Games at this level are decided by personnel strengths/weaknesses

[tboyer]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

 

[LandoComando]

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

It's not a "good" season. It's stagnant and not showing growth.
When your best win is Iowa it's a very disappointing season. It's great to beat bad teams but we need to eventually beat good teams.
Beat Michigan or the season is a flop.

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

Does Franklin touch the defense at all? And just let’s Manny be Manny? It seems like every year the same issues on offense rear their ugly head no matter that we’ve gone through 5 OCs in 10 years.

Franklin can’t actually coach - he’s elite at everything else, but he’s lost on the sideline and prep leading up to the game. I wouldn’t even call him mediocre with Xs and Os - he’s one of the worst game day coaches in football. Especially on offense. It’s criminal the defenses he’s wasted with horrendous offensive game plans, poor development, and any true vision of what the offense should be. Outside of 2 years with transcendent skill players, what offense was even somewhat decent? What is Franklin’s offensive philosophy? Has the offense ever had an identity?

If we’re stuck with Franklin, then Kraft needs to step in and help find an OC (maybe it’s still MY) and tell Franklin to GTFO of the room and just go recruit, build facilities/NIL, and deal with the media.

 

[Obliviax]

Great post and I agree completely.

It takes decades to build championship programs that compete consistently. Yes, every once in a while, you get a TCU that jumps up, but they still didn’t win. I think we made a mistake by joining the Big Ten, which really has only ever cared about Ohio State in Michigan. That is indisputable so if you’re the best quarterback wide receiver or defensive end and you have a chance to go to Michigan Ohio State or Penn State which one would you choose?

I give Franklin a lot of credit for getting us this far under the circumstances. Don’t forget we had a major setback in 2011, but we still aren’t there yet. I am hopeful expansion for the Big Ten as well as the national playoff will change things but we also have to contend with an IL, which will always favor the larger teams Programs

Someday I’m going to have to change from being a person that roots for the underdogs and starts just being a front runner. Go, Georgia Bulldogs!

 

[okinburg1]

Spot on post. Short version - they have the best receiver in college football and we don't have anyone in the top 50 (100?).

 

[PSU Soupy]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

Great post.......the offensive coaches knew this going into the game. the tOSU Coaches knew this after the 3rd series that we cannot beat anyone deep. bring everyone in......attack the run, challenge the 8 yard throws. What I remember about MY offense at Oklahoma State was that he threw the ball deep all of the time forcing the DBs to play back and then he would run the ball. We have a QB now that can heave it deep.....the OL played pretty well yesterday 46 drop backs and sacked 4 times by a tOSU defense who did not respect the throw is pretty decent. James......go get an elite big receiver out of GA State or Fresno or Troy.....we have decent 2nd and 3rd receivers........ the defense is solid, RBs solid, TE's decent.....QB will grow. Need a #1 WR.

 

[JimNazium]

The OL gets more credit than deserved too. The center really needs to do a better job with his shot gun snaps.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

well let's say that defensive TD doesn't get called back and Hardy catches the punt around the 50 yard line. then maybe we have 13 points going into the 4th. so i am not so sure this was a talent gap issue. Harrison was good but i have see receivers do far more damage than he did yesterday, even in psu wins. but i don't know if I have seen a psu qb look that out of sync in a really long time. maybe Morelli in some big games. I think it was a coaching issue

 

[KCLion]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

All good points, but . . . . 4th down in the middle of 4th qtr down 13-6 and an opportunity to pin them deep with the way the defense was playing / that’s coaching.

 

[LemonEars]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

Exactly right. If we have Harrison Jr, we win the game easily. If we had Parker Washington, we probably win. If we had Godwin, Dotson, or some other elite receiver, we win the game. The loss was all about the receivers.

 

[tboyer]

Spot on post. Short version - they have the best receiver in college football and we don't have anyone in the top 50 (100?).

Yes. One of the Fox analysts said just that -- Ohio State has Harrison Jr. and Penn State doesn't. That was the game.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

Yes. One of the Fox analysts said just that -- Ohio State has Harrison Jr. and Penn State doesn't. That was the game.

I felt like the game was over when #25 decided not to catch the punt at the 50 yard line. that ended our momentum from pushing osu back

 

[tboyer]

All good points, but . . . . 4th down in the middle of 4th qtr down 13-6 and an opportunity to pin them deep with the way the defense was playing / that’s coaching.

Yes, that's why Klatt was saying, if Yurcich has anything left in his bag of tricks, now's the time. But the bag was empty. They had used everything they had.

If you watch the game, they actually tried a lot of trick plays but Ohio State is so disciplined and so incredibly fast, none of it works. They're not fooled.

None of it works on a PSU defense either -- the players are too good. That goalline stand was a thing of beauty -- Ohio State actually called some good plays that would have worked on 99% of teams, but PSU D was just too good.

