.Michael Cohen.College Football and University Basketball Author.MORGANTOWN, W.Va.-- As the representatives turned and encountered West Virginia's captains following a position piece shake that had gone the home staff's way, the words of senior security Aubrey Burks echoed around Mountaineer Field courtesy of an umpire's mic." Our company want the ball," Burks mentioned in an instance of confidence that was transmitted all over the video clip panels at either end of the coliseum. "And our experts wan na go rating." As soon as, two times, three times, Burks redoed himself until the referee directed both sets of gamers toward the sidelines as kickoff moved toward. The Mountaineers got there for Sunday's nationally aired opener overflowing along with self-confidence after finalizing the 2023 campaign along with 5 victories in six activities, printed by a 20-point draw North Carolina in the Fight it out's Mayo Bowl last December. A meeting document of 6-3 and also an overall symbol of 9-4 sufficed to stimulate confidence, excitement and a deal expansion for mind trainer Neal Brown.But opting for to receive the opening first did little bit in West Virginia's journey to follow up on the intent Burks had actually thus publicly described. Four things reoccured just before the Mountaineers summoned any sort of points in any way, and also even then, after transforming the ball over two times in the initial one-fourth alone, they settled for a humble basket. And field goals were certainly never mosting likely to be enough versus a new-look, new-age Penn Condition offense that began to open the possibility of former five-star quarterback Drew Allar (11-of-17 for 216 yards and also 3 TDs). Under the direction of first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, whom move instructor James Franklin tweezed coming from Kansas, the Nittany Lions ultimately started to rumble. There were actually chunk plays through the air from Allar to wideouts Omari Evans (pair of catches, 55 lawns) and also Harrison Wallace III (5 catches, 117 backyards, pair of TDs). There were actually piece plays on the ground along with tailbacks Nicholas Individual and Kaytron Allen. There were chunk plays on either side of a climate hold-up that maintained each staffs in their locker areas for 2 hours, 19 mins in between the 2nd as well as third sectors. There sufficed portion participates in to send swaths of the 62,084 followers home long prior to the ultimate few seconds elapsed.The 34-12 succeed was actually every thing Franklin as well as Penn Condition can have anticipated in a high-profile opener against a Power-4 rival. Below are actually some fast takeaways from Milan Puskar Arena: Early differenceA mistimed break that appeared to catch Allar by unpleasant surprise on his staff's opening things gifted the Mountaineers great industry setting merely outside the red area along with 10:38 staying in the very first part. It was the 1st of four West Virginia steers that either started or advanced inside the Penn State 30-yard line throughout the very first pair of quarters, the mixed end results of which were actually only 6 factors: a set of basket by twist Michael Hayes II from proximities of 38 yards and 39 yards, specifically. And each successive drive that fell short to produce a goal siphoned a little even more electricity from what was actually, a minimum of originally, a reasonably raucous crowd.West Virginia's very first play after Allar's very early fumble rapidly devolved right into disaster when the snap from facility Brandon Yates attacked the activity guy and caromed deep in to the backfield, with Penn State at some point tearing possession off of quarterback Garrett Greene. The upcoming Mountaineer invasion in to Nittany Lions' area was actually obstructed through a stopped working "tush guts" on 4th and brief as Greene was actually rejected at free throw line of scrimmage. Pair of extra drives that got 98 mixed yards across the mid and last phases of the 2nd quarter slowed at the external side of the reddish zone.Kotelnicki's offense was far more purposeful with each ownership that ventured right into West Virginia territory. The Nittany Lions stressed a 10-play, 71-yard march along with a 20-yard touchdown coming from Allar to Allen and also capped a three-play, 73-yard intestine punch when Allar whized a lovely toss to Wallace III for an additional score along with:06 continuing to be in the 2nd fourth, extending the Penn State result in 14. Drew Allar associates with Harrison Wallace III that drags his feets for a TD, stretching Penn State's lead over West Virginia Play of the gameOnly a fraction of the crowd continued to be when play finally returned to at 4:23 p.m. as well as the Nittany Lions leading by 14 aspects. For the West Virginia faithful that continued to be-- each one of them having actually huddled under the bleachers for greater than two hours of lightning and also torrential rains-- it was know simply how crucial the opening possession of the 3rd fourth would be actually. If Penn State got to completion area as well as drove its advantage north of 20, it