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Last year, McGloin threw the ball 446 times for 3,266 yards, while Penn State's running backs combined for 402 carries for 1,771 yards. This fall, I expect to see nearly a 50-50 split between the run and the pass. There is no question that Penn State has the running backs on hand to get the job done on the ground. Zwinak rushed for 1,000 yards on 203 carries in nine games after taking over the starting running back position last fall. At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, he has explosive power and surprising speed as a north-south runner. He's the type of running back O'Brien likes to have in his offense. If Belton stays healthy, he is going to give Penn State a different dimension this fall. He missed most of the team's informal summer workout sessions to concentrate on academics, but he nevertheless entered preseason practice in excellent playing condition, having added six pounds. O'Brien said he wants to see Belton "make good decisions in the running game. Don't dance – one cut and go. "If you go back and watch our Iowa game, that's how he ran the ball," O'Brien added, referring to the Nittany Lions' 38-14 victory over the Hawkeyes last October, in which Belton surpassed 100 yards for the first and only time in 2012. "He was patient. He made the read, he stuck it in there and gained 103 yards in that game." There have been plenty of rumors this summer that Belton's role will be expanded so that the offense will be able to take advantage of his unique abilities. It will be interesting to see what kind of tweaks O'Brien has in store. Then add the depth, talent and speed that redshirt freshman Akeel Lynch brings to the position. At 6-0, 211 pounds, and with sub-4.5-second 40-yard speed, Lynch is a bigplay running back. That's just what Penn State needs. In their first two games last year – losses to Ohio and Virginia – the Lions' longest run from scrimmage was only 14 yards. For the entire season, Penn State had only one run of 50 or more yards – Zwinak's 50-yard touchdown burst against Nebraska. After that run, the longest carries by a Penn State running back were for 25 yards by Michael Zordich against Northwestern and 23 yards by Belton at Iowa. This year, if everyone stays healthy, O'Brien will have the luxury of alternating Zwinak, Belton and Lynch, giving the Nittany Lions a balanced running game that features both power and breakaway speed. Penn State also returns its top three receivers in Robinson, Brandon Moseby-Felder and Alex Kenney. Robinson and Moseby-Felder combined for 108 receptions for 1,450 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Also in the mix are redshirt freshmen Eugene Lewis and Jonathan Warner, true freshman Richy Anderson and redshirt sophomore Matt Zanellato. (True freshman DaeSean Hamilton will miss the season with a wrist injury.) Given the depth here, it's easy to see why redshirt freshman Malik Golden and sophomore Trevor Williams were moved to the secondary. At tight end, meanwhile, there's Carter, James, Lehman and Breneman – a deep group that is fully versed in O'Brien's offense. The final piece of the puzzle is the offensive line. This is the main reason why I believe Penn State's offense will be more balanced this fall. Two starters – John Urschel at right guard and Donovan Smith at left tackle – enter preseason practice with firstteam All-Big Ten potential. They will be joined by Miles Dieffenbach at left guard, Ty Howle at center and either Garry Gilliam, Adam Gress or Eric Shrive at right tackle, giving Penn State the experience and pure physical talent to run the ball effectively and protect the quarterback. This offense will understand what it is doing. It will exploit the things it did well last year and make adjustments to take advantage of its strengths this season. 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