So for the next few weeks, we are going to have our hands full. The BCS picture is complete, the Heisman is not really the Heisman, and a big match-up in the Capital One Bowl. So for the next few weeks we are going to focus on these items and possibly break down some of the BCS match-ups. As for a little side project, as bowl season progresses, I am going to keep a tab with each conferences bowl record, I will update it every few days throughout bowl season.
As for today, we are solely going to focus on the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman trophy historically, is presented to college football's best player each year. This year has been a little bit difficult because no one contender has separated themselves from the rest of the pack, but the truth is that college football is becoming more and more competitive and this is a great problem for the sport of college football. However, this problem does have a terrible effect on the significance of the Heisman trophy.
This year, the winner of the Heisman trophy, and even some of the most recent winners of the Heisman trophies are not even going to be the best player in college football. So by definition, they are not deserving of the crown. The truth is that this generation is ruining the reputation of the Heisman and actually redefining its significance. The Heisman now stands for the best player on the best team, in college football for that year.
Take last year for example, when there were three cut throat candidates for the Heisman trophy in Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, and Sam Bradford. Last year, they all put up ridiculous numbers, but the voters from the Southwestern region of the country wanted a representative from one of their region's teams to win the Heisman. They believed that Texas and Oklahoma were the best teams in the country and some intentionally left Tebow off of their ballot in order to ensure that one of those guys would win. In the end, Sam Bradford won the Heisman trophy, and Tim Tebow became the first Heisman candidate to receive the most first place votes but lose the Heisman trophy. (Don't believe me, take a look for yourself at the bottom of this page for the voting breakdown http://www.heisman.com/winners/s-bradford-08.php)
By the way, how can Bradford be the best player in his conference if McCoy beat him head to head? Yes, Bradford threw for 4800 yards and 50 touchdowns, but the best player in college football last year was Colt McCoy. He was the most well rounded player running and passing the ball. He passed for 3900 yards and 34 touchdowns with a 77% completion rate, but also ran for 560 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bradford simply got the nod because his team was playing in the National Championship.
This trend is going to continue into this year, I would be strongly suprised if it doesn't. This year, the Heisman finalists include:
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
1736 yards rushing, 26 rushing TD, 5.6 yard average, 150 yards receiving, and 1 passing TD.
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
1542 yards rushing, 15 TD, 6.2 yard average, 322 yards receiving w/3 TD.
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
2413 yards passing, 18 TD, 859 yards rushing, 12 TD
Colt McCoy, QB, Florida
3512 yards passing, 27 TD, 348 yards rushing, 3 TD
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
82 tackles, 23 tfl, 12 sacks, 1 int, 10 pass breakups, 1 Forced fumble, 3 blocked kicks, and 24 quarterback hurries.
The top player left off of the list of finalists:
CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
1145 yards rushing, 5.7 average, 11 TD, 445 yards receiving w/4 TD, 1 passing TD, 918 combined return yards w/5 TD. Approximately 200 all purpose yards per game.
Take a look at the statistics yourself, see if any of the players standout statistically. Take into consideration their position, the impacts they have had on big games, and look for yourself as to which player was truly college football's best player this past year.
Now all of these players listed above are game changers, but there are three that stand above the rest, but neither will win the Heisman this year. The Heisman this year will go to Mark Ingram, simply because he is the best player on the best team in college football according to the rankings.
The truth is that the three that deserve the Heisman above the rest are Spiller, Suh, and Toby Gerhart. Each of their teams have four or more losses, but that has nothing to do with them being the best player in the country. The media needs to stop with their input and stick to the foundation of the Heisman trophy, which is ultimately the best player. For these players to put up those numbers on four loss teams should be even more impressive, as it shows that they had little to no support, hence the fact that they were gamebreakers.
Either way, my Heisman winner is CJ Spiller with Suh coming close in second. By the media's standards my opinion does not really matter, but Spiller deserves a shout out for his historical performance in college football this year. Last time there was a player that was as great of an all purpose threat and put up similiar numbers to Spiller, Reggie Bush, and he won with flying colors. Either way, CJ Spiller, you are the best player in college football today, enjoy the offseason and good luck in the draft.
WE ARE..................
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
BCS Picture still a little blurry
Here we go again, the season is coming to a close, and we still will have to wait until selection Sunday to find out what bowls are going to be the most anticipated. Throughout this article, I am just going to lay out what the selection process is going to look like, and what our chances are of going to a BCS Bowl game.
To start off, to be eligible for a BCS bowl game, you have to satisfy three requirements. The three requirements include being ranked in the Top 14 of the final BCS standings at the end of the season, win your conferences automatic bid, and have no more than two losses to be considered for an at large selection (you may however have more than two losses and automatically qualify for a BCS bowl if your conference has an automatic bid).
After that, the breakdown of automatic bids includes that each of the Big Six(Big East, ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Pac Ten, and Big 12) conferences receives an automatic bid. If you are not a member of one of the Big Six, than one of your conference champions is guaranteed an automatic bid only if they are ranked higher than one of the Big Six conference champions in the final BCS standings.
So with that being said, what does the BCS picture currently look like? We're going to first start off with the 5 BCS bowls, and they consist of the National Championship Game(NCG), Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Orange Bowl. So overall there are ten positions available to participate in a BCS bowl. The NCG is automatically decided by the final BCS standings, with number one playing number two. As for the rest, the pick their conference affiliates which I have listed below:
Orange Bowl: ACC vs. At Large
Rose Bowl: Pac Ten vs. Big Ten
Sugar: SEC vs. At- Large
Fiesta: Big 12 vs. At-Large
***With the exception that one of those at-large bids is actually the Big East Champion.
Should one of the conferences affiliate champions be chosen to play in the NCG, then they will be granted with a replacement pick or what we call an at large selection. Below I have also listed the current BCS standings, and based on that I am going to lay out
Based on the current standings and current conference champions alread crowned, I am going to list what the BCS games are going to look like. Following that I am going to break down the three scenarios that would most likely affect the Nittany Lions chances of getting into a BCS bowl game, and the final BCS picture is solely dictated on the following situations. The selection process is also listed in order that they bowls would get to choose their matchups this year.
Once again, these are the most probable situation based on the following scenarios, not exactly whats going to happen if those scenarios are satisfied.
If Texas wins:
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. Texas
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs. Iowa (65%)/Penn State (35%)
Sugar Bowl: Florida/Bama loser vs. Cincy
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Boise State
Left Out: Penn State
If Texas loses/Cincy wins and moves past TCU in standings.
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. Cincy
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Florida/Bama loser
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska vs. TCU
Left Out: Boise State and Iowa
If Texas loses/Pitt Wins or Cincy wins and remains behind TCU in standings:
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. TCU
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Florida/Bama loser vs. Texas
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska vs. Cincy
Left out: Boise State and Iowa
That should give you quite an idea on how things will shape up for the remainder of the season. I believe our best chances of going to a BCS bowl game are in the Orange bowl gets to satisfy its selection first; however, we still stand a chance for the Fiesta bowl if Texas goes to play for the NCG. But for the time being, just keep your fingers crossed and hope that we don't get looked over by the selection committee as we have been looked over by the computers the past couple of weeks.
WE ARE....................
To start off, to be eligible for a BCS bowl game, you have to satisfy three requirements. The three requirements include being ranked in the Top 14 of the final BCS standings at the end of the season, win your conferences automatic bid, and have no more than two losses to be considered for an at large selection (you may however have more than two losses and automatically qualify for a BCS bowl if your conference has an automatic bid).
After that, the breakdown of automatic bids includes that each of the Big Six(Big East, ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Pac Ten, and Big 12) conferences receives an automatic bid. If you are not a member of one of the Big Six, than one of your conference champions is guaranteed an automatic bid only if they are ranked higher than one of the Big Six conference champions in the final BCS standings.
So with that being said, what does the BCS picture currently look like? We're going to first start off with the 5 BCS bowls, and they consist of the National Championship Game(NCG), Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Orange Bowl. So overall there are ten positions available to participate in a BCS bowl. The NCG is automatically decided by the final BCS standings, with number one playing number two. As for the rest, the pick their conference affiliates which I have listed below:
Orange Bowl: ACC vs. At Large
Rose Bowl: Pac Ten vs. Big Ten
Sugar: SEC vs. At- Large
Fiesta: Big 12 vs. At-Large
***With the exception that one of those at-large bids is actually the Big East Champion.
Should one of the conferences affiliate champions be chosen to play in the NCG, then they will be granted with a replacement pick or what we call an at large selection. Below I have also listed the current BCS standings, and based on that I am going to lay out
| 1. | Florida | 12-0 | ||||||||||
| 2. | Alabama | 12-0 | ||||||||||
| 3. | Texas | 12-0 | ||||||||||
| 4. | TCU | 12-0 | ||||||||||
| 5. | Cincinnati | 11-0 | ||||||||||
| 6. | Boise St. | 12-0 | ||||||||||
| 7. | Oregon | 9-2 | ||||||||||
| 8. | Ohio St. | 10-2 | ||||||||||
| 9. | Iowa | 10-2 | ||||||||||
| 10. | Georgia Tech | 10-2 | ||||||||||
| 11. | Penn St. | 10-2 | ||||||||||
| 12. | Virginia Tech | 9-3 | ||||||||||
| 13. | LSU | 9-3 | ||||||||||
| 14. | BYU | 10-2 |
Based on the current standings and current conference champions alread crowned, I am going to list what the BCS games are going to look like. Following that I am going to break down the three scenarios that would most likely affect the Nittany Lions chances of getting into a BCS bowl game, and the final BCS picture is solely dictated on the following situations. The selection process is also listed in order that they bowls would get to choose their matchups this year.
Once again, these are the most probable situation based on the following scenarios, not exactly whats going to happen if those scenarios are satisfied.
If Texas wins:
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. Texas
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs. Iowa (65%)/Penn State (35%)
Sugar Bowl: Florida/Bama loser vs. Cincy
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Boise State
Left Out: Penn State
If Texas loses/Cincy wins and moves past TCU in standings.
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. Cincy
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Florida/Bama loser
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska vs. TCU
Left Out: Boise State and Iowa
If Texas loses/Pitt Wins or Cincy wins and remains behind TCU in standings:
NCG: Florida/Bama winner vs. TCU
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Florida/Bama loser vs. Texas
Orange Bowl: GT/Clemson winner vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Nebraska vs. Cincy
Left out: Boise State and Iowa
That should give you quite an idea on how things will shape up for the remainder of the season. I believe our best chances of going to a BCS bowl game are in the Orange bowl gets to satisfy its selection first; however, we still stand a chance for the Fiesta bowl if Texas goes to play for the NCG. But for the time being, just keep your fingers crossed and hope that we don't get looked over by the selection committee as we have been looked over by the computers the past couple of weeks.
WE ARE....................
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Floyd is Out, Coxson stirring up trouble
To keep this one simple and short on the recruiting front, we have big news from two of the top five guys on our recruiting list.
The bad news:
Sharrif Floyd, the top rated defensive tackle in the country from Philadelphia, PA, has recently informed the coaching staff at Penn State that we are no longer in the running for his services for the next four years. Floyd will look to chose between the Gamecocks, Ohio State, and Florida.
On top of that news, Adrian Coxson, the second rated wide receiver in the country by Scout, recently took a visit to Florida. Coxson, who was one of Penn State's first verbal commitments of the 2010 class, says that he is still committed but that he is just taking his visit just to be certain. On top of enjoying his visit to Florida, Coxson has one more official on the table to Georgia, and after that he is not certain if he is going to take any other officials.
The good news:
Coxson has said that he will take an official to Penn State, and that he stays actively in touch with Larry Johnson. If there is anything that is great about this situation is that we will be that last school to leave an impression on him. Look for Larry Johnson to continue to establish a strong relationship with Coxson, and look for him to stay committed to the Nittany Lions.
