After rewatching this morning...

[broey1]

obviously, the best drive was the “Noah Cain” drive. What made that drive so different..... one obviously was Cain was having success running in between the tackles for 5 yards a clip. However, Rahne elimated the Pitt pass rush by getting the ball out quickly “horizontally”. My quick assessment is the o line can be adequate just running downhill, struggles in pass plays that require time, the quick passing game can work. And for GODS SAKE on 3rd and long teams are bringing it.... throw some GD screens to slow them down.

This is all

 

[BobPSU92]

Clifford had more time to throw in the second half. Maybe Rahne made adjustments at halftime.

 

[broey1]

Ps.... the two back set looked promising. Utilize the backs (particularly Slade) in the passing game.

 

[massimoManca II]

obviously, the best drive was the “Noah Cain” drive. What made that drive so different..... one obviously was Cain was having success running in between the tackles for 5 yards a clip. However, Rahne elimated the Pitt pass rush by getting the ball out quickly “horizontally”. My quick assessment is the o line can be adequate just running downhill, struggles in pass plays that require time, the quick passing game can work. And for GODS SAKE on 3rd and long teams are bringing it.... throw some GD screens to slow them down.

This is all

It’s not helping Clifford and our OL that not one of our (4) highly touted running backs have demonstrated that they are willing or able to help protect their QB

 

[Thorndike2012]

AND, we ran the ball better with Thorpe at RG. The kid has attitude and a mean streak. Keep him in the game!

 

[LionDeNittany]

obviously, the best drive was the “Noah Cain” drive. What made that drive so different..... one obviously was Cain was having success running in between the tackles for 5 yards a clip. However, Rahne elimated the Pitt pass rush by getting the ball out quickly “horizontally”. My quick assessment is the o line can be adequate just running downhill, struggles in pass plays that require time, the quick passing game can work. And for GODS SAKE on 3rd and long teams are bringing it.... throw some GD screens to slow them down.

This is all

I think the difference is we ran on 1st instead of throwing an incomplete pass.

On that drive I believe we ran on first most times.

The rest of the game we threw intermediate or long and started at 2nd and 10.

Playcaller wants to establish the pass to open the running lanes. It isnt happening.

LdN

 

[psuno1]

Ps.... the two back set looked promising. Utilize the backs (particularly Slade) in the passing game.

Slade looked really fast in open space, just need to run plays to getting that open space, need to run that play more often- instead of running him into the line for no gain time and time again.

 

[Locolion]

It’s not helping Clifford and our OL that not one of our (4) highly touted running backs have demonstrated that they are willing or able to help protect their QB

Slade sucks at blocking. Horrible

 

[ralphster]

How about a run that goes outside the tackles?!?! Every freaking handoff goes up the middle!!!

And can we just have a couple of plays in the playbook where the OL can actually run-block?! Just a couple! How difficult would it be?!?! So tired of watching this damn RPO scheme where the entire OL stands straight up instead of shooting forward while the play is a run!!!

 

[Grass]

obviously, the best drive was the “Noah Cain” drive. What made that drive so different..... one obviously was Cain was having success running in between the tackles for 5 yards a clip. However, Rahne elimated the Pitt pass rush by getting the ball out quickly “horizontally”. My quick assessment is the o line can be adequate just running downhill, struggles in pass plays that require time, the quick passing game can work. And for GODS SAKE on 3rd and long teams are bringing it.... throw some GD screens to slow them down.

This is all

I give you credit for rewatching that game. I deleted it as soon as I could.

 

[1000_OaksLion]

It's clear are backs aren't very good blockers. Slade is small and has bad technique. Pitt blitzed there linebackers in the first half forcing the rbs to stay in and block. It appeared to me that in the second half when the lbs blitzed the rbs didn't block by design but immediately released to the flat where Cliff could throw a quick, short pass. The back in space could make a play.

I know this offense is suppose to thrive with explosive plays like deep throws. But if Cliffs deep ball isn't working because of lack of time and/or inaccuracy, the short passing game needs to be used more often. Get the ball to the play making rbs in space. This offense has a lot of upside if the coaching staff takes what the defense gives them instead of looking for the "explosive play". The athlete in the right situation can make the play explosive. It's not the X's and O's it's the Jimmy's and Joe's.

 

[Lavar5150]

Slade sucks at blocking. Horrible

Brown was just as bad

 

[PaoliLion]

Slade sucks at blocking. Horrible

Yes, he shouldn’t be on the field until he gets it fixed.

