Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley recalled breaking down film last week, watching the quickness of Kentucky’s inside linebackers and the way the Wildcats’ corners took advantage of their length.
He rattled off jersey numbers and offered a basic rundown to the media. But he couldn’t name names — “I don’t really know their names,” he said — with one big exception. Linebacker Josh Allen.
Every Penn State player knew Allen, the national defensive player of the year, nearly three weeks ahead of the Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. When asked to name a defensive player, or a Kentucky standout, Allen was always the first mentioned.