Finally, my advice to Adrian Coxson would be to commit to Penn State, as the team is in great need of an impact player at wide receiver. The team is looking to bolster its special teams and raw talent at the receiver position. With our spread "pass happy" offense, Coxson also has more of an opportunity to develop into an NFL prospect, rather than sit back and rarely be a factor in an option style offense for Florida. For your own sake, and for the sake of Nittany Nation Adrian, don the Blue and White.
WE ARE...........
WE ARE.............
The bad news:
Sharrif Floyd, the top rated defensive tackle in the country from Philadelphia, PA, has recently informed the coaching staff at Penn State that we are no longer in the running for his services for the next four years. Floyd will look to chose between the Gamecocks, Ohio State, and Florida.
On top of that news, Adrian Coxson, the second rated wide receiver in the country by Scout, recently took a visit to Florida. Coxson, who was one of Penn State's first verbal commitments of the 2010 class, says that he is still committed but that he is just taking his visit just to be certain. On top of enjoying his visit to Florida, Coxson has one more official on the table to Georgia, and after that he is not certain if he is going to take any other officials.
The good news:
Coxson has said that he will take an official to Penn State, and that he stays actively in touch with Larry Johnson. If there is anything that is great about this situation is that we will be that last school to leave an impression on him. Look for Larry Johnson to continue to establish a strong relationship with Coxson, and look for him to stay committed to the Nittany Lions.
Finally, my advice to Adrian Coxson would be to commit to Penn State, as the team is in great need of an impact player at wide receiver. The team is looking to bolster its special teams and raw talent at the receiver position. With our spread "pass happy" offense, Coxson also has more of an opportunity to develop into an NFL prospect, rather than sit back and rarely be a factor in an option style offense for Florida. For your own sake, and for the sake of Nittany Nation Adrian, don the Blue and White.
WE ARE...........
WE ARE.............
Double Standards Abound
For the past few years, college football experts have taken a plunge off the deep end. Since the inaugural season of SEC dominance, where Florida smacked Ohio State in the National Title game, sports writers and BCS computers alike have been eating, drinking, and sleeping with the SEC. Apparently that game was a significant turning point in the minds of sports experts nationwide. Since then, hands down the SEC has been the "number one" conference in the Nation.
What I'm here to do is dispel those thoughts, bring to light the truth of college football. The truth is that every year is completely a new year in college football. The opinions of the voters, the ranking system of Rivals and Scout, and success of the previous year means next to nothing. The preliminary polls are what establish the attitude for the upcoming year, and they are purely based on speculation and potential. So what I am saying is that there is a great level of inconsistency in college football, year in and year out because we'd rather guess who is going to do well, and stick to that perception all year long.
Why is it that if everyone in the SEC, except for the top two go 7-5 or 8-4 that everyone proclaims the great balance in that conference. The standard here is that each of these teams or well balanced, great athletes, most speed, etc. However, if the standings are mirrored in the entire ACC, everyone speaks about how soft the conference is, and how much they are lacking a dominant team to assert themselves.
Are the only players being taken in the draft from the SEC? Are the all the playmakers in the NFL, the fastest guys from the SEC? Here's a list of some of the fastest players in the NFL and their respective schools:
Desean Jackson: Cal
Devin Hester: Miami
Chris Johnson: ECU
Percy Harvin: Florida
Adrian Peterson: Oklahoma
Deangelo Williams: Memphis
Steve Smith: Utah
Calvin Johnson: GTech
Ted Ginn Jr: Ohio State
Josh Cribbs: Kent State
Does anything about that list scream out the SEC? The only cut I will take at the SEC is that they produced the single largest draft bust of all time in JaMarcus Russell, far worse than the Chargers taking Ryan Leaf and the Lions combination Charles Rogers and Mike Williams.
Anyways, this bias has got to come to an end, because this bias leads to an unfair advantage in the initial polls for college football every year. The automatic assumption of the SEC's supremacy each and every single year could lead to a one loss SEC team playing for the National Title for the next 50 years. It is said every year, whoever wins the SEC will play for the National Title game. From that point on and that presumption, all of the other conferences strengths are tainted before the season even starts.
So what am I getting to? The point is that each team has its match up, and college football is beginning to even out across the country. Athletes have never been stronger, faster, or smarter than this day and age. The only way to get rid of this political and media bias, is to institute a playoff system. We will never know which conference holds supremacy, who knows if 8-4 SEC team can beat an 11-1 Pac-10 team. How do we know, unless we institute a fair system, and give the top 16 teams in the country a chance to win it all. In order to keep preseason bias out of it, I say give the Big Six conference champs automatic bids, and let the rest of the field be chosen by the voters. Keep the computers out, the Bowl committees out of it, and let the teams play their ways in.
Unfortunately though, due to greed, conference refs blowing big calls in big games (so they don't ruin their conferences chance at a representative in the Title game), and national bias, there will always be an SEC team in the National Title game. So get used to it, watching one of the Big Three (LSU, UF, Bama) vie for the Title every year, people with peanut butter on the roof of their mouths screaming of their SEC dominance, and the lack of integrity in college football for years to come.
WE ARE....................
What I'm here to do is dispel those thoughts, bring to light the truth of college football. The truth is that every year is completely a new year in college football. The opinions of the voters, the ranking system of Rivals and Scout, and success of the previous year means next to nothing. The preliminary polls are what establish the attitude for the upcoming year, and they are purely based on speculation and potential. So what I am saying is that there is a great level of inconsistency in college football, year in and year out because we'd rather guess who is going to do well, and stick to that perception all year long.
Why is it that if everyone in the SEC, except for the top two go 7-5 or 8-4 that everyone proclaims the great balance in that conference. The standard here is that each of these teams or well balanced, great athletes, most speed, etc. However, if the standings are mirrored in the entire ACC, everyone speaks about how soft the conference is, and how much they are lacking a dominant team to assert themselves.
Are the only players being taken in the draft from the SEC? Are the all the playmakers in the NFL, the fastest guys from the SEC? Here's a list of some of the fastest players in the NFL and their respective schools:
Desean Jackson: Cal
Devin Hester: Miami
Chris Johnson: ECU
Percy Harvin: Florida
Adrian Peterson: Oklahoma
Deangelo Williams: Memphis
Steve Smith: Utah
Calvin Johnson: GTech
Ted Ginn Jr: Ohio State
Josh Cribbs: Kent State
Does anything about that list scream out the SEC? The only cut I will take at the SEC is that they produced the single largest draft bust of all time in JaMarcus Russell, far worse than the Chargers taking Ryan Leaf and the Lions combination Charles Rogers and Mike Williams.
Anyways, this bias has got to come to an end, because this bias leads to an unfair advantage in the initial polls for college football every year. The automatic assumption of the SEC's supremacy each and every single year could lead to a one loss SEC team playing for the National Title for the next 50 years. It is said every year, whoever wins the SEC will play for the National Title game. From that point on and that presumption, all of the other conferences strengths are tainted before the season even starts.
So what am I getting to? The point is that each team has its match up, and college football is beginning to even out across the country. Athletes have never been stronger, faster, or smarter than this day and age. The only way to get rid of this political and media bias, is to institute a playoff system. We will never know which conference holds supremacy, who knows if 8-4 SEC team can beat an 11-1 Pac-10 team. How do we know, unless we institute a fair system, and give the top 16 teams in the country a chance to win it all. In order to keep preseason bias out of it, I say give the Big Six conference champs automatic bids, and let the rest of the field be chosen by the voters. Keep the computers out, the Bowl committees out of it, and let the teams play their ways in.
Unfortunately though, due to greed, conference refs blowing big calls in big games (so they don't ruin their conferences chance at a representative in the Title game), and national bias, there will always be an SEC team in the National Title game. So get used to it, watching one of the Big Three (LSU, UF, Bama) vie for the Title every year, people with peanut butter on the roof of their mouths screaming of their SEC dominance, and the lack of integrity in college football for years to come.
WE ARE....................
Upcoming News
Sorry for the delay in posting these past couple of weeks. As the Big Ten has come to a close, I have taken a little break from writing. Throughout this week, I will be touching base on where we stand for the BCS picture, Bobby Bowden retiring, and where we stand wrapping up our recruiting class of 2010. I will also begin to breakdown our current commits, about one to two every week including the impact that each will have on the Penn State program. Keep an eye on the blog, as it is going to pick up steam for the next couple of weeks.
WE ARE................
WE ARE................
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Indiana
Senior day has finally arrived and the Hoosiers are on their way into town. Usually when Indiana comes into town, it's a major relief, but I have to voice a little concern over this weekend. I'm still sticking with our Nittany Lions for the game, but I would not be surprised if Indiana makes this a closer game than we all think.
Let's go ahead and start out with the outlook for the game this weekend. The Lions definitely possess a much more talented and athletic team. The truth is that Indiana will have a tough time matching the Lions tit for tat, but that doesn't mean that they won't give them trouble throughout the game.
The strengths of the Lions in this match up will be their play making ability and defensive front seven against Indiana's offense. The Lions should have no trouble getting to the quarterback this week. However, the Lions should be on the lookout for quick and easy passes from Chappell to Tandon Doss as the two have hooked up 65 times this year for over 800 yards of offense. In other words, the secondary should have its hands full with Doss, but this should not be the overturning matchup of the game. Even though Doss will challenge the defense quite a bit, the defense should keep a strong hold on the game and force a few turnovers by games end.
The interesting matchup of the game now, will be the matchup in the trenches. It will be interesting to see how Penn State's line responds after a rough game last week against Cameron Heyward and no one else from Ohio State. The truth is that this week could be a much more difficult matchup then last week as Indiana probably has the best defensive end tandem in the league. The two are Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew, they both have recorded double digit sacks while at Indiana and in their first season playing with each other have terrorized opposing defenses. The two this year have combined for 84 tacklers, 21 tfl, 8.5 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles. Look for these guys to push the tempo upfront and for the Penn State tackles to gain some major experience on the outside. In the end, the speed in the backfield and a couple draw plays from Clark will help tame this attack, but we'll just have to wait and see if the coaches make the right adjustments for this week.
I'm going to go ahead and say that the game will be at either end of the spectrum. The game will either blow up in the beginning and go the Lions way right from the start as they are trying to reestablish themselves after last week, or start off slow and the Lions eventually take control of the game. The game in no way should be a grind it out style of game, and if it is, God help us all.
What I would like to see from the Nittany Lions:
- More risks on special teams, and by that I mean that I would like to see us field one punt and return it.
- A commitment to the running game, especially since we have a ridiculous stable of running backs in Royster, Green, and Beachum.
- More man to man coverage in the secondary, allow those corners to develop into playmakers.
- Devon Smith back there fielding punts and trying to make something happen.
- More pass plays directed towards Moye and Powell on underneath routes, let them catch it and make something happen.
- More reps for Justin Brown and Gerald Hodges
- Better playcalling to help relieve some of that pressure from the offensive line.
WE ARE.................
Let's go ahead and start out with the outlook for the game this weekend. The Lions definitely possess a much more talented and athletic team. The truth is that Indiana will have a tough time matching the Lions tit for tat, but that doesn't mean that they won't give them trouble throughout the game.
The strengths of the Lions in this match up will be their play making ability and defensive front seven against Indiana's offense. The Lions should have no trouble getting to the quarterback this week. However, the Lions should be on the lookout for quick and easy passes from Chappell to Tandon Doss as the two have hooked up 65 times this year for over 800 yards of offense. In other words, the secondary should have its hands full with Doss, but this should not be the overturning matchup of the game. Even though Doss will challenge the defense quite a bit, the defense should keep a strong hold on the game and force a few turnovers by games end.
