While Penn State football has a myriad of problems on both sides of the ball, the offense has been the more lackluster unit through six games (kind of shocking, considering that 400-yard Northwestern rushing performance in Week 5).

The Nittany Lions completely fell apart once wide receiver Koby Howard went down ahead of the Wisconsin game. They showed some improvement overall against USC, but ultimately fell short after an all-too-familiar late-game turnover handed the Trojans the ball back.

Not to beat a dead horse, but Penn State’s run game hasn’t been up to par. There is a clear disconnect in the duo of Carson Hansen and James Peoples, and that showed even more on Saturday.

The pair dashed for measly 48 yards combined.

“We’re a run game without an identity, and that’s the reality of the situation. And for us, it’s like, ‘How can we get good at something to be able to hang our hat on, what that looks like?'” offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said Tuesday. “And there’s some flashes at times, but I’d be wrong to say there’s a consistent element there.”

The funny thing about the run game is that it’s been steered toward Hansen and Peoples in recent weeks, despite the clarity of that dysfunction.

Quinton Martin Jr. received seven carries against Northwestern. Neither he nor Cam Wallace saw any action against USC, even though all four played in the first quarter against Wisconsin.

Martin and Wallace both showed that elusive explosiveness in non-conference play that Penn State has been searching for.

Wallace dashed for a 59-yard score in Week 3. Martin also picked up a 61-yard rush against the Bulls. Neither Hansen nor Peoples has rushed for more than 16 yards this season.

Yet, Mouser and Matt Campbell opted to exclusively run Hansen and Peoples in the White Out to establish some rhythm in the run game and not be so “clunky.”

Mouser felt that including all four of them didn’t let them build that rhythm. But if it clearly isn’t working, what’s the logic in abandoning the possibility of explosiveness in the biggest game of the year that had the ability to get fans back on board?

“Wanted to be able to work through some of that last week, and weren’t able to get traction and take off,” Mouser said. “I love Quinton. I think he’s a great kid that does all the right stuff. Putting him in a spot to execute well and go out and do what he does well, and he did that today.”

While the backs themselves have their own issues they need to figure out, a lot of the dysfunction stems from the blocking up front.

The offensive line hasn’t done a great job of creating a clear running lane for Hansen and Peoples to exploit. Trevor Buhr and Brock Riker, specifically, were burned pretty badly by the USC pass rush.

Riker has also battled some injuries through the season. Campbell said last Wednesday Riker has been “gutting it out the last couple weeks,” after leaving the Week 3 contest against Buffalo.

Whatever the case may be, something needs to change in protection if the run game is truly meant to flourish.

“Everything has been put on the table to make it better, and we have good guys between [Garrett] Sexton and Owen [Aliciene] and those guys, and Dom [Rulli] getting healthy, so we have to find an answer there,” Mouser said. “Obviously, that’s been a squeaky wheel for us.”

Another player who needs some more in-game action is tight end Benjamin Brahmer.

He’s been productive when the ball gets to him, tallying 11.1 yards per reception from Weeks 1 to 5.

Brahmer especially looked like the tight end of the future against Temple in Week 2, when he reeled in five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns in Philadelphia.

Brahmer caught one pass for four yards in the White Out.

“I told him after the game that for him to have one catch, it’s unacceptable … We called all the plays that I had starred to get him the ball, and for whatever reason they [USC] took it away,” Mouser said. “They were going to make somebody else catch the ball, and it was good to see [Andrew Rappleyea] engage, step up, and make some plays.”

Mouser has a checklist on his call sheet for the best ways to get Brahmer the ball, but USC played the Nittany Lions too tightly to get any real production out of the senior tight end.

Mouser said it “isn’t right in [his] mind” that Brahmer wasn’t involved more against the Trojans.

That’s where Howard comes in.

Once Howard returns, the talented receiver will open the field for Rocco Becht to dissect opposing defenses.

The lack of danger Howard presents in the pass game has made the offense stagnant against the Big Ten defenses Penn State has faced so far. Once he returns, more attention will shift to him rather than weapons like Brahmer, Chase Sowell, and Brett Eskildsen.

That’s the idea, anyways.

Becht credited a lot of his struggles to defenses taking away the middle of the field and forcing him to throw outside the hash marks. Becht is being forced to make throws in tighter windows, and it’s even harder with Big Ten talent barreling towards the ball like sharks.

But Becht still had his best Big Ten game in a Penn State uniform against USC. He looked composed and ready to meet the moment, even if he didn’t make all of his throws.

He finished with 289 yards and one touchdown on 21-of-32 passing and had the Nittany Lions ready to march downfield for the tie if Eskildsen didn’t turn the ball over. He didn’t throw an interception for the first time in his Big Ten career.

The improved game management will be valuable for Becht as he leads the reeling Nittany Lions into the Big House to face college football’s No. 3-ranked total defense in the Michigan Wolverines.

“The Big Ten defenses are really smart, sound, and detailed in what they’re doing, and that’s exactly what Michigan is doing,” Becht said.

“Their defensive coordinator [Jay Hill], we’ve known him from the past, being at BYU … He likes to change up the coverages, change up the looks for the quarterback … Being able to see where guys are, see where things are coming from, that’s really going to be the big thing for this week.”

Penn State’s time to get the offense settled and figure things out is running out. Bowl eligibility is a legitimate concern. Howard still won’t be back until at least after the bye week.

Michigan has its own issues, but there’s no doubt that a win in the Big House would be monumental for Campbell’s program culture after the miserable last three weeks Penn State fans have had to endure.

Penn State has to make all necessary offensive changes. The time is now.