It's gameday in State College and the Wolverines are coming into town for a prime time match up under the lights on Halloween eve. It does not get any better than this, actually, it would be if both teams lived up to the hype carried by the name of their respective programs this season. Either way, it is still a huge match up for both programs, as Rich Rod is looking to turn the corner at Michigan, and Penn State is looking for a signature win to capitalize on during their rebuilding project known as the 2010 season.
We can go ahead and get started with the basics in this one, both teams still have more questions to be answered then solutions all over the field. Penn State is coming in to this game without up to 9 regulars on the defensive side of the ball (14 regulars if you include guys on the offensive side), uncertainty as to who will start at QB as Rob Bolden is healing up from a concussion, and the pressure of getting Royster to breaking the all-time rushing record at Penn State (he is 31 yards away from greatness). On the other side, Michigan's own QB is coming off of an injury as well, their defense is so thin in the secondary that a fifth year walk on wide receiver is starting at one of the defensive back spots, and they just removed a 5th year senior LB from their starting lineup because the former All Big Ten selection was just not getting the job done.
In other words, this game is going to be somewhat of a shootout in its own right, as Michigan possesses a prolific offense and literally scores at DRob's will, Penn State has an offense that is well equipped to tear this Michigan defense up as well. If we're being honest, most of the high schools in Pennsylvania are equipped well enough to drop at least 24 points on Michigan's defense this year. The most interesting match up on the offensive side will be our ground game against their rush defense. I know that whoever is at the helm in QB will have a great opportunity of moving the ball down the field against Michigan, but its how Royster, Green, and Redd play that intrigue me in this match up. I would look for the coaches to try and get Royster the record as early as possible, but also to set up the passing game in case Bolden is not back their starting.
As for the defense, they have a very large task at hand in containing DRob. Will the defensive ends (who are former DT in Jones and Hill) be able to get to the edge quick enough to contain DRob or will he have a career day on the ground against this defense. The good news is that Penn State has been doing a great job at sealing off the edge all year, but the even better news is that DRob is not a bruiser like LeShoure, Richardson, and Robinson, who imposed their will against Penn State with their physical running styles. Another thing to look out for in this game will be the play of Khairi Fortt, as he was practicing all week at both LB and the stand up defensive end position. The only explanation for this would be the fact that Penn State wants a guy with speed on the edge that can adjust a little more quickly to close the running lanes.
In order for Penn State to win this game, they will have to go against some of the gameplanning tactics that they have used this year. The main reason why is because it is not a question of when Michigan will score, it is a question of how much. If they gameplan against DRob similiar to what Michigan State and Iowa did, they have a great chance at winning this game. What I mean by that is that the team needs to focus on shutting down the run, constantly bringing pressure on DRob, and forcing him to throw. The defense needs to attack and trust its defensive backs in single coverage because DRob is not a polished passer, most of his completions have come on plays where teams have played soft zones and the DBs were caught looking in the backfield. That is a nice way of saying that his wide receivers were always open by about 5 yards and it didn't matter where he was going to throw it.
On the offensive side of the ball, Penn State needs to be aggressive as well. I really liked how they came out against Minnesota last week, especially with a commitment to the passing game. They need to show Michigan some looks with Redd and Royster in the same backfield as well, create some mismatches, and get the playmakers the ball. If Penn State can do this, and continue to attack them in the air, this will turn into a shootout game in Penn State's favor. I know a lot of people think I sound crazy or that I'm drinking the Blue and White Kool-Aid in this one, but the biggest weakness on the field consists of Michigan's back seven. Their Linebackers are terrible in space, they have two defensive back starters that were walk ons that have no clue how to cover, and a defensive coordinator that last coached with a successful program over a decade ago. Once again, if they can expose this unit in space and put the ball in the hands of our playmakers (Redd, Royster, Kersey, Brown, Moye, etc.), Penn State will win this game, and look good doing it.
In the end, I see DRob making more mistakes under the bright lights at Beaver Stadium and Penn State's struggling offense having a great game against this terrible Michigan defense. Look for the Lions to also come out with some fire because there is nothing greater than a night game at Beaver Stadium. The bright lights under a starry sky, the chill of the breeze in Happy Valley, and the aura of nervousness/excitement all throughout the stadium. You can't write a script much better than that.
Penn State 38 -- 31 Michigan
WE ARE........................
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Weekly Picks: Week 9
As we're entering the final stretch of the season, we're finally figuring out the real identities of college footbal teams across America. The last three weeks, the number one ranked team has fallen, upsets are abound, and the BCS picture has become more and more clear each and every week (or has it?). Will the surprise teams of this year be able to continue their hot streaks (Mizzou, Mich St, Auburn) and keep their National Title hopes alive or will they falter. The truth is that I don't know what will happen, but what I do know is that we have five big games on the slate this week and I've never been so excited for a set of weekly picks.
5 Michigan State vs 18 Iowa
Entering the season Iowa was selected as a dark horse National Title contender while Michigan State was merely an afterthought. After three close calls, one comeback victory, and two trips to the hospital, Coach Dantonio has his Spartans vying for a position in the National Title Game. Win out and they are in, but their final stretch begins today in Iowa City.
Ali's Pick: While most college football experts are calling for the upset tonight, they are focusing on how Michigan State struggled in pass defense last week, how they struggled running the ball their last two contests, and pointing out the fact that the magic will run out soon. Well I'm not most analysts, the Spartans get back their Thorpe watchlist defensive back in Rucker just in time for this contest against Iowa's passing attack, the same analysts said that Wisconsin would struggle running the ball and lose (which they struggled running the ball and won), and the same analysts had picked Iowa and Ohio State's defensive lines as indestructible units that would lead their teams to a Big Ten Championship. I'm sticking with the facts this week, Michigan State will continue to roll this week, expect great things from Kirk Cousins down the stretch.
Michigan State 33 -- 24 Iowa
Steve's Pick: There is so much to like about this Spartans team. They won on an unforgettable fake field goal. They dominated the Badgers while their coach was in the hospital. Their coach survived a massive heart attack after the most gutsy play call of his career. This Michigan State team is classic magic, a team of fall, a team of nostalgia. Unfortunately this is just the sort of dream season Iowa loves to ruin. But, I see a little more magic coming from the arm of Kirk Cousins. I see the Spartans defense bring a little swagger. Dare I say, I see Roses? Iowa is coming off of a tough loss, and Michigan State continues to impress. This is an important game for the Spartans who are still a longshot to compete in the National Championship game. A National Champion contender will take the game to the Hawkeyes, and dominate, and that's exactly what I expect Michigan State to do. It's hard to call it a stunner, when the number 5 team in the country wins, but I expect a stunner in Iowa City, as Kirk Cousins leads Sparty to a surprisingly dominant win.
Michigan State 31 -- 10 Iowa
Matt's Pick: Did everyone forget it took a fake field goal to beat the struggling Notre Dame fighting Irish? What looked like a quality win has diminished after Notre Dame lost in embarrassing fashion to an ok Navy squad. I know Michigan State beat Wisky, but I still have my doubts about this team and you can only rely on fake punts and field goals for so long. I'll take a solid team with great offensive and defensive lines to get the job done over a team that is using gimicks to squeak out victories. Michigan State is a great squad, but I think Iowa has too much talent to lose for the 3rd time this season.
Iowa 28--Michigan State 17
7 Missouri vs. 14 Nebraska
Mizzou is off to hot start and is fresh coming off an upset over rivals Oklahoma, which has launched them into national title talks as well. It seems as if they have finally found a defensive unit to support their always prolific offensive attack in 2010. With that being said, Nebraska seemed to finally open it up last week and let their young quarterback throw, we know he can run, but can he continue on this success and carry it on for the rest of the season. The winner of this match-up will definitely be on track for a spot in the Big 12 championship game.
Ali's Pick: This one is definitely a tough game to pick because Mizzou looked good, and I mean real good last weekend, but was Oklahoma who we thought they were? And if any team has looked like a solid team all around this year it has been Nebraska (Oregon, Auburn, and Mich State) with their explosive offense and solid defensive play. If Nebraska can balance their attack and set the tempo I believe that they will win the game, however they have been rather inconsistent since entering conference play. Mizzou has also struggled running the ball all season long and runs most of their plays out of the gun, no huddle, Peyton Manning style. I say the Huskers shut down the run, and force Gabbert to make some mistakes and win this one in style.
Nebraska 38 -- Mizzou 24
Steve's Pick: Is 2010 the year of the Tiger (well certainly not that one)? Missouri is sure hoping it is, and so far they've put the team on the field to support that. Dominating the Sooners was one thing, but a repeat performance the very next week? Doubtful. Nebraska is still one of the best teams in the country. I would argue that the Cornhuskers are a better team than the Sooners, and that's what makes this matchup so intriguing. Mizzou looks so good, and few experts are picking them. It's such a predictable let down game, that I can't imagine Mizzou not bringing it. But you know Nebraska is amped for this one, and they want to win the Big 12 so badly this year, I can't imagine anything shy of a big win. I think Nebraska's running attack and defense win this tight game for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska 28 -- 27 Mizzou
Matt's Pick: I think will be the best game of the day. I'm going more on gut with this pick being that I have not seen much of either squad. Mizzou looked impressive last week against Oklahoma and I love their uptempo no huddle style. With that said, I am an old school believer that the team that can run the ball and play defense is going to triumpth over any high powered offense.
Nebraska 31--Mizzou 28
3 Auburn vs. Ole Miss
Auburn came into the season with a lot of questions, while Ole Miss seemed to have finally found a QB to run the show in a Houston Nutt offense. The question remains, can Auburn be consistent week in and week out, and can Cam Newton continue to lead his team to victory in close match-ups. Or will Auburn play to the level of their competition and position themselves for a possible letdown against a coach who has a reputation for pulling off the upset.
Ali's Pick: If any offense has the opportunity to challenge the defensive style of Auburn, it has to be the offense of the Ole Miss Rebels. However, I believe that Auburn's defense has gotten plenty of practice against a bigger and better version of Jeremiah Masoli in practice against Cam Newton. I say that Auburn continues to roll and piles up the points this week in an effort to avoid the upset.
Auburn 37 -- 20 Ole Miss
Steve's Pick: I've become aware of two things since moving south and watching far more SEC games than I did in Pennsylvania: 1) Cam Newton is the most clear Heisman frontrunner since 2002 (I still don't understand how LJ didn't win in 2002), and 2) Auburn is not the best team in the SEC, they're just the only team in the SEC that's undefeated. In order to win the SEC, you don't have to have the best team, you just need to grind out a few tighter-than-expected wins against inferior teams, dominate the games against vastly inferior teams, and then win the few big ones. Auburn has one the last few big ones (over Arkansas and LSU- who was also vastly overrated), and has squeaked out a few tighter than expected games (see South Carolina, and Alabama v. South Carolina), which has put them in a position to dominate this week against Ole Miss. And dominate they will. Newton will show himself as the Heisman favorite heading into the last few weeks, and the next few weeks will set up a classic game in the deep South on a Friday night at the end of November. The winner of that game, will win the SEC Championship Game, and secure a berth in the National Championship game.
Auburn 38 -- 14 Ole Miss
Matt's Pick: This one will be closer then the experts think. Auburn has to be in for a let down after a tough stretch of games. However, Cam Newton will do enough to squeak out a victory and remain undefeated.
Auburn 21--Ole Miss 17
8 Utah vs. Air Force
Utah is coming off two very impressive performances, but then again, is crushing two rebuilding programs in CSU and Wyoming really that impressive of a feat? While Utah has been cruising throughout their first seven games of the season, Air Force has been tested week in and week out facing a little bit stiffer competition, with games against the likes of San Diego State, Oklahoma, and TCU. I think this will be the week where we find out if Utah is legit, or if TCU remains the lone horse in the MWC.
Ali's Pick: I'm going to keep it straight and simple, while Utah has not faced the quality of competition that Air Force has, they still have all the pieces of a good looking team. However, I do not think that Utah has face a rushing attack as good as Air Force or even a defense that moves around the ball like Air Force. I see it as a grind it out type game and Air Force wins this in a close one. Look for Tim Jefferson to have one of the best games of his career, as the QB will run for over 100 yards in tonight's contest.
Air Force 31 - 27 Utah
Steve's Pick: Crazy other guys are picking Air Force. Go Utes!
Utah 31 -- 21 Air Force
Matt's Pick: Air force's rushing attack is tough for any team to prepare for. Utah has looked good this season but I feel the upset here.
Air Force 34--Utah 28
1 Oregon vs. 24 USC
Will the curse of being number one catch up to the Ducks tonight or will they continue to post Basketball type numbers against this USC defense. The Ducks have come out of the gate hot this season, the questions about replacing Masoli are long gone, and LaMichael James is often being referred to as LaHeisman as he makes his case for the best player in college football today. That does not mean that USC should be overlooked, as they are two last second field goals away from being undefeated themselves. Most are expecting this game to be somewhat of a shootout, I don't know if I'm going to jump on that bandwagon just yet, but what I do know is that Oregon will come out of the tunnel in some great looking uniforms.
Ali's Pick: I have some great friends that have been loyal Oregon fans since day 1, and I have seen them go through some heartbreak with some devastating losses at the hands of USC during the Pete Carroll era. I am going to say that that trend is going to be reversed tonight. I'm a believer in Oregon this year, I called for them to get upset by Stanford a few weeks back, but since then I have eaten my words and jumped on the Duck Express, and the final destination is the BCS Title game.
