Kotelnicki must stick with strengths to defeat Notre Dame

By Cory Giger

sports@altoonamirror.com

Andy Kotelnicki needs to realize he’s not in Kansas anymore.

Kotelnicki has done a good job in his first season as Penn State’s offensive coordinator, but there are times when he still tries to get way too cute.

He needed to scheme a whole bunch of wacky stuff when he was at Kansas or Buffalo — places where he didn’t always have great talent — but at PSU, he’s got plenty of horses who just need to be turned loose to do what they do.

Take, for instance, a key third-and-1 early in the fourth quarter last week against Boise State. The Lions were averaging about 8 yards per carry at that stage in the game, and yet instead of just busting Kaytron Allen through the gut for what surely would have been an easy first down, Kotelnicki called for Drew Allar to throw the ball.

How many of you wanted to throw something at your TV at that point, screaming: “Just run the d*** ball!!!!!”

Penn State’s offense needs to play to its strengths to beat Notre Dame. It does not need for Kotelnicki to get all cute and line up in 50 different funky formations trying to trick the Fighting Irish.

Sometimes, just playing regular football is enough to win. And playing cutesy football is a sure way to sabotage yourself.

In this kind of game, against a very good defense, every single offensive play call will be important. The Lions cannot afford for Kotelnicki to have any brain cramps and forget the old adage of “keep it simple, stupid.”

By far the biggest brain cramp of the year for Penn State was Kotelnicki deciding not to give the ball to the team’s best player, Tyler Warren, even once inside the 5-yard line during the loss to Ohio State. A touchdown would have tied it, but Kotelnicki was asleep at the wheel in that situation.

Penn State fans need to hope that, if a similar situation arises against Notre Dame, Kotelnicki will be up to the challenge with his play calls.

Additionally, I am concerned about Drew Allar’s consistency in this game. The QB looked terrific on some throws against Boise, but he still only completed 13 of 25 passes.

Allar must be more efficient than that against an outstanding Notre Dame defense.

I am picking Penn State to win this game, in large part because I believe the Lions’ offense is better than Notre Dame’s. But all of that rests on Kotelnicki and Allar coaching and playing up to their max potential.

Cory Giger is the host of “Sports Central” weekdays from 4-5 on 96.1 Hank FM.