Am I being too naive to think that....

[PennStateFacts]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

 

[m.knox]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

Stars.

It's pretty much acknowledged that the play calls are pared down due to the problems with the offense.

I believe there is a new article up on the front page saying such.

Barkley is a play maker. Everyone gets better with him.

 

[PSU-Knocker]

I have been hoping that is the case, but hope is all I have.

 

[auxgym]

Temple has a solid defense........until we see PSU execute against a good Big Ten defense...........we are getting ahead of ourselves. PSU needs to get healthy in a hurry or it will be tough. That being said I like the effort and help is a year or two away.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Most teams hold back plays for various portions of their schedules, and I would hope that we're no different. That said, I'm not anticipating a world of difference in play calling largely due to the persoanelle available to them.

 

[blion72]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

if we were not in nail bitter games every week that would be plausible. however, since we barely beat Army, you have to think nobody is holding anything back. we are bimissing talent in so many positions that it is hard to compete. we had one legit OL that could start on some other BIG teams, and he is gone. the play schemes seem to be around minimizing the damage possible from negative plays on OFF. the idea is to keep it close and win with DEF. this concept will be a big problem as we enter league play. IU is going to have a field day with us.

 

[wilbury]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

We are holding back plays because the coaching staff doesn't think we can execute certain plays. We've cut out deep passing because our oline, TE's and running backs can't block long enough to give us time. If a team chooses to blitz us like Temple did, we'll be in big trouble.

 

[royboy]

A healthy team and a dry day would be nice; should be some improvement. Enough to beat mid-level conference teams? don't know

 

[bdgan]

Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play?

Not a chance. The staff might hold back some plays if they don't need them in order to beat inferior opponents but PSU was all out to beat everybody but Rutgers.

They might add a new wrinkle from week to week but I'm pretty sure they haven't been holding back.

 

[Ranger Dan]

if we were not in nail bitter games every week that would be plausible. however, since we barely beat Army, you have to think nobody is holding anything back

That's not the way it I believe it works... its not like they practice 500 plays all the time but only use 100 of them in games. They may practice more of them in preseason camp (but not all), but then during the game week practices they focus plays and add additional wrinkles and combinations as the season goes along. Because of the OL issues, they may have decided not to roll out additional plays throughout the last couple of weeks. I think there is a good chance that we will see more plays, as we progress through the big ten portion of our schedule. This will be especially helpful if Nelson, Barley, Lynch, all return.

 

[rohrmd9]

Most teams hold back plays for various portions of their schedules, and I would hope that we're no different. That said, I'm not anticipating a world of difference in play calling largely due to the persoanelle available to them.

Yes because why would we ever want to reveal those just to try to beat Temple when we can save them and surprise Ohio St!

 

[thecoolestfish]

Yes because why would we ever want to reveal those just to try to beat Temple when we can save them and surprise Ohio St!

As Ranger so perfectly explained above, the plays they prepared for during the week are the plays they have. It's not like you can really decide on game-day, 'oh crap we're losing, let's go to these other plays!'

The 'holding plays back' takes place earlier in the week when they decide what will be the plays for that week.

 

[happyvalleydevil]

My gut is that the structure of planning and then implementing play calls is a little too rigid, not allowing for enough adaptation during the game.

 

[psuro]

I blame Harry "Lighthorse" Wilson for this debacle.

 

[bjf1984]

I blame Harry "Lighthorse" Wilson for this debacle.

I blame Bruce.

 

[lein]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

you mean like in that Rocky movie, where Rocky changes to fight left handed to throw off Mr T (or whomever?) So maybe when we play Ohio State, we break out the wishbone offense?

We certainly have more plays, but if we can't execute the ones we should be doing well, don't expect much more. It is possible they roll out some new aspects as the season progresses, but honestly, until personal stabilizes, I wouldn't expect much.

 

[zwick99]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

It does not matter. Donovan is a bad OC.

 

[SR108]

these offensive calls are not all we have in the playbook? Is it possible that Franklin and company are holding back a majority of the plays until Big Ten play? Or am I just aiming for the stars with this one? The o line looks 'better', and if Barkley and Lynch both come back, or at least Barkley...then the offense can actually open up and move on from bubble screens and quick slants. Again, am I being too optimistic? I said all my optimism would kill me around week 6 or 7. Someone help

More likely, they are holding back until they think the players can handle more. The weather also may have something to do with it.