That is what top tier football looks like. Games are won and lost by the slimmest of margins. You have someone like Harrison who is 6-4 and runs a 4.4. and has a sky high football IQ and catches everything -- will not just be an NFL player but a perennial all-Pro. You have someone like that, that's good for a touchdown in a game like this.

 

[tboyer]

I felt like the game was over when #25 decided not to catch the punt at the 50 yard line. that ended our momentum from pushing osu back

That hurt -- the punt was kind of popped up high because the punter had no room in the back of endzone and it just caught the wind and blew deep and Hardy misjudged it. Hardy doesn't have a lot of experience as a punt returner and it showed on that one.

But I wouldn't say that was the nail in the coffin. Really the nail in the coffin was that PSU couldn't do anything offensively for the entire second half. It really didn't matter where they got the ball or how many possessions they had, they weren't going to score.

 

[tboyer]

Great post.......the offensive coaches knew this going into the game. the tOSU Coaches knew this after the 3rd series that we cannot beat anyone deep. bring everyone in......attack the run, challenge the 8 yard throws. What I remember about MY offense at Oklahoma State was that he threw the ball deep all of the time forcing the DBs to play back and then he would run the ball. We have a QB now that can heave it deep.....the OL played pretty well yesterday 46 drop backs and sacked 4 times by a tOSU defense who did not respect the throw is pretty decent. James......go get an elite big receiver out of GA State or Fresno or Troy.....we have decent 2nd and 3rd receivers........ the defense is solid, RBs solid, TE's decent.....QB will grow. Need a #1 WR.

For sure Allar's inexperience played a role. He is really focused on not turning the ball over and that is a great way for a young quarterback to play. His margin of comfort for targeting a receiver is pretty large right now, and as he gets experience (and gets more trust in receivers) he'll have more comfort throwing into tight windows.

But he didn't get strip-sacked or throw a pick-six which usually happens against Ohio State. If he had, Ohio State would have won by more. I'm glad Allar holds on to the ball.

 

[bcspsu]

Yes. One of the Fox analysts said just that -- Ohio State has Harrison Jr. and Penn State doesn't. That was the game.

Michigan doesn’t have a Marvin Harrison either, but they almost surely will beat OSU at home. That’s because in the last three seasons, Harbaugh has built an offensive identity and stuck with it, and builds the offense to his players’ strengths. Meanwhile, whatever identity that PSU had as an offense was abandoned yesterday, did not play to its strengths, and was a hodgepodge of nothingness.

 

[tboyer]

Great post and I agree completely.

It takes decades to build championship programs that compete consistently. Yes, every once in a while, you get a TCU that jumps up, but they still didn’t win. I think we made a mistake by joining the Big Ten, which really has only ever cared about Ohio State in Michigan. That is indisputable so if you’re the best quarterback wide receiver or defensive end and you have a chance to go to Michigan Ohio State or Penn State which one would you choose?

I give Franklin a lot of credit for getting us this far under the circumstances. Don’t forget we had a major setback in 2011, but we still aren’t there yet. I am hopeful expansion for the Big Ten as well as the national playoff will change things but we also have to contend with an IL, which will always favor the larger teams Programs

Someday I’m going to have to change from being a person that roots for the underdogs and starts just being a front runner. Go, Georgia Bulldogs!

It's Penn State's misfortune to be in a division with two top-5 teams that are more talented right now, but people shouldn't let that fool them -- Penn State's program is in a really good place right now, a much better place than 5 years ago or even 10-15 years ago. Franklin has done a really good job hiring assistants and recruiting and developing players -- and he's done a great job of getting PSU to approve the kind of salary increases that made it possible to hire Yurcich and Diaz. Franklin has worked incredibly hard and is worth what they're paying him IMHO.

The 12-team playoff will be great for PSU. It takes a little pressure off Ohio State and Michigan games. They can begin the playoff against SEC or PAC teams and hopefully win and maybe see Ohio STate again in a semifinal or national final. I think if you see PSU in a national playoff and doing well, it will help some of the people here appreciate what Franklin has built.

 

[jferretti]

Exactly right. If we have Harrison Jr, we win the game easily. If we had Parker Washington, we probably win. If we had Godwin, Dotson, or some other elite receiver, we win the game. The loss was all about the receivers.

We are told we have the best RB duo in the country. We are told we have a top five pick at OT and a Center who will be in the pros. We are told we have two NFL Tight ends. Instead of wringing our hands about how OSU deploys their talent advantage at WR and we can't match it, how about we deploy our talent advantage and run the damn ball. Come out with something new, like an unbalanced line, and dare Osu to stop our talented backs running behind an All American tackle. Why are we always dictated to instead of taking the initiative

Remember two years ago when Illinois showed up at the Beav and just ran the ball with an unbalanced line that took forever for us to solve. Ingenuity (coaching) in times of great challenges can tip the balance. Our game planning with the offense had no sense of scheming or novel ways to attack the Bucks. After two weeks of prep time I expected something different, especially when everyone could see the shortcomings in the WR room.

