Penn State Football: New Ball, New Feel For Nittany Lions

Fans don’t think much about the balls used during a football game.

All that really matters is that it gets from point a to point b.

Touchdowns are nice, field goals are okay and first downs are helpful.

As long as the ball is a part of all of those things, nobody thinks much about which ones are being used.

But in fact it does make a difference. Each team actually provides its own bag of footballs during a game. Ohio State and Penn State will both use different kinds on offense each week and when they play each other. It’s a weird infrequently talked about trivia answer. College basketball is the same way and in some cases a some basketballs can feel quite unfamiliar for teams.

So while Penn State changing the kind of football it uses this year isn’t going make the Nittany Lions four wins better all on its own, comfort, especially for receivers and quarterback Christian Hackenberg, is key.