The interesting matchup of the game now, will be the matchup in the trenches. It will be interesting to see how Penn State's line responds after a rough game last week against Cameron Heyward and no one else from Ohio State. The truth is that this week could be a much more difficult matchup then last week as Indiana probably has the best defensive end tandem in the league. The two are Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew, they both have recorded double digit sacks while at Indiana and in their first season playing with each other have terrorized opposing defenses. The two this year have combined for 84 tacklers, 21 tfl, 8.5 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles. Look for these guys to push the tempo upfront and for the Penn State tackles to gain some major experience on the outside. In the end, the speed in the backfield and a couple draw plays from Clark will help tame this attack, but we'll just have to wait and see if the coaches make the right adjustments for this week.
I'm going to go ahead and say that the game will be at either end of the spectrum. The game will either blow up in the beginning and go the Lions way right from the start as they are trying to reestablish themselves after last week, or start off slow and the Lions eventually take control of the game. The game in no way should be a grind it out style of game, and if it is, God help us all.
What I would like to see from the Nittany Lions:
- More risks on special teams, and by that I mean that I would like to see us field one punt and return it.
- A commitment to the running game, especially since we have a ridiculous stable of running backs in Royster, Green, and Beachum.
- More man to man coverage in the secondary, allow those corners to develop into playmakers.
- Devon Smith back there fielding punts and trying to make something happen.
- More pass plays directed towards Moye and Powell on underneath routes, let them catch it and make something happen.
- More reps for Justin Brown and Gerald Hodges
- Better playcalling to help relieve some of that pressure from the offensive line.
WE ARE.................
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Ohio State Review
Well, there's no other way to say this, but I was completely off on my assessment for this week. With Iowa's loss and Ohio State coming out on top in Happy Valley, the Big Ten comes down to a showdown next week in Columbus between the Buckeyes and Iowa.
As for the Penn State vs. Ohio State game, the Lions just came out on the wrong end of field position from the very beginning. The Lions got torched on special teams from the beginning of the game, and let it get even more away from them a little more in the second half. Combine that with a terrible game plan and a much better rushing effort from Ohio State and we got ourselves into some trouble.
From the start of the game, the Penn State defense was pursuing everything inside out, as oppose to last year when we played contain and filled in the running lanes. Combine that with a soft zone and cover two for the pass defense and the Buckeyes got the few chances that they needed to score on offense. My belief is that if we matched our much better athletes on the defensive side of the ball in man coverage, spied a linebacker, and played outside in, that Pryor would've been forced to stay in the pocket and make more precision passes. Rather than receivers running through and past zones at will because the db's had to keep their eyes in the backfield while working their zones. I will give credit to the Bucks offensive line as they opened up lanes all night for Saine and Herron.
On the offensive side of the ball, the coaches did nothing to help relieve the pressure from Clark all night. There were not that many underneath pass plays, screens, or draw plays to help relieve some of that pressure that was forced by the play of Cameron Heyward. Heyward had a field day upfront, working himself to two sacks, and double digit tackles by the end of the night. Combine that with more dropped passes from our receivers, no commitment to the run game, and a great wall by Ohio State's defense and our offense was stagnant all night long. The offense also completely forgot about Derek Moye, as he did not have the ball thrown his way more than once the entire night, and the only time they chose to throw his way, he drew a pass interference call in the end zone setting up Penn State's lone touchdown.
Ohio State played a good game, not a great game, but a good game with the game ball going to Ray Small because he won the field position battle for them from the beginning. From this point forward, Penn State needs to improve on special teams, Boone is a great punter, but his lack of hang time is killing the coverage men down field. The defense needs to keep playing the way they do, but they need to play more man on the outside allowing those talented db's to shape up into cover corners.
The good is that Pryor did not have the breakout game that everyone anticipated, the bad is that we lost when we had a chance to control our own destiny, and the ugly is that Ohio State has a chance to extend its streak of Big Ten supremacy. On a more positive note, the power is shifting in the Big Ten, and as these next two years unfold look for Penn State to become a faster, more athletic team. Also, look for them to continue to build on this year's success as this year is still a rebuilding year. Keep your head's up Lions, our time is coming, but for now let's just hope we don't have a let down to Indiana next weekend.
WE ARE...................
As for the Penn State vs. Ohio State game, the Lions just came out on the wrong end of field position from the very beginning. The Lions got torched on special teams from the beginning of the game, and let it get even more away from them a little more in the second half. Combine that with a terrible game plan and a much better rushing effort from Ohio State and we got ourselves into some trouble.
From the start of the game, the Penn State defense was pursuing everything inside out, as oppose to last year when we played contain and filled in the running lanes. Combine that with a soft zone and cover two for the pass defense and the Buckeyes got the few chances that they needed to score on offense. My belief is that if we matched our much better athletes on the defensive side of the ball in man coverage, spied a linebacker, and played outside in, that Pryor would've been forced to stay in the pocket and make more precision passes. Rather than receivers running through and past zones at will because the db's had to keep their eyes in the backfield while working their zones. I will give credit to the Bucks offensive line as they opened up lanes all night for Saine and Herron.
On the offensive side of the ball, the coaches did nothing to help relieve the pressure from Clark all night. There were not that many underneath pass plays, screens, or draw plays to help relieve some of that pressure that was forced by the play of Cameron Heyward. Heyward had a field day upfront, working himself to two sacks, and double digit tackles by the end of the night. Combine that with more dropped passes from our receivers, no commitment to the run game, and a great wall by Ohio State's defense and our offense was stagnant all night long. The offense also completely forgot about Derek Moye, as he did not have the ball thrown his way more than once the entire night, and the only time they chose to throw his way, he drew a pass interference call in the end zone setting up Penn State's lone touchdown.
Ohio State played a good game, not a great game, but a good game with the game ball going to Ray Small because he won the field position battle for them from the beginning. From this point forward, Penn State needs to improve on special teams, Boone is a great punter, but his lack of hang time is killing the coverage men down field. The defense needs to keep playing the way they do, but they need to play more man on the outside allowing those talented db's to shape up into cover corners.
The good is that Pryor did not have the breakout game that everyone anticipated, the bad is that we lost when we had a chance to control our own destiny, and the ugly is that Ohio State has a chance to extend its streak of Big Ten supremacy. On a more positive note, the power is shifting in the Big Ten, and as these next two years unfold look for Penn State to become a faster, more athletic team. Also, look for them to continue to build on this year's success as this year is still a rebuilding year. Keep your head's up Lions, our time is coming, but for now let's just hope we don't have a let down to Indiana next weekend.
WE ARE...................
Friday, November 6, 2009
UPSET ALERT
Teams that are on upset alert this week. I am not going to go too in depth this week, I'm just going to go ahead and post the games that I think are viable upsets this week. Feel free to comment at the end of the post on any of the teams I have put on upset watch, especially if you disagree, it'll be great to see what you all think. Ed Hanna, I'm going to go ahead and make the first pick in your favor, so enjoy it because this will be one of the few times I pick the Bayou Bengals.
First pick is going to be LSU over Alabama. The reasoning behind this pick is simple, LSU has big game experience this year, a defense that can match Alabama's offense, and the athleticism to not only match the Crimson Tide, but to eclipse the Tide's talent. The key to the game will be the runing backs for both squads, we all know about Ingram, but I'm going to go ahead and say the key to LSU's success will be in the hands of Charles Scott. Upset alert: LSU by 10
Other teams on upset alert.
Northwestern vs. Iowa.
NW by4
Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech:
WF by 1
Cincinnati vs. UConn
UConn by 7
As for the rest of the weekend, enjoy college football and expect the unexpected. Let's hope for entertainment and fun that there are some huge upsets this weekend. I'm rooting for LSU, Vandy, UCF, Northwestern, UConn, Lousiana Tech, and San Diego State. Let's Go State!
We Are.....
First pick is going to be LSU over Alabama. The reasoning behind this pick is simple, LSU has big game experience this year, a defense that can match Alabama's offense, and the athleticism to not only match the Crimson Tide, but to eclipse the Tide's talent. The key to the game will be the runing backs for both squads, we all know about Ingram, but I'm going to go ahead and say the key to LSU's success will be in the hands of Charles Scott. Upset alert: LSU by 10
Other teams on upset alert.
Northwestern vs. Iowa.
NW by4
Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech:
WF by 1
Cincinnati vs. UConn
UConn by 7
As for the rest of the weekend, enjoy college football and expect the unexpected. Let's hope for entertainment and fun that there are some huge upsets this weekend. I'm rooting for LSU, Vandy, UCF, Northwestern, UConn, Lousiana Tech, and San Diego State. Let's Go State!
We Are.....
We're back and OHIO STATE
So after a three week vacation from Nittany Lions Go, I am back. I know all a lot of you are itching to know where I have been, to sum it up, the past three weeks have included a new job, moving, getting married, and honeymooning! As for now, back to the real world, adjusting to the speed of the game, and blogging for all of you.
I'm sure all of you have kept up with the team and the college football world, so under that assumption, I am not going to recap the past couple of weeks. I will, however, remind all of you that Penn State beat Michigan in Ann Arbor on my wedding day, so thank you Lions for a great wedding present!
As for this weekend, we got a lot on the docket for Penn State Football. Not only is this weekend a big matchup with Ohio State, but its our biggest weekend for hosting recruits. So when you are at the game, be on the lookout for big time recruits in Marcus Lattimore, Nick Jones, and Mike Thornton. There will also be a familiar face in sight in Maika Polamalu, the younger cousin of the Steeler's safety Troy Polamalu. Maika Polamalu will be visiting along with teammate Terrell Chestnut, both of which are two of the top junior recruits in the state of Pennsylvania for next year.
As for the game, it's a classic. It's a game that is scheduled every year in the Big Ten, what reporters have referred to as the "New Border War" since Michigan has not been Michigan as of late. The game will be your classic defensive battle as Penn State and Ohio State possess the Number 5 and 6 best defenses in the country respectively. The difference however, sticks out on the offensive side of the ball, as Penn State posts the number one offense in the conference, while Ohio State ranks 94th in the country. So what does this tell us for the game this weekend.
The truth is that Ohio State has a great defense, but they have not face a great offense yet this season. They have posted losses against USC and Purdue, and USC is not the USC of old, and Purdue is in a rebuilding year with a brand new coach. The reasoning behind their wins is their defense. Also, their offense has not face a defense of equal or greater caliber just yet as well. I believe that this is the year that the conservative, grindout theme of this rivalry will be broken.
This is the year that Penn State will post a double digit win over Ohio State. Ohio State has yet to play a team with an offense as balanced as these Nittany Lions. Scouts want to go ahead and talk about their defensive front seven and how tough it is to run on the Buckeyes, but the two teams that beat them picked them apart with great rushing efforts and underscreen pass plays from their running backs. Even if Ohio State does have the defense to hang in there with the Lions, they are no where close in having the offense that can put many points up against this Penn State defense.
I would look for Pryor facing a lot of pressure in a contain style rush, with Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee taking turns spying him in the pocket. Expect a lot of frustration on his behalf, a few scrambles, and a couple on interceptions throughout the game. Ohio State will also have a tough time getting their running game going, but look for them to get a few breaks with underneath passes to Dane Sanzenbacher. As for the defensive side of the ball, look for the Buckeyes to hang in there at the beginning of the game, but for Clark and Royster to gradually begin to get rolling. I actually wouldn't even be suprised if our offensive line came out and punched Ohio State in the mouth and set the tempo early. In other words, look for one way or another, for this offense to get rolling.
