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Penn State football must try to tighten its wobbly special teams’ before back-to-back games against the Big Ten’s new California teams.
Firstly, the Nittany Lions are getting next-to-nothing from their punt return game. On Monday, coach James Franklin admitted that he may not have any quick-solve answers as his team prepares to face the struggling UCLA Bruins.
Nittany Lion junior Kaden Saunders has attempted to return just four punts through four games − fumbling one of them out of bounds. He’s gained just 25 total yards.
On most punts, he’s either called for a fair-catch or let the ball bounce. A couple of times during Saturday’s grinding victory over Illinois he elected not to try and run with the ball even with open field ahead.
Penn State’s Sander Sahaydak misses on a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter of a Big Ten football game against Illinois, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in State College, Pa.
Penn State’s combined meager punt return production (walk-on receiver Jake Spencer has one return for 2 yards) ranks it 101st among 133 FBS teams. Interestingly, upcoming Big Ten opponents Wisconsin and USC actually rank lower.
When asked about the issue during his weekly press conference, Franklin immediately referenced Saunders’ ongoing health concerns. The hopeful starting receiver suffered an undisclosed injury during preseason camp that has kept him out of the offense.
And yet Saunders has still proven to be the Lions’ most reliable punt return option − cleanly securing the ball out of the air or on a bounce. Even if he cannot run much yet.
The audition for a potential replacement, either temporary or permanent, has not gone as well as hoped, Franklin intimated.
The Lions have “some really good athletes, but that’s a unique job and that’s a unique skill set,” he said of punt returning.
“We’ve had a bunch of…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/penn-state-football-quandary-return-202505416.html
Author : York Daily Record
Publish date : 2024-09-30 20:25:05
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