There is no opting out here! Whether it’s wins and losses, home and away games, playoff games in tropical climates, or mid-December bowl games in freezing/snowy conditions in New York City, positional grades are evaluated. Think of it like your local postman.
Quarterback: A
After a rough first half, Ethan Grunmeeyer dumped Cade Klubnik for 262 yards and two touchdowns. While Clemson responded quickly on its first touchdown drive, Gronk helped his team calmly lead the drive back downfield, ultimately tying the game to a halt. When you stop and realize that yesterday was his seventh game as a starter, you can understand why he looks like a quarterback in pure midseason form. Whether he remains a Nittany Lion or heads elsewhere, Grunk has a bright future.
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Running back: B+
With both Nicholas Singleton and Ketron Allen out, there was a chance for someone to step up, and Quinton Martin did, rushing for 101 yards on 20 carries and combining with a timely pass from Gronk to become the primary back in the second half. Tikey Hayes also looked good in limited action, and I hope Matt Campbell can convince him to stay with Martin.
Wide Receiver: A
Trebor Peña saved his best performance as a Nittany Lion for last, catching five balls for 100 yards, including a crucial 73-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that put PSU up 15-3 and truly put Clemson in despair. Devonte Ross also had a strong performance in his final collegiate game, leading the team with eight catches for 84 yards. Koby Howard was the only Nittany Lion receiver to finish with a score, but he did have two catches for 34 yards, and I hope Campbell can convince him to stay.
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Tight End: A–
Andrew Rappleyea is an all-around player, whether he’s blocking or catching the ball. His touchdown run with less than five minutes left capped a game for Clemson, which was looking to come back from a double-digit deficit. Luke Reynolds also had a couple of 30-yard catches.
Offensive Line: B
Despite only having one starter, the offensive line performed well, especially in run blocking. The pass blocking was a little inconsistent and Gronk had to dodge pressure a lot, but all in all, this team performed better than expected.
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Defensive Line: A
Danny Sutton, the most notable of the star players, didn’t opt ​​out and played the entire game, a performance that should help boost his draft stock and establish him as a potential late first-rounder with two sacks. Jaylen Harvey also had a sack of his own, and just one of the defense’s four total sacks on the day came from the D-line.
Defender: A-
Amare Campbell led the way with seven tackles and one pass deflection, one of eight total tackles for the defense. Clemson was never really able to get the run game going yesterday, thanks in large part to the efforts of its front seven. Amare is definitely another guy that I would like to see stick around and play his final year of college football as a Nittany Lion.
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High School: A-
Darius Dixson was the pass deflection king today, rejecting three such passes, while the entire secondary had seven interceptions. Wabue Toure also had a sack of the game on fourth down with two and a half minutes remaining, ending Clemson’s hopes of a miraculous comeback. The only reason I give this team an A- instead of a straight A is because they were unable to convert at least one of those drives into an interception.
Special Teams: A
Ryan Barker was once again the cash player, hitting all 3 of his field goals and ending the 2025 season with 15 of 16 field goals on goal, with his only error being a blocked ball. Gabe Nwosu also had a strong showing in the punt game, averaging 45 yards on his three punts, and the special teams weren’t fooled by a fake punt pass that didn’t reach its intended receiver.
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Tutoring: A
Aside from Andy Kotelnicki’s decision to get a little cute with his play calling and tempo, the offense really picked up steam in the second half. Also, huge props to Anthony Poindexter, who serves as interim defensive coordinator for this game. Despite missing several key players due to opt-outs, Dirks’ defense held Clemson to just 10 points and looked like a loose group of guys having a lot of fun on the court, which makes me think he might seriously consider a full-time job in DC.
Terry Smith, what else can I say? I’m glad he finished his head coaching career with a 4-3 record. Yes, the schedule loosened up a bit after three games at Iowa State, Ohio State and Indiana, but the fact that few teams started 3-6 and ended up 7-6 is a testament to the change in attitude, responsibility and discipline since he took over. If you haven’t seen his post-game interview yesterday, it’s an absolute must-see (see video below).
(Bonus Category) You, the Fan: A+
My fellow Penn State fans: We’ve been through a lot these past few months, coming through a season that was disappointing in many ways, but also showed us that better ways are possible, that there’s still some struggle and pride within this program, and most importantly, we won’t give up on our support for our team. Our reward is the beginning of the Matt Campbell era, one that brings a new sense of hope and excitement as the calendar turns to 2026.
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This concludes my tenth season of doing these positional ratings. I hope you had as much fun reading them as I did (sometimes) putting them together. Until we meet again next fall…