Oregon 56 -- 31 USC
Steve's Pick: Remember what I said about Cam Newton being the clear Heisman favorite? Well, the only guy who could steal it from him will be on the field in this one. LaMichael James is almost as scary good as the Ducks offense. Remember what I said about Michigan State and magic? Well, every part of this season feels like redemption for the Dennis Dixon year for Oregon. Is there any name that causes the same feeling within an entire fan-base as Dennis Dixon does for Oregon fans. There is the moment of nostalgic joy, followed by the punch in the gut of heart-wrenching agony of what if? Matty B might bring it in this game (Dude has scary poise), but the Ducks are out to prove a point. They aren't the little boy of the Pac-10 any more. They've won the games they should have lost (how did Stanford not coast to a win?). They've got the skills, and their football team's offense will average more points that Penn State's basketball team's offense. They win this game big.
I love Chip Kelly.
Oregon 45 -- 24 USC
Matt's Pick: Call me crazy but i'm praying that Oregon goes undefeated and keeps Alabama from getting to another national championship. Oregon has its work cut out for it today when it faces USC. Matt Barkley is quitely having the best season for a quarterback that knowone is talking about. Both of these teams will light up score board early and often but in the end Oregon will come out on top.
Oregon 48--USC 34
As usual, enjoy this week's predictions and let us know what you think in our comments section. If you have any predictions of your own feel free to post them below. Have a good and safe Halloween weekend and try not to eat too much candy while you're obsessing over your favorite team.
WE ARE.........................................
5 Michigan State vs 18 Iowa
Entering the season Iowa was selected as a dark horse National Title contender while Michigan State was merely an afterthought. After three close calls, one comeback victory, and two trips to the hospital, Coach Dantonio has his Spartans vying for a position in the National Title Game. Win out and they are in, but their final stretch begins today in Iowa City.
Ali's Pick: While most college football experts are calling for the upset tonight, they are focusing on how Michigan State struggled in pass defense last week, how they struggled running the ball their last two contests, and pointing out the fact that the magic will run out soon. Well I'm not most analysts, the Spartans get back their Thorpe watchlist defensive back in Rucker just in time for this contest against Iowa's passing attack, the same analysts said that Wisconsin would struggle running the ball and lose (which they struggled running the ball and won), and the same analysts had picked Iowa and Ohio State's defensive lines as indestructible units that would lead their teams to a Big Ten Championship. I'm sticking with the facts this week, Michigan State will continue to roll this week, expect great things from Kirk Cousins down the stretch.
Michigan State 33 -- 24 Iowa
Steve's Pick: There is so much to like about this Spartans team. They won on an unforgettable fake field goal. They dominated the Badgers while their coach was in the hospital. Their coach survived a massive heart attack after the most gutsy play call of his career. This Michigan State team is classic magic, a team of fall, a team of nostalgia. Unfortunately this is just the sort of dream season Iowa loves to ruin. But, I see a little more magic coming from the arm of Kirk Cousins. I see the Spartans defense bring a little swagger. Dare I say, I see Roses? Iowa is coming off of a tough loss, and Michigan State continues to impress. This is an important game for the Spartans who are still a longshot to compete in the National Championship game. A National Champion contender will take the game to the Hawkeyes, and dominate, and that's exactly what I expect Michigan State to do. It's hard to call it a stunner, when the number 5 team in the country wins, but I expect a stunner in Iowa City, as Kirk Cousins leads Sparty to a surprisingly dominant win.
Michigan State 31 -- 10 Iowa
Matt's Pick: Did everyone forget it took a fake field goal to beat the struggling Notre Dame fighting Irish? What looked like a quality win has diminished after Notre Dame lost in embarrassing fashion to an ok Navy squad. I know Michigan State beat Wisky, but I still have my doubts about this team and you can only rely on fake punts and field goals for so long. I'll take a solid team with great offensive and defensive lines to get the job done over a team that is using gimicks to squeak out victories. Michigan State is a great squad, but I think Iowa has too much talent to lose for the 3rd time this season.
Iowa 28--Michigan State 17
7 Missouri vs. 14 Nebraska
Mizzou is off to hot start and is fresh coming off an upset over rivals Oklahoma, which has launched them into national title talks as well. It seems as if they have finally found a defensive unit to support their always prolific offensive attack in 2010. With that being said, Nebraska seemed to finally open it up last week and let their young quarterback throw, we know he can run, but can he continue on this success and carry it on for the rest of the season. The winner of this match-up will definitely be on track for a spot in the Big 12 championship game.
Ali's Pick: This one is definitely a tough game to pick because Mizzou looked good, and I mean real good last weekend, but was Oklahoma who we thought they were? And if any team has looked like a solid team all around this year it has been Nebraska (Oregon, Auburn, and Mich State) with their explosive offense and solid defensive play. If Nebraska can balance their attack and set the tempo I believe that they will win the game, however they have been rather inconsistent since entering conference play. Mizzou has also struggled running the ball all season long and runs most of their plays out of the gun, no huddle, Peyton Manning style. I say the Huskers shut down the run, and force Gabbert to make some mistakes and win this one in style.
Nebraska 38 -- Mizzou 24
Steve's Pick: Is 2010 the year of the Tiger (well certainly not that one)? Missouri is sure hoping it is, and so far they've put the team on the field to support that. Dominating the Sooners was one thing, but a repeat performance the very next week? Doubtful. Nebraska is still one of the best teams in the country. I would argue that the Cornhuskers are a better team than the Sooners, and that's what makes this matchup so intriguing. Mizzou looks so good, and few experts are picking them. It's such a predictable let down game, that I can't imagine Mizzou not bringing it. But you know Nebraska is amped for this one, and they want to win the Big 12 so badly this year, I can't imagine anything shy of a big win. I think Nebraska's running attack and defense win this tight game for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska 28 -- 27 Mizzou
Matt's Pick: I think will be the best game of the day. I'm going more on gut with this pick being that I have not seen much of either squad. Mizzou looked impressive last week against Oklahoma and I love their uptempo no huddle style. With that said, I am an old school believer that the team that can run the ball and play defense is going to triumpth over any high powered offense.
Nebraska 31--Mizzou 28
3 Auburn vs. Ole Miss
Auburn came into the season with a lot of questions, while Ole Miss seemed to have finally found a QB to run the show in a Houston Nutt offense. The question remains, can Auburn be consistent week in and week out, and can Cam Newton continue to lead his team to victory in close match-ups. Or will Auburn play to the level of their competition and position themselves for a possible letdown against a coach who has a reputation for pulling off the upset.
Ali's Pick: If any offense has the opportunity to challenge the defensive style of Auburn, it has to be the offense of the Ole Miss Rebels. However, I believe that Auburn's defense has gotten plenty of practice against a bigger and better version of Jeremiah Masoli in practice against Cam Newton. I say that Auburn continues to roll and piles up the points this week in an effort to avoid the upset.
Auburn 37 -- 20 Ole Miss
Steve's Pick: I've become aware of two things since moving south and watching far more SEC games than I did in Pennsylvania: 1) Cam Newton is the most clear Heisman frontrunner since 2002 (I still don't understand how LJ didn't win in 2002), and 2) Auburn is not the best team in the SEC, they're just the only team in the SEC that's undefeated. In order to win the SEC, you don't have to have the best team, you just need to grind out a few tighter-than-expected wins against inferior teams, dominate the games against vastly inferior teams, and then win the few big ones. Auburn has one the last few big ones (over Arkansas and LSU- who was also vastly overrated), and has squeaked out a few tighter than expected games (see South Carolina, and Alabama v. South Carolina), which has put them in a position to dominate this week against Ole Miss. And dominate they will. Newton will show himself as the Heisman favorite heading into the last few weeks, and the next few weeks will set up a classic game in the deep South on a Friday night at the end of November. The winner of that game, will win the SEC Championship Game, and secure a berth in the National Championship game.
Auburn 38 -- 14 Ole Miss
Matt's Pick: This one will be closer then the experts think. Auburn has to be in for a let down after a tough stretch of games. However, Cam Newton will do enough to squeak out a victory and remain undefeated.
Auburn 21--Ole Miss 17
8 Utah vs. Air Force
Utah is coming off two very impressive performances, but then again, is crushing two rebuilding programs in CSU and Wyoming really that impressive of a feat? While Utah has been cruising throughout their first seven games of the season, Air Force has been tested week in and week out facing a little bit stiffer competition, with games against the likes of San Diego State, Oklahoma, and TCU. I think this will be the week where we find out if Utah is legit, or if TCU remains the lone horse in the MWC.
Ali's Pick: I'm going to keep it straight and simple, while Utah has not faced the quality of competition that Air Force has, they still have all the pieces of a good looking team. However, I do not think that Utah has face a rushing attack as good as Air Force or even a defense that moves around the ball like Air Force. I see it as a grind it out type game and Air Force wins this in a close one. Look for Tim Jefferson to have one of the best games of his career, as the QB will run for over 100 yards in tonight's contest.
Air Force 31 - 27 Utah
Steve's Pick: Crazy other guys are picking Air Force. Go Utes!
Utah 31 -- 21 Air Force
Matt's Pick: Air force's rushing attack is tough for any team to prepare for. Utah has looked good this season but I feel the upset here.
Air Force 34--Utah 28
1 Oregon vs. 24 USC
Will the curse of being number one catch up to the Ducks tonight or will they continue to post Basketball type numbers against this USC defense. The Ducks have come out of the gate hot this season, the questions about replacing Masoli are long gone, and LaMichael James is often being referred to as LaHeisman as he makes his case for the best player in college football today. That does not mean that USC should be overlooked, as they are two last second field goals away from being undefeated themselves. Most are expecting this game to be somewhat of a shootout, I don't know if I'm going to jump on that bandwagon just yet, but what I do know is that Oregon will come out of the tunnel in some great looking uniforms.
Ali's Pick: I have some great friends that have been loyal Oregon fans since day 1, and I have seen them go through some heartbreak with some devastating losses at the hands of USC during the Pete Carroll era. I am going to say that that trend is going to be reversed tonight. I'm a believer in Oregon this year, I called for them to get upset by Stanford a few weeks back, but since then I have eaten my words and jumped on the Duck Express, and the final destination is the BCS Title game.
Oregon 56 -- 31 USC
Steve's Pick: Remember what I said about Cam Newton being the clear Heisman favorite? Well, the only guy who could steal it from him will be on the field in this one. LaMichael James is almost as scary good as the Ducks offense. Remember what I said about Michigan State and magic? Well, every part of this season feels like redemption for the Dennis Dixon year for Oregon. Is there any name that causes the same feeling within an entire fan-base as Dennis Dixon does for Oregon fans. There is the moment of nostalgic joy, followed by the punch in the gut of heart-wrenching agony of what if? Matty B might bring it in this game (Dude has scary poise), but the Ducks are out to prove a point. They aren't the little boy of the Pac-10 any more. They've won the games they should have lost (how did Stanford not coast to a win?). They've got the skills, and their football team's offense will average more points that Penn State's basketball team's offense. They win this game big.
I love Chip Kelly.
Oregon 45 -- 24 USC
Matt's Pick: Call me crazy but i'm praying that Oregon goes undefeated and keeps Alabama from getting to another national championship. Oregon has its work cut out for it today when it faces USC. Matt Barkley is quitely having the best season for a quarterback that knowone is talking about. Both of these teams will light up score board early and often but in the end Oregon will come out on top.
Oregon 48--USC 34
As usual, enjoy this week's predictions and let us know what you think in our comments section. If you have any predictions of your own feel free to post them below. Have a good and safe Halloween weekend and try not to eat too much candy while you're obsessing over your favorite team.
WE ARE.........................................
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Go Blue (and White)
Alright, so it has definitely been a while since my last post, and I think you all deserve an explanation. I'm going to keep it short in simple, I took a little break so I could focus on getting everything ready for my wife and I's one year wedding anniversary. I know a lot of you could care less about that but my priorities are my priorities. Either way, M-will did a great job of picking up my slack all throughout last week, and I'm sure he made you laugh more than I ever could, unless you get a kick out of my weekly predictions.
On to the game of the week...Michigan. For some reason every year, this is one of the most anticipated match ups on the schedule. Whether Michigan is good or bad, Penn State fans will always circle the date of this game on their calendars. It is the most hated team I have ever seen Penn State play, and I mean the most hated, Penn State fans do not even respect Iowa enough to hate them as much as Michigan, so do not even bring them into this discussion. I just wanted to set the tone straight for this weekend's game against the Blue and Maize.
Michigan will be walking into a very hostile environment this weekend, and to top it off, it is going to be a night game under the bright lights of Beaver Stadium. Expect the traditional white out from the Penn State student section and this will be one night that the entire valley that is State College will be rocking. The fans screaming and shouting will bounce of the surrounding hills and wreak havoc for Michigan's quarterbacks and coaching staff. The lights will be blinding and a sea of white will be forever taunting, and I mean forever, from the moment they enter the stadium til the second their plane takes off and leaves State College.
Do not underestimate the importance of this game to the fans. While a majority of the Michigan "faithful" have written off this season as a whole and are rooting for a dismissal campaign for their coach, Penn State fans are looking for glimpses of greatness. I know that we have a 4-3 record but Penn State fans are finally accepting that this year is a rebuilding year and are looking for anything to build off of. The players and the coaches know this as well, and this could be their signature victory that sets them on the right track. This is their opportunity to go toe to toe with an explosive offense (ranked 2nd nationally) and finally take some chances.
