Delaware was outmanned on Saturday in Beaver Stadium. And its head coach, Ryan Carty, knew it. (Just like Carty knew he would lose the starting quarterback job with Delaware when Joe Flacco transferred in.) Afterwards, as the rains started to roll in, Carty said that Penn State “is closer to the Cleveland Browns than the Delaware Blue Hens.”
Carty had a point. And Penn State scored 63 of them, the third-highest total in James Franklin’s 10 years as head coach, to down Delaware 63-7.
It wasn’t even that close. But the game and weekend still had plenty to offer. So, let’s do our All-22 — as in Drew ALLar, Kaytron ALLen and former Penn State linebacker Doug ALLen, a member of the undefeated 1973 PSU team that won ALL of its games, going 12-0.
But let’s begin with a former Nittany Lion who is ALL-in in his career as a broadcaster for the NFL Network and NBC Sports.
1. It was 5:26 p.m. on Saturday, and the game had been over for nearly two hours. I was still in Beaver Stadium. Storm clouds had gathered. My cell rang. I was expecting the call.
“Hey, brother. How you doing?” asked the recognizable voice on the other end. It belonged to a Penn Stater I had seen earlier in the day, in the Beaver Stadium press box.
“Where are you at?” I asked.
“Let me check,” he said. “Just outside of Harrisburg.”
Michael Robinson and his driver were making good time. MRob had just served as the color analyst alongside play-by-play man Brendan Burke for the Penn State-Delaware game on the streaming platform Peacock, owned by NBC. It was the first time in 248 games that a Penn State football game was not televised over-the-air or on cable.
“It was surreal,” MRob said of broadcasting the game in the stadium where he made his mark. “I’ve done Blue-White games, but it was nothing like coming back in a professional capacity and calling a game for one of the largest television networks in the world.”
It was Robinson’s second week working a telecast of Penn State football. In the season-opener against West Virginia, he was on the NBC studio show that hit the road for its first game of the network’s new contract with the Big Ten. Fellow former Nittany Lion QB Todd Blackledge was the game analyst for the prime-time NBC telecast of Penn State-West Virginia.
Now, as he was the phone, Robinson — and his driver — were headed to College Park, Maryland, where he would be working the NBC studio show for the Maryland-Charlotte game, alongside Maria Taylor, former Ohio State linebacker Josh Perry and former USC quarterback Matt Cassel. MRob was in the middle of a long day, the last of a very long work week that took him to Los Angeles, State College and Maryland, before heading home to where it all began last week. That would be his home base of Richmond, Virginia, where he lives with his wife, Shameka, and their four children.
2. This is the week that was: MRob has been a key studio analyst for the NFL Network for several years, making the weekly commute from Richmond to L.A. for the network’s signature show, “Total Access.” This fall, he added myriad duties with NBC as it kicked off its coverage of the Big Ten with weekly prime-time games and a studio show.
Here’s his last week, in brief: On Tuesday, he took an early a.m. flight to Los Angeles, and went straight to the NFL Network’s studios in SoFi Stadium. He spent the day prepping and in meetings, then did a podcast and a live “Total Access” show.
Wednesday, he was up at 5 a.m. for a workout (that’s 2 a.m. Eastern time), then went to the studios for pre-show work, another pod and another show.
Thursday meant another early morning workout, then meetings and prep for NFL Network’s Kansas City-Detroit pre-game studio show. He also had production meetings for Saturday’s broadcasts. After the post-game show, he took a red-eye from LAX to Chicago to State College. He arrived in Happy Valley around 9:30 a.m. on Friday and immediately went to work, preparing and attending meetings for the Penn State-Delaware game and the Saturday evening NBC studio show. He had calls with James Franklin and Drew Allar, then more production meetings.
Saturday he was back in Beaver Stadium.
“No complaints,” he said when I asked him about the rigorous schedule. “This is what I wanted to do with my life. This is what I worked so hard for, what I prayed for. I always remind myself, I wanted this opportunity and worked hard to create it. Now, I am living it.”
3. MRob will forever be a Nittany Lion. He led the 2005 squad to an 11-1 record, a No. 3 ranking and an Orange Bowl victory — also earning honors as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He went on to a memorable NFL career as a fullback and special teams stalwart with the 49ers and the Seahawks, winning a Super Bowl, being named to the Pro Bowl and serving as a captain.
He has a pair of degrees from the Bellisario College of Communications and has been back to campus often, personally and professionally, speaking to classes, faculty and football players. He is a huge classroom favorite — in part because he keeps it real. He literally paid his dues in his second career, investing $10,000 in broadcast equipment while still a player to do his own web show while with Seattle, “The Real MikeRob Report.”
He remains a Nittany Lion at heart. On Saturday, that was the toughest part of his job.
“It’s tough. No. 1, there’s my love for Penn State,” he said. “I have to remember to not say ‘we’ and ‘they.’ The place means so much to me. To come back two weeks in a row and feel the love? Well, that’s special.”
