Penn State coach Matt Campbell attributes the team's poor start to Big Ten play to repeated inconsistency and the lack of a true identity in areas such as the run game.
Responding to a question Tuesday about Penn State's struggles to run the ball, Campbell said, "Globally, the run game is like the whole thing. It's inconsistencies across the board right now in terms of everything."
Penn State had just 119 rushing yards in a Sept. 26 loss to Wisconsin and was out-rushed 413-48 in Friday's 34-13 loss at Northwestern.
"The reality of it is, we lack an identity," Campbell said. "We lack who we want to be and where we need to be. ... When that's not working, it certainly stresses the entire organism. You can't play a game situationally where you're playing in rhythm.
"For the last six quarters, we failed to do that, really, in all three phases of the game."
Campbell, in his first year as Penn State's coach, reiterated his belief in the players and others, saying, "We're five games into building standards and expectations."
Penn State hosts No. 19 USC on Saturday night, hoping to avoid its second straight 0-3 start to Big Ten play.
"As we continue to build this, adversity was going to be a part of this, and we are in it, and we needed to be in it, to be able to grow forward, to be the team we want to become," Campbell said. "What I'm looking for is our response. Verbal response, even what I say, doesn't matter. It's what happens."