.Michael Cohen.College Football and also University Basketball Article Writer.MORGANTOWN, W.Va.-- As the representatives switched and also faced West Virginia's captains complying with an opening piece shake that had actually gone the home staff's means, words of senior safety Aubrey Burks resounded around Mountaineering Area courtesy of an umpire's microphone." Our company desire the ball," Burks mentioned in an instance of peace of mind that was broadcast all over the video boards at either end of the arena. "And we wan na go score." When, two times, three opportunities, Burks redoed himself till the referee directed both collections of players towards the sidelines as kickoff came close to. The Mountaineers came in for Sunday's nationally telecasted opener overflowing along with confidence after closing the 2023 campaign with 5 victories in 6 games, stamped through a 20-point gain North Carolina in the Duke's Mayonnaise Dish last December. A conference document of 6-3 and also a general proof of 9-4 sufficed to stimulate positive outlook, excitement as well as a contract expansion for head train Neal Brown.But choosing to acquire the opening kickoff did little bit in West Virginia's pursuit to go through on the intention Burks had actually thus openly summarized. Four things came and went prior to the Mountaineers collected any sort of factors in any way, and even at that point, after transforming the round over two times in the very first fourth alone, they opted for a lowly field goal. As well as field goals were actually never ever going to suffice versus a new-look, new-age Penn Condition outburst that started to unlock the possibility of previous fine quarterback Drew Allar (11-of-17 for 216 lawns and also three TDs). Under the instructions of first-year annoying planner Andy Kotelnicki, whom move coach James Franklin picked coming from Kansas, the Nittany Lions lastly started to holler. There were chunk plays by means of the sky from Allar to wideouts Omari Evans (two catches, 55 yards) and Harrison Wallace III (5 catches, 117 yards, pair of TDs). There were actually part plays on the ground along with tailbacks Nicholas Individual as well as Kaytron Allen. There were actually piece plays on either edge of a weather hold-up that always kept each staffs in their locker spaces for 2 hrs, 19 moments in between the 2nd and 3rd quarters. There were enough piece participates in to send out swaths of the 62,084 fans home long just before the final secs elapsed.The 34-12 gain was whatever Franklin as well as Penn Condition might have hoped for in a top-level opener versus a Power-4 challenger. Below are actually some fast takeaways coming from Milan Puskar Coliseum: Early differenceA mistimed pop that showed up to find Allar by surprise on his crew's position property blessed the Mountaineers terrific field placement only outside the red zone along with 10:38 remaining in the initial zone. It was the 1st of four West Virginia steers that either began or even accelerated inside the Penn Condition 30-yard collection during the course of the 1st pair of quarters, the blended end results of which were actually only six aspects: a set of basket by twist Michael Hayes II coming from spans of 38 gardens and 39 backyards, respectively. And each succeeding drive that stopped working to produce a touchdown siphoned a little bit a lot more energy from what was, a minimum of initially, a reasonably raucous crowd.West Virginia's initial play after Allar's early fumble swiftly degenerated in to calamity when the breeze coming from facility Brandon Yates blew the motion male and caromed deep right into the backfield, along with Penn State eventually tearing belongings away from quarterback Garrett Greene. The following Mountaineer foray in to Nittany Lions' territory was prevented through a neglected "tush push" on fourth and short as Greene was actually rejected at the line of skirmish. Two extra drives that gained 98 incorporated lawns throughout the mid and latter phases of the second fourth slowed at the external edge of the red zone.Kotelnicki's outburst was even more deliberate with each ownership that ventured right into West Virginia region. The Nittany Lions stressed a 10-play, 71-yard march with a 20-yard touchdown coming from Allar to Allen as well as covered a three-play, 73-yard intestine punch when Allar zipped a lovely toss to Wallace III for an additional credit rating along with:06 staying in the second one-fourth, stretching the Penn Condition result in 14. Drew Allar connects with Harrison Wallace III that drags his feets for a TD, expanding Penn State's top over West Virginia Play of the gameOnly a portion of the crowd remained when play eventually 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 of all of them having clustered under the bleachers for much more than two hours of lightning and torrential rains-- it was recognized just exactly how crucial the opening things of the third quarter will be. If Penn Condition arrived at the end area as well as drove its conveniences north of twenty, it was extremely unlikely the Mountaineers would certainly have any sort of chance to scrape their way back in to opinion based upon the anemic offensive output coming from the very first half.A set of 10-yard races from Allar and also a successful swing pass to operating back Nicholas Singleton moved the Nittany Lions throughout midfield along with family member simplicity. And also is actually when Singleton stressed Penn Condition's victory along with a 40-yard touchdown run through the center of West Virginia's protection. 