Penn State football took care of business inside Beaver Stadium on Saturday and delivered a 56-0 beatdown of Kent State.

During the eight-touchdown performance, the offense set new single-game records with 718 yards of total offense and 40 first downs. Even while the Nittany Lions marched up and down the field, many fans took to the internet wondering what the stomping meant for this week’s top-20 matchup against Illinois.

The Pribula Package Is Dead

C.J. Doebler: It was one interception, the first of his career. After last year, when James Franklin kept teasing the Beau Pribula package but didn’t actually use it until later in the season, it’s nice to see Pribula get involved more often. His arm isn’t great, but he does bring a mobile threat that defenses have to account for.

I understand how this take got out there. Penn State was marching and looking like it was ready to score, then Pribula trotted on and tossed a pick. The backup is a good asset to help fool defenses, but in that situation, I think Drew Allar already had the defense’s number.

Mitch Corcoran: Nope, it’s still alive. I think we didn’t see the package a whole lot because there was no need to use it, really. Allar had things under control, and the base offense was moving the ball just fine.

When Pribula came in against West Virginia and Bowling Green, the games were closer and more competitive, and the package gave the defense a different look. Penn State didn’t have to do that against Kent State.

Nolan Wick: It’s not dead. I think Pribula provides upside, but Allar’s strong play as both a passer and a rusher so far makes it harder to play him as often. Having said that, though, there’s no indication he won’t see plenty of reps.

Pribula threw an ugly interception against the worst team in college football and has had some ball security issues. He’s a good runner, but I want to see him throw more. He’s played in all three games and only attempted 10 passes, which doesn’t exude confidence from the coaching staff regarding his throwing capabilities.

Andy Kotelnicki’s usage of Allar and Pribula is reminiscent of what Michigan did in 2021. Cade McNamara started and threw way more than he ran, while J.J. McCarthy did the opposite with the fewer reps he received. McCarthy is slightly larger than Pribula, but there are similarities in their game.

Let’s be real here: If Allar keeps it up, he’s likely in the NFL next season. That leaves Pribula as the likely starter unless Ethan Grunkemeyer surprises everyone. Either way, the Pribula package is valuable given his ability to run, but it would be nice if he passed more.

Joe Lister: I think the Pribula package is a necessary evil. I’m not a big fan of holding my breath every time Pribula throws the ball, but we don’t know what Jaxon Smolik and Grunkemeyer look like. If Pribula’s going to be next season’s starter, he might as well have some experience.

That being said, the Pribula package is sort of useless. Put Pribula in the shotgun, and defenses don’t have to guess much if it’ll be a run or a pass — just whether he or a running back will take the ball through the middle of the offensive line.

Sometimes, I think Kotelnicki does too much for his own good.

Tyler Warren Is The Best Tight End In The Country

C.J.: James Franklin is extremely pleased with Tyler Warren through the first three games of the season and on three separate occasions, Franklin referred to the tight end as “one of the most complete tight ends in the country.” Warren has been really, really good for the Nittany Lions thus far. He set a program record with 146 receiving yards in the game against Bowling Green and added another receiving touchdown and a touchdown pass against Kent State.

It’s not just the pass-catching that has Franklin impressed, though. It’s the blocking and route running, too. While Warren’s excelling on the stat sheet so far, he’s making a big impact off of it, as well.

Mitch: Warren has been on a tear recently, but I still think it’s too soon. Give him a few more weeks when conference play comes around and see if he’s still dominant. He has all the traits to be the best tight end in the country, but I need to see if he can consistently play like he has been, especially against ranked teams.

Nolan: Warren is going to make his way into the national conversation very soon as one of the best tight ends in America and a potential 2025 first-round draft pick. He’s been stellar so far and has proven he can catch, block, run, and even throw. If he produces the way he has been so far on Saturday night on national television, expect to hear some increased buzz.

Joe: Personally, I didn’t understand why Theo Johnson went to the NFL Draft last year and Warren didn’t. I thought Warren was the better tight end, and he’s shown it this season. Warren is everything Penn State wants in a tight end — he’s a good route-runner, good pass-catcher, good run-blocker, and good quarterback (somewhat). I liken him to George Kittle a bit where he’ll give you whatever you want, whenever you want.

However, I haven’t seen every tight end in America. I think Warren’s one of the best out there, but I can’t say for sure if he’s the guy.