As we talked, MRob’s driver headed down Route 83, nearing the Maryland border. Michael had to get back to work, doing some last-minute prepping for the Terps’ contest. He arrived at Maryland’s SECU Stadium in time to do the NBC halftime show (amid on-air cheers from Blackledge and his studio show mates), and even narrate a package on Charlotte’s offense.
The visitors led 14-9 at halftime, but Maryland had a huge second-half to win 38-20. MRob, Maria and the crew did a post-game hit, then Michael was on his own. He got into a rental car and drove the 116 miles home to Richmond. He arrived home around 2 a.m.
Yes, indeed. Michael Robinson has arrived.
ALLAR ACCURACY
4. Speaking of Penn State QBs with big weekends: Drew Allar had his second straight precision-passing performance. Against Delaware, he completed 85% of his passes — 22 of 26 for 204 yards, with one TD — and seemingly effortlessly executed a couple of nimble quarterback drews…er, draws,…as well as scoring a touchdown with his feet.
5. Allar has already earned the moniker of “Steady Eddie” from head coach James Franklin. For good reason: Allar’s poise, calm and professional demeanor belie his 19-and-a-half years (Friday was his half-birthday). I know it is just two starts into his Penn State career (and one was vs. Delaware, which sandwiched the PSU game between biggies Stony Brook and Saint Francis), but his consistency is already off the Penn State charts. To wit:
Against West Virginia, he started the game hitting his first 9 of 10 passes. Against Delaware, he had an 8-for-8 stretch. Nationally, he ranks No. 6 this week for completion percentage (78.2%) among all major college football quarterbacks. And man, what a group that is:
6. For Allar, these Penn State completion records seem to be within reach, especially the latter two (though I get we are only two starts into his PSU career):
• Single game: 91.7%, by Pete Liske at Oregon in 1963
• Season: 66.7%, by Kerry Collins, 1994
• Career: 61.4%, by Sean Clifford, 2018-2022
7. Allar’s backup, Beau Pribula, looked quite good in mop-up duty when he came into the game at the 9:41 mark of the third quarter. Overall, Pribula ran 8 times for 46 yards, on carries of 7, 18, 6, 2, 7, minus 3, 5 and 4, for an average of 5.8 yards per rush. He averaged 7.3 yards per completion on 3 of 5 passing. So, it’s a wash if Beau runs or passes. And I think it will continue to be that way.
7a. No. 2 QBs who are used primarily as change-of-pace runners have not had a long shelf life at Penn State: witness Tommy Stevens, Will Levis, Christian Veilleux. Pribula may be different. No doubt that when Allar turns pro after the 2024 season (Drew, we hardly knew thee), he will be leaving Pribula with two full years of eligibility and a shot as the starting QB. But, by then Pribula will need to show that he’s a passer first and a runner second.
8. Through two games and 156 plays — 95 runs, 61 passes, 71:03 time of possession — and 11 opposing punts, Penn State has not had a turnover. Kaytron Allen recovered his own fumble on Saturday and Allar was gifted a drop by a West Virginia defender in the season opener. However, you cannot do better than that. The Nittany Lions rank No. 1 nationally in turnovers lost (zero), sharing the spot with eight other teams.
9. The Penn State defense picked up its first two turnovers in a seven-minute stretch in the third quarter. First, Keaton Ellis forced a Blue Hen fumble that was recovered by Kevin Winston Jr. Then, linebacker Dom DeLuca — wearing special teams ace jersey No. 0 — picked off a Zach Marker pass and returned it 26 yards to the house. This will need to be SOP for Manny Diaz’s D when real opponents appear on the schedule.
THE POINT IS
10. The 63 points Penn State laid on Delaware is the third-most by Penn State in the 116 games coached by Franklin. The Nittany Lions led the Blue Hens 30-7 at the half, not quite the 44-0 lead they had at the half against Idaho in 2019, a game that ended 79-7. The Top 10:
79 — Idaho, 2019
66 — at Maryland, 2017
63 — Delaware, 2023
63 — Kent State, 2018
63 — at Illinois, 2018
62 — Purdue, 2016
56 — at Maryland, 2019
56 — Georgia State, 2017
56 — Nebraska, 2017
56 — Illinois, 2020
11. Notice that Illinois (1-1) is on that list twice. Penn State plays on the road against the Illini in its Big Ten season opener next week (11 a.m. local kick, but for PSU their bodies will think it is noon). OC Mike Yurcich & Co. have a score to settle — namely that 20-18 nine-overtime embarrassing loss to Brett Beilema’s Illinois squad in Beaver Stadium in 2021. CJF is the kind of guy who remembers that stuff.
MAKING A RUN AT 2 X 100
12. The developing running back saga has been covered ad nauseum the past day or so. Franklin telegraphed the Allen start on Tuesday, as he did with the two targets of TE Theo Johnson on the opening drive. For a guy who doesn’t release a depth chart and holds his cards close to his vest, CJF sure let the Blue Hens know who/what was coming on the first drive. Not that it mattered.
12a. Question: Would a RB rather have a 100-yard game or three TDs?