This is Penn State's chance to shore up on the defensive side of the ball and open it up on the offensive side of the ball. They are being put in a situation where they must score a lot of points to win and the coaches know that a conservative mindset will not suffice. Look for the players to come out filled with confidence and on fire knowing that they control their fate this week, that they are going to get the opportunities to make some plays down field, and make something happen. They know that a win over an offense led by Denard Robinson will set them on the right path. If Penn State can pull out the victory this weekend it will have to be because of a full team effort, with great (aggressive) defensive play complemented by a somewhat explosive offense of our own. If Penn State wins, look for them to build off this win and gain some momentum as a unit, it could just be the push they need.
WE ARE....................
On to the game of the week...Michigan. For some reason every year, this is one of the most anticipated match ups on the schedule. Whether Michigan is good or bad, Penn State fans will always circle the date of this game on their calendars. It is the most hated team I have ever seen Penn State play, and I mean the most hated, Penn State fans do not even respect Iowa enough to hate them as much as Michigan, so do not even bring them into this discussion. I just wanted to set the tone straight for this weekend's game against the Blue and Maize.
Michigan will be walking into a very hostile environment this weekend, and to top it off, it is going to be a night game under the bright lights of Beaver Stadium. Expect the traditional white out from the Penn State student section and this will be one night that the entire valley that is State College will be rocking. The fans screaming and shouting will bounce of the surrounding hills and wreak havoc for Michigan's quarterbacks and coaching staff. The lights will be blinding and a sea of white will be forever taunting, and I mean forever, from the moment they enter the stadium til the second their plane takes off and leaves State College.
Do not underestimate the importance of this game to the fans. While a majority of the Michigan "faithful" have written off this season as a whole and are rooting for a dismissal campaign for their coach, Penn State fans are looking for glimpses of greatness. I know that we have a 4-3 record but Penn State fans are finally accepting that this year is a rebuilding year and are looking for anything to build off of. The players and the coaches know this as well, and this could be their signature victory that sets them on the right track. This is their opportunity to go toe to toe with an explosive offense (ranked 2nd nationally) and finally take some chances.
This is Penn State's chance to shore up on the defensive side of the ball and open it up on the offensive side of the ball. They are being put in a situation where they must score a lot of points to win and the coaches know that a conservative mindset will not suffice. Look for the players to come out filled with confidence and on fire knowing that they control their fate this week, that they are going to get the opportunities to make some plays down field, and make something happen. They know that a win over an offense led by Denard Robinson will set them on the right path. If Penn State can pull out the victory this weekend it will have to be because of a full team effort, with great (aggressive) defensive play complemented by a somewhat explosive offense of our own. If Penn State wins, look for them to build off this win and gain some momentum as a unit, it could just be the push they need.
WE ARE....................
Monday, October 25, 2010
Takeaways From Minne
Well, Penn State got a win. Thank goodness. That in itself is worth a sigh of relief. The bleeding, at least temporarily, has stopped. Not only that, but Penn State scored its highest point total against a 1-A opponent this season. So what does it all mean? Has Penn State finally put it all together? Well... um... yeah... about that...
Let's be real, Minnesota's head coach didn't get fired because the team was putting together Nat'l Championship caliber performances. Judging by record alone (admittedly, not always a fair judgement) Minnesota is the weakest team on Penn State's schedule. It's doubtful that Penn State will play a worse team the remainder of the season. So despite scoring 33 points and doing a respectable job on defense, it's hard to get too excited when you consider the fact that Penn State achieved this against a team that has a very real chance of finishing the season 1-11. However, I do think there were at least three things to take away from this game...
The Coaches May Have Finally Realized That Penn State Needs To Pass To Win
Six of the first eight offensive plays were pass plays. Not only that, but throughout the game, the coaches were often looking to throw downfield. I think it also speaks volumes that when Bolden went down, the coaches were quick to put in Matt McGloin (who is probably a slightly better passer than Newsome) rather than Newsome who is 2nd on the depth chart. I think the offensive coaches have finally accepted that this season, Penn State will probably have to attack downfield early and often if they're going to win.
Bolden May Have Gotten It Together
Bolden came right out firing shots downfield and completed his first nine passes. Bolden ended the game 11-13 for 130 yards and a TD in what was probably his best performance to date. This is very encouraging because prior to the Minnesota game it looked like Bolden had actually been regressing. Of course, what's of more concern to Nittany Nation is how Bolden ended the game - leaving early with "concussion-like symptoms." That leads to our next takeaway...
Due to injuries in the secondary, Michigan's had to resort to using some of the "less conventional" players they had at the lower end of their depth chart.Bolden Better Get Healthy
Matt "Eff it, I'm goin' deep" McGloin and Kevin "Happy Feet" Newsome will do fine against Minnesota's defense (ranked 90 out of 120 in total defense). In fact, they'll almost certainly do even better against Michigan's something-they-refer-to-as-a-defense (ranked 104 in total defense... 117 in passing defense). The problem is that Michigan's offense can put up a lot of points. A LOT of points. Michigan is second only to the Oregon "Are they playing basketball?" Ducks in total offense. This means that Penn State will need to take advantage of Michigan's extremely weak defense in order to have a shot at beating them. Lord knows, unless Tom Bradley is literally able to pull off a miracle this week in practice, Penn State's defense will be sliced to ribbons by Michigan. It really doesn't matter if Denard "I don't follow totally reasonable footwear conventions" Robinson is the QB or Tater Tot is - Michigan is gonna score. A lot. Penn State needs someone who can make RichRod pay for making this man his defensive coordinator, and that someone is Rob Bolden. Let's just hope the Michigan game doesn't go like the last time Penn State played with a QB who was taken out of the previous game for "concussion-like symptoms."
That's it for now. I might be back later on this week with some thoughts on Michigan, and why this week fully deserves the title of "HATE Week."
Let's be real, Minnesota's head coach didn't get fired because the team was putting together Nat'l Championship caliber performances. Judging by record alone (admittedly, not always a fair judgement) Minnesota is the weakest team on Penn State's schedule. It's doubtful that Penn State will play a worse team the remainder of the season. So despite scoring 33 points and doing a respectable job on defense, it's hard to get too excited when you consider the fact that Penn State achieved this against a team that has a very real chance of finishing the season 1-11. However, I do think there were at least three things to take away from this game...
The Coaches May Have Finally Realized That Penn State Needs To Pass To Win
Six of the first eight offensive plays were pass plays. Not only that, but throughout the game, the coaches were often looking to throw downfield. I think it also speaks volumes that when Bolden went down, the coaches were quick to put in Matt McGloin (who is probably a slightly better passer than Newsome) rather than Newsome who is 2nd on the depth chart. I think the offensive coaches have finally accepted that this season, Penn State will probably have to attack downfield early and often if they're going to win.
Bolden May Have Gotten It Together
Bolden came right out firing shots downfield and completed his first nine passes. Bolden ended the game 11-13 for 130 yards and a TD in what was probably his best performance to date. This is very encouraging because prior to the Minnesota game it looked like Bolden had actually been regressing. Of course, what's of more concern to Nittany Nation is how Bolden ended the game - leaving early with "concussion-like symptoms." That leads to our next takeaway...
Due to injuries in the secondary, Michigan's had to resort to using some of the "less conventional" players they had at the lower end of their depth chart.Matt "Eff it, I'm goin' deep" McGloin and Kevin "Happy Feet" Newsome will do fine against Minnesota's defense (ranked 90 out of 120 in total defense). In fact, they'll almost certainly do even better against Michigan's something-they-refer-to-as-a-defense (ranked 104 in total defense... 117 in passing defense). The problem is that Michigan's offense can put up a lot of points. A LOT of points. Michigan is second only to the Oregon "Are they playing basketball?" Ducks in total offense. This means that Penn State will need to take advantage of Michigan's extremely weak defense in order to have a shot at beating them. Lord knows, unless Tom Bradley is literally able to pull off a miracle this week in practice, Penn State's defense will be sliced to ribbons by Michigan. It really doesn't matter if Denard "I don't follow totally reasonable footwear conventions" Robinson is the QB or Tater Tot is - Michigan is gonna score. A lot. Penn State needs someone who can make RichRod pay for making this man his defensive coordinator, and that someone is Rob Bolden. Let's just hope the Michigan game doesn't go like the last time Penn State played with a QB who was taken out of the previous game for "concussion-like symptoms."
That's it for now. I might be back later on this week with some thoughts on Michigan, and why this week fully deserves the title of "HATE Week."
Thursday, October 21, 2010
News and Notes - Minnesota Week
Just a few updates from around the web that I thought might be of interest to our readers...
Quick Thoughts On Minne
JoePa said in his Tuesday press conference that he didn't consider this game a "must win;" that what needed to happen was for the team to play better. I agree with him. We all know too well how much this team needs to just play better and execute. At the same time, Minnesota is 1-6 including a loss to a 1-AA team. Their head coach just got fired. They're easily the worst team in the Big Ten. This is one game that PSU absolutely should have in the bag.
I generally refrain from making game outcome predictions, but I'm gonna go ahead and predict this a win. If I'm wrong, or if it's even still much of a game in the 4th quarter, you can be pretty certain that Penn State wasn't able to turn things around at all during the bye week The season's not over til it's over, but if Penn State can't take care of Minnesota, then it's probably reasonable to abandon any and all remaining hope for even moderate success throughout the rest of the season.
- Penn State should see its starting linebackers return to the field against Minnesota. This is a big deal. All three of these guys are big-time playmakers and their presence has been sorely missed. Just about everyone else who has been out for injury won't be returning.
- No more wondering about why Sean Stanley was suspended from playing/traveling with the team... He's been charged with marijuana possession. No official word yet on Derrick Thomas who was also suspended at the same time. Rumors were traveling around that Thomas' issue was of an academic nature, but the timing of the two suspensions as well as the fact that Thomas is named in the search warrant would seem to suggest that Thomas' suspension may also be linked to marijuana. Legality/morality of marijuana use aside, you have to wonder about someone who gets the opportunity to play football at the Division 1-A level, at a school as recognized as Penn State, and is willing to risk that opportunity and all the potential that goes with it for a temporary high.
- Linebacker U reminds us of the 2005 game against Minnesota where Penn State's offense had its first opportunity against a quality opponent that season and people started to take notice that PSU could have something special.
- Minnesota is trying to pump themselves up with a reminder about a game that occurred 11 years ago. At least they're trying. They need to do something to boost morale after their head coach got sacked on Sunday. The 1-6 record (including a loss to 1-AA South Dakota) can't help either.
- JoePa thinks the best way to reduce illegal/malicious hits is to eliminate the facemask. Cue the old man jokes...
- Penn State gets so many accolades like this that they barely even make the news when they happen, but the 2009 Penn State football team earned the 2010 BCS Student Athlete Champion award. This just goes to show what I said in my previous post - other teams may get more wins, and other teams may be more academically successful - but no other team does both of those things as well as Penn State does (and that's not just limited to football either). Definitely something to be proud of.
Quick Thoughts On Minne
JoePa said in his Tuesday press conference that he didn't consider this game a "must win;" that what needed to happen was for the team to play better. I agree with him. We all know too well how much this team needs to just play better and execute. At the same time, Minnesota is 1-6 including a loss to a 1-AA team. Their head coach just got fired. They're easily the worst team in the Big Ten. This is one game that PSU absolutely should have in the bag.
I generally refrain from making game outcome predictions, but I'm gonna go ahead and predict this a win. If I'm wrong, or if it's even still much of a game in the 4th quarter, you can be pretty certain that Penn State wasn't able to turn things around at all during the bye week The season's not over til it's over, but if Penn State can't take care of Minnesota, then it's probably reasonable to abandon any and all remaining hope for even moderate success throughout the rest of the season.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A Time to Heal
After last weekend's loss to the Fighting Illnii a lot of fans packed it in for the season, the other 20% who are still looking forward to the rest of the season were ready for the bye week. The general consensus among this group was that this was a much need bye week. A week for rest that will allow the team to heal up, but also a week that will allow the team to make some much needed adjustments. Let's go ahead and take a look at some of the progress from this week.
The Bad News:
This team has been plagued with injuries since the start of the pre-season, if we only knew how bad of an omen it would be when Szcerba and Drake went down before the start of the season. It seems as if what affected them has been contagious in a really bad way. For the injury report, Crawford remains of crutches, Lattimore has a broken hand, Hodges and Drake are looking at redshirts, as is Beachum. Sukay is lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, while Sczerba is frantically applying for a medical redshirt. Dailey has been limited in practice, which has brought up questions about Lynn being moved to the safety spot, and Powell has been moved back onto defense because we barely have enough depth to put on a nickel package. If that is not bad enough, there are murmurs that Derrick Thomas (DB) could be lost for the season due to his off-field issues and freshman DT Daquan Jones is continuing to take snaps at the defensive end position.
The Good News:
None. That is not true at all, but the good news is that Bani Gbadyu and Mauti are back and practicing with the first team, which shows that they are ahead of schedule of getting back in time for the contest at Minnesota in just over a week. Also, Sean Stanley seems to have worked his way out of the infamous doghouse and was seen at practice this week taking reps with both the first and the second team. A lot of people are questioning if this decision was made because of the lack of depth and injuries along the d-line, but all sources are pointing to him just moving out of the doghouse. Other good news includes that we have a much needed mental break from football, it seems like it has been a great week for the players to refocus and refresh their minds. I think this will be greatly beneficial as they try to get it together for the rest of the season.
