Two of the most talked about Penn State football players in the offseason were almost exclusively, unexpectedly absent from the stat sheet in the season-opener.
At least, no positive numbers to speak of in the Nittany Lions' runaway victory at West Virginia.
Doesn't mean, though, that receiver Julian Fleming and defensive end Abdul Carter did not make good impressions in their new Penn State position debuts, according to head coach James Franklin.
Their next big opportunities come in Saturday's home-opener against Bowling Green, a team that is nearly a five-touchdown underdog. Kickoff is noon on the Big Ten Network.
Fleming, the former five-star recruit and highly publicized transfer, wasn't a starter Saturday in Morgantown. He didn't catch a pass. He didn't even have a ball thrown his way.
Carter, meanwhile, had even a rougher go of it on defense. The All-America candidate who's making the move from linebacker, had only one second-half tackle. His biggest number was three − penalties he was assessed from his super-aggressive effort (two offsides, personal foul for late hit out of bounds).
Franklin quickly addressed a question about Carter during his weekly Monday press conference. He didn't seem concerned, at all, about his junior's highly-anticipated debut as an edge rusher.
He described his effort as "disruptive," and that he expects Carter to become more comfortable and to improve by the week.
Franklin spent a bit more time talking about Fleming.
He noted how the senior, who enjoyed plenty of big-pass moments during his four seasons at Ohio State, did everything he was asked at West Virginia and performed well.
"We definitely want to get him more involved (in the pass game). But the most important thing ... the things he could control, he controlled. He blocked really well. He ran really good routes," Franklin said.
Consider that Penn State quarterbacks Drew Allar and Beau Pribula threw only 18 combined passes in Saturday's game. Wide receivers caught just seven of them.
Tre Wallace enjoyed a career day with 117 yards and two touchdowns. Omari Evans hauled in a momentum-turning 55-yard Allar heave just before halftime.
And that was about it.
Analysis: Why is Drew Allar different now?
Junior receiver Kaden Saunders was still bothered by an undisclosed injury issue, Franklin said, and only fair-caught punts. Other wideouts, such as Liam Clifford and backups Anthony Ivey and Tyler Johnson, didn't get their hands on a pass.
Still, Fleming impressed, particularly with his expected strong blocking. Franklin pointed out how his key blocks helped clear the way for Penn State's first touchdown (50-yard pass play to Wallace) and its last (19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Warren).
“If you watch the play where Beau threw the touchdown to Tyler Warren, that’s because of Julian," Franklin said. On the play, Fleming dominated a West Virginia safety in the middle of the field, not allowing him to disrupt the passing lane.
Plus, “It's late in the game, and he’s still running great routes to put us in position to make big plays," Franklin said.
"Those are the things we talk about in our building. Those are things for these guys’ futures, (NFL scouts) watch. Obviously, you’d love stats to go with it and those will come. We’re confident in that. But I thought he played very well."
Safety KJ Winston earns Big Ten honor
Penn State junior safety KJ Winston earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for his work at West Virginia. He tied a career-high with 12 tackles and forced a fumble in the victory − eight of those tackles coming in the first quarter.
He is Penn State’s first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week since safety Ji’Ayir Brown on Sept. 19, 2022.
Franklin on QB Drew Allar's growth: 'There should be more swagger'
Quarterback Drew Allar looked transformed at West Virginia.
While his passing game expectedly smoothed out as the game went, more noticeable was his running mobility and his demonstrative reactions to leading and succeeding.
He picked up three first downs with his legs, which included a resounding stiff-arm of WVU defender Josiah Trotter in the fourth quarter. Allar confidently, even a bit brashly, made first-down signals after finishing a couple of those plays.
"He shouldn’t look the same. You shouldn't behave the same" in this third year at Penn State, Franklin said Monday. “You shouldn’t behave the same, there should be growth. There should be more confidence, there should be more swagger because he’s earned that. Confidence is something you earn.
“That stiff arm − a play Franklin acknowledged that Allar wouldn't have made in the past − was a credit to our strength and conditioning program, but it’s also a credit to Drew and the work that he’s put in.”
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him atfbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
