their final game as a Nittany Lion Saturday, which means rotation players will have a chance to showcase what they can do with the hope of filling those roles next season. The Nittany Lions are only guaranteed to lose redshirt senior Steven Gonzalez from the offense next season and his replacement is likely to come from the pairing of redshirt sophomore guards Mike Miranda and C.J. Thorpe, who have split time at the other guard spot along the line. The unit could also lose the aforementioned Hamler, but his decision has yet to be made.
The Penn State defense is where you should really be watching for potential replacements. The group is set to lose seven starters but has plenty of talent to fill those voids. The key spots to fill will be at Cam Brown’s outside linebacker spot, Garrett Taylor’s safety spot, and John Reid’s cornerback spot. The defensive line is set to lose at least three starters, but the depth there should make it easier to fill those jobs. Brandon Smith is one to watch at linebacker, while Jonathan Sutherland and Jaquan Brisker should compete for Taylor’s job, and Marquis Wilson and Keaton Ellis could fight for Reid’s opening. Those five players see plenty of action as is, and could show they’re ready for more during the Cotton Bowl.