Other good news are that NFL scouts are on campus this week, taking a closer look at the players in practice. This is very good news because it helps the players try to maximize their efforts and ultimately work on their technique. Remember, these guys want to show these scouts that they have what it takes, and if they can take their minds off this rough first half of the season and have some success during practice this week, it could very well carryover for the rest of the season. Who knows, maybe it is just what the players needed to adjust their mindset and increase their effort in practice as they try to impress these scouts.
Other good news has come along the offensive line, there have been some position changes that have allowed for some of the younger guys to get some reps in practice. While Pannell was entrenched in an early season battle with Johnnie Troutman for the starting LG spot, it seems as if his services have been moved over to back up Quinn Barham at the LT position. Seeing as both Barham and Pannell are in junior eligibility, it seems as if the coaches are giving up on Pannell and his future on the offensive line unless he gets his act together during the offseason. However, the great news about this move is that the younger guys in Adam Gress (LG) and Eric Shrive (RT) have moved into positions on the second team and are seeing a significant increase in their reps, which puts them in a position to develop more and gives them a greater chance at competing for a starting spot during the Spring.
Other than that, I have heard that the team has been making some adjustments during practice and trying some new things, which is showing that the coaches are not taking the rest of this season lightly. I heard that it has been a great week for Bolden as they've been able to make more adjustments than usual. The players have also continued to play with a higher than normal level of intensity, and there has been a lot of 1st team offense vs. 1st team defense in practice this week. This will definitely leave the team in a better position as they are preparing to take on Minnesota next weekend. That is pretty much it for the team this week, let's just hope that we see the benefit of this extra time off next weekend at Minnesota.
Some Side Notes:
WE ARE..................................
The Bad News:
This team has been plagued with injuries since the start of the pre-season, if we only knew how bad of an omen it would be when Szcerba and Drake went down before the start of the season. It seems as if what affected them has been contagious in a really bad way. For the injury report, Crawford remains of crutches, Lattimore has a broken hand, Hodges and Drake are looking at redshirts, as is Beachum. Sukay is lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, while Sczerba is frantically applying for a medical redshirt. Dailey has been limited in practice, which has brought up questions about Lynn being moved to the safety spot, and Powell has been moved back onto defense because we barely have enough depth to put on a nickel package. If that is not bad enough, there are murmurs that Derrick Thomas (DB) could be lost for the season due to his off-field issues and freshman DT Daquan Jones is continuing to take snaps at the defensive end position.
The Good News:
None. That is not true at all, but the good news is that Bani Gbadyu and Mauti are back and practicing with the first team, which shows that they are ahead of schedule of getting back in time for the contest at Minnesota in just over a week. Also, Sean Stanley seems to have worked his way out of the infamous doghouse and was seen at practice this week taking reps with both the first and the second team. A lot of people are questioning if this decision was made because of the lack of depth and injuries along the d-line, but all sources are pointing to him just moving out of the doghouse. Other good news includes that we have a much needed mental break from football, it seems like it has been a great week for the players to refocus and refresh their minds. I think this will be greatly beneficial as they try to get it together for the rest of the season.
Other good news are that NFL scouts are on campus this week, taking a closer look at the players in practice. This is very good news because it helps the players try to maximize their efforts and ultimately work on their technique. Remember, these guys want to show these scouts that they have what it takes, and if they can take their minds off this rough first half of the season and have some success during practice this week, it could very well carryover for the rest of the season. Who knows, maybe it is just what the players needed to adjust their mindset and increase their effort in practice as they try to impress these scouts.
Other good news has come along the offensive line, there have been some position changes that have allowed for some of the younger guys to get some reps in practice. While Pannell was entrenched in an early season battle with Johnnie Troutman for the starting LG spot, it seems as if his services have been moved over to back up Quinn Barham at the LT position. Seeing as both Barham and Pannell are in junior eligibility, it seems as if the coaches are giving up on Pannell and his future on the offensive line unless he gets his act together during the offseason. However, the great news about this move is that the younger guys in Adam Gress (LG) and Eric Shrive (RT) have moved into positions on the second team and are seeing a significant increase in their reps, which puts them in a position to develop more and gives them a greater chance at competing for a starting spot during the Spring.
Other than that, I have heard that the team has been making some adjustments during practice and trying some new things, which is showing that the coaches are not taking the rest of this season lightly. I heard that it has been a great week for Bolden as they've been able to make more adjustments than usual. The players have also continued to play with a higher than normal level of intensity, and there has been a lot of 1st team offense vs. 1st team defense in practice this week. This will definitely leave the team in a better position as they are preparing to take on Minnesota next weekend. That is pretty much it for the team this week, let's just hope that we see the benefit of this extra time off next weekend at Minnesota.
Some Side Notes:
- Mike Hull has continued practicing at the LB position amid reports that he was moved back to FS.
- Alex Kenney has continued to play the wide receiver position on the scout team amid reports that he was moved back to defense.
- Newsome has not been taking more snaps with the first as was reported earlier this week, but they are looking for more ways to use his skill set.
- Despite all the scrutiny and criticism towards Stefen Wisniewski (from the PSU faithful because he finally missed a couple blocks), scouts have raved that he is one of the top two guards coming into the NFL draft this upcoming year.
- Coaches will be hitting the road (exluding JoePa because he's not allowed to make any visits until after Dec. 4th) this weekend to scout players and work on recruiting.
- Stephon Morris has also taken it on himself to play with more of an attitude and return some "Swagger" to Penn State's defense.
WE ARE..................................
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
A Reality Check
Now that you guys have gotten a diagnosis from Dr. M-Will, I'm going to give you a rather straight to the point type article. You know, one of those ones with no punch lines, jokes, just straight to the point. M-Will addressed a lot of the issues and pretty much hit the nail on the head when he said that there was no good to come from the Illinois game. But here are some truths that you just simply need to know because a lot of you are ticking me off.
This past week I have received a lot of e-mail criticizing me for a few of my predictions. Well here's the truth people, some times when you analyze something, like the status of a football team, you do it with a group of givens. You have a certain body of work and you take that and do the best you can with it, and based on that body of work, you break it down as best as you can. When you are done, you make a calculated prediction (with some bias of course because you wouldn't be writing it without your own set of opinions) and here's the kicker, some times you are wrong.
This is relevant because, you all, the same group of people that are criticizing me (which I am okay with, and welcome it with open arms) are the same group of people that have packed it in for the rest of the season. I am not Yahoo, Rivals, or Fight On State. I am not M-Will who will reason with you and explain how your method of thinking is broken because you are too stubborn to understand it. So drop the attitude, the pessimistic approach, and listen up.
The truth is that we are not going to win the National Championship this year or the Big Ten. The team has not matched up to its expectations from the preseason, and yes we just got blown out of the water by an Illinois team we were supposed to beat. So what is going on? Why all the struggles in the red zone? Whose fault is this? See, there's the problem, instead of looking at what we've got, we keep looking for answers that we already have.
This Penn State team is not as bad of a team as the record shows. They are just as talented as any of the teams that they are facing; however, they are not executing as well as they would like to be. I know what you are thinking, as you are all heavy subscribers to the Bob Flounders and David Jones method of thinking, that "inexperience" as an excuse just doesn't cut it, and that "Joe Must Go" is the only option. If this team was 6-0 right now, you would be the same crowd that would be chanting "Joe Paterno" during pre-game warm-ups and throughout the game.
There is a reason why inexperience plays a huge factor, but I'll break it down for you in three elements. The first is familiarity with the current system, how much time have you spent in the system, and does it come to you naturally? Secondly, there is personal development (which is huge for the big guys in the trenches, they need a couple of years), have you developed the necessary strength to compete with other players at this level, can you keep up in the weight room with the big shots? Finally, there is the chemistry, this is the most overlooked aspect when people analyze a team. They simply break it down based on talent and the number of stars next to each players name on the roster, however, if the team has had time together and developed a foundation for success, it makes the transition easier for incoming (keep in mind, the transition is way easier for skill positions coming into college) players.
For example, lately I have heard the argument that Terrelle Pryor came into college as a true freshman and led his team to a Big Ten Title, and took them to a BCS bowl, no excuses for Bolden? I'm glad you had enough time to perform all the research on this topic, but that Ohio State team was a participant in the National Championship game the year before Pryor showed up. They already had the pieces in place to succeed, returning over 80% of their starters from the year before. They also did not have the same strength of schedule that PSU does now, as the level of competition has raised in the Big Ten (2 teams ranked in Top 25 that year at this point, this year 5) since, and they did not have to face 3 teams that were in BCS bowl games from the previous year as well.
What I'm saying is that you have to take a look at the whole picture, rather than focus on what is just frustrating you. I'm not telling you that you shouldn't be upset or disappointed by the season, but be honest with your expectations. Take a step back, and think that if a couple plays (literally a couple plays) went differently in those games against Iowa and Alabama, that Penn State could be looking at a much more attractive record. Also, look at the foundation of your argument, is it because you are mad and only looking for more reasons of why "Joe Must Go", or is it legitimate in its entirety.
So what is the whole picture? The truth is that this Penn State team is young and did not return a lot of starters on both sides of the ball. To put the blame fairly on the shoulders of a Stefen Wisniewski and Ollie Ogbu is not fair. You also have to look at what is going on off the field, I don't mean the coaches, but I mean the injuries. We lost difference makers in Curtis Drake, Gerald Hodges, Brandon Beachum, and Sczerba early in the year, and to think we lost 9 regulars throughout the game on defense during the Illinois game is just another shot to the chest. We also lost six guys to the NFL and two other regulars on defense to suspension, put that all together and you've got a make shift defense. Some times you just have to accept that stuff happens and move on.
As for the offensive struggles, let's just keep it simple, it is just going to happen at some point. You cannot expect perfection year in and year out. Sure, use the argument that these other schools continually re-load, but you and I both know that that is utter nonsense. We lost our starting RT Lou Eliades, LG Troutman came into the season out of shape, Wis has been our only solid returning starter on the line (and potential 1st round pick in next year's NFL draft), and the other two guys are brand new starters in Barham and Klopacz. Let's just be realistic (oh yeah, and did I mention we lost both starting Tight Ends to injury) and stop blaming Royster, Wis, and the coaches for everything. Sure, the coaches can do a better job with the play-calling, but that can only do so much with the lack of depth, experience, and execution alongside the offensive line. Let's just hope they are getting a little more out of the younger guys and preparing them well for the future.
For the rest of the season, this Penn State team is going to surprise you, let you down, give you hope, and bring you tears. This is both a beautiful thing and a curse because week in and week out, I just don't know what to expect. What I do know now is that this team no longer has a target on their backs, the pressure is relieved to a certain extent, and after these next two weeks, they can just get back to playing football. They will frustrate you at times, but by the year's end, I think they will outperform your newfound pessimistic expectations. Sure, I hear the I told you so's , but by the end of the year the consensus will once again be the same, Penn State will be great next year.
WE ARE.............................
This past week I have received a lot of e-mail criticizing me for a few of my predictions. Well here's the truth people, some times when you analyze something, like the status of a football team, you do it with a group of givens. You have a certain body of work and you take that and do the best you can with it, and based on that body of work, you break it down as best as you can. When you are done, you make a calculated prediction (with some bias of course because you wouldn't be writing it without your own set of opinions) and here's the kicker, some times you are wrong.
This is relevant because, you all, the same group of people that are criticizing me (which I am okay with, and welcome it with open arms) are the same group of people that have packed it in for the rest of the season. I am not Yahoo, Rivals, or Fight On State. I am not M-Will who will reason with you and explain how your method of thinking is broken because you are too stubborn to understand it. So drop the attitude, the pessimistic approach, and listen up.
The truth is that we are not going to win the National Championship this year or the Big Ten. The team has not matched up to its expectations from the preseason, and yes we just got blown out of the water by an Illinois team we were supposed to beat. So what is going on? Why all the struggles in the red zone? Whose fault is this? See, there's the problem, instead of looking at what we've got, we keep looking for answers that we already have.
This Penn State team is not as bad of a team as the record shows. They are just as talented as any of the teams that they are facing; however, they are not executing as well as they would like to be. I know what you are thinking, as you are all heavy subscribers to the Bob Flounders and David Jones method of thinking, that "inexperience" as an excuse just doesn't cut it, and that "Joe Must Go" is the only option. If this team was 6-0 right now, you would be the same crowd that would be chanting "Joe Paterno" during pre-game warm-ups and throughout the game.
There is a reason why inexperience plays a huge factor, but I'll break it down for you in three elements. The first is familiarity with the current system, how much time have you spent in the system, and does it come to you naturally? Secondly, there is personal development (which is huge for the big guys in the trenches, they need a couple of years), have you developed the necessary strength to compete with other players at this level, can you keep up in the weight room with the big shots? Finally, there is the chemistry, this is the most overlooked aspect when people analyze a team. They simply break it down based on talent and the number of stars next to each players name on the roster, however, if the team has had time together and developed a foundation for success, it makes the transition easier for incoming (keep in mind, the transition is way easier for skill positions coming into college) players.