was actually extremely unlikely the Mountaineers will possess any type of odds to their way back into contention based on the anemic offending result coming from the 1st half.A pair of 10-yard shuffles from Allar and also a successful swing pass to managing back Nicholas Singleton moved the Nittany Lions throughout midfield with family member ease. And that is actually when Singleton accented Penn State's success along with a 40-yard goal go through the middle of West Virginia's self defense. Pair of pulling electrician cleared a path that left behind Singleton untouched until he got to the 3rd level, where the smacking arm of protection Anthony Wilson Jr. was actually no place near enough to slow the acceleration. Singleton competed downfield and into completion area as Penn Condition's lead swelled to an unbeatable 21-point margin. The one-two hit of Individual and also Allen mixed for 167 rushing gardens (134 rushing, 33 getting) as well as two touchdowns.Key statOne of the steering variables responsible for Franklin's choice to go after Kotelnicki as his 6th annoying organizer in 11 seasons was as a result of the reputation for dynamite dips into Kansas, where the Jayhawks had actually developed into a high-octane strike under Kotelnicki's support. In the course of a three-year stretch coming from 2021-23, the Jayhawks ranked 12th across the country in portion of plays acquiring at the very least twenty yards (8.3%) as well as 15th in percentage of passing plays acquiring a minimum of 30 lawns (3.9%). Kansas outperformed 40 points nine times in that period and also covered fifty points 5 times, also as bothersome injuries to beginning quarterback Jalon Daniels examined the offense's adaptability.Those kinds of field-tilting increases uncovered themselves early as well as frequently in Kotelnicki's launching against West Virginia on Sunday, with Allar and also the team's high-ranking managing back duo shredding the Mountaineers in additional ways, as well as stages, than one. Allar just needed 11 fulfillments to exceed 200 passing lawns as well as find the end zone three times via the air. Singleton averaged virtually 9 lawns per proceed his 1st 13 tries, two of which acquired 40 lawns and among which discovered the end area. Wallace topped 100 obtaining backyards for the first time in his career on simply 5 receptions.By the 8:13 result of the 4th one-fourth-- when the Nittany Lions began sending out droves of back-ups onto the field-- Kotelnicki's outburst was still balancing an astonishing 8.4 gardens per play.What's next for Penn State?Departing West Virginia with a carefully outstanding roadway victory places the Nittany Lions for a possible climb in the nationwide positions in the arriving weeks. Certainly not merely are going to Penn Condition be actually a hefty favorite in its next 4 activities versus Bowling Veggie, Kent State, Illinois as well as UCLA-- the last two of which are conference challengers-- however they likewise will not must leave the welcoming confines of Beaver Coliseum. A quartet of home dates always keeps the Nittany Lions in Pennsylvania till mid-October, whereupon they'll fly to The golden state wherefore ought to be a top-level competition with Big Ten newbie USC. By then, Franklin's team need to be 5-0 overall, 2-0 in the league and squarely in the conversation to hit the University Regulation football Playoff for the first time as the layout increases to 12 crews. And also if Sunday's offending blast against the Mountaineers is any kind of indicator of where Kotelnicki can easily take his device in the coming full weeks, then it might be worth featuring Penn State in dialogues concerning legit competitors for the Big Ten Championship and also the national championship. What is actually following for West Virginia?After an opener through which Penn Condition threw for 199 gardens as well as three touchdowns in the initial one-half alone, the top priority for Brown as well as defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley between now and Week 2 should be actually strengthening a dripping second. The Mountaineers stood 86th country wide and also eighth in the Big 12 in passing self defense last period even with possessing an all-conference cornerback in Beanie Diocesan Jr., whose 24 successfully pases guarded (4 INTs, twenty breaks up) led the country. However Diocesan is right now betting the Pittsburgh Steelers, and West Virginia's remaining corners strained to slow the Nittany Lions' downfield passing strike, particularly without the advantage of a viable pass thrill. Northwestern transactions Garnett Hollis Jr., that drew the major assignment versus Wallace, was beaten for a 17-yard completion on a push that finished with Penn Condition getting to the end zone as well as later on surrendered a back-shoulder touchdown that broke the video game available shortly prior to halftime. West Virginia must possess a simpler difficulty next Saturday against Albany.Michael Cohen covers college volleyball and also baseball for FOX Sports with an importance on the Big Ten. 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