Penn State Football: Spartans Dead Last in Pass Defense, an Oddity for Nittany Lion Coaches

As Penn State heads to East Lansing this weekend it will do so facing a Michigan State team that boasts a rare statistical ranking:

The worst pass defense in the nation.

That’s right, Michigan State gives up 339.9 yards per game, 130th in the nation. The Spartans are also the only team in American to face more than 500 passing attempts this year and allow teams to complete roughly 65% of their passes (not the worst in that area though, Kansas holds that honor.)

For Penn State, it provides the Nittany Lions with a unique set of opportunities — and perhaps a trap to be too tempted by Michigan State’s weaknesses to lose their identity along the way.

“I think the numbers do matter but you have to play your game plan and you have to stay balanced because I think if you try to become something on Saturday that you haven’t been throughout the season then then I think you’re going to get out of whack,” Penn State coach James Franklin said earlier this week.

“Your players aren’t going to play with the same confidence. You’re not going to call the game the way you naturally would call the game. I think there’s an awareness obviously and your game plan should be impacted by that a little bit but you just don’t want to skew too far in one direction. I think continuing to commit to the run game and be balanced, not only to be able to run the ball to win games, but also to take some pressure off of the passing game and our quarterbacks and those things as well.”

So far this season Michigan State opponents obviously haven’t been afraid to throw the ball more than they have the rest of the year. Purdue [54 attempts] Michigan [48 attempts] and Rutgers [41 attempts] all hit their season high pass attempt totals against Michigan State.

Meanwhile, Ohio State [43 attempts] Maryland [48 attempts] and Northwestern [43 attempts] all broke the 40 attempt mark against the Spartans and neared their season-high mark in the process. Indiana’s 52 attempts was its most in Big Ten play, attempting 53 passes against Western Kentucky.

As for Penn State? The Nittany Lions have broken the 40 attempt mark on four occasions this year [Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Maryland] but have only won, one of those games.

“They’re looking at us and they’re saying what are their strengths and what are their weaknesses and how do we do we hide you know, some some of our weaknesses and how do we attack?” Franklin said. “I think how do you minimize their strengths and they’re trying to do the same thing.”

The good news for Penn State is that the Nittany Lions’ strength is passing the ball. For all the ups and downs the season has had, Penn State is fifth in the Big Ten in passing offense which is good enough for 25th best in the nation. So far this season the Spartans have faced five other teams in the passing offense Top 25 and have come away with a 3-2 record, winning against Miami [No. 13] Maryland [No. 15] and Nebraska [No. 23].

“Some teams and some games just match up better,” Franklin added. “You know, and sometimes their strength is in an area that’s a weakness for you, and then that gets magnified on Saturdays and that’s always an interesting thing to look at during the week and see how it plays out. There’s there certain opponents you match up well against, and there’s certain opponents you don’t, because their strengths, maybe maybe are at a position or an area you’re weak and you know that you’re trying to do everything you possibly can to maybe not eliminate, but minimize the impact of it.”

That will be the other side of the coin for Penn State, the Nittany Lions taking on Kenneth Walker III, the nation’s second-leading rusher. Penn State is No. 35 in the nation in rushing defense giving up 133 yards per game on the ground.

Meanwhile, Walker averages 136.