Here’s 3 takeaways from Penn State football’s 56-21 win over Illinois
Penn State closed out its regular season with a 56-21 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium Saturday night. The win pushes Penn State to 4-5 and extends its winning streak to four games.
Here are three takeaways from the regular season finale.
1. Penn State’s defense was hot and cold
Saturday night’s game featured a Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Penn State defense. The group was gashed early, giving up 21 points in the first nine minutes of the game. The Nittany Lions couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t cover receivers and couldn’t tackle. If not for an interception by sophomore cornerback Keaton Ellis, the team may have been in an even deeper hole than 21-14.
After the Illini kicked the extra point to earn their 21st point of the game, the defense flipped a switch. Penn State didn’t give up another point after that and improved across the board. The secondary was drastically better in coverage and the front four was getting penetration to rush Illinois into making bad decisions or getting rid of the ball. The defense played a large part in the game becoming a blowout, but it also played a key part in the game becoming so high-scoring early.
2. Jahan Dotson quickly became elite
Junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson has had big games this season with a few duds intertwined, but over the last two weeks he’s established himself as one of the best receivers in the Big Ten. Dotson blew up for eight catches for 108 yards last week — including a punt return for a touchdown — and carried that performance over to this week.
He scored a touchdown on Penn State’s first offensive play of the game on a hitch route that he caught about 8 yards from the line of scrimmage. The junior did the work from there, taking it all the way by blowing past the Illinois defense. He found similar success on a tunnel screen later in the game when he followed his blockers, made defenders miss and took it all the way for his second score of the game. Dotson finished the game with 189 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.
3. The Nittany Lions will be fine at tight end
Penn State lost its best offensive player for the season last month when tight end Pat Freiermuth was shut down after having season-ending surgery. If Freiermuth declares for the 2021 NFL Draft and has played his last game as a Nittany Lion, Penn State will be just fine at the position.
Two freshmen tight ends caught passes for the Nittany Lions Saturday night and both looked good doing it. Redshirt freshman Brenton Strange and true freshman Theo Johnson combined to catch six passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. The duo showed they’re capable receivers and are capable of making plays with the ball in their hands. Johnson and Strange are very good athletes for their position and have the strength to plow through defenders.
Freiermuth’s career as a Nittany Lion could be over, but the line of high-level tight end play will only continue.
