L O O K A T T H E 2 0 1 9 N I T T A N Y L I O N S
back Trace McSorley, as well
as its top rusher from last
season (Sanders) and two of-
fensive linemen who opted to
leave early (McGovern and
tackle Ryan Bates).
The 2018 season didn't end the way
Penn State wanted, as Kentucky held off
the Nittany Lions' fourth-quarter rally to
secure a 27-24 victory in the Citrus Bowl.
In doing so, the Wildcats exploited some
season-long problems in
the passing game and on
special teams – problems
that Penn State will need
to address over the com-
ing months if it hopes to
improve on its 9-4 record.
James Franklin began that process the
day after the bowl game by dismissing re-
ceivers coach David Corley after only one
season on the staff. The Lions' receivers
struggled badly in 2018, so the move was-
n't entirely unexpected. The next step
will be to internalize the hard lessons of
last season and figure out how to keep the
problems from recurring.
"That locker room is excited about the
future," Franklin said after the Citrus Bowl.
"But we've got some things that we've got
to get cleaned up and some things that
we've got to get corrected, and we have to
take ownership of those things."
NOWHERE TO RUN
Micah Parsons brings
down Kentucky run-
ning back Benny Snell
during the Citrus
Bowl. Parsons
wrapped up his fresh-
man season by mak-
ing a game-high 13
tackles for the Nittany
Lions.
Photo by Paul
Burdick/Penn State
