Position Grades: Clemson (Pinstripe Bowl)

No opt-outs here! Whether it’s a win or loss, home or away game, playoff game in a tropical climate or a mid-tier December bowl game in freezing temps/snowy weather in New York City, the position grades will be graded out. Think of this like your local mail carrier.

Quarterback: A

After a tough first half, Ethan Grunkemeyer out-threw Cade Klubnik, slinging it for 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns. When Clemson responded quickly to his first TD strike, Grunk helped calmly drive his team back downfield with the TD drive that would ultimately ice the game. When you stop and realize that yesterday was his seventh game as starter, it makes sense why he looked like a QB who was in pure midseason form. Whether he remains a Nittany Lion or heads somewhere else, Grunk has a bright future ahead.

Running Back: B+

With neither Nicholas Singleton nor Kaytron Allen available, somebody had an opportunity to step up, and it was Quinton Martin who did so, ripping off 101 yards on 20 carries and turning into a workhorse back in the second half in combination with Grunk’s timely passing. Tikey Hayes also looked good in his limited action and would be another guy I hope Matt Campbell can convince to stick around along 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 critical 73-yard TD at the beginning of the fourth quarter to put PSU up 15-3 and really put Clemson in desperation mode. Devonte Ross also had a solid outing in his final collegiate game, leading the team in receptions with eight catches for 84 yards. Koby Howard was the only other Nittany Lion receiver to end up on the box score, but he did grab a pair of catches for 34 yards and also is somebody I hope Campbell can convince to stick around.

Tight End: A–

Andrew Rappleyea is the total package, whether it’s blocking or catching passes. His TD grab with just under five minutes to go in the ball game helped to seal the deal in a game where Clemson was hoping to pull off a double-digit deficit comeback. Luke Reynolds also had a couple of catches for 30 yards.

Offensive Line: B

Despite having only one of its starters available, the offensive line did a solid job, especially in run blocking. The pass blocking was somewhat shaky, as Grunk had to evade pressure several times, but all in all, it was a better than expected performance for this unit.

Defensive Line: A

Dani Dennis-Sutton was the most notable of the star players who did not opt out and played the whole game, and he was rewarded with a performance that should help boost his draft stock and make him a potential late first-rounder with a pair of sacks. Jaylen Harvey also came up huge with a sack of his own, as the D-line accounted for all but one of the defense’s four total sacks on the day.

Linebacker: A-

Amare Campbell led the way with seven tackles and a pass deflection, which was one of eight total pass breakups for the defense. Clemson was never really able to get its run game going yesterday, and that was due in large part to the efforts of the front seven. Amare is most definitely another guy I would love to see stick around and play his final year of college football as a Nittany Lion.

Secondary: A-

Daryus Dixson was the pass deflection king today, denying three such completions, as the secondary as a whole racked up seven breakups. Vaboue Toure also came up with the game-sealing sack on 4th and long with two-and-a-half minutes to play to put to bed any miracle comeback hopes Clemson may have had. The only reason I’m giving this group an A-minus instead of a straight A, is due to the inability to turn at least one of those breakups into an interception.

Special Teams: A

Ryan Barker was cash money once again, nailing all three of his field goal attempts, finishing the 2025 season connecting on 15 of his 16 field goal attempts, with his lone miss being a blocked kick. Gabe Nwosu was also solid in the punting game, averaging 45 yards on his three punts, and the special teams unit was not fooled one bit by a fake punt pass that went nowhere near its intended receiver.

Coaching: A

Aside from Andy Kotelnicki deciding to get a little cute with the playcalling and tempo, the offense really got things going in the second half. Also, major props to Anthony Poindexter, who served as interim defensive coordinator for this game. Despite missing several key players due to opt outs, Dex’s defense held Clemson to only 10 points and looked a bunch of guys playing loose and having fun out there, which leads me to think he might be getting some serious consideration for the full time DC job.

And Terry Smith, what more can I say? I’m so happy for him finishing out his head coaching career on a winning note and with a winning record at 4-3. Yes, the schedule eased up after the three-game gauntlet of Iowa, Ohio State, and Indiana, but very few teams who start out 3-6 end up finishing 7-6, and that’s a testament to the change in attitude, accountability, and discipline that he infused into the program once he took over. His postgame interview from yesterday is an absolute must-watch, if you haven’t seen it already (see video below).

(BONUS CATEGORY) You, The Fans: A+

My fellow Penn State fans: We’ve been through quite a bit in these past few months and endured a season that disappointed in many ways, but also showed us that a better way was possible, that there was still some fight and pride in this program, and that most importantly, we were not about to give up on supporting our team. Our reward is the start of the Matt Campbell era, one that is giving us a renewed sense of hope and excitement as the calendar turns towards 2026.

And thus concludes my 10th season of doing these position grades. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading them as I’ve (sometimes) had putting them together. Until we meet again next Fall…