2017 Preseason Practice Articles/Discussion
- Thread starter Judge Smails
- Start date
Catch Michigan? We've won 3 conference championships since they won their last one.
I don't know who Ben Feller is, but he's one smart dude
I don't know who Ben Feller is, but he's one smart dude
Is he a ben feller or a fen beller?
I think Doozy thinks he is publicly disrespecting CJF by parroting that mantra. he has to find whatever openings he can, especially since CJF ain't gonna give him much, and after the way our coaches ran roughshod over theirs for their little 42-39 trinket! Let him amuse himself. (Amuse The Dooze). As if we need any further incentives for Sept. 9. Fire away, Doozer!
Of course coaches say this to make sure the team focuses on what the staff wants them to focus on. Can't talk about it differently in public than in team meetings. Certainly the players have talked about Pitt and other opponents at times through the offseason. Once they hit the field in August, they will be focused appropriately on the overall and on Akron.
The real irony is that I think I recently read that CJF said they have already put most of the game plans in place for the OOC opponents. They use the off-season to get a jump on the long hours needed for weekly game planning, so they likely have a big percentage of the panning done for at least some of the more familiar B1G opponents, too. Final plans depend on the variables that happen through the course of the season, but knowing a Coord's tendencies year-in and year-out helps them get a jump. No doubt Pitt has done a lot of game planning for us already, too. I bet a lot of D Coords on our schedule have spent time looking at our O already.
On another note, I read that Pitt picked up a 5th year OL from Texas this summer, who started most of Texas' games last season. It's a patchwork quilt of a team.
Wow! Really surprised to see that kind of speed from Castro-Fields. Didn't realize he was that fast for a safety who may end up at CB, or, better yet, stay at safety. We have a ton of young talent at the DB position to choose from.
OT Brandon Hodges is another guy from that "Last Chance U" JC in Mississippi that spent a year at Texas. He was held out of spring ball at Texas for academics, then graduate transferred to Pitt.
Here are some Texas fans discussing the transfer. He left even though his spot, RT, is called the weakest on that side of the ball.
Yeah, I don't buy this at all. If Hodges could keep this shit together off the field, he would have been the presumed starter going into fall camp. But that says more about the issues at RT than Hodges.
Nickelson is just a guy, and Okafor needs to show that he can actually win the job rather then have it fall into his lap by default.
Right tackle is probably the biggest question mark on offense, even more so than tight end.
He was a big nothing at Texas. He was supposed to compete for the starting right tackle job against a guy in Tristan Nickelson who is a known quantity - and by known quantity what I'm really saying is someone who it is known can't play the position at a high enough level. They were desperate for more bodies.
But Brandon Hodges got in trouble with his academics and was pulled from all spring practices to "focus" on them. Given the trapdoor this staff seems to be running on the roster, that was a clear sign Hodges' days were probably numbered. Sure enough, soon after the semester was over it was announced that Hodges was looking to go somewhere as a "grad transfer." I'm not sure how that's going to work exactly, but I guess we'll see.
If you need some help on OL, he's a body. If you need more than that don't have your expectations high on this kid. Nothing against him, but he's not a special player.
That said, Texas has some serious issues with depth at tackle, so the fact the staff was willing to help move him along says something about what he brings to the table.
Seems odd a kid with academic trouble would be able to graduate and transfer on basically a semesters notice.
It hasn't happened, yet. I'd like to see this actually come to fruition first. They didn't pull him out of spring practices by accident. There were legitimate issues with him academically.
He was a juco who redshirted his first year, started in nine games last year, and now is allegedly on course to graduate. It's one of those scenarios where I'm going to have to see it to believe it.
Maybe he ends up at Pitt, starts the whole season, and ends up as an NFL draft pick. At this point I consider it more likely he doesn't graduate, isn't eligible to enroll at Pitt as a grad transfer, and goes to some kind of Plan B, whatever it is.
He (Hodges) would almost certainly be our starting RT if he were still here. He left due to academics I believe. Right now we have Tristian Nickelson who is huge but slow, and a couple of higher-upside sophomores who have been given every chance to grab the spot but have failed so far.
Stay at Safety? All info was that he was recruited as a CB. CJF is trying to get some bigger CB's to man-up to big WR's and allow a more aggressive defensive game plan. Sure, some of the bigger CB's may end up at Safety......
Tariq Castro-FieldsRiverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, MD)
- CB
- 6-1
- 173
288 33 8
Enrolled
6/25/2017
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Basic article from Dienhart...
This is an uber-talented Penn State squad that has the stuff to repeat. The offense could be the best in the Big Ten, led by Heisman-contending running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley. The line will be the school’s best in years. Plus, Mike Gesicki will be one of the Big Ten’s top tight ends. The defense has more issues, including developing pass rushers. But the high-powered offense should be able to cover any leaks the unit springs as it develops.
