2018 Preseason articles....

[TheWizardofCamelot]

Scouting Reports: Anonymous Rival Coaches Dish on 20 of the Nation's Best Teams

https://www.si.com/college-football...ing-reports-clemson-alabama-michigan-oklahoma


PENN STATE
Trace McSorley is a terrific quarterback. The thing that makes him so effective and difficult to defend is his savvy—he makes great decisions. But he’s also so tough. You can hit him over and over, and he just keeps getting up. His backup, Tommy Stevens, is terrific, too. Not many teams have one quarterback they should feel this good about, and these guys have two. ... They’ve turned the offensive line from a weakness into a strength. A couple of years ago they had big guys who were stiff, but each year they get more developed. ... Obviously running back Saquon Barkley is a big loss, but Miles Sanders would come in games last year and there would be no drop-off. Losing tight end Mike Gesicki is different; it’s tough to find another one like him, but Juwan Johnson could emerge as a playmaker. ...

Defensively, they do a good job of mixing up fronts and pressures and keeping you off balance with their safeties. And if you ask our kids, they'll say they're the most physical team we face. Their D-line is not the most talented, but guys like Kevin Givens and Shareef Miller play harder than anyone else we play. [Coordinator Brent] Pry makes it tough to make big plays.

It's a pretty big compliment to have other coaches/players recognize your defense as being "physical."

I can appreciate coaches noting the effort of our D-line but I also don't think many coaches will describe them as "not the most talented" again after this season.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[grinagrin]

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Thanks for the update Judge.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[ChiTownLion]

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Buckeye State Sports #FREEURBAN5 hours ago
Penn State scares me as a Buckeye fan more than any other Big ten team in terms of the next 5-10 years​

 

[Judge Smails]

Buckeye State Sports #FREEURBAN5 hours ago
Penn State scares me as a Buckeye fan more than any other Big ten team in terms of the next 5-10 years​

Bucks2TheNatty08/09/18 7:30 PM
1. Penn State

(HUGE GAP)

2. MSU

3. TTUN

Penn State is a top 5 team in the country. At Happy Valley will be our toughest game without a doubt. How many great teams have we taken there and either left with a loss or had to sweat way more than we should have? I don't care what anyone says, at Penn State in a whiteout is the toughest venue in college football.

+ 2 HS


Buckfrombirth08/09/18 9:21 PM
I can’t believe I’d ever agree that Happy Valley is more intimidating than the ‘Shoe, but it is, at least at night. The “NBA multimedia treatment” that OSU has given home games over the last decade is just plain weird for college football, IMHO.



MichaelTimer54 12 HOURS AGO
Good thoughts OP about the 4 teams. Those are the only games we have an objective chance to lose. My gut is only truly worried about Penn State. Those night games in Beaver Stadium can be a doozy.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I would bet there are very few scholarship players on the team who had better prep careers than Johnson.

I get supporting Johnson, but this comment is kinda ridiculous...

 

[Judge Smails]

 

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[Judge Smails]

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

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Stand up position rather than 3 on the ground. Yep. Sounds good!

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[SUPERTODD]

I get supporting Johnson, but this comment is kinda ridiculous...

Unless you have the ability to focus on the things I wrote before you conveniently cut them off.

 

[PSUQBKeeper]

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also the Lion, Tommy Stevens!

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

Several thoughts:

McGovern gave up the inside position?
Sanders dominated pass pro
#42 running 1st team DT
Trace being Trace
That was a 2 TE set near the goal line with Dalton and Bowers
Trace did that rolling left!

 

[Judge Smails]

 

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[Judge Smails]

 

[NJPSU]

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Several thoughts:

McGovern gave up the inside position?
Sanders dominated pass pro
#42 running 1st team DT
Trace being Trace
That was a 2 TE set near the goal line with Dalton and Bowers
Trace did that rolling left!

