Now that I've had a few days to cool down and collect my thoughts, I'm ready to break down the Bama game from this past week. It all comes down to one simple and true statement. I assure you, it has nothing to do with the chicken bones falling out of Bobby Bowden's mouth, southern speed, or the humidity in the South. It all comes down to Alabama being the better team.
They did not "outman" us, have an extravagant game plan, or do anything special. However, Alabama did outcoach us, outplay us, and Trent Richardson proved me wrong. With the combination of their preparation for their game, their intensity on the field, and Penn State's lack of preparation, Alabama was and is the better team.
Alabama literally kept it simple against Penn State. Their coaches knew that we would be prepared for a physical game in the trenches, and that we would stack the box with our first defensive packages waiting for them to run. Their team came out on their second drive, with an empty backfield, and literally drove down the field with ease. McElroy was completing passes left and right, and a freshman receiver capped off the drive with his first collegiate reception for a touchdown.
Now here comes the beast of the game, Trent Richardson, he simply did not give up on any of his runs. He refused to go down and fought til the very end of every single carry that he got that night because he had a point to make. He wanted to show everyone that he was not just there to play second fiddle to Mark Ingram. He wanted to assert himself as just as good of a starter, and I have never seen a running back do that to a Penn State defense. Richardson was so good, that over 70% off his yardage came after making contact with a Penn State defender.
Now here is the truth about this Penn State team. At times they not only hung in there with Alabama, but they were taking it to them. Yeah, our drives were not as dominant or pretty as Alabama's, but we were effectively moving the ball down the field against the number one team in the country. Believe it or not, Penn State had more time of possession, converted 17 first downs to Alabama's 19 first downs, ran four more offensive plays, and even converted more third downs than Alabama. But this is the difference maker in the game right here, I do not care what anyone says, it was the turnovers. Yes, Richardson ran all over us like a rag doll in the first half, but the opportunities were there for Penn State. What kills this team even more, is that three out of the four turnovers occurred in the red zone.
There is a basis for these turnovers, what factors in to all these blown chances. Yeah there are those of you that are calling for those missed penalties on two of the turnovers (http://nittanywhiteout.com/2010/09/14/whats-wrong-with-these-pictures/), you have a point, but only to a certain extent. It goes a little bit deeper than two blown calls, and a freshman quarterback. You can simplify it and call it execution (though we committed less penalties than then Alabama), but I want to go ahead and work to the root of this issue.
The root of the issue is a design for failure, and it falls all on the coaching staff. Spare me the sighs and arguments of JoePa the living legend. Just think about how Penn State has played in marquee games the past five years. Take a look at the approach to every single big game that we've played during the modern era in college football. How has Penn State prepared for all of these games? I mean, if Joe Paterno is known for one thing, it has been his ability to prepare for the big game, or should I say was his ability to prepare for the big game.
All the writers and reporters last week were writing about the increase in intensity during the practices up to the game. They talked about the excitement, the chances, the opportunity. How Penn State had no where to go but up. What happened to all of that talk? What happened to fighting out of a corner? Seriously, what did we have to lose playing the number one team in the country?
The truth is that JoePa was too busy trying to protect his team that he hurt them in the worst of ways possible. He did not build a game plan that allowed them to come out of the gates swinging, he did not build confidence in his players, and worst of all, he did not put his players in situations where they could be rewarded. With such a conservative game plan, the players were forced to try and make something happen, rather than explosive plays resulting from their execution. Of course these guys are going to try to force things and make things happen against the number one team in the country, they want to prove something. JoePa was simply playing catch with a dog on a leash, and it's only a matter of time before the dog chokes itself up trying to get to the ball.
It is a sad day in college football when a program like James Madison has more courage and fight against VTech, than Penn State does against Alabama. There is a reason why teams like Boise, App. State, and JMU have had success in big games, because the coaches instill faith and excitement into their players. At Penn State, some times football can just be business as usual. The only exception would be the Penn State and Ohio State game a couple of years ago, when the team came out with a little bit of a swagger. However, you can make the argument that the rage that Navorro Bowman played with on defense that night mixed with a conservative game plan from Jim Tressel set the tone for that game more so than the coaches letting the players play.
At the end of the day, the team did not look as bad as everyone says. Bolden has the maturity of a senior, but played like a freshman. Now, how much of that is to blame on the game plan, I say all of it. Why not let him sling it out on there on the early downs then protect him with screens and short routes on third? Why not develop a rhythm by running the ball then take chances down the field? I would prefer to see his freshman mistakes come from great plays by the defense rather than him playing the odds and losing with the odds in Bama's favor.
The running game still has a way to go, but the coaches also need to let the offensive line get into a rhythm. Royster supposedly bulked up for a heavier workload of what has played out to be 10 carries a game. Silas Redd looks as explosive as any of the players that we have in the backfield. Heck, let Bolden make a defense honest and let him run an option or two to make the defense have to account for everyone on the field? Coaches, stop limiting the possibilities and let these guys play.
Most importantly, the defense needs to develop a personality, some swagger, or at least an edge. The only two players out there that looked like they wanted to hit somebody rather than miss an assignment from coach Joe were Stupar and Lynn. They were looking for someone to hit on every single play they were in there. The defense in the first half played on their heels, trying not to miss assignments out of fear of failure, rather than sending a message that we are not afraid. The defensive tone did not change until the second half. This defense needs to develop an attitude fast (especially with the loss of our hit man in Gerald Hodges) as Big Ten play is just around the corner.
In the end, if Penn State could have capitalized on those drives deep into Alabama territory, the story could have been completely different. If only Bolden was put into situations where he was able to make a play rather than trying to force one in the blandest of schemes. If only the team came out with an identity and an edge on defense. But this is exactly what we got from this game, a whole bunch of ifs and only ifs. Alabama came out with an attitude, executed well, and took well managed risks for one reason, and one reason only: they outcoached us! Until the coaches remove the choker chain from this Penn State program, we will always fall short in marquee match ups.
UP NEXT: Kent State Preview
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