This is an uber-talented Penn State squad that has the stuff to repeat. The offense could be the best in the Big Ten, led by Heisman-contending running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley. The line will be the school’s best in years. Plus, Mike Gesicki will be one of the Big Ten’s top tight ends. The defense has more issues, including developing pass rushers. But the high-powered offense should be able to cover any leaks the unit springs as it develops.
Stay at Safety? All info was that he was recruited as a CB. CJF is trying to get some bigger CB's to man-up to big WR's and allow a more aggressive defensive game plan. Sure, some of the bigger CB's may end up at Safety
Tariq Castro-Fields
Safety
4 STARS
Riverdale Baptist
Upper Marlboro, MD
RR: 5.8
Analysis of the "lucky" "50/50" "armpunts" that Penn State won't be able to repeat in 2017
There are a ton of different routes that can be run off of an RPO, so let’s just start with one that is a home run threat every time –– one that resulted in a huge Chris Godwin touchdown last season.
It is called a “glance. The quarterback reads the safety who is covering the X receiver, while the X runs a skinny-post route. If the safety bites, the X will have a one-on-one in space with a cornerback.
Before you see the whole play, here is the read we are talking about. Watch the safety take several steps toward the middle of the field to help with a possible run between the tackles instead of dropping into coverage. This results in Godwin being left alone with an inexperienced corner, David Dowell. If that safety had started to drop into coverage Trace McSorley would have handed it off to the tailback.
via GIPHY
As you can see, McSorley looks down field and Godwin has Dowell easily beat. The quarterback hits him in-stride, and after this play, the Nittany Lions were well on their way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game.
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/football/article_2488f49a-7240-11e7-96e5-33a4b4ed9c92.html
There are a ton of different routes that can be run off of an RPO, so let’s just start with one that is a home run threat every time –– one that resulted in a huge Chris Godwin touchdown last season.
It is called a “glance. The quarterback reads the safety who is covering the X receiver, while the X runs a skinny-post route. If the safety bites, the X will have a one-on-one in space with a cornerback.
Before you see the whole play, here is the read we are talking about. Watch the safety take several steps toward the middle of the field to help with a possible run between the tackles instead of dropping into coverage. This results in Godwin being left alone with an inexperienced corner, David Dowell. If that safety had started to drop into coverage Trace McSorley would have handed it off to the tailback.
via GIPHY
As you can see, McSorley looks down field and Godwin has Dowell easily beat. The quarterback hits him in-stride, and after this play, the Nittany Lions were well on their way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game.
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/football/article_2488f49a-7240-11e7-96e5-33a4b4ed9c92.html
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1994 was my senior year, so I have really vivid memories of that offense. Carter had amazing speed (he got to the corner on the toss sweep so f'ing fast), combined with great power (I love the way he knocked over the Duck in the Rose Bowl) and vision.
However, I honestly don't think his "shiftiness" was on par with Barkley. Barkley makes people miss in a way that I really haven't seen since probably Reggie Bush.
Carter also had a *really* good offensive line to run behind. This year's line will be the best Saquon has had, but it won't approach the 1994 offensive line.
Judge, thanks for that. Carter was so great that I'm thinking of his great run against MSU that didn't make the cut.
If Quon gets any kind of blocking like the 94 line, lookout!!!
Let me translate....Pitt is going to get rolled so I need to put out the excuse of missing people now.
bwifan
Well-Known Member
The blocked kick thing that I see referred to as the "fluke" that allowed us to win that game is like the Zombie fact that won't die. Ohio State benefited from a blocked field goal, a fumbled punt that led to a TD for them, and a snap that sailed over our punter's head for a safety. All in the first half. But OUR special teams play makes the win a fluke.
PapaBucks 11 MINUTES AGO
Does the template include "pray like hell you get a couple blocked kicks" too?
DownEastBuck 4 HOURS AGO
PSU is talented but it took a fluke play at home, during a "white out" to beat the Buckeyes. I think a rested more experienced Ohio State team in the Shoe handles them pretty easily.
BuckeyeinWI 2 HOURS AGO
Like everyone else on this site, I'm looking forward to watching OHIO STATE kick their ass come October 28th!
Grangel
3 HOURS AGO Bought my ticket already. I project a VERY convincing win for the Buckeyes.
Celtic020 3 HOURS AGO
Timing on the schedule matters a lot in college football....no team shows up every week and plays well. Last year, we got Penn State on the road at night.....fresh off Wisconsin on the road at night. Penn State got us in that spot coming off a bye....HUGE advantage. This year, we get them off a bye at home, and they play Michigan the week before. Bet the farm -- blood bath. GO BUCKS.
Southalabamabuckeye 4 HOURS AGO
This one has an MSU 2014 feel. We know it's circled on the schedule and that Urban and the staff will have the players prepared. We also know that JT, Billy Price, and Tyquan Lewis will do their part in having the team laser focused. Buckeyes win by double digits.
KBonay
MOD 55 MINUTES AGO I'm not buying the McSorley stock.
You are thinking so 1990.... you don't win by saving a bunch of redshirt players, you win by recruiting players good enough to contribute early.
There we go! Good competition and all four can improve this facet of the game.
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