As for the Lions, I would look for Clark to have a trademark game. He is going to have a career game, he might start off a little shaky trying to establish the tempo early, but once the adrenaline settles down a bit and he gets zoned in, look for a career type performance from him. Look for the Lions to set up the running game, whether its through spreading the ball out with their depth at receiver and those big tight ends or an early mean streak established by the offensive line. Look for a few more designed draws from Clark as well, but expect a 100 yard + performance from Royster and at least a couple passing throws from Clark.
This is it, this is the game that finally dethrones Ohio State as the lone horse of the Big Ten. With the win, it keeps the Lions in contention for a possible share of the Big Ten crown, which would only be possible if Iowa drops a game by the end of the year. As for the battle of Big Ten supremacy, this win could also be a shift in power from Ohio State to Penn State for years to come. So keep your fingers crossed and enjoy the game this weekend.
WE ARE..........................
I'm sure all of you have kept up with the team and the college football world, so under that assumption, I am not going to recap the past couple of weeks. I will, however, remind all of you that Penn State beat Michigan in Ann Arbor on my wedding day, so thank you Lions for a great wedding present!
As for this weekend, we got a lot on the docket for Penn State Football. Not only is this weekend a big matchup with Ohio State, but its our biggest weekend for hosting recruits. So when you are at the game, be on the lookout for big time recruits in Marcus Lattimore, Nick Jones, and Mike Thornton. There will also be a familiar face in sight in Maika Polamalu, the younger cousin of the Steeler's safety Troy Polamalu. Maika Polamalu will be visiting along with teammate Terrell Chestnut, both of which are two of the top junior recruits in the state of Pennsylvania for next year.
As for the game, it's a classic. It's a game that is scheduled every year in the Big Ten, what reporters have referred to as the "New Border War" since Michigan has not been Michigan as of late. The game will be your classic defensive battle as Penn State and Ohio State possess the Number 5 and 6 best defenses in the country respectively. The difference however, sticks out on the offensive side of the ball, as Penn State posts the number one offense in the conference, while Ohio State ranks 94th in the country. So what does this tell us for the game this weekend.
The truth is that Ohio State has a great defense, but they have not face a great offense yet this season. They have posted losses against USC and Purdue, and USC is not the USC of old, and Purdue is in a rebuilding year with a brand new coach. The reasoning behind their wins is their defense. Also, their offense has not face a defense of equal or greater caliber just yet as well. I believe that this is the year that the conservative, grindout theme of this rivalry will be broken.
This is the year that Penn State will post a double digit win over Ohio State. Ohio State has yet to play a team with an offense as balanced as these Nittany Lions. Scouts want to go ahead and talk about their defensive front seven and how tough it is to run on the Buckeyes, but the two teams that beat them picked them apart with great rushing efforts and underscreen pass plays from their running backs. Even if Ohio State does have the defense to hang in there with the Lions, they are no where close in having the offense that can put many points up against this Penn State defense.
I would look for Pryor facing a lot of pressure in a contain style rush, with Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee taking turns spying him in the pocket. Expect a lot of frustration on his behalf, a few scrambles, and a couple on interceptions throughout the game. Ohio State will also have a tough time getting their running game going, but look for them to get a few breaks with underneath passes to Dane Sanzenbacher. As for the defensive side of the ball, look for the Buckeyes to hang in there at the beginning of the game, but for Clark and Royster to gradually begin to get rolling. I actually wouldn't even be suprised if our offensive line came out and punched Ohio State in the mouth and set the tempo early. In other words, look for one way or another, for this offense to get rolling.
As for the Lions, I would look for Clark to have a trademark game. He is going to have a career game, he might start off a little shaky trying to establish the tempo early, but once the adrenaline settles down a bit and he gets zoned in, look for a career type performance from him. Look for the Lions to set up the running game, whether its through spreading the ball out with their depth at receiver and those big tight ends or an early mean streak established by the offensive line. Look for a few more designed draws from Clark as well, but expect a 100 yard + performance from Royster and at least a couple passing throws from Clark.
This is it, this is the game that finally dethrones Ohio State as the lone horse of the Big Ten. With the win, it keeps the Lions in contention for a possible share of the Big Ten crown, which would only be possible if Iowa drops a game by the end of the year. As for the battle of Big Ten supremacy, this win could also be a shift in power from Ohio State to Penn State for years to come. So keep your fingers crossed and enjoy the game this weekend.
WE ARE..........................
Thursday, October 22, 2009
POSTPONED
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know that I am not going to be able to blog for the next couple of weeks. I am actually getting married this weekend, but I will be back on November 2nd, and will pick up right where we left off. I haven't had much time to formulate my thoughts for this week, but the truth is that we are going to blowout Michigan, in Michigan, and I'm going to enjoy hearing the news on my wedding night while I'm rocking to zombie nation on the dance floor. Good luck Nits, kick some Ann Arbor tail for me.
WE ARE.............
I just wanted to let you all know that I am not going to be able to blog for the next couple of weeks. I am actually getting married this weekend, but I will be back on November 2nd, and will pick up right where we left off. I haven't had much time to formulate my thoughts for this week, but the truth is that we are going to blowout Michigan, in Michigan, and I'm going to enjoy hearing the news on my wedding night while I'm rocking to zombie nation on the dance floor. Good luck Nits, kick some Ann Arbor tail for me.
WE ARE.............
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Interesting Matchups
This week in college football hosts some interesting matchups that could definitely affect that national title game picture. Some of these matchups have great implications, others you just don't even give a second thought. For this week, I am going to give you my three potential upset picks of the week, and a few other games to keep an eye on.
The first of these games will be Iowa at Wisconsin. Wisconsin is coming off a game against Ohio State where they simply just beat themselves. While Iowa is coming off a battle with Michigan that went late into the fourth quarter. The truth is that Wisconsin is a great team this year, possess one of the best offensive line units in the Big Ten, and run the ball better than anyone in this conference. Iowa on the other hand, has been controlling the trenches on both sides of the ball, and playing a smart controlled game, waiting for turnovers to present themselves. With Wisconsin possessing the stronger ground game and the ability to control the trenches on the offensive side of the ball and Iowa's track record of slow starts for noon games, expect the Badgers to shake up the Big Ten picture this week.
The next game on the docket will be Texas and Oklahoma. This Texas team has not yet faced a firm test and when will a McCoy vs. Bradford matchup not live up to the hype. Both of these teams are much different than the two that met up in the Cooton bowl last year, but they both still possess a lot of talent. The truth is that Texas is determined and still feels slighted for not getting a shot at the title game last year, but Oklahoma is playing in a game with pretty much nothing to lose. This is a huge trap game for Texas, with Oklahoma losing two tight games without Bradford and having already faced adversity, I say don't be too suprised if the Sooners come out on top this year.
Finally, the last of the big three for this week is going to be Notre Dame and USC. I'm going to go ahead and go out on a limb and say that the Fighting Irish are going to win this game for the first time in years. Let's be honest, USC has been anything but McKnight on offense and there defense has not exactly been as consistent as it was in the past. They have kept their opponents to low scores, but is that from their ability on defense or the conservative gameplans that other teams have when they play the Trojans. Jimmy Clausen is the truth, as much as I hate saying that, but with an experienced offensive line and a playmaker in Golden Tate, Notre Dame is finally going to get a "W" over USC this year.
As for the rest of the college schedule this weekend, here are some other games to keep an eye on for upsets that could affect the national title picture:
Tulsa vs. 5 Boise State
1 Florida vs. Arkansas
22 South Carolina vs. 2 Alabama
Colorado State vs. 12 TCU
These are my four other matchups on upset alert. Not picking them to get upset, but stating that these games are definitely a possibility.
The first of these games will be Iowa at Wisconsin. Wisconsin is coming off a game against Ohio State where they simply just beat themselves. While Iowa is coming off a battle with Michigan that went late into the fourth quarter. The truth is that Wisconsin is a great team this year, possess one of the best offensive line units in the Big Ten, and run the ball better than anyone in this conference. Iowa on the other hand, has been controlling the trenches on both sides of the ball, and playing a smart controlled game, waiting for turnovers to present themselves. With Wisconsin possessing the stronger ground game and the ability to control the trenches on the offensive side of the ball and Iowa's track record of slow starts for noon games, expect the Badgers to shake up the Big Ten picture this week.
The next game on the docket will be Texas and Oklahoma. This Texas team has not yet faced a firm test and when will a McCoy vs. Bradford matchup not live up to the hype. Both of these teams are much different than the two that met up in the Cooton bowl last year, but they both still possess a lot of talent. The truth is that Texas is determined and still feels slighted for not getting a shot at the title game last year, but Oklahoma is playing in a game with pretty much nothing to lose. This is a huge trap game for Texas, with Oklahoma losing two tight games without Bradford and having already faced adversity, I say don't be too suprised if the Sooners come out on top this year.
Finally, the last of the big three for this week is going to be Notre Dame and USC. I'm going to go ahead and go out on a limb and say that the Fighting Irish are going to win this game for the first time in years. Let's be honest, USC has been anything but McKnight on offense and there defense has not exactly been as consistent as it was in the past. They have kept their opponents to low scores, but is that from their ability on defense or the conservative gameplans that other teams have when they play the Trojans. Jimmy Clausen is the truth, as much as I hate saying that, but with an experienced offensive line and a playmaker in Golden Tate, Notre Dame is finally going to get a "W" over USC this year.
As for the rest of the college schedule this weekend, here are some other games to keep an eye on for upsets that could affect the national title picture:
Tulsa vs. 5 Boise State
1 Florida vs. Arkansas
22 South Carolina vs. 2 Alabama
Colorado State vs. 12 TCU
These are my four other matchups on upset alert. Not picking them to get upset, but stating that these games are definitely a possibility.
Eastern Illinois
Here's a post that is long overdue. Sorry about the delay folks, have just been a bit busy with wedding planning, paperwork, etc. But once October 24th comes, which will be the big day for me and my future wife, I will leave you guys hanging for a week and pick the blog back up on November 1st. But as for now, I will continue to blog until the 24th, and hopefully keep all of you updated on my thoughts on College Football.
As for Eastern Illinois, the review is simple, we beat them hard, we beat them bad. This has to have been the most complete game of the year that the Lions have played. They ran the ball well, the passed the ball well, and the defense made big plays. There's not too much to critique about this game, especially because it was an FCS opponent, but it was great to see the younger guys get out there and get some repititions.
What I would like to talk about is the upside. The fact that the team came out with a goal, believed in it, and accomplished it. That's one thing that has been different about this year's team from last year. Last year, we came out onto the field with a goal and that goal was to control the game from the get go and our team got after it. This year, there have been glimpses of that attitude, but I feel as if this team is finally getting its confidence back. With wins over Illinois and Eastern Illinois serving as those confidence boosters, which is what worries me, but this week will be an indicator of that mentality and how we will handle ourselves for the rest of the season.
Other than that, look for a good football game to be played this weekend against a good Minnesota football team. Most interesting matchup this weekend will be our secondary versus their wide receivers. Here is what to look for this weekend:
-Penn State getting the short game going early through the running game and some short screens in order to control the tempo of the game. Watch as they start to move the ball downfield with this method.
-I would look for Penn State to take a few shots downfield as another interesting matchup is our receivers vs. their secondary.
-Look for Gerald Hodges and Sean Stanley to get more reps with the first team defense and work their way into the defensive rotation
- Look for AJ Wallace to be assigned to cover Eric Decker, whichever side he lines up on expect Wallace to line up directly over him and try to shut him down.
- Royster will get his next 100 yard rushing effort of the year
-Also, if Clark is under more pressure, look for him to run the ball a few more times than usual and expand the play.
Final Score
Penn State 41
Minnesota 24
WE ARE...............
As for Eastern Illinois, the review is simple, we beat them hard, we beat them bad. This has to have been the most complete game of the year that the Lions have played. They ran the ball well, the passed the ball well, and the defense made big plays. There's not too much to critique about this game, especially because it was an FCS opponent, but it was great to see the younger guys get out there and get some repititions.
