Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1001699
2 0 1 8 S E A S O N P R E V I E W different way to run it or you've got to throw them into submission. I think we've done that, and in a way, we did it in the bowl game. Washington up front was pretty stout, and so we had to find other ways to run the ball, and we had to throw it against some good DBs they had, too. I think it's one of those things where this offense is always [focused on] taking what they're giving you, and that's something that we've got to hang our hat on. BWI When that's your philosophy as an offense, how much of an asset is it to have an experienced, savvy guy like Trace? RAHNE It's great. And quite frankly, I think it's an asset to have all the guys we have because they know, they may have had only two catches this game, but it's going to come back around and they're going to have 12 sometime. The guys all know they just have to do their job and the ball is going to come to them when it's supposed to come to them. They're not going to force the ball to a guy. "The ball is going to come to me when it's supposed to come to me, and then it's my job to make the play." I think as a whole team, it's that mentality. But having a quarterback who's going to really, really believe in that, that's the key to it. BWI Especially for younger guys, how much of a psychology project is it early on to get them to understand that? RAHNE I think it's probably a little rough at first, especially when maybe they feel like they're open and the ball goes somewhere else. But I think over- all, it's the culture that our team has built and it's the culture that our of- fense has built. They buy in pretty fast. There are going to be times where all of us, we want the ball, but the guys on our team, they want the ball not be- cause they're selfish but because they feel like they give our team the best chance to win. So I think that's a great mentality to have. BWI You graduated a very productive pass-catching tight end in Mike Gesicki. How concerned were you by some of the missed reps at that position this spring given its importance to this offense in recent years? RAHNE I think the tight end is critical in this offense to its success, not only in receiving but in run-blocking and things like that. The respect that he can com- mand opens up a lot of other things for other players. It opens up the run game, it opens up other passes, it does a lot. So obviously you're concerned about the reps that are missed by some guys; if practice weren't important, we wouldn't do it. Just showing up on game day and rolling the ball out there – that's not how this works. So we need to get the reps, but I thought the guys who took the reps in the spring did a nice job. Having some HUB-Robeson Center, On-Campus