5 Players Penn State Football Should Get Extra Playing Time to vs. Bowling Green

After a tough season opener in Morgantown last weekend, Penn State Football returns home for the first of two tune-up games, starting against Bowling Green Saturday.

If all goes according to plan, Penn State will have plenty of time during the game to get their starters out early and bring in younger players to build depth for later in the season.

5 players Penn State should try to get extended playing time against Bowling Green Saturday

Beau Pribula

Okay, this one may already be in the works from offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.

Pribula played over 20 offensive snaps in Week 1 at West Virginia, and was likely to already be heavily involved in this matchup.

However, with Drew Allar impressing early in the season, a fourth season in Happy Valley is not guaranteed for the former five-star quarterback.

If Penn State Football is able to get Allar out of the game early and keep him healthy, while allowing Pribula to continue developing as a backup quarterback and potential starter for the 2025 season, Penn State could see a two-fold benefit.

If Allar ends up getting hurt again this season (as he did in 2023 against Rutgers), the extra reps Saturday could pay large dividends for Penn State even this season.

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Cam Wallace

Penn State Football has one of the best running back tandems in college football.

Nick Singleton returned to his freshman form in Week 1 against West Virginia, rushing for 114 yards and a touchdown, and reaching the fastest top speed of any player in the country in week one. Meanwhile, Kaytron Allen also caught a touchdown pass against the Mountaineers, even though he struggled rushing the football (10 carries for 20 yards).

However, behind the two feature backs, Penn State has no collegiate experience if either of Penn State’s starting backs gets hurt. Against Bowling Green, Penn State should focus on getting Cam Wallace (and Quinton Martin and Corey Smith) reps to ensure a backup plan in case either Singleton or Allen get hurt this season.

The extra reps could also go a long way toward getting all three backs ready for a potential position battle next spring if either (or both) Singleton or Allen head to the NFL following this season.

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Tyseer Denmark

True freshman Tyseer Denmark created a buzz during fall camp after his arrival this summer in Happy Valley.

The four-star in-state wide receiver has all the physical tools to be a star for Penn State in the coming years. However, with Penn State still looking for wide receivers to step up this season after struggling at the position in 2023, the game Saturday would be an ideal environment for Denmark to get extended snaps and see how the talented youngster adapts to the college game.

If Denmark can get confidence early in the season, especially against a lower-tier opponent in a game that is not as tight, Denmark may prove worthy of more playing time as conference play begins.

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Cooper Cousins

Cooper Cousins has created a buzz since the high school All-American game in January.

The true freshman preseason All-American has been long talked about to potentially compete and help this Penn State team in 2024. With Nick Dawkins winning the starting center position, and Vega Ioane and Sal Wormley starting at the two guard positions, Saturday’s game is the perfect opportunity to allow Cousins to rotate into all three positions and see how he performs in a collegiate game.

Cousins is one of Penn State’s top future offensive line prospects and could be a top line starter for the Nittany Lions for years to come. Getting him experience early and often can only help his development in all three positions.

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Max Granville

Max Granville should be part way through his senior season of high school football in Texas right now. Instead, he is suiting up for Penn State after reclassifying this summer and enrolling with the Nittany Lions.

As such, getting him playing time may not be realistic this season, as he needs time to develop in Penn State’s strength and conditioning program and adjust to the college game

. However, if there is an opportunity to get Granville involved this fall, it may be this weekend against Bowling Green or in two weeks against Kent State.

Personally, I would love to see Granville for at least a few snaps this season to see his potential on the field. He was a very high upside prospect that Deion Barnes and the Penn State coaching staff was very high on, and could be a star in the making for Penn State in the future.

Provided Penn State takes care of business early, fans should see plenty of younger talent for the Nittany Lions take the field Saturday. With any luck, Penn State could see future stars flourish against the Falcons and players could earn extra snaps down the line for this team in 2024.

MORE: Key Matchups Penn State Must Win Against Bowling Green

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