What I would like to talk about is the upside. The fact that the team came out with a goal, believed in it, and accomplished it. That's one thing that has been different about this year's team from last year. Last year, we came out onto the field with a goal and that goal was to control the game from the get go and our team got after it. This year, there have been glimpses of that attitude, but I feel as if this team is finally getting its confidence back. With wins over Illinois and Eastern Illinois serving as those confidence boosters, which is what worries me, but this week will be an indicator of that mentality and how we will handle ourselves for the rest of the season.
Other than that, look for a good football game to be played this weekend against a good Minnesota football team. Most interesting matchup this weekend will be our secondary versus their wide receivers. Here is what to look for this weekend:
-Penn State getting the short game going early through the running game and some short screens in order to control the tempo of the game. Watch as they start to move the ball downfield with this method.
-I would look for Penn State to take a few shots downfield as another interesting matchup is our receivers vs. their secondary.
-Look for Gerald Hodges and Sean Stanley to get more reps with the first team defense and work their way into the defensive rotation
- Look for AJ Wallace to be assigned to cover Eric Decker, whichever side he lines up on expect Wallace to line up directly over him and try to shut him down.
- Royster will get his next 100 yard rushing effort of the year
-Also, if Clark is under more pressure, look for him to run the ball a few more times than usual and expand the play.
Final Score
Penn State 41
Minnesota 24
WE ARE...............
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Bowden, Auburn, Fortt.....
As the lions return to their winning ways, the rest of the college football world moves forward as well. Interesting bits in college football include everything from another excessive celebration controversy, Stoops coming up short in Miami again, and will Tebow be ready for Florida's game against LSU. I know that there is a lot going on, but for this week, we are going to focus on the Bobby Bowden Saga, Gene Chizik's return to Auburn, and a little bit of recruiting news for the Nittany Lions.
We are going to start off with more great news for the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions are looking to finish in the top 5 in recruiting rankings this year on signing day and that just became more of a possibility with the commitment of inside linebacker (ILB) Khairi Fortt. Fortt is the second ranked ILB prospect in the entire country and already possesses a collegiate frame. At 6'3", 225 lbs, Fortt has the build and ability to contribute right away. As Fortt is enrolling early this spring, look for him to get some playing time as a true freshman next year.
Last spring, when Ed Hanna, Charles Barkley, and myself had heard of Auburn's decision to hire Gene Chizik, who had been 5-19 in his two years at Iowa City, we all just wrote Auburn out of the SEC picture. Barkley even went as far as calling the hiring of Gene Chizik as racist because Auburn chose to hire a white man with a 5-19 record over other candidates, such as Turner Gill of Buffalo.
The smack on Chizik is that he's 5-0 in his first five games at Auburn and looks to have that team on the path to win and to win this year. Chizik is now 18-0 is his last 18 games at Auburn, dating back to when he was last with the team as its defensive coordinator when they went 13-0 and won the national title back in 2004. Not only has he restored the winning tradition to that university, but he has brought back its identity as well. Auburn has returned to its smash mouth, run first, run heavy, and defensive ways. They might not win the title this year, but believe it or not folks, Auburn is back. Look for them to build around Chizik's traditional ways and return to their blue collar ways of winning.
Finally, here we are, 23 years, 309 wins, 2 National Titles, and 14 consecutive top 5 finishes later. Bobby Bowden, one of the greatest legends to ever coach this game. One of the old school coaches that still has values and doesn't sell his soul to recruits to build his program. He was the 90s in college football, was there ever a year in that decade that didn't include one of his teams in consideration for the National Title. This man has done so much for that University and what does he get in return, a loudmouth, disrespectful, and classless trustee talking about things he has no control of.
Honestly, this guy who has no control over any decisions or POWER regarding athletic personnel at FSU should have just kept his mouth shut. You can make the argument that Bowden has lost his touch and Florida State has only won ten games once this decade, blah, blah, etc. But the only reason those expectations exist were because Bowden's teams had created those expectations. It was because of his success that FSU is expected to win, with Bowden gone, the program will lose a lot of its luster, or whatever of it is left after the way they chose to handle this situation.
The truth is that Bowden's teams are not performing as well as they used to, but that does not mean that things could not have been handled differently. The administration of the university should have held a private discussion with Bowden at the end of the season and allowed him to render his resignation. Bowden has earned the right to go out on his own terms and he also deserves the respect of resigning rather than leaving with the image that he was forced out of college football.
Florida State, good luck with trying to establish a winning program as you've destroyed any chance of success at your institution with this classless display. Look for UNC, Virginia Tech, Miami, and Georgia Tech to continue to grow as the class of the ACC, as everyone will always remember how Florida State handled this situation.
As for Bowden, thank you so much Coach for one of the greatest decades in college football history. Thank you for all that you have done for the game, the students at that university, and the values that you brought to coaching. You will always be remembered as a legend and the college football world will always respect you and will never forget you.............that is when you decide to step down.
WE ARE....................
We are going to start off with more great news for the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions are looking to finish in the top 5 in recruiting rankings this year on signing day and that just became more of a possibility with the commitment of inside linebacker (ILB) Khairi Fortt. Fortt is the second ranked ILB prospect in the entire country and already possesses a collegiate frame. At 6'3", 225 lbs, Fortt has the build and ability to contribute right away. As Fortt is enrolling early this spring, look for him to get some playing time as a true freshman next year.
Last spring, when Ed Hanna, Charles Barkley, and myself had heard of Auburn's decision to hire Gene Chizik, who had been 5-19 in his two years at Iowa City, we all just wrote Auburn out of the SEC picture. Barkley even went as far as calling the hiring of Gene Chizik as racist because Auburn chose to hire a white man with a 5-19 record over other candidates, such as Turner Gill of Buffalo.
The smack on Chizik is that he's 5-0 in his first five games at Auburn and looks to have that team on the path to win and to win this year. Chizik is now 18-0 is his last 18 games at Auburn, dating back to when he was last with the team as its defensive coordinator when they went 13-0 and won the national title back in 2004. Not only has he restored the winning tradition to that university, but he has brought back its identity as well. Auburn has returned to its smash mouth, run first, run heavy, and defensive ways. They might not win the title this year, but believe it or not folks, Auburn is back. Look for them to build around Chizik's traditional ways and return to their blue collar ways of winning.
Finally, here we are, 23 years, 309 wins, 2 National Titles, and 14 consecutive top 5 finishes later. Bobby Bowden, one of the greatest legends to ever coach this game. One of the old school coaches that still has values and doesn't sell his soul to recruits to build his program. He was the 90s in college football, was there ever a year in that decade that didn't include one of his teams in consideration for the National Title. This man has done so much for that University and what does he get in return, a loudmouth, disrespectful, and classless trustee talking about things he has no control of.
Honestly, this guy who has no control over any decisions or POWER regarding athletic personnel at FSU should have just kept his mouth shut. You can make the argument that Bowden has lost his touch and Florida State has only won ten games once this decade, blah, blah, etc. But the only reason those expectations exist were because Bowden's teams had created those expectations. It was because of his success that FSU is expected to win, with Bowden gone, the program will lose a lot of its luster, or whatever of it is left after the way they chose to handle this situation.
The truth is that Bowden's teams are not performing as well as they used to, but that does not mean that things could not have been handled differently. The administration of the university should have held a private discussion with Bowden at the end of the season and allowed him to render his resignation. Bowden has earned the right to go out on his own terms and he also deserves the respect of resigning rather than leaving with the image that he was forced out of college football.
Florida State, good luck with trying to establish a winning program as you've destroyed any chance of success at your institution with this classless display. Look for UNC, Virginia Tech, Miami, and Georgia Tech to continue to grow as the class of the ACC, as everyone will always remember how Florida State handled this situation.
As for Bowden, thank you so much Coach for one of the greatest decades in college football history. Thank you for all that you have done for the game, the students at that university, and the values that you brought to coaching. You will always be remembered as a legend and the college football world will always respect you and will never forget you.............that is when you decide to step down.
WE ARE....................
ILLINOIS
Here we go......
We finally got a glimpse of what the Lions are capable of doing. We can sit here and say that they played Illinois, but Illinois held their own quite well, until the Lions decided to go to their undiscovered strength of the running game. Last week, in the Iowa write up, I said that we would probably get off to a slow start, but that the running game would get going in that game. The hunch was not based on a feeling, but based on the truth.
The offensive linemen were great all throughout the Illinois game. So what was the difference this week from the previous games this year. There were two things that stood out to me that opened up the run game last week. One of the two was the consistency of the offensive line, they were on the same page. By that I mean that when they blocked well, they blocked well together, and that when someone would blow their assignment, they would pick up for each other as well. It seems as if there was a change in communication up front and whatever it was, look for that unit to grow on that basis.
The second thing that stood out, was relieving some of that pressure off of the offensive line. The play calling from the second half on not only lifted some pressure off the offensive line, but also set the tempo and allowed them to establish a nasty streak. They did this by calling some quick screen passes, underneath routes to the tight ends, and designed runs by Clark. By doing so, they allowed the offensive line to get into a rhythm and gain some confidence. Look for more of this style of play as the season progresses and Penn State finally gets ready to open up that Spread HD again.
All in all, the entire team played a full football game, but there are still areas that need attention. The secondary played a great game, especially well considering that they had to deal with one of the most talented receiving units in the Big Ten with Benn and Fayson. But they need to learn to keep the pressure on and safety play needs to improve at the Hero position. Penn State fans, continue to get excited with the play of Stephon Morris and watch for him to become more and more of a playmaker as the season progresses. Look for him to keep his head up a little more and if he does, he will end up with more interceptions as opposing quarterbacks are looking to throw his way.
As for the rest of the defense, the defensive line is currently leading the Big Ten in sacks with 15, but if they increase the pressure and learn to create for each other, it could lead to an increase in turnovers for our defense. I know the linebacker play has been all over the place this season with injuries and different trios on the field every other drive, but you have to give credit where it is due. That credit is going to go to Josh Hull. It seems like no matter what this guy does, that people will always overlook it, or find a way to voice their dissatisfaction. Well here is the truth about this guy, not only does he fuel our defense emotionally, but he has been the only constant on our defense all year. Here's a fun stat for all of you that have not noticed yet, but Josh Hull has been our leading individual tackler for the past three games and look for him to continue this sort of play all year long.
As for Eastern Illinois, do not be surprised if this game isn't as easy it looks on paper. Eastern Illinois is an FCS school that is sporting FBS talent. Look for Eastern Illinois to give our unit everything they've got, however the Nittany Lions will prove to be too much in the end. What to expect when we play them this weekend:
-Penn State to set the tempo early and get off an running with Royster and Green building on last weeks performance.
-Look for Clark to move the pocket a little more after last week.
-Expect the tight ends to get more touches this week as well as some more screen plays to the running backs this week.
-This is the week that Penn State scores a touchdown on a special teams play.
-Look for the defense to rack up 5+ sacks and look for the secondary to get two more interceptions in this game.
WE ARE...............
We finally got a glimpse of what the Lions are capable of doing. We can sit here and say that they played Illinois, but Illinois held their own quite well, until the Lions decided to go to their undiscovered strength of the running game. Last week, in the Iowa write up, I said that we would probably get off to a slow start, but that the running game would get going in that game. The hunch was not based on a feeling, but based on the truth.
The offensive linemen were great all throughout the Illinois game. So what was the difference this week from the previous games this year. There were two things that stood out to me that opened up the run game last week. One of the two was the consistency of the offensive line, they were on the same page. By that I mean that when they blocked well, they blocked well together, and that when someone would blow their assignment, they would pick up for each other as well. It seems as if there was a change in communication up front and whatever it was, look for that unit to grow on that basis.
