No. 4 Penn State is plenty good with plenty of room to improve
Saquon Barkley
Penn State's Saquon Barkley  tries to run away from Indiana defenders. (Photo: Jeremy Long  Lebanon Daily News)
STATE COLLEGE  Pa. —  Saquon Barkley  demands your attention.  He  took the opening kickoff Saturday against Indiana 98 yards for a touchdown  skipping over a would-be tackler just steps from the end zone to add another moment to  his  Heisman Trophy highlight reel. No one catches  Barkley  from behind  especially Indiana.
“The game has evolved and the game has changed  and you have to take advantage of your playmakers in a variety of different ways ” said Penn State coach James Franklin. “ Saquon  makes it easy to do that.  He ’s just got so many tools in  his  tool box. Every week for us  it’s how do you take advantage of  him ?”
 Barkley  can be hard  if not impossible  to ignore. For the first time in more than a decade  this program can tout a true Heisman contender  one who stands among the best players in the nation regardless of position and seems capable of shouldering enough of a load to carry the Nittany Lions back to the top of the Big Ten Conference.
But Penn State had this  Barkley  a year ago —  he  might be a little faster  a little bigger and a little stronger  but  he  was roughly this good as a sophomore  if without the national fanfare and attention. And while very good  last year’s team had its flaws; the offensive line took a step forward yet remained a concern  continuing a trend  and the defense ranked in the bottom half of the conference.
RELATED: No. 4 Penn State blows out Indiana; more highlights for Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley's encore after last week's performance? A 98-yard TD return ON THE OPENING KICK: pic.twitter.com/OfpOTrZNA4 — Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 30  2017
[TGT]tries to run away from Indiana defenders. (Photo: Jeremy Long  Lebanon Daily News)
STATE COLLEGE  Pa. —  [TGT]demands your attention.  [TGT]  took the opening kickoff Saturday against Indiana 98 yards for a touchdown  skipping over a would-be tackler just steps from the end zone to add another moment to  [TGT]  Heisman Trophy highlight reel. No one catches  [TGT]from behind  especially Indiana.
“The game has evolved and the game has changed  and you have to take advantage of your playmakers in a variety of different ways ” said Penn State coach James Franklin. “ Saquon  makes it easy to do that.  He ’s just got so many tools in  his  tool box. Every week for us  it’s how do you take advantage of  him ?”
 [TGT]can be hard  if not impossible  to ignore. For the first time in more than a decade  this program can tout a true Heisman contender  one who stands among the best players in the nation regardless of position and seems capable of shouldering enough of a load to carry the Nittany Lions back to the top of the Big Ten Conference.
But Penn State had this  Barkley  a year ago —  he  might be a little faster  a little bigger and a little stronger  but  he  was roughly this good as a sophomore  if without the national fanfare and attention. And while very good  last year’s team had its flaws; the offensive line took a step forward yet remained a concern  continuing a trend  and the defense ranked in the bottom half of the conference.
RELATED: No. 4 Penn State blows out Indiana; more highlights for Saquon Barkley
[TGT] encore after last week's performance? A 98-yard TD return ON THE OPENING KICK: pic.twitter.com/OfpOTrZNA4 — Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 30  2017