Penn State's Kotelnicki committing to scheme, personnel changes in preparation for No. 1 Ohio State

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki can’t explain Penn State’s futility so far this season.

But he has learned a hard lesson that might still benefit the Nittany Lions as they continue their bye week soul-searching before visiting No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1.

“No matter who you have coming back, or what your identity is, what you are is always going to evolve or change,” Kotelnicki said. “It’s never going to be the same and that’s week to week, year to year, regardless of the amount of people you have coming back.”

After entering the season as the nation’s second-ranked team, fresh off a deep CFP run and with nearly every key offensive player returning, the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) have devolved in their second year under the former Big 12 coordinator.

A group that a season ago was among the country’s best — and most unpredictable with do-it-all tight end Tyler Warren — has fallen to 99th nationally in total offense, 75th in explosive plays and 59th on third downs. It has contributed to a four-game losing stretch that’s seen starting quarterback Drew Allar sustain a season-ending injury and longtime coach James Franklin fired.

Kotelnicki, who spoke with reporters on Wednesday for the first time since August, admitted it’s time to remold the offense. The Nittany Lions have two weeks to do so.

“I’m more focused on what it’s gotta be by next week,” Kotelnicki said. “I don’t want to say you start from scratch, but you kind of have to approach it that way.”

Interim coach Terry Smith said Tuesday the process started with the team’s 25-24 loss at Iowa. There, the Nittany Lions escaped the boos of Beaver Stadium and tried to rediscover half of the identity that made them formidable last season — a hard-charging running game led by Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.

Thanks to their past exploits, both backs entered the season with a chance to break the program’s career rushing record. Now, the offense will need to double its efforts for one of them to have a shot.

Allen rushed a career-best 145 yards on 28 carries and scored twice against the Hawkeyes. Singleton, who has yet to eclipse 55 scrimmage yards in a conference game this season, is expected to be more of a factor as Kotelnicki commits to getting him the ball in space.

“His superpower’s been he’s able to when he finds those windows, he hits them full speed,” Kotelnicki said. “Those windows haven’t quite been there as much as they were last year.”

Smith, who also coaches the team’s defensive backs, has directed the staff to commit to other players, too. Namely, freshmen receivers Tyseer Denmark and Koby Howard, who made their Big Ten debuts at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.

Smith has seen them excel in 1-on-1 position drills with his defenders and believes they can help teammate Devonte Ross stretch the field.

“We’ve just gotta continue to grow our pass game beyond the intermediate zone,” Smith said. “With our run game starting to click and starting to hit on all cylinders, we’ve got to be able to play-action off of that and go in behind the linebackers and develop that pass game.”

It’ll help create more openings for quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who’ll make his second career start in Columbus against a second-ranked Buckeye defense that’s allowing just 131 passing yards per game and has given up just three passing touchdowns this season.

Interestingly, the offense wasn’t practicing during the portion open to media on Tuesday. Smith said they had a shortened session and were instead installing new concepts, presumably to deploy against the Buckeyes.

“They’re the best team in the country,” Smith said. “We have to be clicking on all cylinders to give ourselves a chance for that game.”

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