The second thing that stood out, was relieving some of that pressure off of the offensive line. The play calling from the second half on not only lifted some pressure off the offensive line, but also set the tempo and allowed them to establish a nasty streak. They did this by calling some quick screen passes, underneath routes to the tight ends, and designed runs by Clark. By doing so, they allowed the offensive line to get into a rhythm and gain some confidence. Look for more of this style of play as the season progresses and Penn State finally gets ready to open up that Spread HD again.
All in all, the entire team played a full football game, but there are still areas that need attention. The secondary played a great game, especially well considering that they had to deal with one of the most talented receiving units in the Big Ten with Benn and Fayson. But they need to learn to keep the pressure on and safety play needs to improve at the Hero position. Penn State fans, continue to get excited with the play of Stephon Morris and watch for him to become more and more of a playmaker as the season progresses. Look for him to keep his head up a little more and if he does, he will end up with more interceptions as opposing quarterbacks are looking to throw his way.
As for the rest of the defense, the defensive line is currently leading the Big Ten in sacks with 15, but if they increase the pressure and learn to create for each other, it could lead to an increase in turnovers for our defense. I know the linebacker play has been all over the place this season with injuries and different trios on the field every other drive, but you have to give credit where it is due. That credit is going to go to Josh Hull. It seems like no matter what this guy does, that people will always overlook it, or find a way to voice their dissatisfaction. Well here is the truth about this guy, not only does he fuel our defense emotionally, but he has been the only constant on our defense all year. Here's a fun stat for all of you that have not noticed yet, but Josh Hull has been our leading individual tackler for the past three games and look for him to continue this sort of play all year long.
As for Eastern Illinois, do not be surprised if this game isn't as easy it looks on paper. Eastern Illinois is an FCS school that is sporting FBS talent. Look for Eastern Illinois to give our unit everything they've got, however the Nittany Lions will prove to be too much in the end. What to expect when we play them this weekend:
-Penn State to set the tempo early and get off an running with Royster and Green building on last weeks performance.
-Look for Clark to move the pocket a little more after last week.
-Expect the tight ends to get more touches this week as well as some more screen plays to the running backs this week.
-This is the week that Penn State scores a touchdown on a special teams play.
-Look for the defense to rack up 5+ sacks and look for the secondary to get two more interceptions in this game.
WE ARE...............
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Iowa
Hey readers,
I know that this week's post has been a little late, but let's just say that it has taken a while to refocus and process through last weeks "disaster."
I know that a lot of you Blue and White faithful would consider last week a disaster, but I wouldn't classify last week's game as a complete disaster. This purpose of this week's post is not only to break down last week's effort, but also help you Nittany Lions faithful refocus your minds and expectations.
First, we are going to start off with the game. Last week Penn State got off to a very hot start and played very well for the first three quarters. I know a lot of you might say otherwise, but you have to factor in the opponent, the conditions, and give credit where it is due. Let's just say that we all underestimated Iowa.....AGAIN. Iowa had one heck of a gameplan, they played tough, and capitalized on turnovers.
If you take a look at the game, it's not pretty, Penn State committed 4 turnovers, not including the blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. Darryl Clark looked sloppy at times, looking to go over the top a little too often, but his numbers were affected by a few dropped balls as well. When you think it couldn't get any worse, Royster fumbles, and everyone is groaning again about play calling, Clark choking, and excuse after excuse and everyone is in flight mode once again.
But if you reverse the spectrum, and take a look at Iowa, it's not like they came into Beaver Stadium and outplayed the Nittany Lions by much. That's Big Ten football for you, tough games, sometimes grinders, and it all comes down to who shoots themselves in the foot first.
Penn State is a very capable team, but they very much shot themselves in the foot. People can talk about the horrendous officiating, the wet conditions, but the truth is that Penn State did not capitalize when it had the opportunity to and Iowa did. Neither team outplayed or out muscled the other, but one team did make less mistakes. That's the team that won. Give Kirk Ferentz credit for coming into Beaver Stadium with a solid gameplan and sticking with it throughout the entire game. Hats off to you Iowa.
As for the Penn State "faithful", why is it that once we play a bad game, or something goes wrong, you are all bouncing off the walls and losing faith in your team. It is a long season, and we are only in week 4. There are two things that you need to realize before you provide the rest of the world with your thoughtless analysis: First of which is that this year, there is not one team that stands above the rest in all of college football, and there will not be an undefeated team playing for the National Title at the end of this year (Yes Florida, you will lose too). Second, that we are all forgetting that this is a rebuilding year for the Nittany Lions.
To address my first thought, is that everyone has based this year's rankings off of the past few years of SEC's dominance. This year, no conference stands out like the SEC has the past few years. If there is an undefeated team this year, it will be a team that overachieved, or it will be Boise State because they honestly only play two to three teams than face the weakest conference schedule of anyone in the country. I know people can make an argument for Florida as the standout team of this year, but Tebow is coming off a concussion now, and each year is a new year in college football. Someone will beat Florida, but I wouldn't be surprised if they played their way into the Title Game anyways.
Now for Penn State. Everyone wants to come to a conclusion that this year's offensive line is not as tough as last year's, and the running backs are being held back, Clark doesn't run as much, the secondary is rusty, the linebackers are injured, etc. The truth is that we lost three all Big Ten offensive linemen, moved the returning starters to new positions, and that it's going to take time to gel. Stefen Wisniewski is a great leader for that offensive line, and if there is anyone that can lead that unit and help them bounce back, he is that man.
As for Clark, throughout the first three games, everyone was talking Heisman candidate, now he has one tough game in terrible conditions, and everyone is quitting on him already. Forget the press and the media, Clark is a great quarterback and he will pass for close to three thousand yards this year. He will bounce back and you will all jump back on the bandwagon and support him for the rest of the season, unless something goes wrong when the Buckeyes come into town.
Finally, for the secondary, they have played very well if you ask me. Yeah they had some lapses against Iowa, but Iowa did not throw for any touchdowns. The secondary has only allowed two touchdowns on the year, and one was a go route from a running back in the Akron game and Mike Zordich the linebacker was in coverage. The other was a quick strike after a turnover against Syracuse late in the game. Look for Stephon Morris to grow more comfortable in the secondary, and as he gains confidence his swagger along with AJ Wallace's attitude should help characterize this secondary as the season progresses. Look for them to face their stiffest test of the year as the face off against Benn and Fayson, two standout wide receivers at Illinois.
Look for the Lions to bounce back this week. I would expect a rough start in Illinois, but I would also look for them to play well and shake off the dirt from last week's game against Iowa. Look for the run game to really take off this week as Illinois is playing without Martez Wilson and as the Offensive Line is going to be playing with more of a nasty streak. As usual, please comment and leave me with your thoughts as well.
WE ARE............
I know that this week's post has been a little late, but let's just say that it has taken a while to refocus and process through last weeks "disaster."
I know that a lot of you Blue and White faithful would consider last week a disaster, but I wouldn't classify last week's game as a complete disaster. This purpose of this week's post is not only to break down last week's effort, but also help you Nittany Lions faithful refocus your minds and expectations.
First, we are going to start off with the game. Last week Penn State got off to a very hot start and played very well for the first three quarters. I know a lot of you might say otherwise, but you have to factor in the opponent, the conditions, and give credit where it is due. Let's just say that we all underestimated Iowa.....AGAIN. Iowa had one heck of a gameplan, they played tough, and capitalized on turnovers.
If you take a look at the game, it's not pretty, Penn State committed 4 turnovers, not including the blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. Darryl Clark looked sloppy at times, looking to go over the top a little too often, but his numbers were affected by a few dropped balls as well. When you think it couldn't get any worse, Royster fumbles, and everyone is groaning again about play calling, Clark choking, and excuse after excuse and everyone is in flight mode once again.
But if you reverse the spectrum, and take a look at Iowa, it's not like they came into Beaver Stadium and outplayed the Nittany Lions by much. That's Big Ten football for you, tough games, sometimes grinders, and it all comes down to who shoots themselves in the foot first.
Penn State is a very capable team, but they very much shot themselves in the foot. People can talk about the horrendous officiating, the wet conditions, but the truth is that Penn State did not capitalize when it had the opportunity to and Iowa did. Neither team outplayed or out muscled the other, but one team did make less mistakes. That's the team that won. Give Kirk Ferentz credit for coming into Beaver Stadium with a solid gameplan and sticking with it throughout the entire game. Hats off to you Iowa.
As for the Penn State "faithful", why is it that once we play a bad game, or something goes wrong, you are all bouncing off the walls and losing faith in your team. It is a long season, and we are only in week 4. There are two things that you need to realize before you provide the rest of the world with your thoughtless analysis: First of which is that this year, there is not one team that stands above the rest in all of college football, and there will not be an undefeated team playing for the National Title at the end of this year (Yes Florida, you will lose too). Second, that we are all forgetting that this is a rebuilding year for the Nittany Lions.
To address my first thought, is that everyone has based this year's rankings off of the past few years of SEC's dominance. This year, no conference stands out like the SEC has the past few years. If there is an undefeated team this year, it will be a team that overachieved, or it will be Boise State because they honestly only play two to three teams than face the weakest conference schedule of anyone in the country. I know people can make an argument for Florida as the standout team of this year, but Tebow is coming off a concussion now, and each year is a new year in college football. Someone will beat Florida, but I wouldn't be surprised if they played their way into the Title Game anyways.
Now for Penn State. Everyone wants to come to a conclusion that this year's offensive line is not as tough as last year's, and the running backs are being held back, Clark doesn't run as much, the secondary is rusty, the linebackers are injured, etc. The truth is that we lost three all Big Ten offensive linemen, moved the returning starters to new positions, and that it's going to take time to gel. Stefen Wisniewski is a great leader for that offensive line, and if there is anyone that can lead that unit and help them bounce back, he is that man.
As for Clark, throughout the first three games, everyone was talking Heisman candidate, now he has one tough game in terrible conditions, and everyone is quitting on him already. Forget the press and the media, Clark is a great quarterback and he will pass for close to three thousand yards this year. He will bounce back and you will all jump back on the bandwagon and support him for the rest of the season, unless something goes wrong when the Buckeyes come into town.
Finally, for the secondary, they have played very well if you ask me. Yeah they had some lapses against Iowa, but Iowa did not throw for any touchdowns. The secondary has only allowed two touchdowns on the year, and one was a go route from a running back in the Akron game and Mike Zordich the linebacker was in coverage. The other was a quick strike after a turnover against Syracuse late in the game. Look for Stephon Morris to grow more comfortable in the secondary, and as he gains confidence his swagger along with AJ Wallace's attitude should help characterize this secondary as the season progresses. Look for them to face their stiffest test of the year as the face off against Benn and Fayson, two standout wide receivers at Illinois.
Look for the Lions to bounce back this week. I would expect a rough start in Illinois, but I would also look for them to play well and shake off the dirt from last week's game against Iowa. Look for the run game to really take off this week as Illinois is playing without Martez Wilson and as the Offensive Line is going to be playing with more of a nasty streak. As usual, please comment and leave me with your thoughts as well.
WE ARE............
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Kolb peaking interest
Northern Virginia Offensive Lineman, Khamrone Kolb is leaning closer and closer to committing to the Nittany Lions. At 6'6", 300 lbs, Kolb is projected to play the tackle position at the next level on the offensive side of the ball. Kolb would be another great edition to this year's recruiting class. Kolb says that Penn State is number one on his list, but he's going to wait to commit after he's taken all of his official visits. I would look for him to commit in the next couple of weeks and possibly enroll early next spring.
WE ARE....
WE ARE....