For example, lately I have heard the argument that Terrelle Pryor came into college as a true freshman and led his team to a Big Ten Title, and took them to a BCS bowl, no excuses for Bolden? I'm glad you had enough time to perform all the research on this topic, but that Ohio State team was a participant in the National Championship game the year before Pryor showed up. They already had the pieces in place to succeed, returning over 80% of their starters from the year before. They also did not have the same strength of schedule that PSU does now, as the level of competition has raised in the Big Ten (2 teams ranked in Top 25 that year at this point, this year 5) since, and they did not have to face 3 teams that were in BCS bowl games from the previous year as well.
What I'm saying is that you have to take a look at the whole picture, rather than focus on what is just frustrating you. I'm not telling you that you shouldn't be upset or disappointed by the season, but be honest with your expectations. Take a step back, and think that if a couple plays (literally a couple plays) went differently in those games against Iowa and Alabama, that Penn State could be looking at a much more attractive record. Also, look at the foundation of your argument, is it because you are mad and only looking for more reasons of why "Joe Must Go", or is it legitimate in its entirety.
So what is the whole picture? The truth is that this Penn State team is young and did not return a lot of starters on both sides of the ball. To put the blame fairly on the shoulders of a Stefen Wisniewski and Ollie Ogbu is not fair. You also have to look at what is going on off the field, I don't mean the coaches, but I mean the injuries. We lost difference makers in Curtis Drake, Gerald Hodges, Brandon Beachum, and Sczerba early in the year, and to think we lost 9 regulars throughout the game on defense during the Illinois game is just another shot to the chest. We also lost six guys to the NFL and two other regulars on defense to suspension, put that all together and you've got a make shift defense. Some times you just have to accept that stuff happens and move on.
As for the offensive struggles, let's just keep it simple, it is just going to happen at some point. You cannot expect perfection year in and year out. Sure, use the argument that these other schools continually re-load, but you and I both know that that is utter nonsense. We lost our starting RT Lou Eliades, LG Troutman came into the season out of shape, Wis has been our only solid returning starter on the line (and potential 1st round pick in next year's NFL draft), and the other two guys are brand new starters in Barham and Klopacz. Let's just be realistic (oh yeah, and did I mention we lost both starting Tight Ends to injury) and stop blaming Royster, Wis, and the coaches for everything. Sure, the coaches can do a better job with the play-calling, but that can only do so much with the lack of depth, experience, and execution alongside the offensive line. Let's just hope they are getting a little more out of the younger guys and preparing them well for the future.
For the rest of the season, this Penn State team is going to surprise you, let you down, give you hope, and bring you tears. This is both a beautiful thing and a curse because week in and week out, I just don't know what to expect. What I do know now is that this team no longer has a target on their backs, the pressure is relieved to a certain extent, and after these next two weeks, they can just get back to playing football. They will frustrate you at times, but by the year's end, I think they will outperform your newfound pessimistic expectations. Sure, I hear the I told you so's , but by the end of the year the consensus will once again be the same, Penn State will be great next year.
WE ARE.............................
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Diagnosis From One Who Is Not A Doctor
First off, please don’t jump off that ledge. Calm down, breathe, read a book, go for a walk, spend time with friends who won’t remind you about football. Do something to remind yourself that there are more important things in life than a bunch of college kids wearing blue & white uniforms and throwing around a dead pig every Saturday in the fall.
Feel free to hit it now. Or don't. Either way it's doubtful you'll inspire much of a reaction from the team or fans.OK, now that that’s done… PSU lost to a team they should have beaten on a homecoming Saturday. And they looked terrible while doing it. I was at the game, and the thing that was most disturbing to me – more than the final score, more than the injuries – was the utter and complete lack of emotion in Beaver Stadium – on and off the field – from anyone who wasn’t wearing orange. The team was playing uninspired football, and the fans looked like they were at an economics lecture. Someone behind me made the comment that it was like 2004 all over again. My first thought was, “This team isn’t that bad! What kind of idiot would make that comparison?” And then I remembered that this idiot did. So did a Penn Stater who knows something about the 2004/2005 seasons. I definitely had hoped that my comparison wouldn’t ring this true.
Straight up, there isn’t really anything good to take away from this game. I don’t care how much Blue & White Kool-Aid you’re drinking, this is one turd you can’t polish (though I’m sure it will be entertaining to watch PSU Football Story try). I'm not going to bother trying to dissect what went wrong - everything did - plus, it's just too painful. So rather than trying to put a positive spin on this game with false forced optimism, I’m going to take some time to talk about things that PSU shouldn’t do now, and things that PSU should do now – based on suggestions I’ve heard and/or read repeatedly.
Things That Penn State Shouldn’t Do
Fire Joe
If you’ve been following the PSU program for any time at all in the last decade, you’ve heard this one. It doesn’t matter if the season is good, bad, or mediocre – to some people, it should always be Joe’s last. The complaints generally go something like this:
He's not dead yet. Really.Joe Paterno might be the only coach in the country that can put together five seasons in a row of 9 to 11 wins, winning 4 out of 5 bowl games and two conference titles, with the 7th highest winning percentage in the country during that time and people still want him to leave. It’s shortsighted to fire a coach based on one half of a season with an extremely young team. The question I have for everyone who wants to force out the man who not only transformed the PSU football team – but the entire university – from a middling college in central PA to a household name is this: what coach is going to step in and magically transform the program into the type of powerhouse team that is just slightly more elite than PSU, never loses to anyone they shouldn’t, and never has a down year (you know – like USC & Texas)? What gives you so much confidence that getting rid of Joe will automatically result in a better coach and a better program? Furthermore, say what you will about Joe’s strategery and ability to connect with players, but he’s made accomplishments like these staples of the program and that didn’t happen by accident (more on that later). It’s trendy to pretend you know more than the winningest coach in college football history. It’s also pretty dumb. PSU fans should be glad that Joe has coached as long as he has, and anyone trying to force him out the door needs to think long and hard about who they’re hoping will replace him.
Bench Bolden In Favor Of Newsome
I’m sure that the Bolden-haters will feel like they have some more ammunition since Newsome was responsible for two of PSU’s seven first downs and was in the game for a grand total of one drive which lasted 3 minutes and 22 seconds. This was also PSU’s longest drive, both in terms of number of plays and time of possession. Here’s the thing – you know how, late in early season games against vastly inferior opponents, PSU will often pull its first (maybe even second or third string) defense and thus allow the opponent to score their first or second TD in “garbage time” to make the final score a bit more respectable? That’s about how meaningful this drive was. The game was well in hand; Illinois had pulled their starters as they had little reason to give maximum effort or risk injury at this point, and they still stopped PSU. Also, it’s a good thing that Illinois did pull their starters as Newsome looked like Fred Astaire the way he was dancing around in the pocket. He may be a year older than Bolden but he sure doesn’t have the pocket presence to prove it. Or the passing mechanics. For anyone paying attention, it’s not hard to see why Bolden is the starter.
Lower Academic/Ethical Standards In Order To Recruit “Better”
Of all suggestions, this one irks me the most. If it takes becoming Thug U to win, I’d rather not win; and if all you care about is winning, you should probably be rooting for another team. Personally I’m proud that no matter what PSU’s final record is this season, no other team has been able to achieve Penn State’s level of success while graduating as many athletes and steering clear of NCAA investigations. I would rather have the level of success that PSU has had over the past decade the way that PSU has achieved it, than have a more “successful” decade the way that USC did. This is what distinguishes and defines PSU in the world of intercollegiate athletics. Those who would abandon these distinctives want to sacrifice the identity and integrity of the program on the altar of more wins. That is a very short-sighted trade. “Success With Honor” may be a nice marketing slogan, but it’s also something that the program has embodied for a very long time. And I think that if you truly “get” what Penn State is about, you’re more proud of that than any wins record. As Joe has insisted throughout his entire career, college athletics is first and foremost about preparing student athletes for the rest of their lives, not just winning games. If and when the PSU fan base loses sight of that, it’s time for a serious reevaluation of priorities.
Things That Penn State Should Do
Figure Out What’s Wrong With The Offensive Line And Fix It
Take it one step at a time. Identify the problem. FIX IT! Identify another problem. FIX IT! Repeat as necessary until it is all FIXED!!Injuries have decimated the defense, but if you’re really looking for the unit that’s most to blame for PSU’s failure to execute, look no further. Earlier in the season, one of the few good things we could say about the O line was that despite the fact that they couldn’t provide run blocking against, well, anyone, they were at least protecting Bolden well. And then came four sacks in half as many games, not to mention how often Bolden just managed to get the ball off in time and took a beating. The amount of protection/time that Bolden has now is pretty much entirely dependent on whether or not opposing defenses decide to blitz – they can attack at will. And the run blocking is still abysmal. If anything, this unit has appeared to regress through the current season. What’s more, I’m personally worried that this is a systemic problem.
This pretty much says it all.Looking back over the past few seasons, the primary difference between good and great Penn State teams (aside from the QB-that-must-not-be-named) has been the offensive line. It’s the one position that, for whatever reason, PSU does not appear to be able to reload at, year in and year out. Penn State can bring in young receivers, running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, quarterbacks, and even defensive linemen that are able to start playing early in their career and contribute right away. The program seems unable to do that at offensive line. This means that very, very few offensive linemen get meaningful playing time prior to their junior year, so the collective experience on the line is always minimal. The few seasons when the team has had a great offensive line have been when most of the players on the line had been playing for at least two years prior. Why is it that Penn State is unable to start players at this position earlier and have success with them? Is it the caliber of offensive lineman the team is recruiting (they generally seem to recruit pretty well at O line, at least according to rankings)? Is it coaching ability at this position? Is it something else? I honestly have no idea. But if there’s one unit on the team that needs serious improvement, it’s this one.
Possibly Vary The Playbook A Little
i has teh keybored skillz so i know how to win teh footballzLet me establish this right away – I get frustrated when people bag on coaches. Here’s why: the vast majority of bloggers, sports writers, and so-called “analysts” have never played a down of organized football above the high school level (if that). Even fewer have ever had to draw up a strategy to defeat an opposing football team. The level of playing, let alone coaching experience among those who criticize football coaches is usually close to nil (no, winning 10 seasons of Madden on your Xbox doesn’t count). I would definitely include myself in this. Every member of the Penn State coaching staff has forgotten more about the game of football than I will ever know. What's more, coaches see everything that happens in practice. The rest of us only see games, and that's all that we have to go on. So a lot of times when coaches make decisions that don't seem to make sense, they're doing so based on a large volume of information that the rest of us don't have. All that to say, I really don’t know what I’m talking about.
But as a self-professed inexperienced, uninformed blogger, this is what it looks like to me: JoePa’s bedrock football philosophy has always been “establish the run in order to pass.” You run and run, and run some more, until you’re able to get into a steady running rhythm. Then, once that happens and the defenders have to respect your run game, you can start taking shots downfield. Let’s be clear – there’s a reason Joe racked up 300 wins faster than any other coach in history. This system is good, sound, fundamental football and it works. The problem is, in my very humble opinion, PSU currently doesn’t have the personnel to execute this strategy effectively (see previous point).
Continuing to stubbornly try to pound the football up the middle - when halfway through the season, no success (or even progress) has been seen thus far - is starting to look like the definition of insanity. The few offensive plays that have been successful (including most recently in the Illinois game) have occurred when Bolden was allowed to throw deep. When Bolden is lined up in the shotgun or is allowed to roll out, and has time (sadly, not always a guarantee) to make a good decision, good things tend to happen. That’s about as close to consistency as we've seen with this offense. This is probably anathema to Joe, but from this uninformed blogger’s standpoint, it looks like maybe this year, if Penn State is going to have any success on offense at all, they’ll have to establish the pass in order to run. Between Bolden’s arm and the receiving corps, PSU definitely has the tools. Joe even offered a post-Illinois mea culpa to the press that seemed to indicate he would reconsider running up the middle so much. I hope so.
No matter what...
...this is still gonna be a bumpy season. Penn State is a young and now-heavily injured team. A miraculous turnaround during the bye week is possible but not likely. In my humble opinion, a win against Ohio State is extremely doubtful, and a win against Michigan State will have to rely on some JoePa senior day magic (Joe has lost only 8 of 44 senior day games as head coach, winning 19 of the last 20). Losses to Northwestern and even *gasp* Indiana are possible. But a bowl is still possible, and that’s what the team is playing for now. It’s sad that this is Penn State’s season, but this is the world in which we find ourselves. Here’s where we find out who the true fans are. If you’ve suddenly got better things to do on Saturdays this fall, that’s your business, but please don’t pretend you’re anything more than what you are: a casual, fair-weather fan. I, for one, will still proudly be wearing my white & blue and cheering on my Nittany Lions as they finish out the season, win or lose. In the style of Ali…
WE ARE (still)!!!!
Feel free to hit it now. Or don't. Either way it's doubtful you'll inspire much of a reaction from the team or fans.
Straight up, there isn’t really anything good to take away from this game. I don’t care how much Blue & White Kool-Aid you’re drinking, this is one turd you can’t polish (though I’m sure it will be entertaining to watch PSU Football Story try). I'm not going to bother trying to dissect what went wrong - everything did - plus, it's just too painful. So rather than trying to put a positive spin on this game with false forced optimism, I’m going to take some time to talk about things that PSU shouldn’t do now, and things that PSU should do now – based on suggestions I’ve heard and/or read repeatedly.