13. Allen’s two post-game mantras: “I’m grateful” and “Give me the ball.” Not sure how congruent those are long-term. Franklin has had a lot of running backs leave lately — Cain, Ford, Holmes, Lee, et al — and I get it: Allen and Nicholas Singleton are hands-down better than the aforementioned quartet. But a happy Allen is imperative to Penn State’s success in 2023, though one wonders what happens when there is parallel unhappiness at another position in this NIL/transfer portal era. Last week, Franklin mentioned that he fields calls about this from players’ parents.
14. About Johnson: Did Tyler Warren surpass him as TE1? Warren caught six balls, blocks like crazy in motion and as an H-Back, has nimble hands and mad athletic skills, with a bit more flexibility than Johnson. He’s a smart guy, too.
15. It has been 101 games since two PSU RBs have both had 100-yard efforts in the same game. Allen and Singleton have yet to go 100/100. 34 times in Penn State Football history 2 players have run for 100 yards in the same game (and 3 players twice).
Most recent, vs. Rutgers, 2019: Will Levis (108), Journey Brown (103)
Most recent, two RBs, vs. Rutgers, 2015: — Saquon Barkley (195), Akeel Lynch (120)
Delaware, 2023: Allen (103, 1 TD), Singleton (47, 3 TDs)
West Virginia, 2023: Singleton (70, 1 TD), Allen (50)
Closest in 2022: Northwestern — Singleton (87), Allen (86); Maryland — Singleton (122), Allen (73).
16. Penn State’s 1973 team was honored during the game. It was great to see. 1973 was the third of Joe Paterno’s five undefeated seasons, and one of three 12-0 campaigns (see also: 1986 and 1994). That team gave up just 10.75 points a game, and had an offense explosive enough to beat West Virginia 62-14 that year. Co-captains Mark Markovich and Ed O’Neil were on hand as honorary captains, but conspicuously absent was No. 22 — John Cappelletti, who is Penn State’s one and only Heisman Trophy winner.
THE OTHER ALLEN THIS WEEKEND
17. Doug Allen, a standout linebacker on that squad, was in town and on campus for the reunion. He was also the speaker for Penn State’s “Football Fridays” series in Carnegie Cinema. Allen’s resume is beyond impressive and truly unique: A second-round NFL pick by the Buffalo Bills (he played with O.J. Simpson), Allen went on to serve as assistant executive director of the NFLPA (the players’ union), where he oversaw all player group licensing, and executive director of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) before finishing his career as a popular Labor and Employee Relations prof at Penn State.
If the football players at Penn State or in the Big Ten wanted to form a union or a bargaining collective their first — and second — call should be to Doug Allen.
18. For the FF series, Allen was adroitly interviewed by Penn State law professor Steve Ross, an expert on global sports. Allen’s insight into NIL and the college football financial landscape is one of the most valuable in the country. My biggest take away from Allen’s talk, which I will share in my Comm170 class on Tuesday: “It is inevitable that college revenue-producing scholarship athletes [i.e., football and basketball) can be paid for NIL and for their employment.”
19. Speaking of those revenue-producing scholarship players, most worked for their money on Saturday: Franklin played a total of 76 different players against the Blue Hens, a big number and one of the (few) values of having a Delaware on the schedule. WR Liam Clifford and OL OIaivavega Ioane made their first career starts.
Nine Nittany Lions made their collegiate debuts on Saturday. On the season, 19 Nittany Lions have made their collegiate debuts and 24 players have made their Penn State debuts. Seven of 12 true freshmen who have played this season made their debuts on Saturday.
ALI, ARRINGTON AND FRANCO
20. Penn State soccer alumna Ali Krieger was on hand for Saturday’s game and led the “We Are…” cheer from the pitch…ah, field. New member of the Penn State Board of Trustees, she was on campus for the BOT’s September meeting. I really like her IG bio…it’s jam-packed full of info:
Ali Krieger (she/her) she/her
Athlete
Proud Wife👩🏻🤝👩🏼+ Mommy👧🏽👶🏽🐶🐶,
Footballer @gothamfc : @uswnt 2x🌎🏆Champ. Olympian. PSU Alum + Trustee
@adidasfootball Athlete
21. LaVar Arrington’s son, Keeno, who is a 6-foot-2, 202-pound defensive back and very good special teams player for Delaware, had six tackles vs. his dad’s alma mater, a good showing. That included a one-handed grab that brought down Penn State punt returner Kaden Saunders. His dad was on hand for the game. Keeno was a stellar basketball player in high school in Pittsburgh. After a stint in college hoops, he went to PSU-pipeline Lackawanna College. This is his first season at Delaware. He wears No. 10 — one off from the double sticks popularized by LaVar.
22. Franco got his halo. As chronicled on social media by Penn State bon vivant and Onward State legend Kevin Horne, artist Michael Pilato — who was gone from State College for seven years — returned and painted a halo atop the late great Franco Harris’ head on the large, iconic mural of town and gown greats along Hiester Street in downtown State College.
