Saquon Barkley had 21 carries during Penn State’s 39-38 loss at Ohio State last Saturday.
He lost ground on nine of them.
That means Penn State moved in the wrong direction nearly half of the time Barkley, a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, was handed the ball.
That’s a credit to the Buckeyes’ defense, anchored by what might be college’s football’s finest line, but also the latest indictment of the Nittany Lions’ offensive line.
When a guy many regard as the top running back, if not player, in the nation is consistently being hit in the backfield, it’s an issue.