Things That Penn State Shouldn’t Do
Fire Joe
If you’ve been following the PSU program for any time at all in the last decade, you’ve heard this one. It doesn’t matter if the season is good, bad, or mediocre – to some people, it should always be Joe’s last. The complaints generally go something like this:
Joe is too old. He plays offense too conservatively. He’s old. He can’t recruit like he used to. He’s pretty old. He hasn’t won a national championship since 1986. He’s old too. He hasn’t won a Big Ten Championship since199420052008. Also, he’s old. He always favors senior players and never gives the younger players a chance even if they’re better. And he’s old. He’s also somewhat advanced in age.
He's not dead yet. Really.
Bench Bolden In Favor Of Newsome
I’m sure that the Bolden-haters will feel like they have some more ammunition since Newsome was responsible for two of PSU’s seven first downs and was in the game for a grand total of one drive which lasted 3 minutes and 22 seconds. This was also PSU’s longest drive, both in terms of number of plays and time of possession. Here’s the thing – you know how, late in early season games against vastly inferior opponents, PSU will often pull its first (maybe even second or third string) defense and thus allow the opponent to score their first or second TD in “garbage time” to make the final score a bit more respectable? That’s about how meaningful this drive was. The game was well in hand; Illinois had pulled their starters as they had little reason to give maximum effort or risk injury at this point, and they still stopped PSU. Also, it’s a good thing that Illinois did pull their starters as Newsome looked like Fred Astaire the way he was dancing around in the pocket. He may be a year older than Bolden but he sure doesn’t have the pocket presence to prove it. Or the passing mechanics. For anyone paying attention, it’s not hard to see why Bolden is the starter.
Lower Academic/Ethical Standards In Order To Recruit “Better”
Of all suggestions, this one irks me the most. If it takes becoming Thug U to win, I’d rather not win; and if all you care about is winning, you should probably be rooting for another team. Personally I’m proud that no matter what PSU’s final record is this season, no other team has been able to achieve Penn State’s level of success while graduating as many athletes and steering clear of NCAA investigations. I would rather have the level of success that PSU has had over the past decade the way that PSU has achieved it, than have a more “successful” decade the way that USC did. This is what distinguishes and defines PSU in the world of intercollegiate athletics. Those who would abandon these distinctives want to sacrifice the identity and integrity of the program on the altar of more wins. That is a very short-sighted trade. “Success With Honor” may be a nice marketing slogan, but it’s also something that the program has embodied for a very long time. And I think that if you truly “get” what Penn State is about, you’re more proud of that than any wins record. As Joe has insisted throughout his entire career, college athletics is first and foremost about preparing student athletes for the rest of their lives, not just winning games. If and when the PSU fan base loses sight of that, it’s time for a serious reevaluation of priorities.
Things That Penn State Should Do
Figure Out What’s Wrong With The Offensive Line And Fix It
Take it one step at a time. Identify the problem. FIX IT! Identify another problem. FIX IT! Repeat as necessary until it is all FIXED!!
This pretty much says it all.
Possibly Vary The Playbook A Little
i has teh keybored skillz so i know how to win teh footballz
But as a self-professed inexperienced, uninformed blogger, this is what it looks like to me: JoePa’s bedrock football philosophy has always been “establish the run in order to pass.” You run and run, and run some more, until you’re able to get into a steady running rhythm. Then, once that happens and the defenders have to respect your run game, you can start taking shots downfield. Let’s be clear – there’s a reason Joe racked up 300 wins faster than any other coach in history. This system is good, sound, fundamental football and it works. The problem is, in my very humble opinion, PSU currently doesn’t have the personnel to execute this strategy effectively (see previous point).
Continuing to stubbornly try to pound the football up the middle - when halfway through the season, no success (or even progress) has been seen thus far - is starting to look like the definition of insanity. The few offensive plays that have been successful (including most recently in the Illinois game) have occurred when Bolden was allowed to throw deep. When Bolden is lined up in the shotgun or is allowed to roll out, and has time (sadly, not always a guarantee) to make a good decision, good things tend to happen. That’s about as close to consistency as we've seen with this offense. This is probably anathema to Joe, but from this uninformed blogger’s standpoint, it looks like maybe this year, if Penn State is going to have any success on offense at all, they’ll have to establish the pass in order to run. Between Bolden’s arm and the receiving corps, PSU definitely has the tools. Joe even offered a post-Illinois mea culpa to the press that seemed to indicate he would reconsider running up the middle so much. I hope so.
No matter what...
...this is still gonna be a bumpy season. Penn State is a young and now-heavily injured team. A miraculous turnaround during the bye week is possible but not likely. In my humble opinion, a win against Ohio State is extremely doubtful, and a win against Michigan State will have to rely on some JoePa senior day magic (Joe has lost only 8 of 44 senior day games as head coach, winning 19 of the last 20). Losses to Northwestern and even *gasp* Indiana are possible. But a bowl is still possible, and that’s what the team is playing for now. It’s sad that this is Penn State’s season, but this is the world in which we find ourselves. Here’s where we find out who the true fans are. If you’ve suddenly got better things to do on Saturdays this fall, that’s your business, but please don’t pretend you’re anything more than what you are: a casual, fair-weather fan. I, for one, will still proudly be wearing my white & blue and cheering on my Nittany Lions as they finish out the season, win or lose. In the style of Ali…
WE ARE (still)!!!!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Weekly Picks: Week 6
Other than the PSU game, we've got about 5 games on the slate for this week so let us go ahead and get started......
17 Michigan State vs. 18 Michigan
This will definitely be the most interesing game of the day for me because I really don't know what to expect from both of these teams. Both of them pulled out late victories against Notre Dame, both possess very explosive offenses, but only one of them has a true Heisman candidate. I think this will be a firecracker of a game with both offenses putting up a lot of points, but I would like to say that I believe this is a pivotal game for Rich Rod and the Wolverines. Even though it's a huge game for both programs, I think that this is the biggest opportunity to date for Rich Rod to officially turn the corner and he knows it. Rich Rod will have his Wolverines ready and Denard will further his case as a true Heisman contender.
Ali's Pick: Michigan 38 -- 34 Michigan State
19 South Carolina vs. 1 Alabama
Alabama is coming off of a statement game against Florida, a statement that was made that the SEC is a one horse conference this year. The question is, can the likes of an Auburn or South Carolina falsify that statement and insert themselves as legitimate contenders in the SEC this year. I think it will be tough for either of those programs to do that, but at the same time this is a far from perfect team in Tuscaloosa. I think that South Carolina exposes some of the weaknesses in Bama's young secondary, but Bama still over powers them on the offensive side of the ball. Too much Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram.
Ali's Pick: Bama 34 -- 24 South Carolina
Oregon State vs. 9 Arizona
Oregon State has been underachieving this year and establishing the case for TCU and Boise St (OSU's only two lossed) as true National Title Contenders. I have a feeling that they will strengthen their resume even further after this weekend. Mike Riley's teams have a notorious reputation for slow starts, but they also have a reputation for pulling a major upset or two every single season. This will be the coming out party for Mike Riley's Beavers, same story, different year. Look for Jacquizz Rogers to get going early as the Beavers look to stay in contention for the Pac-10 title.
Ali's Pick: Oregon State 27 -- 17 Arizona
12 LSU vs. 14 Florida
This is my pick for the game that carries the most uncertainty. Both teams are searching for an answer at Quarterback and both teams are coming off of terrible performances from the previous week. LSU once again struggled with clock management, and Urban Meyer realized that the Tebow jump pass only works with Tebow, and the list goes on and on. What I'm looking forward to though is the play of Jarrett Lee this week, I believe that if he makes the right reads and does not force anything, that LSU will have the best chance to win this game of the unknowns.
Ali's Pick: LSU 24 -- 13 Florida
23 Florida State vs. 13 Miami
Both of these teams came into the preseason with a lot of hype and promise at the beginning of the season, and both are now one-loss teams trying to assert themselves as the class of the ACC. While both teams suffered losses to Ohio State (UM) and Oklahoma (FSU) early, they have come on strong while entering ACC play. I would have to say that I like the athleticism on both of these teams and the amount of potential, but Miami has proven themselves a little more with their quality of competition. If Jacorry Harris can be decisive and avoid the turnovers the Hurricanes should have no problems in this one. However, the beauty remains that this is one of the biggest rivalries of all time and anything is possible.
Ali's Pick: Miami 31 -- 21 Florida State
As always, enjoy week 6 and let us know what you think about our picks, and even post some of your own in the comments section. Enjoy the fall weather as its going to start getting cold out, unless you play in the SEC because it is always warm in the South, its just a side effect of the speed in the Southeastern Conference. Anyways, have a good weekend all of you and enjoy the games.
WE ARE........................
17 Michigan State vs. 18 Michigan
This will definitely be the most interesing game of the day for me because I really don't know what to expect from both of these teams. Both of them pulled out late victories against Notre Dame, both possess very explosive offenses, but only one of them has a true Heisman candidate. I think this will be a firecracker of a game with both offenses putting up a lot of points, but I would like to say that I believe this is a pivotal game for Rich Rod and the Wolverines. Even though it's a huge game for both programs, I think that this is the biggest opportunity to date for Rich Rod to officially turn the corner and he knows it. Rich Rod will have his Wolverines ready and Denard will further his case as a true Heisman contender.
Ali's Pick: Michigan 38 -- 34 Michigan State
19 South Carolina vs. 1 Alabama
Alabama is coming off of a statement game against Florida, a statement that was made that the SEC is a one horse conference this year. The question is, can the likes of an Auburn or South Carolina falsify that statement and insert themselves as legitimate contenders in the SEC this year. I think it will be tough for either of those programs to do that, but at the same time this is a far from perfect team in Tuscaloosa. I think that South Carolina exposes some of the weaknesses in Bama's young secondary, but Bama still over powers them on the offensive side of the ball. Too much Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram.
Ali's Pick: Bama 34 -- 24 South Carolina
Oregon State vs. 9 Arizona
Oregon State has been underachieving this year and establishing the case for TCU and Boise St (OSU's only two lossed) as true National Title Contenders. I have a feeling that they will strengthen their resume even further after this weekend. Mike Riley's teams have a notorious reputation for slow starts, but they also have a reputation for pulling a major upset or two every single season. This will be the coming out party for Mike Riley's Beavers, same story, different year. Look for Jacquizz Rogers to get going early as the Beavers look to stay in contention for the Pac-10 title.
Ali's Pick: Oregon State 27 -- 17 Arizona
12 LSU vs. 14 Florida
This is my pick for the game that carries the most uncertainty. Both teams are searching for an answer at Quarterback and both teams are coming off of terrible performances from the previous week. LSU once again struggled with clock management, and Urban Meyer realized that the Tebow jump pass only works with Tebow, and the list goes on and on. What I'm looking forward to though is the play of Jarrett Lee this week, I believe that if he makes the right reads and does not force anything, that LSU will have the best chance to win this game of the unknowns.
Ali's Pick: LSU 24 -- 13 Florida
23 Florida State vs. 13 Miami
Both of these teams came into the preseason with a lot of hype and promise at the beginning of the season, and both are now one-loss teams trying to assert themselves as the class of the ACC. While both teams suffered losses to Ohio State (UM) and Oklahoma (FSU) early, they have come on strong while entering ACC play. I would have to say that I like the athleticism on both of these teams and the amount of potential, but Miami has proven themselves a little more with their quality of competition. If Jacorry Harris can be decisive and avoid the turnovers the Hurricanes should have no problems in this one. However, the beauty remains that this is one of the biggest rivalries of all time and anything is possible.
Ali's Pick: Miami 31 -- 21 Florida State
As always, enjoy week 6 and let us know what you think about our picks, and even post some of your own in the comments section. Enjoy the fall weather as its going to start getting cold out, unless you play in the SEC because it is always warm in the South, its just a side effect of the speed in the Southeastern Conference. Anyways, have a good weekend all of you and enjoy the games.
WE ARE........................
Friday, October 8, 2010
Illinois: Let's Get to Know You.
Ron Zook is calling this a must win game for his Fighting Illini while Joe Paterno barely gives this game any hype and moves on to the next question. In my belief system, I believe that every game is a must win, but in this situation, I'm going to go ahead a defer to JoePa. While everyone has already hopped off the Bolden train and given up hope for the season, I'm going to keep you all informed about the better days to come. While everyone is doing the trendy thing and picking Illinois in this one, I'm going to tell you why Penn State will get the win this weekend and show glimpses of their great "potential."
While you are all familiar with our situation here at Penn State and our 3-2 start to the season, not a lot of you know anything about Illinois. I guarantee that what most of you know is that they have a stout defense and have a great power rushing attack with running back Mikel LeShoure. Up and coming first year QB in Nathan Scheelhaase looks like a promising young player and a great starter in the making. It all sounds pretty familiar doesn't it, the same old thread all week, but other than that very similar to Penn State's description, freshman QB, proven running back, and a formidable defense.
Here's the thing though, Illinois is only getting all of this hype because of their play against Ohio State last week. All the reasoning behind the support for Illinois getting the win this weekend has to do with the results of that game and how they played that whole game. The truth is simple, Ohio State did not execute as well as they normally do and Illinois played above their standard game, which is a little credit to them. I will also give them credit for staying disciplined and making Ohio State one-dimensional holding the Buckeyes to a net total of 77 yards passing. Here's the kicker though, Ohio State only threw the ball 18 times and rushed for a total of 213 yards. The question remains, is there defense really that good or was this more so a vintage Pryor performance because of a less than stellar effort?
