BadgerBlitz.com brings back it's Behind Enemy Lines series, where we get an opposing beat writer's take on the upcoming matchup.
For Week 9, we spoke to Marty Leap of Happy Valley Insider and touched on Penn State's offensive improvement with a new coordinator, year two of the Drew Allar era and much more:
Coming off a bye week and sitting at a perfect 6-0, what are the vibes around the Penn State Program right now?
Leap: Vibes are very good right now, especially coming off not just winning at USC but the way they won. Not only did Penn State rally from a 14-point halftime deficit on the road, they did it largely on the back of Drew Allar. In a lot of ways that felt like Allar's long awaited coming out party. That game is also one that they have lost more than once in the James Franklin Era. At this point, most everyone in and around Happy Valley expects the Nittany Lions to finally breakthrough and make the College Football Playoff.
What have been the early returns on new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki?
Leap: Andy Kotelnicki has quickly become a beloved figure among Penn State fans. Kotelnicki was expected to jumpstart the offense while unlocking Allar, and he has done both of those things. Kotelnicki has been creative, brought explosive plays back to the offense, and has done an excellent job of scheming up plays to put Penn State's best players into advantageous spots. The Kotelnicki hire undoubtedly gets an A+ grade.
Quarterback Drew Allar threw more picks against USC (3) than he did all of last season, but his efficiency and yards-per-attempt have taken big steps forward. What's year two of the Allar era been like thus far?
Leap: The 3 interceptions Allar threw against USC do not tell the entire story. The first interception was a well above average play by a Trojan defender, and the final came on a Hail Mary on the final play from scrimmage. That said, his second interception was one of the worst throws of his college career and is one he would certainly want back.
Year 2 has been a roaring success thus far. Allar has made huge strides in his completion (59.9% to 70.5), as well as yards per attempt (7.8 to 10.5) and yards per completion (11.3 to 14.5). A big factor in all of this has been an increased confidence in Allar and some more cockiness (in a good way) on the field. He looks much more in control, less gun shy, and is trusting his gifted arm much more. Allar is well on his way to solidifying himself as a first-round pick in April.
Penn State boasts an elite defense. Who are the key players to watch on that side of the ball?
Leap: Even after losing Manny Diaz and some key players, this defense has still been awesome. Outside of the first half of the Bowling Green and USC games, Penn State's defense has been as good as any in the Big Ten. It all starts up front with Abdul Carter, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Zane Durant. Carter is putting together an All-American type season as an EDGE rusher and might be a top-10 pick. Dennis-Sutton is also having a tremendous season off the EDGE, and Durant has been very disruptive while making himself a lot of money this season.
In the back end, despite losing preseason All-American KJ Winston after one series against Bowling Green, the secondary has been strong. This group has been led by safety Jaylen Reed who may end up an All-American himself. Georgia transfer A.J. Harris has been very good at cornerback, as has Florida transfer Jalen Kimber, and youngsters Elliot Washington and Zion Tracy are quickly emerging in the back end as well.
Who are some under-the-radar players Wisconsin should watch out for come Saturday?
Leap: An under the radar name to watch on offense could be wide receiver Omari Evans. Evans has just 3 receptions for 31 yards in conference play but is still averaging 21.5 yards per reception this season with a pair of receptions of 50+ yards, and it would be three if not for Evans committing an unneeded offensive pass interference. This comes on the heels of averaging 23.4 yards per reception last season. Evans has elite speed and can take the top off a defense at any time.
Defensively, an under-the-radar player to watch is safety Zakee Wheatley. The staff has always been high on Wheatley and he is playing an expanded role this season. He has some ball hawking skills in the backend and is coming off a very strong game against USC. Wheatley being all over the field while potentially being involved in a turnover or two on Saturday night would not be a surprise.
Prediction for the game?
Leap: I think Penn State is a good bit better than Wisconsin. That said, I have a hard time predicting a blowout victory at Camp Randall, especially at night. I think Wisconsin keeps it close throughout but the Nittany Lions emerge victorious to improve to 7-0.
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