Nittany Lions face an App State team with winning tradition

More than one knowledgeable football forecaster has said that losing all-everything running back Saquon Barkley to the NFL might actually open up the Penn State offense.

The thinking goes that teams will no longer have to concentrate so intensely on stopping Barkley and therefore will open up and play more “honest” defenses. That should make some room for quarterback and Heisman contender Trace McSorley, running back Miles Sanders and the rest of the Nittany Lions’ offense to operate.

To say that Penn State fans are anxiously waiting to see if that is true and how new offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne’s scheme will run without the likes of Barkley, Mike Gesicki and DaeSean Hamilton is a gross understatement.

They will not have to wait much longer. The new season begins Saturday, Sept. 1, at Beaver Stadium against Appalachian State.

Almost everyone remembers the Mountaineers’ stunning 34-32 upset of highly ranked Michigan in 2007 when they were still an FCS team, but App State has proven it’s much more than that one upset in the years since.

The Mountaineers are coming off two consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships and a string of three-straight bowl game appearances. ASU is 37-14 overall under head coach Scott Satterfield since moving up to the FBS division in 2014.

Last year, the team was 9-4 overall, 7-1 in the Sun Belt and finished the season by crushing Toledo, 34-0, in the Dollar General Bowl on Dec. 23.

With all those accomplishments in the books, Appalachian State also will be starting a new era when it takes the field against Penn State. That’s because the Mountaineers will have to replace a player at least as important to them as Barkley was to PSU in four-year starting quarterback Taylor Lamb.

Just last season alone, Lamb completed more than 60 percent of his passes for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns, and he also ran for another 580 yards and five touchdowns. He’ll obviously be difficult to replace.

All is not lost, however, as the team returns three starters on offense, including top running back Jalen Moore, who went over 1,000 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns last season.

On defense, App State returns its top tackler in linebacker Anthony Flory and its top defensive back in Clifton Duck (six interceptions). There are four other defensive starters returning, along with both kickers and returners.

Appalachian State averaged more than 33 points per game last year, and the Mountaineers love to run the ball. They averaged more than 270 yards per game and, with Lamb’s passing thrown in, were gaining almost 500 yards every time out.

All of that undoubtedly has gotten the close attention of Penn State, which is coming off an 11-2 season capped by a win in the Fiesta Bowl.

It’s no secret that the Nittany Lions will be replacing most of their defensive line, are unusually inexperienced at linebacker and, of course, are replacing all that firepower on offense.

Head coach James Franklin and his staff are master recruiters, so there is talent all over the field ready to step up for the Lions; maybe even some mega-talent like Harrisburg High School recruit Micah Parsons, a linebacker.

But, there will be some inexperience out there for Penn State, especially up front on defense.

On the other hand, the offensive line seems primed to take center stage as a major force on this team, and if that group can give McSorley a bit of time and Sanders a bit of room, look out.

Being the opening day for both teams, interceptions, fumbles, penalties and other mistakes are all possible game-changers. But with McSorley running the Lions’ attack, Penn State will again be a threat to put up big numbers.

If Appalachian State can move it as well, this could be a shootout.

Game time is 3:30 p.m.