 

[ftlpsu]

It's clear are backs aren't very good blockers. Slade is small and has bad technique. Pitt blitzed there linebackers in the first half forcing the rbs to stay in and block. It appeared to me that in the second half when the lbs blitzed the rbs didn't block by design but immediately released to the flat where Cliff could throw a quick, short pass. The back in space could make a play.

I know this offense is suppose to thrive with explosive plays like deep throws. But if Cliffs deep ball isn't working because of lack of time and/or inaccuracy, the short passing game needs to be used more often. Get the ball to the play making rbs in space. This offense has a lot of upside if the coaching staff takes what the defense gives them instead of looking for the "explosive play". The athlete in the right situation can make the play explosive. It's not the X's and O's it's the Jimmy's and Joe's.

It is the X's and O's. The staff needs to design plays to take advantage of their Jimmy's and Joe's.

 

[GregInPitt]

Slade looked really fast in open space, just need to run plays to getting that open space, need to run that play more often- instead of running him into the line for no gain time and time again.

I don't know what play you were referring to with Slade, but in general RB's need to break tackles in order to get into open space and Slade does not do much of that. And together with his ball security failures IMO he is the 4th best RB on the roster.

Slade did take that screen type pass and dash down the middle of the defense. But even on the end of that play he could not break a single tackle or make a single defender miss. I just don't see much elusiveness from Slade and it's not like he's very shifty either. We need a better RB on the field than Slade for PSU to break into the top tier of college football again. JMO.

 

[not so fast my friend]

I don't know what play you were referring to with Slade, but in general RB's need to break tackles in order to get into open space and Slade does not do much of that. And together with his ball security failures IMO he is the 4th best RB on the roster.

I agree two back set may be interesting....if the backs can actually block. Also with 3 WR +TE and sometimes a RB in routes, Clifford doesn't have the time to checkdown to a 3rd or 4th option. So a second back or TE to block so there is time for just 2 or 3 in a route to be found makes sense to me. As the Defensive Lines improve even more against our OL, we likely can't have 5 out in routes as no time to find any of them.

 

[indynittany]

obviously, the best drive was the “Noah Cain” drive. What made that drive so different..... one obviously was Cain was having success running in between the tackles for 5 yards a clip. However, Rahne elimated the Pitt pass rush by getting the ball out quickly “horizontally”. My quick assessment is the o line can be adequate just running downhill, struggles in pass plays that require time, the quick passing game can work. And for GODS SAKE on 3rd and long teams are bringing it.... throw some GD screens to slow them down.

This is all

We don't run screens, which is also why we can't defend against them.

 

[katchthis]

Slade sucks at blocking. Horrible

Slade blocks at times like a matador. Ole'. Cain's a bruising runner, and could think he could use that strength to be the best pass blocker.

 

[indynittany]

It's clear are backs aren't very good blockers. Slade is small and has bad technique. Pitt blitzed there linebackers in the first half forcing the rbs to stay in and block. It appeared to me that in the second half when the lbs blitzed the rbs didn't block by design but immediately released to the flat where Cliff could throw a quick, short pass. The back in space could make a play.

I know this offense is suppose to thrive with explosive plays like deep throws. But if Cliffs deep ball isn't working because of lack of time and/or inaccuracy, the short passing game needs to be used more often. Get the ball to the play making rbs in space. This offense has a lot of upside if the coaching staff takes what the defense gives them instead of looking for the "explosive play". The athlete in the right situation can make the play explosive. It's not the X's and O's it's the Jimmy's and Joe's.

Moorhead's thing was "throw it to them running away". You don't have to go deep to have an explosive play.

I think the offense will click when Clifford calls his own number more.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I don't know what play you were referring to with Slade, but in general RB's need to break tackles in order to get into open space and Slade does not do much of that. And together with his ball security failures IMO he is the 4th best RB on the roster.

Slade makes me nervous. VERY nervous. If you’re ball security is iffy you better run like Barry Sanders, which he isn’t exactly doing.

 

[83wuzme]

If JF wants big plays, we need to run the ball more and better. This will open things up and give defenses more things to worry about.

 

[Cosmos]

It is the X's and O's. The staff needs to design plays to take advantage of their Jimmy's and Joe's.

I know. I read that and thought, contradiction much!

 

[Cosmos]

Moorhead's thing was "throw it to them running away". You don't have to go deep to have an explosive play.

I think the offense will click when Clifford calls his own number more.

Ahh, didn't he "call his own number" on a short and goal against Buffalo when if had he handed off to the RB (I think it was Ford) it would've been a TD.