Story by
The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
Extra work on ground game pays off for PSU
- Story byThe Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
- Extra work on ground game pays off for PSU
Penn State used its week off to simplify its running game, leaning into physicality during off-week practices to jump-start what had been a stagnant run game.
The emphasis certainly worked against Purdue.
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After rushing for 300 combined yards in four frustrating Big Ten losses to open conference play, Penn State gashed the Boilermakers for 269 yards on the ground in a game where its top two pass catchers were out.
Little-used Cam Wallace, who had two carries in Big Ten games this year, ran for a career-high 135 yards; Carson Hansen had his best day as a Nittany Lion with 96 yards. Neither back had a negative rush in the game and both scored touchdowns.
"It was about simplifying things and being able to let our guys play fast. I (told the team) 'This is what we were gonna sink our teeth into,'" offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said Tuesday.
Mouser said the offense spent all of its individual sessions with its front seven working against any potential front and any possible blitz packages to reset the ground game.
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"It's gonna be physical, it's gonna be violent, it's gonna be downhill," Mouser said. "It doesn't matter what the calls are. Those guys have to have them down, to go execute at a high level. So in the bye week we made that a big deal. It wasn't an off week for our guys, and it was going to be who the most physical and violent runners are, who the most physical and violent blockers are.
"We're going to get together, and just freaking yell at these guys and get sweaty and smash our faces into people for a long, long time until these guys feel really good about what it looks like."
Wallace took that message and opportunity and literally ran with it.
Still working his way back after breaking both of his legs in a 2024 game, Wallace had as many carries against Purdue as he had the entire season.
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{p class="p1"}"I think the resilience of how he got his opportunity, and again, you've got to earn it," coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday. "Man, how this guy practiced; what you guys saw Saturday is what was on the practice field for the last two weeks. It was cut and dry. It was easy."
"They had a great week of practice in the bye week and then did a great job leading into that week," Mouser said. "(There was) no doubt in my mind. From a physicality, an attitude and an effort standpoint, you have to decide, 'I'm not going to get tackled by one guy; you're going to run hard.' So I'm just really proud of the way that those guys responded to a tough few weeks, and then came out after a bye week and did a great job."