2 drawing linemen cleared a course that left Singleton untouched up until he hit the third degree, where the flailing arm of security Anthony Wilson Jr. was actually nowhere near sufficient to decrease the velocity. Individual dashed downfield as well as in to the end region as Penn State's top swelled to an unbeatable 21-point frame. The one-two strike of Individual as well as Allen mixed for 167 rushing yards (134 rushing, thirty three receiving) and also two touchdowns.Key statOne of the steering variables behind Franklin's selection to go for Kotelnicki as his sixth outrageous planner in 11 seasons was actually because of the credibility for explosive dips into Kansas, where the Jayhawks had become a high-octane assault under Kotelnicki's guidance. During a three-year extent coming from 2021-23, the Jayhawks positioned 12th nationally in percentage of plays acquiring at the very least 20 gardens (8.3%) and also 15th in percentage of passing plays obtaining at the very least 30 gardens (3.9%). Kansas surpassed 40 points 9 attend that period and also topped fifty aspects 5 opportunities, also as nagging injuries to beginning quarterback Jalon Daniels checked the outburst's adaptability.Those sorts of field-tilting gains uncovered on their own early and usually in Kotelnicki's debut against West Virginia on Saturday, along with Allar and also the team's high-ranking managing back duo shredding the Mountaineers in even more ways, and stages, than one. Allar just required 11 fulfillments to go beyond 200 passing yards and also locate completion zone three times through the sky. Singleton averaged almost 9 yards per proceed his 1st thirteen attempts, two of which gained 40 yards and also some of which found completion area. Wallace outdoed 100 obtaining yards for the first time in his job on merely 5 receptions.By the 8:13 mark of the 4th one-fourth-- when the Nittany Lions began sending out wents of data backups onto the industry-- Kotelnicki's outburst was actually still balancing an awesome 8.4 lawns per play.What's upcoming for Penn State?Departing West Virginia with an extensively exceptional street success positions the Nittany Lions for a potential climb in the nationwide positions in the arriving weeks. Not just will Penn State be actually a massive preference in its next four games against Bowling Eco-friendly, Kent State, Illinois and UCLA-- the last two of which are actually event enemies-- yet they likewise won't need to leave the friendly limits of Beaver Coliseum. A quartet of home dates maintains the Nittany Lions in Pennsylvania up until mid-October, whereupon they'll fly to The golden state of what should be a prominent competition along with Major 10 newbie USC. By then, Franklin's staff need to be 5-0 general, 2-0 in the league and also directly in the discussion to reach the University Football Playoff for the first time as the layout increases to 12 staffs. And if Sunday's outrageous blast against the Mountaineers is any indication of where Kotelnicki can easily take his system in the happening weeks, after that it could be worth featuring Penn State in dialogues regarding legit competitors for the Big Ten Champion and also the championship game. What's upcoming for West Virginia?After an opener through which Penn State tossed for 199 lawns and also 3 goals in the initial fifty percent alone, the top priority for Brown and protective coordinator Jordan Lesley in between currently and also Week 2 need to be actually solidifying a leaking secondary. The Mountaineers ranked 86th nationally and 8th in the Big 12 in passing self defense last season in spite of having an all-conference cornerback in Beanie Bishop Jr., whose 24 passes defended (four INTs, twenty splits up) led the nation. Yet Diocesan is actually now betting the Pittsburgh Steelers, and West Virginia's continuing to be sections struggled to decrease the Nittany Lions' downfield passing attack, specifically without the perk of a sensible elapsed rush. Northwestern transmission Garnett Hollis Jr., that took the major job versus Wallace, was beaten for a 17-yard fulfillment on a drive that ended with Penn Condition arriving at completion area as well as eventually submitted a back-shoulder touchdown that broke off the activity open quickly before halftime. West Virginia ought to possess a less complicated challenge next Sunday against Albany.Michael Cohen deals with college volleyball as well as basketball for FOX Sporting activities along with a focus on the Big 10. 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