Let's say that most of these beat writers and their trendy picks of an upset this week are on to something and are right about the Illini defense. The fact remains that the Illini remain one-dimensional on offense (averaging 300 yds/game, 200 on the ground) and have struggled all year moving the ball against less than superb defensive units. Their offensive scheme is effective only when it is complemented by a competent passing game. Let's just say for their sake they are sub-par through the air, even though they might have some weapons at the skills positions, they just don't have the capability of moving it through the air effectively.
In order for Illinois to win this one, not only will they need to continue their play on defense, they will need a perfect day on offense against a good Penn State defense. The fact that they have not had a great day on offense against a less than average defense bodes well for us. I'm not saying that they are not capable of winning, I'm just saying that it is unlikely. In all truth, Scheelhaase is a dual-threat QB and he will not hesitant to drop his head and run for the sticks. Mikel Leshoure is a bruising tailback and can single-handedly ware a defense out, but they will need to be a complete offense against this Penn State defense.
In the end, I think Penn State will surprise some folks and have a great game this week. I know that they tend to get off to slow starts, especially after big games in Prime Time, but I think they will come out with a fire this week. I think the coaches will open it up a little more and the team will be a little on edge, knowing that they are capable of greater things than their games against Bama and Iowa. This week Penn State comes out of gates swinging and make progress in the red zone as they allow Bolden to throw more in the red zone, and give him more opportunities to make the right reads. Look for Royster to pace the attack and the team to take it straight to the Illini all game long.
Penn State 34- 17 Illinois
WE ARE.................................
Up Next: Weekly Picks: Week 6
While you are all familiar with our situation here at Penn State and our 3-2 start to the season, not a lot of you know anything about Illinois. I guarantee that what most of you know is that they have a stout defense and have a great power rushing attack with running back Mikel LeShoure. Up and coming first year QB in Nathan Scheelhaase looks like a promising young player and a great starter in the making. It all sounds pretty familiar doesn't it, the same old thread all week, but other than that very similar to Penn State's description, freshman QB, proven running back, and a formidable defense.
Here's the thing though, Illinois is only getting all of this hype because of their play against Ohio State last week. All the reasoning behind the support for Illinois getting the win this weekend has to do with the results of that game and how they played that whole game. The truth is simple, Ohio State did not execute as well as they normally do and Illinois played above their standard game, which is a little credit to them. I will also give them credit for staying disciplined and making Ohio State one-dimensional holding the Buckeyes to a net total of 77 yards passing. Here's the kicker though, Ohio State only threw the ball 18 times and rushed for a total of 213 yards. The question remains, is there defense really that good or was this more so a vintage Pryor performance because of a less than stellar effort?
Let's say that most of these beat writers and their trendy picks of an upset this week are on to something and are right about the Illini defense. The fact remains that the Illini remain one-dimensional on offense (averaging 300 yds/game, 200 on the ground) and have struggled all year moving the ball against less than superb defensive units. Their offensive scheme is effective only when it is complemented by a competent passing game. Let's just say for their sake they are sub-par through the air, even though they might have some weapons at the skills positions, they just don't have the capability of moving it through the air effectively.
In order for Illinois to win this one, not only will they need to continue their play on defense, they will need a perfect day on offense against a good Penn State defense. The fact that they have not had a great day on offense against a less than average defense bodes well for us. I'm not saying that they are not capable of winning, I'm just saying that it is unlikely. In all truth, Scheelhaase is a dual-threat QB and he will not hesitant to drop his head and run for the sticks. Mikel Leshoure is a bruising tailback and can single-handedly ware a defense out, but they will need to be a complete offense against this Penn State defense.
In the end, I think Penn State will surprise some folks and have a great game this week. I know that they tend to get off to slow starts, especially after big games in Prime Time, but I think they will come out with a fire this week. I think the coaches will open it up a little more and the team will be a little on edge, knowing that they are capable of greater things than their games against Bama and Iowa. This week Penn State comes out of gates swinging and make progress in the red zone as they allow Bolden to throw more in the red zone, and give him more opportunities to make the right reads. Look for Royster to pace the attack and the team to take it straight to the Illini all game long.
Penn State 34- 17 Illinois
WE ARE.................................
Up Next: Weekly Picks: Week 6
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Second Take On Perspective (Or: How I Learned to Stop Freaking Out and Anticipate the Redemption)
Quick note from M-Will: Hi, I’m a new columnist here. I won’t post as often as Ali, and I probably won’t provide as in-depth an analysis as Matt S. or Ali, but from time to time I’ll be dropping by to offer some big-picture perspective and a change of pace. I had originally told Ali I’d be submitting a guest column today, but in a minor oversight I forgot to inform him of the topic. Imagine our surprise when yesterday Ali posted on the very same topic I had been intending to. Despite some similarities, Ali and I both agreed that I should go ahead and post my column anyway as I offered a slightly different perspective on perspective. So without further ado…
Ah, perspective. It's a beautiful thing. Perspective can keep us from making dumb statements; like the people behind me at the Temple game who were shouting, “Go for it! I need to see a TD!” when PSU was 4th and 1 on its own 30 yard line early in the 3rd quarter. It can keep a 23 year old blogger from claiming that he can outcoach someone who's been doing it professionally for the last sixty years (and had a moderate amount of success during that time), or from making sweeping statements about the PSU program based on an early road game where PSU was fielding a true freshman quarterback against the #1 team in the country. (OK, this may actually be the first and last time Ali lets me post on his blog.) Or, to turn the perspective on myself, when PSU falls behind to a horrible RichRod-coached Michigan team in the first half of the game, perspective can even keep you from yelling things you later regret in a way you later regret while friends and strangers all around you wonder, “Is that guy on Prozac? (Cause if not he should be...)” Yes my friends, perspective is a beautiful thing.
I'm Blue & White Kool-Aid Man, and I'm here to get you so drunk that you think that Rob Bolden looks like 1994 Kerry Collins.
If one had read much on the PSU football team during the off-season, the general perspective on the team was that this was a rebuilding year and to keep expectations low. Pretty much anyone who hadn't gotten drunk on Blue & White Kool-Aid was predicting at least a 3 loss season, with losses to Alabama, Iowa, and Ohio State. Everyone's perspective was more or less in check with reality: this would be the first team in history to face three BCS winners from the previous year – all on the road – and the team had to replace a ton of starters, including Penn State legends-in-their-own-time: Jared Odrick, Sean Lee, and Navorro Bowman as well as two time All-Big Ten QB Daryll Clark. Penn State would have a young team (83 of the 118 players on the PSU roster are freshmen or sophomores) and it would take some time for them to mature to the level of their best competition.
This being the interwebs though, perspective flies out the window when the team is sitting at 3-2 with both losses coming to “the only real teams” that PSU has played. “Joe must go.” “Replace Bolden with Newsome.” “Fire Jay and Galen.” “Bench the starters.” “Hide in the basement of Geary Hall with a chamber pot, a stockpile of MREs, and a shotgun and wait for George Atherton to return! It's the PSU apocalypse!” (OK, I didn't actually see that last one, but it wouldn't surprise me.) Different ideas are flying around but the gist is the same: A catastrophe has occurred that calls for drastic action.
I'm Rob Bolden, I'm your QB, and I'm gonna be awesome. Just give me some time (and a complete O line would be nice too).
But is it a catastrophe? So far, nothing has happened that was drastically different from preseason predictions. Aside from the fact that everyone hates to lose, the only explanation I can think of is that when people saw Rob Bolden in the game against Youngstown State, they started to get excited. Everyone had pretty low expectations, so it was easy to exceed them. And when Bolden stepped up looking poised (that word has been beaten to death re: Bolden; but for good reason), and started throwing passes with the most beautiful mechanics anyone had seen from a PSU quarterback in over a decade, people started drinking the Kool-Aid. And didn't stop. Even after the loss to Alabama, most fans and analysts were looking up - “an upset over Iowa is possible now!” I'll even give that it was possible. But not likely. People forgot that Bolden was a freshman. A great freshman who will very likely do great things, but still a freshman. And that's OK.
I don't want to retread what Ali has already said any more, so I won't. But I do want to offer one further thought. Many people have pointed out that in both losses, this team has been a lot closer to pulling out the win than the final score has indicated. If the team had made a few plays that fell apart due to nothing more than a failure to execute, or they hadn't made so many dumb mistakes, they could very possibly be a one – or, even, with some luck – a no loss team right now. In short, if the team makes a couple more plays, they're not so far away from being able to pull off a win against just about anyone.
Don't tell me when to go or I'll use my mind control on you.
This sticks out to me, because it's exactly how I felt so many years ago watching what was one of the statistically worst teams in PSU history go 4-7 during my freshman year. The year was 2004, and it was an incredibly frustrating season because in almost every loss, it felt like Penn State was just a couple plays away from coming out on top. With the losses piling up, just about everyone had lost faith in JoePa. The story goes that even ol' G-Span himself had paid a visit to Joe's humble McKee St. residence and asked him to consider stepping down. Joe reportedly told Spanier something along the lines of “Screw you boss man.” “We're just a few plays away from being a really good team. Give me one more year. If I can just recruit a few more players, make a few more plays, we'll be a totally different team.” Joe was staking his career on the next season.
JoePa went on to recruit the consensus #1 athlete in the country in Derrick Williams and that, along with leadership from senior QB Michael Robinson provided the spark that the team needed to execute those “few plays” and then some. The team went on to go 11-1, winning the Big Ten title and the Orange Bowl. The football team's success created a feeling of pure energy on campus that was undeniable, probably unrepeatable, and undoubtedly a factor in Penn State going 49-1 against Big Ten competition in all fall sports that year. Anyone who witnessed the 2005 season can tell you that there was nothing like the pride, anticipation, and pure electricity that surrounded the football program that year.
Fast-forward to this week's press conference with Joe, and those who read the transcript or watched the video may have noticed this nugget: “They're young. We've got to make some plays. That's the biggest problem we have right now. We can't make some plays.” Joe knows this team is only a few plays away from being a great team. There is so much talent on this team, and once they have the experience and maturity to go with it, they're going to do something really special.
Those who know the full story of the 2004/2005 seasons know that even before Derrick Williams, the momentum that carried the 2005 team to the heights they ultimately achieved started with a game-saving goal-line stand against Indiana in the penultimate contest of the 2004 season. It was the moment when the team proved that it was capable of responding to adversity in a hostile environment, and the next week the team came back home to finish the season with an uncharacteristic trouncing of Michigan State.
I would be a fool to pretend that I know when it will happen, but someday, this team is going to have its Indiana goal-line moment. Someday, this team is going to surprise the doubters and the naysayers. Someday, this team will prove to the critics that Joe hasn't lost it, that the coaches know what they're doing, that Bolden is the leader this team needs, that Penn State can and will once again dominate the Big Ten. Someday. That's the perspective that has me anticipating rather than criticizing. When that day comes, I can't wait to say “I told you so.”
Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things. - Joseph V. Paterno
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Penn State Perspective
I am going to call this piece perspective because most of you Penn State fans need some. I know that I am coming right at you right off the bat, but I think that some of you need a nice serving of respect. It is 5 games into the season, in a rebuilding year and a majority of you are already calling for the head of JoePa, JayPa, and even Bolden. This leaves me to ask you one simple question, what is wrong with all of you???
Let me start off by saying that I completely understand where you are coming from. I know that a lot of you are frustrated by the way the team has been playing this year and the fact that the scores of those two games do not reflect the quality of our team. I know that a lot of you are pissed off by the poor defensive tackling, the lack of a figure in "Linebacker U", and most of all, the red zone struggles. I know that a lot of you believe that we should be doing a better job with the amount of talent and speed on this team as well. So I wanted to start off by letting you know that I know exactly where you are coming from.
Now here's the kicker, you ready for it? Open your eyes and lower your expectations, here's an idea, come back down to Earth. Realistically, what more can you expect out of a team that possesses 57 scholarship players (a division one team has 85 scholarship players) that are classified with freshman and sophomore eligibility. Yeah, we have the talent and the skill players at every position, but there is one thing this team does not have. They do not have the experience, PERIOD. The good news is, that they have been coming out and competing and working through their struggles, week in and week out.
No matter what has been happening this year, you all have been calling for the heads of the coaching staff and Bolden. You are the same people that were chanting for Morelli in 2005 after the South Florida and Cincinnati games. That same lot of you are calling for the head of JoePa and Bolden after two tough losses to arguably two of the top five teams in the country. I'm not saying that it is not okay to criticize the coaching staff, but be reasonable. It is one thing to question some of the decisions they made one week, but another to call for their careers. What you really need to do is put things in perspective and take a nice long look at yourself.
As my good friend Ed would say, "Take off the Blue and White Lenses and take a closer look", and what I'll say in return is "You really need to buy Les Miles a stop watch (Ed is an LSU fan)", but his point is a little more valid in our situation. The truth is that we have a very young team that is capable of very big things in the near future. The truth is that this very young team is facing the toughest schedule in the nation this year. This is the first time in BCS history that a team has had to play three defending BCS Bowl Champions (Iowa-Orange, Ohio State- Rose, Bama- National Champs) from the prior season, and if that is not enough, they have to play all three of these teams on the road during a rebuilding year. You getting it yet?