Monday, September 21, 2009
Easley Commits
Dominique Easley (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Dominique-Easley-92086), the number one recruit in the state of New York has committed to play at Penn State next year. Easley committed directly after the Penn State/Temple game, which gives the Nittany Lions their 18th committment for the upcoming year. With Easley committed, this gives Penn State the chance to finish in the top 5 nationally in recruiting come February as State continues on their recruiting hot streak.
WE ARE.........
WE ARE.........
Temple
Hey readers,
This weeks review of last weeks game is not going to be terribly long because its pretty simple. We did not have the blow out game we anticipated against Temple. Yeah, yeah, we should have blown them out, but give Temple some credit for bringing blitzes from different angles, putting Clark on his behind, and getting after it. In the long run, it was great for our offensive line to see those blitzes, it only helps them get better for Big Ten play.
So here we go, Clark's passes were not as crisp as we're used to seeing, but rumor has it that Clark was nursing a stinger in his shoulder for most of the game. The run game also got a little momentum going, but I was encouraged by the outting that Royster had. He had over 100 yards by half time. That's not what was encouraging though, the encouraging part was the way Green was running the ball. He is a completely different ball carrier than last year. He was waiting for the plays to develop and once they did, he hit the hole hard. No more of that elusive, soft tip toe through the hole demeanor, but rather a more convicted style of running from Green.
The rest of the team played well however, it was not the best outting, but it might have been what this team needed. Now they are going into Big Ten play wary of themselves and preparing well for their competition, instead of flying in their thinking that they are untouchable. The only chance this team had to get better was to have a fair showing against Temple. If they would've played lights out, the punch in the mouth might have been this week against Iowa. Instead, I think we are now better prepared for Big Ten play, but I guess the truth will soon be discovered against Iowa this Saturday night.
DID YOU NOTICE:
- Freshman Stephon Morris was playing in the defensive backfield with the first team defense
- That the tight ends are getting more involved in the passing game
- Freshman Curtis Drake, Justin Brown, and Devon Smith are getting more and more touches as we're getting ready for Big Ten play
- Defensive End recruit Dominique Easley on the sidelines.
WE ARE........
This weeks review of last weeks game is not going to be terribly long because its pretty simple. We did not have the blow out game we anticipated against Temple. Yeah, yeah, we should have blown them out, but give Temple some credit for bringing blitzes from different angles, putting Clark on his behind, and getting after it. In the long run, it was great for our offensive line to see those blitzes, it only helps them get better for Big Ten play.
So here we go, Clark's passes were not as crisp as we're used to seeing, but rumor has it that Clark was nursing a stinger in his shoulder for most of the game. The run game also got a little momentum going, but I was encouraged by the outting that Royster had. He had over 100 yards by half time. That's not what was encouraging though, the encouraging part was the way Green was running the ball. He is a completely different ball carrier than last year. He was waiting for the plays to develop and once they did, he hit the hole hard. No more of that elusive, soft tip toe through the hole demeanor, but rather a more convicted style of running from Green.
The rest of the team played well however, it was not the best outting, but it might have been what this team needed. Now they are going into Big Ten play wary of themselves and preparing well for their competition, instead of flying in their thinking that they are untouchable. The only chance this team had to get better was to have a fair showing against Temple. If they would've played lights out, the punch in the mouth might have been this week against Iowa. Instead, I think we are now better prepared for Big Ten play, but I guess the truth will soon be discovered against Iowa this Saturday night.
DID YOU NOTICE:
- Freshman Stephon Morris was playing in the defensive backfield with the first team defense
- That the tight ends are getting more involved in the passing game
- Freshman Curtis Drake, Justin Brown, and Devon Smith are getting more and more touches as we're getting ready for Big Ten play
- Defensive End recruit Dominique Easley on the sidelines.
WE ARE........
Thursday, September 17, 2009
17 Again
Penn State receives commitment number 17, as they continue to pick up momentum on the recruiting trail.
Earlier today, 4 Star Defensive End C.J. Olaniyan (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-C.J.-Olaniyan-92881) made his decision to play for Nittany Lions next year. Olaniyan is a huge get that adds even more star power to an already booming recruiting class. Our defensive line commitments for next year already include four star commitments in Evan Hailes, Dakota Royer, and Daquan Jones. With the addition of Olaniyan, Penn State could be bolstering one of the best defensive front fours within the next couple of years.
Just when you think that things couldn't get any better for the Nittany Lions on the defensive side of the ball, Penn State picks up another huge commitment. To top it all off, Penn State is still in the running and at the top of the list for top tier defensive line prospects Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley. Both of whom which rank in the top ten at their respective positions.
As the season progresses and the stars of this year's recruiting class are looking to enroll by next spring, look for Penn State to pick up a few more commits. What I would look for in the coming weeks are the decisions of offensive linemen Robby Havenstein and linebacker Khairi Fortt. My prediction would be that both of these guys will commit to Penn State, but with college football today, anything is possible.
WE ARE........
Earlier today, 4 Star Defensive End C.J. Olaniyan (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-C.J.-Olaniyan-92881) made his decision to play for Nittany Lions next year. Olaniyan is a huge get that adds even more star power to an already booming recruiting class. Our defensive line commitments for next year already include four star commitments in Evan Hailes, Dakota Royer, and Daquan Jones. With the addition of Olaniyan, Penn State could be bolstering one of the best defensive front fours within the next couple of years.
Just when you think that things couldn't get any better for the Nittany Lions on the defensive side of the ball, Penn State picks up another huge commitment. To top it all off, Penn State is still in the running and at the top of the list for top tier defensive line prospects Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley. Both of whom which rank in the top ten at their respective positions.
As the season progresses and the stars of this year's recruiting class are looking to enroll by next spring, look for Penn State to pick up a few more commits. What I would look for in the coming weeks are the decisions of offensive linemen Robby Havenstein and linebacker Khairi Fortt. My prediction would be that both of these guys will commit to Penn State, but with college football today, anything is possible.
WE ARE........
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Weekend Recap
Other News in College Football:
This weekend was one of the greatest weekends in college football. From Central Michigan's unbelievable luck in the tail ends of their game against Sparty, Tate Forcier's coming out party, and USC pulling one out in Columbus.
As it looks right now, in week 2 of the college football season, no conference has established themselves just yet as the elite conference in the nation. Alabama is struggling against FIU, Buckeyes just lost to USC, however both teams were evenly matched, Sooners have already lost to BYU, and the ACC has lost to two FBS teams already. It seems like every year is a competition to match the mayhem from the year before.
Anyways, the three games I want to touch on from this last weekend are Michigan vs. Notre Dame, Ohio State vs. USC, and Houston vs. Oklahoma State.
Houston vs. Oklahoma State, the game that was not on anyone's radar, but ended up being one of the most exciting games of the weekend. I mean, even if it wasn't, it was still an upgrade from the LSU/Vandy game. This game validates to assumptions that were made at the beginning of the season. The first of which is Houston's QB Case Keenum's ability to play the QB position. This guy has put up amazing number the past couple of years has not gotten his fair share of attention. Look for this to cause a rise in his draft stock and look to hear his name more often as the season progresses. Secondly, the preconceived notion that the Big 12 plays terrible defense. I know Case Keenum is a great QB, but Houston is not a great team. There is no way that they should've put up 45 points on a team that held Georgia to only 10 points.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan, also known as the hot seat game for the coaches of both of these programs. This game was very exciting to watch and both teams delivered. I'm here to tell you that Michigan beat a very good Notre Dame team. Both of these teams at the end of the year should be in the top 25. If they continue to play at the levels that they can, this could be the year that both programs re-establish themselves as elite programs in the nation. I know we all found out that Lou Holtz was wrong once again, but I think we will all find out that he was not too crazy. Look for both of these teams to play the spoiler roles as they play more top ten teams as the season progresses.
USC vs. Ohio State, this was the most exciting game of the weekend. Ohio State came out a little sloppy and it looked as if another rout was on course again. However, Ohio State responded to an early turnover with a TD drive of their own. As a matter of fact, the Buckeyes not only hung in there with the big boys of USC, but they punched them right in the mouth. This Buckeyes controlled every aspect of this game until that very last drive. I want to go ahead and address that last drive by USC because a lot of people are saying that that drive will be the signature drive to the start of Matt Barkley's career. I want to go ahead and point out that Barkley did nothing. 85 yards of that 86 yard drive came from Joe McKnight, and the final yard was from Stafon Johnson. Both QB's in this game looked sloppy, but that's expected from a defensive game, which the PAC-10 doesn't see that often, but I'll tell you what, Pryor looked determined. If there was one thing made known from this game, is that both USC and Ohio are elite programs, but nobody wanted it more than Pryor. I would say to look for both of these teams to possibly meet back up in the Rose Bowl.
WE ARE............
This weekend was one of the greatest weekends in college football. From Central Michigan's unbelievable luck in the tail ends of their game against Sparty, Tate Forcier's coming out party, and USC pulling one out in Columbus.
As it looks right now, in week 2 of the college football season, no conference has established themselves just yet as the elite conference in the nation. Alabama is struggling against FIU, Buckeyes just lost to USC, however both teams were evenly matched, Sooners have already lost to BYU, and the ACC has lost to two FBS teams already. It seems like every year is a competition to match the mayhem from the year before.
Anyways, the three games I want to touch on from this last weekend are Michigan vs. Notre Dame, Ohio State vs. USC, and Houston vs. Oklahoma State.
Houston vs. Oklahoma State, the game that was not on anyone's radar, but ended up being one of the most exciting games of the weekend. I mean, even if it wasn't, it was still an upgrade from the LSU/Vandy game. This game validates to assumptions that were made at the beginning of the season. The first of which is Houston's QB Case Keenum's ability to play the QB position. This guy has put up amazing number the past couple of years has not gotten his fair share of attention. Look for this to cause a rise in his draft stock and look to hear his name more often as the season progresses. Secondly, the preconceived notion that the Big 12 plays terrible defense. I know Case Keenum is a great QB, but Houston is not a great team. There is no way that they should've put up 45 points on a team that held Georgia to only 10 points.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan, also known as the hot seat game for the coaches of both of these programs. This game was very exciting to watch and both teams delivered. I'm here to tell you that Michigan beat a very good Notre Dame team. Both of these teams at the end of the year should be in the top 25. If they continue to play at the levels that they can, this could be the year that both programs re-establish themselves as elite programs in the nation. I know we all found out that Lou Holtz was wrong once again, but I think we will all find out that he was not too crazy. Look for both of these teams to play the spoiler roles as they play more top ten teams as the season progresses.
USC vs. Ohio State, this was the most exciting game of the weekend. Ohio State came out a little sloppy and it looked as if another rout was on course again. However, Ohio State responded to an early turnover with a TD drive of their own. As a matter of fact, the Buckeyes not only hung in there with the big boys of USC, but they punched them right in the mouth. This Buckeyes controlled every aspect of this game until that very last drive. I want to go ahead and address that last drive by USC because a lot of people are saying that that drive will be the signature drive to the start of Matt Barkley's career. I want to go ahead and point out that Barkley did nothing. 85 yards of that 86 yard drive came from Joe McKnight, and the final yard was from Stafon Johnson. Both QB's in this game looked sloppy, but that's expected from a defensive game, which the PAC-10 doesn't see that often, but I'll tell you what, Pryor looked determined. If there was one thing made known from this game, is that both USC and Ohio are elite programs, but nobody wanted it more than Pryor. I would say to look for both of these teams to possibly meet back up in the Rose Bowl.
WE ARE............
Syracuse
After a long weekend at Penn State, I finally get to update you guys on what's really happening with Penn State football. Yes, we beat Syracuse 28-7, but there is still nothing to worry about.