53 Hansard and 99 Gross Mattos and 34 Simmons were also out there. Looks like it was the second string D line.

 

[bmw199]

53 Hansard and 99 Gross Mattos and 34 Simmons were also out there. Looks like it was the second string D line.

But out with Reid, Johnson, Farmer, Armani, and Castro-Fields... more like 2nd rotation d line

 

[Judge Smails]

Good show overall, but they didn’t mention the deepest and most talented position on the team - defensive end.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[NJPSU]

But out with Reid, Johnson, Farmer, Armani, and Castro-Fields... more like 2nd rotation d line

Yep this D is deep.

 

[Bobpsu]

Listen, I get it that walk-ons can turn into great players and his name being mentioned is a testament to hard work. This isn't meant to be a knock on the kid at all. And again, this is all just MY OPINION. If Franklin truly has the trust in a walk-on who has rarely touched the field in 4 years, then so be it.

But let's be real for a moment. Will Bama, OSU, Clemson, Georgia, etc. be rolling out a Jan Johnson as their starting MLB? How long has he been in the program? And the only other time we've heard his name was during the 2016 Michigan game when we lost 5 LBers to injury that were ahead of him on the depth chart? Is he being mentioned only because we are extremely thin/inexperienced at MLB?

IMO, we won't go where we all want this team to go if Jan Johnson is the starting MLB this season. I like the idea of letting a younger, talented player grow into the position because his ceiling is much higher.

Who do you want covering JK Dobbins on a passing route on a crucial 3rd and 4? Spying Dwayne Haskins? Jan Johnson or Micah Parsons?

Wizard....I think you just took a wizz on yourself!

 

[Pocono Lion]

also the Lion, Tommy Stevens!

Saw Clifford & Levis in the line too. Looks like they have all of the QB’s do this drill.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

From DrumsAreOut on 247 board:


Gerry’s practice notes on Twitter:

- Our top 15 recruiting over the years shows in team talent level. The intensity and structure of practice will make sure that raw talent is developed.
- Very intense practice; especially for the day before a scrimmage. Wouldn’t have been possible during twoadays era.
- Camp is structured like game week - Monday is off day. Thinks that smart.
- LBs are deep, big, and talented. Don’t know who starters are, but they’ll be good.
- Hard to get a sense for how the run game looks outside of a live environment. Wished he could see the scrimmage.
- OL much improved. Probably the best we’ve had in a decade. Still probably not quite at Wiscy/OSU/MSU level though.

 

[Mudge1026]

From DrumsAreOut on 247 board:


Gerry’s practice notes on Twitter:

- Our top 15 recruiting over the years shows in team talent level. The intensity and structure of practice will make sure that raw talent is developed.
- Very intense practice; especially for the day before a scrimmage. Wouldn’t have been possible during twoadays era.
- Camp is structured like game week - Monday is off day. Thinks that smart.
- LBs are deep, big, and talented. Don’t know who starters are, but they’ll be good.
- Hard to get a sense for how the run game looks outside of a live environment. Wished he could see the scrimmage.
- OL much improved. Probably the best we’ve had in a decade. Still probably not quite at Wiscy/OSU/MSU level though.

So Penn State’s O line still not quite Wiscy/OSU/MSU?

Says who? I’ll give him OSU but those kids on the Wisconsin line are run blockers but can they pass protect like our guys?

And MSU? That’s laughable

 

[Judge Smails]

KiJana Carter. BTW, if you watch footage of McSorley’s twisting touchdown run against Michigan that ends with him diving at the pylon, it’s Carter who picks him up and yells in his face.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

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[Judge Smails]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...g-ten-replacing-stars-20180813-story,amp.html

10 Big Ten players on the spot in 2018

Miles Sanders, Penn State RB

Penn State's Miles Sanders fights off a tackle attempt by Michigan's Khaleke Hudson on Oct. 21, 2017, in State College, Pa. (Chris Knight / AP)
The nation’s consensus No. 1 running back recruit in the Class of 2016, Sanders bided his time for two years while Barkley won consecutive Chicago Tribune Silver Footballs as the Big Ten’s best player. Some observers believe Sanders, who has averaged 7.4 yards per carry in spot duty, might be a more consistent runner than Barkley, but whether he can be a similar weapon in the passing game is uncertain.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

Thompkins is going to be money in the slot.