Turn the lens again. Refocus.
This young team has gone into two hostile environments and played very well. Some of you may argue that because you base success on wins, but that is because you're lens is clouded with emotion. Think about it, Penn State moved the ball well and had plenty of chances to score in both the Bama game and Iowa game, which is your main source of frustration, but you're missing the fact that they had success in two very hostile environments against two elite defenses. They did it all with a limited playbook and a true freshman at the QB position. Do I think Newsome would give us a better chance to win? Here's the point, it does not matter what I think about that because JoePa has never had a true freshman start at QB, and if Newsome gave us a better chance to win, do you think Bolden would be the starter?
Refocus.
There are reasons for these things, there is a reason why Bolden is started, and there are reasons why they are calling plays the ways they are. Granted, I don't agree with all the calls that they make, but I keep reminding myself to be patient, just as you should be. There is no way you win 400 ball games and coach for over 40 years if you don't know what you are doing. Yeah, some of you may have questions about JoePa being outdated, and maybe he is, but you need to refocus and realize that he has earned to right to call it quits on his own terms. The man is a great icon for the Penn State University, and if he didn't have it anymore, than we wouldn't have won more than fifty games since the year 2005. The worst record we've have since 2005 has been a 9-4 season, so obviously this guy knows what he's doing.
Turn it again.
Take a look at what we've got on the field rather than what we've got on paper. Yeah we have a bunch of four star and five star guys all over the field, but those ratings are based on raw talent and need development. The coaches have done a great job at developing players at Penn State, if you don't believe me, ask the likes of Josh Hull, Poz, Lee, Jay Alford, Hali, etc. Catch my drift, these were players that came into Penn State as unknown prospects that are now playing on Sundays. Just be patient and let these guys develop, build some chemistry, and get some experience.
Take another look.
Last week at Iowa there were a number of true freshman that were playing all over the field. Daquan Jones, Khairi Fortt, Glenn Carson, Kevin Haplea, Bolden, and a few more, and that is a good sign by the coaching staff. They could easily redshirt half these guys and get another year out of them, but they are getting them game time experience during a rebuilding year. When you're playing guys like this there are going to be some growing pains, miscues, and adjustments will be learned the hard way.
Also, when you're fielding a team that consists of that many underclassmen, it means that there is a lack of depth with experienced players, or injuries at key positions. If you take a closer look, Penn State has lost a lot of players to the Injury Report, including starters like Drake, Gilliam, Hodges, Szczerba, and Eliades. There's a saying that when you are playing thin, you are playing young, and when you play young, you sometimes play stupid. It does not mean that you go out there with a dumb game-plan, it just means that a lot of these players have a lot of learning to do.
Here's the upside, in a couple of years, we are going to have a team that is deep with talent and leadership. A team that is going to have the experience of tough games on the road and the knowledge to go with it. They will match any team in the country with their football IQ and will have chemistry like no other unit in the country. They will be one unit, knowing each others tendencies, playing at the same level and speed, and no more second guessing. On the eve on the National Championship game in a couple years from now, you will all look back and say, ""Man, who would've seen this coming, especially after that disappointing season in 2010". Myself and others who put things in perspective will be able to say, "I did" and smile as we get ready for kickoff.
Have a little faith, a little more patience, and at least some perspective and you will see it happening too. Then you too will be able to say that you saw it coming.
WE ARE............................
Let me start off by saying that I completely understand where you are coming from. I know that a lot of you are frustrated by the way the team has been playing this year and the fact that the scores of those two games do not reflect the quality of our team. I know that a lot of you are pissed off by the poor defensive tackling, the lack of a figure in "Linebacker U", and most of all, the red zone struggles. I know that a lot of you believe that we should be doing a better job with the amount of talent and speed on this team as well. So I wanted to start off by letting you know that I know exactly where you are coming from.
Now here's the kicker, you ready for it? Open your eyes and lower your expectations, here's an idea, come back down to Earth. Realistically, what more can you expect out of a team that possesses 57 scholarship players (a division one team has 85 scholarship players) that are classified with freshman and sophomore eligibility. Yeah, we have the talent and the skill players at every position, but there is one thing this team does not have. They do not have the experience, PERIOD. The good news is, that they have been coming out and competing and working through their struggles, week in and week out.
No matter what has been happening this year, you all have been calling for the heads of the coaching staff and Bolden. You are the same people that were chanting for Morelli in 2005 after the South Florida and Cincinnati games. That same lot of you are calling for the head of JoePa and Bolden after two tough losses to arguably two of the top five teams in the country. I'm not saying that it is not okay to criticize the coaching staff, but be reasonable. It is one thing to question some of the decisions they made one week, but another to call for their careers. What you really need to do is put things in perspective and take a nice long look at yourself.
As my good friend Ed would say, "Take off the Blue and White Lenses and take a closer look", and what I'll say in return is "You really need to buy Les Miles a stop watch (Ed is an LSU fan)", but his point is a little more valid in our situation. The truth is that we have a very young team that is capable of very big things in the near future. The truth is that this very young team is facing the toughest schedule in the nation this year. This is the first time in BCS history that a team has had to play three defending BCS Bowl Champions (Iowa-Orange, Ohio State- Rose, Bama- National Champs) from the prior season, and if that is not enough, they have to play all three of these teams on the road during a rebuilding year. You getting it yet?
Turn the lens again. Refocus.
This young team has gone into two hostile environments and played very well. Some of you may argue that because you base success on wins, but that is because you're lens is clouded with emotion. Think about it, Penn State moved the ball well and had plenty of chances to score in both the Bama game and Iowa game, which is your main source of frustration, but you're missing the fact that they had success in two very hostile environments against two elite defenses. They did it all with a limited playbook and a true freshman at the QB position. Do I think Newsome would give us a better chance to win? Here's the point, it does not matter what I think about that because JoePa has never had a true freshman start at QB, and if Newsome gave us a better chance to win, do you think Bolden would be the starter?
Refocus.
There are reasons for these things, there is a reason why Bolden is started, and there are reasons why they are calling plays the ways they are. Granted, I don't agree with all the calls that they make, but I keep reminding myself to be patient, just as you should be. There is no way you win 400 ball games and coach for over 40 years if you don't know what you are doing. Yeah, some of you may have questions about JoePa being outdated, and maybe he is, but you need to refocus and realize that he has earned to right to call it quits on his own terms. The man is a great icon for the Penn State University, and if he didn't have it anymore, than we wouldn't have won more than fifty games since the year 2005. The worst record we've have since 2005 has been a 9-4 season, so obviously this guy knows what he's doing.
Turn it again.
Take a look at what we've got on the field rather than what we've got on paper. Yeah we have a bunch of four star and five star guys all over the field, but those ratings are based on raw talent and need development. The coaches have done a great job at developing players at Penn State, if you don't believe me, ask the likes of Josh Hull, Poz, Lee, Jay Alford, Hali, etc. Catch my drift, these were players that came into Penn State as unknown prospects that are now playing on Sundays. Just be patient and let these guys develop, build some chemistry, and get some experience.
Take another look.
Last week at Iowa there were a number of true freshman that were playing all over the field. Daquan Jones, Khairi Fortt, Glenn Carson, Kevin Haplea, Bolden, and a few more, and that is a good sign by the coaching staff. They could easily redshirt half these guys and get another year out of them, but they are getting them game time experience during a rebuilding year. When you're playing guys like this there are going to be some growing pains, miscues, and adjustments will be learned the hard way.
Also, when you're fielding a team that consists of that many underclassmen, it means that there is a lack of depth with experienced players, or injuries at key positions. If you take a closer look, Penn State has lost a lot of players to the Injury Report, including starters like Drake, Gilliam, Hodges, Szczerba, and Eliades. There's a saying that when you are playing thin, you are playing young, and when you play young, you sometimes play stupid. It does not mean that you go out there with a dumb game-plan, it just means that a lot of these players have a lot of learning to do.
Here's the upside, in a couple of years, we are going to have a team that is deep with talent and leadership. A team that is going to have the experience of tough games on the road and the knowledge to go with it. They will match any team in the country with their football IQ and will have chemistry like no other unit in the country. They will be one unit, knowing each others tendencies, playing at the same level and speed, and no more second guessing. On the eve on the National Championship game in a couple years from now, you will all look back and say, ""Man, who would've seen this coming, especially after that disappointing season in 2010". Myself and others who put things in perspective will be able to say, "I did" and smile as we get ready for kickoff.
Have a little faith, a little more patience, and at least some perspective and you will see it happening too. Then you too will be able to say that you saw it coming.
WE ARE............................
Monday, October 4, 2010
Iowa Recap
Week 5 has come and gone and the curse continues against this Iowa team for the Penn State Nittany Lions. At least this team, we didn't lose because of a letdown, we lost because we were actually the underdogs. More great news is that we now have some clarity in what we've got on our side of the ball and know what to expect the rest of the year.
As for the recap of the game, I almost want to go ahead and copy and paste our recap of the Alabama game because there were a lot of similarities but this game had a lot more to do with execution. Iowa started off the game hot before our defense got into it and jumped out on us scoring a quick ten points to grab a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. By then, it was looking to be a route, especially because Iowa had 10 points and 159 yards of total offense while holding us to 1 yard of total offense at the end of; the first quarter.
That was the story of the first, as for the rest of the game, Penn State finally started to show up. The defense was playing great, with the exception of giving up a TD drive late in the first half, swarming to the ball, and stalling Iowa's drives. They were getting to the RB in the backfield and even forced Stanzi to throw an interception and almost snagged another one. The problem once again lied with executing in the red zone and I would even question the game plan to a certain extent.
First, I'm going to address problems with execution because there were just way too many. The receivers were dropping passes all over the field, not helping out there young QB, and our young QB was trying to force a few ridiculous throws. Do I have a huge problem with this? No, I do not because it is all part of the game and I expect some growing pains with a young team, but I'm establishing the point that this young Penn State team can hang in there with the big boys as long as they execute.
For my second point, and I know Mark Willard is going to give me hell for this one, is the game plan that Penn State had coming into this game. Again, I cannot knock it too much because if Brackett scores before the half ends instead of being tackled at the two and Bolden converts that 4th and goal run that was stopped at the 1 inch this would've been a different game. My issue is with running the ball, how do you only give Evan Royster ten carries in a game as big as this one? I also philosophically believe that they best way to neutralize and aggressive defense is to attack the heart of that defense, and the best way to do that is to run it down their throats.
I also think that if they kept the play-calling balanced between the run and the pass, that Iowa's defense would not have had 7 men in coverage every play covering three receivers. The success from the few screen passes and running plays we had were also encouraging, so why not roll with the punches and help that young QB out. I would just like to see some sort of commitment to the run game with the weapons that we have out there.
In the end, the score does not indicate how close or how much of a grind it out game it actually was. The truth is that Penn State's red zone woes continued and they are beating themselves as much as other teams are beating them. As for the rest of the season, I would expect more of the same, but the mystery of this team is going to be intriguing as I believe that they are going to win some games they are not supposed to win, but also lose a game or two that they are suppose to win. It will be interesting to see where this team goes by the end of the year.
WE ARE...............................
As for the recap of the game, I almost want to go ahead and copy and paste our recap of the Alabama game because there were a lot of similarities but this game had a lot more to do with execution. Iowa started off the game hot before our defense got into it and jumped out on us scoring a quick ten points to grab a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. By then, it was looking to be a route, especially because Iowa had 10 points and 159 yards of total offense while holding us to 1 yard of total offense at the end of; the first quarter.
That was the story of the first, as for the rest of the game, Penn State finally started to show up. The defense was playing great, with the exception of giving up a TD drive late in the first half, swarming to the ball, and stalling Iowa's drives. They were getting to the RB in the backfield and even forced Stanzi to throw an interception and almost snagged another one. The problem once again lied with executing in the red zone and I would even question the game plan to a certain extent.
First, I'm going to address problems with execution because there were just way too many. The receivers were dropping passes all over the field, not helping out there young QB, and our young QB was trying to force a few ridiculous throws. Do I have a huge problem with this? No, I do not because it is all part of the game and I expect some growing pains with a young team, but I'm establishing the point that this young Penn State team can hang in there with the big boys as long as they execute.
For my second point, and I know Mark Willard is going to give me hell for this one, is the game plan that Penn State had coming into this game. Again, I cannot knock it too much because if Brackett scores before the half ends instead of being tackled at the two and Bolden converts that 4th and goal run that was stopped at the 1 inch this would've been a different game. My issue is with running the ball, how do you only give Evan Royster ten carries in a game as big as this one? I also philosophically believe that they best way to neutralize and aggressive defense is to attack the heart of that defense, and the best way to do that is to run it down their throats.
I also think that if they kept the play-calling balanced between the run and the pass, that Iowa's defense would not have had 7 men in coverage every play covering three receivers. The success from the few screen passes and running plays we had were also encouraging, so why not roll with the punches and help that young QB out. I would just like to see some sort of commitment to the run game with the weapons that we have out there.
In the end, the score does not indicate how close or how much of a grind it out game it actually was. The truth is that Penn State's red zone woes continued and they are beating themselves as much as other teams are beating them. As for the rest of the season, I would expect more of the same, but the mystery of this team is going to be intriguing as I believe that they are going to win some games they are not supposed to win, but also lose a game or two that they are suppose to win. It will be interesting to see where this team goes by the end of the year.
WE ARE...............................
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