Explosiveness.

That’s what Penn State football was lacking in 2020.

Last season undoubtedly was difficult for many college football programs, but the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have the biggest impact on the blue and white.

The Nittany Lions were ranked inside the preseason top 10, but lost their first five games of the season - the only team in the modern area to do so.

The Penn State offense just didn’t have the same pop that it had created in years past under head coach James Franklin and offensive coordinators Joe Moorhead and Ricky Rahne.

Quarterback Sean Clifford struggled mightily during the Nittany Lions’ five-game losing streak, throwing eight interceptions, and showed an inability to push the ball downfield.

Penn State also struggled to put points on the board, averaging a meager 24.6 points per game during its losing streak, and just 29.78 on the season, well below previous season averages under Franklin.

Enter former Texas offensive coordinator Mike Yurchich.

Yurchich, who is respected around college football, replaces Kirk Ciarrocca and brings in a high octane offensive mentality to State College. In his career as an FBS offensive coordinator, Yurcich’s offenses have averaged 6.49 yards per play, which ranks first among offensive coordinators since 2013, and 14.03 yards per completion, which is first among Power Five coordinators in that same time frame.

In his career at Texas, the Longhorns ranked eighth in FBS in scoring offense (42.7 ppg), 16th in passing efficiency (156.2) and 19th in total offense (475.4 ypg). Texas also finished in the top 40 in the country in passing offense (27th; 280.1 ypg) and rushing offense (37th; 195.3 ypg). The 42.7 points per game ranks second in Texas history.

Yurchich also had successful stints at Ohio State (passing game coordinator) and Oklahoma State (offensive coordinator). Like Franklin, Yurchich also made a name for himself in the PSAC. He was a starting quarterback for three years at California University of PA, and served as the offensive coordinator during Shippensburg’s impressive 2012 run. Under Yurchich, the Red Raiders led NCAA Division II in total offense (529.2 ypg), and were second in scoring offense (46.9 ppg) and passing yards per game (387.7 ypg). Quarterback Zach Zulli won the 2012 Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II, and tied the NCAA Division II record with 54 passing scores.

“Excited about, you know, our identity being similar to what it’s been for the majority of our time here, back to spreading the field, making people defend 53-and-a-third, creating explosive plays, trying to put as many defenders in conflict as possible,” said Franklin.

“That’s really kind of who we wanted to be the entire time that we’ve been here. With the athletes that we have at receiver and at tight end, at running back, that was another big part of it, is just getting as many guys involved, get as many guys touches, getting as many guys in space as possible.”

As all football aficionados, the offense doesn’t stand much of a chance if the quarterback leading that unit isn’t playing at a high level. Clifford will no doubt need to have a better 2021 campaign if the Nittany Lions are going to be more explosive offensively. After a 2019 season that saw him throw for 2,654 yards with 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions, Clifford struggled in 2020, throwing for 1,883 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Clifford looked unsure and unconfident at times last season, but has endured four different offensive coordinator changes during his tenure, which can certainly be taxing on a signal caller. But when it’s all said and done, with his skill set and Yurchich’s offensive scheme, the opportunity is there for a bounce back season for Clifford.

“All of the coordinators that we have had here are fantastic people, and fantastic coaches. And I know myself and our team have learned from all of them. And the Good Lord doesn’t give you everything, right? And all of them have tremendous strengths that Sean’s been able to learn from and grow,” said Franklin.

“It’s really more about the fact that we’re running most of the same plays that we’ve always run, but it’s the packaging. It’s the presentation. Whether it is huddling, whether it’s going no huddle. Whether it’s lining up in multiple personnel sets, whether it’s multiple sets. Whether it’s empty, whatever it may be, it’s the packaging of how you put it all together. And that’s been fun.”