Penalties Are A Real Problem

C.J.: Penalties, especially pre-snap, have absolutely been a problem for the Nittany Lions early this season. After being called for seven penalties, resulting in 65 yards, against Kent State, Franklin lamented the fact that he was bald because it prevented him from pulling his hair out from the stress and embarrassment. It wasn’t the first time Franklin was asked about penalties, but he promised to hold people accountable and have discussions about ending the penalty problem before Big Ten play.

Mitch: Yes, there are too many gosh darn penalties. Penn State averages 7.3 penalties a game for an average of 67 yards.

The thing is, most of the penalties are completely unnecessary. Guys lining up offside, personal fouls, and let’s not forget, Saturday’s game started with a penalty too. Gabe Nwosu gave up a penalty with an out-of-bounds kickoff. On one drive, J’ven Williams cost his team 25 yards with a holding and personal foul.

This absolutely cannot continue.

Nolan: If they don’t address this now, penalties are going to cost the Nittany Lions wins. Take the next game, for instance. Illinois, a hot team, will need those kinds of self-inflicted mistakes to keep its impressive run going. Penn State has been assessed 22 penalties for 201 yards in just three games, which is outrageous. The Nittany Lions may have been good enough skill-wise to overpower Kent State, Bowling Green, and West Virginia, and may well do so against Illinois. But what about USC and Ohio State? This is a glaring concern for the team, and it better get fixed.

Joe: Penalties are always a problem. The Nittany Lions, on average, give up 67 yards a game through penalties — enough for a team to drive down the field and kick a field goal.

Penn State’s penalties might not matter against Kent State, but they also may have been less frequent against Kent State and the other non-conference opposition it faced, as well. Before Illinois, Ohio State, and USC end up on the same field as the Nittany Lions, Franklin and Co. will have to iron them out.

The Defense Will Be Fine Without K.J. Winston

C.J.: The defense held Kent State scoreless on Saturday, but the Golden Flashes’ offense is one of the worst-scoring offenses in the FBS. Losing K.J. Winston is going to be tough for the secondary, but with players like Dejuan Lane and Zakee Wheatley waiting in the wings, they’ll be OK. Facing off with Illinois’ quarterback this Saturday should be a better test to see how the rest of the season will go.

Mitch: Winston is one of the best players on this Nittany Lions defense. It’s hard to say the unit will be “fine” without him out there.

Luckily for Penn State, it has two good safeties in Jaylen Reed and Wheatley to replace Winston, but the development of Lane is very important. Franklin expects the true freshman to develop into the starting role so Reed can move back to nickel.

It’s tough for any team to replace a veteran like Winston with a freshman like Lane, but Franklin listed Lane as one of the first green lights of the season, so we’ll have to see if he will step up.

Nolan: It’s hard to say Penn State will be fine without arguably the defense’s best player, but safety is a position with lots of depth. Reed is a quality starter, while Wheatley and Lane have taken positive strides in their development. Having said that, they’ll probably be okay, at least for the time being.

Joe: Losing Winston sucks. There’s no better way to put it. He was the Nittany Lions’ most promising player this year and a force in the backfield. This would be a great time to have King Mack still on the roster.

That being said, Penn State’s whole defense played good and complimentary football without him on Saturday. The defense pressured Kent State’s various quarterbacks several times throughout the game, forcing errant throws. The secondary just needed to clean up what was left.

Penn State might not be great without Winston, but it’ll be fine.

The Future Is In Good Hands

CJ: The fourth quarter belonged to the backups on Saturday, and the future of Penn State football looks exciting. Cam Wallace carried the ball nine times for 39 yards and a touchdown before leaving with an injury. Quinton Martin Jr. entered in place of Wallace and gained 24 yards on seven carries. The defense also spread reps, with true freshman Anthony Speca leading the team in tackles with five.

Mitch: When the backups and the freshman came in in the fourth quarter, they dominated. Kent State had three total yards in the final quarter and Penn State’s offense scored 14 points and gained 135 yards.

I know Kent State isn’t very good, but for backups and true freshmen to play like that is quite impressive. For some of those kids, that was the toughest opponent they’ve faced in a game in their entire football careers.

Nolan: For a program like Penn State, the future is almost always in good hands. There are usually multiple four-star and sometimes five-star players waiting in the wings, and 2024 is no exception. I’m most excited about the offensive line, with five-star J’Ven Williams and four-stars Alex Birchmeier and Cooper Cousins likely starters next season, for instance.

Joe: Yes.

Cousins is already getting solid reps on the offensive line. Speca led the Nittany Lions in tackles against Kent State. Tyseer Denmark and Luke Reynolds got looks on offense. Penn State doesn’t rebuild, it reloads.