Penn State struggled to run the ball effectively in 2021, and that is putting things mildly.

During the season, the Nittany Lions averaged 107.8 yards per game rushing and just 3.2 yards per carry. Making matters worse, Penn State did not have a single 100-yard rusher during 2021.

For a program that prides itself on a strong rushing game under James Franklin, it was a particularly disappointing year. In his opening comments for the spring, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich shouldered the blame for that performance.

Yurcich particularly deflected the struggles off of offensive line coach Phil Trautwein while saying fault in the run game rests on Yurcich’s shoulders as the offensive coordinator.

For a program looking to rebound in 2022, Yurcich said Penn State will coach and execute better this season. Yurcich also said a pair of freshman running backs will bring strong competition to the offense.