After talking to a lot of the Nittany Lion faithful this weekend, and an LSU fanatic, there are a list of concerns I would like to address. First on the docket, is the Penn State running game. We need to set a few things straight, the running game is going to be perfectly fine for the coming weeks. You need to realize that Penn State's strength with the running game is running inside and out, then hitting people with a stretch play. That is Royster's strength, his phenomenal vision and decision making at the line of scrimmage. What we didn't see a lot of, was that kind of play calling, and when we did, we got stuffed at the goal line. The reason why you shouldn't worry about it is because Syracuse has a big boy in the middle on their line that has racked up over 30 tackles for loss the past few years. If you don't know what I'm getting at, it means that it is very difficult to run the ball inside on Syracuse's defense.
Second, people are still questioning the real talent of the wide receivers, claiming that they haven't faced top tier competition yet. While this may be true, you have to look at their skill set when they are playing on the field. These receivers have some of the greatest technique in the nation. If you look at how they catch the ball, they possess all the necessary skills to come down with the ball every time. The three things you want to look for in a receiver to be successful are his abilities to use his body to shield defenders as he catches the ball, his instincts to catch the ball at its highest point, and catching the ball with his hands. If you don't believe me, go ahead and take a look at the highlight clips of our games on espn, you'll see that our receivers are go-getters.
Finally, I know we're still having some concerns about our offensive line, but the only thing I can tell you is that time and experience will brings this unit closer together. The more time they spend on the field together, the better they are going to get.
Other Penn State News:
-Zach Zwinak, the nation's top fullback prospect just committed to play his college football at Penn State
-Khairi Fortt, one of the nations top middle linebacker prospects is expected to announce his decision soon, as its looking, its coming down to Penn State and Georgia. I would lean closer to us winning this battle as Fortt has developed a great friendship with two current Penn State commits in Silas Redd and Dakota Royer.
- Nick Sukay changed his number from 10 to 18, relax folks that wasn't Brennan Coakley back there in coverage.
- Justin Brown burned his redshirt in late play against Syracuse, look for them to work him more into the offense in the weeks to come.
WE ARE......
After talking to a lot of the Nittany Lion faithful this weekend, and an LSU fanatic, there are a list of concerns I would like to address. First on the docket, is the Penn State running game. We need to set a few things straight, the running game is going to be perfectly fine for the coming weeks. You need to realize that Penn State's strength with the running game is running inside and out, then hitting people with a stretch play. That is Royster's strength, his phenomenal vision and decision making at the line of scrimmage. What we didn't see a lot of, was that kind of play calling, and when we did, we got stuffed at the goal line. The reason why you shouldn't worry about it is because Syracuse has a big boy in the middle on their line that has racked up over 30 tackles for loss the past few years. If you don't know what I'm getting at, it means that it is very difficult to run the ball inside on Syracuse's defense.
Second, people are still questioning the real talent of the wide receivers, claiming that they haven't faced top tier competition yet. While this may be true, you have to look at their skill set when they are playing on the field. These receivers have some of the greatest technique in the nation. If you look at how they catch the ball, they possess all the necessary skills to come down with the ball every time. The three things you want to look for in a receiver to be successful are his abilities to use his body to shield defenders as he catches the ball, his instincts to catch the ball at its highest point, and catching the ball with his hands. If you don't believe me, go ahead and take a look at the highlight clips of our games on espn, you'll see that our receivers are go-getters.
Finally, I know we're still having some concerns about our offensive line, but the only thing I can tell you is that time and experience will brings this unit closer together. The more time they spend on the field together, the better they are going to get.
Other Penn State News:
-Zach Zwinak, the nation's top fullback prospect just committed to play his college football at Penn State
-Khairi Fortt, one of the nations top middle linebacker prospects is expected to announce his decision soon, as its looking, its coming down to Penn State and Georgia. I would lean closer to us winning this battle as Fortt has developed a great friendship with two current Penn State commits in Silas Redd and Dakota Royer.
- Nick Sukay changed his number from 10 to 18, relax folks that wasn't Brennan Coakley back there in coverage.
- Justin Brown burned his redshirt in late play against Syracuse, look for them to work him more into the offense in the weeks to come.
WE ARE......
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Akron
Here we go....
The first game of the season came and went, as expected we started off the season with a "W". I know the opponent was Akron, but we can take away a lot of great things from this game. Only the Nittany Lions faithful would be worried after a 31-7 victory, and I know that most of you have your concerns about the team. I assure you however, that we are going to be fine.
To start off, Akron runs a 3-5 defense, which means that they have 3 defensive linemen and 5 linebackers packed into the box. Basically what I'm saying is that they dared us to throw the ball, and Clark responded with a career day (73 % completion rate, 29/40 353 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int). For Clark to have a day like that with an entirely brand new receiving corps is absolutely impressive. The new guys catching the ball answered any questions that we may have, as they caught passes all over the field. They caught passes in traffic, down field, and most importantly in the end zone. The outing we had in the first half allowed our team to cruise in the second half and try out a few different things. The output from the first half even left a mark on voters, vaulting Galen Hall to the number one spot in the power rankings for Offensive Coordinators (http://collegefootball.rivals.com/viewCFSE.asp).
The defense looked great as usual, and the defensive line looked absolutely nasty. Again we can take this with a grain of salt because we were playing against Akron, but everyone on the rotation was making plays and getting to the quarterback. The linebackers looked phenomenal as usual, even with Bowman stepping out and Stupar stepping in. I would not worry too much about Bowman's status in the coming weeks, I would expect him to get rested and nurse that injury back to health. Expect the same from him when he gets back though, as he, Lee, Hull, and the rest of the linebackers get ready to terrorize the rest of the Big Ten in the coming weeks.
Finally, the defensive backs and special teams. The db's did not look absolutely perfect, but they are still gaining that chemistry of playing together. Individually, Astorino, Lynn, and Wallace did a great job keeping everything in front of them and tackling in the open field. However, the secondary still needs some more experience playing together and making plays on the ball together as a unit. These next couple of weeks should provide them with that experience and I guess we'll see what the product is. One prediction I have though is to keep an eye on the true freshman in Gerald Hodges. He is making a lot of noise in the locker room and on the practice field. I would look for him to take over at the Hero position as the season progresses.
As for special teams, we didn't look too great. Wagner missed two of his four field goals, and we didn't really get to field that many kickoffs. The punt returns were mediocre at best with Zug and Royster back fielding punts, but look for us to improve dramatically in this area. With Chaz "Boom Boom" Powell and Stephfon "The Green Mile" Green returning kicks, and true freshman Devon Smith gaining game experience and predicted to assume the role of returning punts, look for this to become a major strength of the team.
Overall, I would say that we had a great first game. We showed that we have an established passing game, with exceptional wide receivers. The running game still needs to get itself going, but with Royster, Green, and Beachum back there, I would not be too worried. The offensive line did a great job, and look for them to hold down the fort against Syracuse.
Predictions for this week:
- Clark throws a couple touchdowns and demonstrates the great chemistry between himself, Derek Moye, and Chaz Powell.
- Look for the tight ends to get more involved.
- The Offensive line doesn't allow any sacks this week.
- Paulus gets sacked at least 6 times and throws 2 interceptions.
- Running Game improves dramatically as we stock up more than 200 yards on the ground.
- Kevin Newsome, Gerald Hodges, and Devon Smith get more playing time.
WE ARE...........
The first game of the season came and went, as expected we started off the season with a "W". I know the opponent was Akron, but we can take away a lot of great things from this game. Only the Nittany Lions faithful would be worried after a 31-7 victory, and I know that most of you have your concerns about the team. I assure you however, that we are going to be fine.
To start off, Akron runs a 3-5 defense, which means that they have 3 defensive linemen and 5 linebackers packed into the box. Basically what I'm saying is that they dared us to throw the ball, and Clark responded with a career day (73 % completion rate, 29/40 353 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int). For Clark to have a day like that with an entirely brand new receiving corps is absolutely impressive. The new guys catching the ball answered any questions that we may have, as they caught passes all over the field. They caught passes in traffic, down field, and most importantly in the end zone. The outing we had in the first half allowed our team to cruise in the second half and try out a few different things. The output from the first half even left a mark on voters, vaulting Galen Hall to the number one spot in the power rankings for Offensive Coordinators (http://collegefootball.rivals.com/viewCFSE.asp).
The defense looked great as usual, and the defensive line looked absolutely nasty. Again we can take this with a grain of salt because we were playing against Akron, but everyone on the rotation was making plays and getting to the quarterback. The linebackers looked phenomenal as usual, even with Bowman stepping out and Stupar stepping in. I would not worry too much about Bowman's status in the coming weeks, I would expect him to get rested and nurse that injury back to health. Expect the same from him when he gets back though, as he, Lee, Hull, and the rest of the linebackers get ready to terrorize the rest of the Big Ten in the coming weeks.
Finally, the defensive backs and special teams. The db's did not look absolutely perfect, but they are still gaining that chemistry of playing together. Individually, Astorino, Lynn, and Wallace did a great job keeping everything in front of them and tackling in the open field. However, the secondary still needs some more experience playing together and making plays on the ball together as a unit. These next couple of weeks should provide them with that experience and I guess we'll see what the product is. One prediction I have though is to keep an eye on the true freshman in Gerald Hodges. He is making a lot of noise in the locker room and on the practice field. I would look for him to take over at the Hero position as the season progresses.
As for special teams, we didn't look too great. Wagner missed two of his four field goals, and we didn't really get to field that many kickoffs. The punt returns were mediocre at best with Zug and Royster back fielding punts, but look for us to improve dramatically in this area. With Chaz "Boom Boom" Powell and Stephfon "The Green Mile" Green returning kicks, and true freshman Devon Smith gaining game experience and predicted to assume the role of returning punts, look for this to become a major strength of the team.
Overall, I would say that we had a great first game. We showed that we have an established passing game, with exceptional wide receivers. The running game still needs to get itself going, but with Royster, Green, and Beachum back there, I would not be too worried. The offensive line did a great job, and look for them to hold down the fort against Syracuse.
Predictions for this week:
- Clark throws a couple touchdowns and demonstrates the great chemistry between himself, Derek Moye, and Chaz Powell.
- Look for the tight ends to get more involved.
- The Offensive line doesn't allow any sacks this week.
- Paulus gets sacked at least 6 times and throws 2 interceptions.
- Running Game improves dramatically as we stock up more than 200 yards on the ground.
- Kevin Newsome, Gerald Hodges, and Devon Smith get more playing time.
WE ARE...........
My First Post
Hey everyone,
I wanted to go ahead and welcome you to my new blog. If it's a little rusty, it is because I am very new at this. The reasons behind this blog are because I have very strong opinions about College Football and I'm usually right. Just kidding, but I am very passionate about sports and I am getting very sick of the media bias in college sports today. As a result, I am going to use this blog to enlighten others about College Football with my own bias because every sports fanatic is crazy about his own opinion.
Throughout our time together, I am going to provide you with insight about Penn State's College Football season. This will include game highlights, breaking news, recruiting information, and how I feel about our team. So go ahead and start following this blog and let me know what you think. I look forward to all your feedback and hopefully we'll make it through this season undefeated.
WE ARE...........
I wanted to go ahead and welcome you to my new blog. If it's a little rusty, it is because I am very new at this. The reasons behind this blog are because I have very strong opinions about College Football and I'm usually right. Just kidding, but I am very passionate about sports and I am getting very sick of the media bias in college sports today. As a result, I am going to use this blog to enlighten others about College Football with my own bias because every sports fanatic is crazy about his own opinion.
Throughout our time together, I am going to provide you with insight about Penn State's College Football season. This will include game highlights, breaking news, recruiting information, and how I feel about our team. So go ahead and start following this blog and let me know what you think. I look forward to all your feedback and hopefully we'll make it through this season undefeated.
WE ARE...........
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