 

[bcspsu]

We are told we have the best RB duo in the country. We are told we have a top five pick at OT and a Center who will be in the pros. We are told we have two NFL Tight ends. Instead of wringing our hands about how OSU deploys their talent advantage at WR and we can't match it, how about we deploy our talent advantage and run the damn ball. Come out with something new, like an unbalanced line, and dare Osu to stop our talented backs running behind an All American tackle. Why are we always dictated to instead of taking the initiative

Remember two years ago when Illinois showed up at the Beav and just ran the ball with an unbalanced line that took forever for us to solve. Ingenuity (coaching) in times of great challenges can tip the balance. Our game planning with the offense had no sense of scheming or novel ways to attack the Bucks. After two weeks of prep time I expected something different, especially when everyone could see the shortcomings in the WR room.

Obviously, with the defense that we have and the very erratic and poor play of the qb in road games, that should’ve been the game plan. I have a feeling that if we had stuck with the run, while it may have been shut down in the first half, it could’ve taken over the game in the second half. If that plan had failed, I would’ve accepted that outcome. PSU has to play offense this season like Wisconsin did under Alvarez because that where the strengths are.

There never was any way we were going to win this game by putting it in Allar’s hands and relying on a passing game that has resembled the passing attack that was used in many seasons under Paterno in the 70s and 80s. It was just terrible coaching.

 

[KCLion]

Yes, that's why Klatt was saying, if Yurcich has anything left in his bag of tricks, now's the time. But the bag was empty. They had used everything they had.

If you watch the game, they actually tried a lot of trick plays but Ohio State is so disciplined and so incredibly fast, none of it works. They're not fooled.

None of it works on a PSU defense either -- the players are too good. That goalline stand was a thing of beauty -- Ohio State actually called some good plays that would have worked on 99% of teams, but PSU D was just too good.

That is what top tier football looks like. Games are won and lost by the slimmest of margins. You have someone like Harrison who is 6-4 and runs a 4.4. and has a sky high football IQ and catches everything -- will not just be an NFL player but a perennial all-Pro. You have someone like that, that's good for a touchdown in a game like this.

I’ve watched plenty of good football and none of what you stated addressed my post that you responded to regarding the decision to panic in desperation with about 1/8 of the game left. Tricks were not what was needed. What was needed was sound coaching. The tricks that were attempted were no good, out of sync and broke momentum that they had at the time.

 

[SLion]

We are told we have the best RB duo in the country. We are told we have a top five pick at OT and a Center who will be in the pros. We are told we have two NFL Tight ends. Instead of wringing our hands about how OSU deploys their talent advantage at WR and we can't match it, how about we deploy our talent advantage and run the damn ball.

Exactly. Last I saw, OSU got its rear kicked by UM at home with Egbuka, Harrison and Fleming all playing. Why? Because their OL absolutely dominated OSU with Edwards going for 215 by himself. We do not have OL strength. It is a lie and the running game continues to suffer. It is not Allen or Singleton. It is CJF, MY and Trautwein collectively not having their players and schemes ready like the big boys

 

[PAgeologist]

Great post and I agree completely.

It takes decades to build championship programs that compete consistently. Yes, every once in a while, you get a TCU that jumps up, but they still didn’t win. I think we made a mistake by joining the Big Ten, which really has only ever cared about Ohio State in Michigan. That is indisputable so if you’re the best quarterback wide receiver or defensive end and you have a chance to go to Michigan Ohio State or Penn State which one would you choose?

I give Franklin a lot of credit for getting us this far under the circumstances. Don’t forget we had a major setback in 2011, but we still aren’t there yet. I am hopeful expansion for the Big Ten as well as the national playoff will change things but we also have to contend with an IL, which will always favor the larger teams Programs

Someday I’m going to have to change from being a person that roots for the underdogs and starts just being a front runner. Go, Georgia Bulldogs!

Remember when a lot of people said nobody would consistently beat Saban? Georgia is the pinnacle now, till the next great coach is found.

 

[okinburg1]

It's Penn State's misfortune to be in a division with two top-5 teams that are more talented right now, but people shouldn't let that fool them -- Penn State's program is in a really good place right now, a much better place than 5 years ago or even 10-15 years ago. Franklin has done a really good job hiring assistants and recruiting and developing players -- and he's done a great job of getting PSU to approve the kind of salary increases that made it possible to hire Yurcich and Diaz. Franklin has worked incredibly hard and is worth what they're paying him IMHO.

The 12-team playoff will be great for PSU. It takes a little pressure off Ohio State and Michigan games. They can begin the playoff against SEC or PAC teams and hopefully win and maybe see Ohio STate again in a semifinal or national final. I think if you see PSU in a national playoff and doing well, it will help some of the people here appreciate what Franklin has built.

The 12 team playoff point needs to be emphasized at times like this. Had that been the format from the beginning PSU would have made it 5 times already, far and away the most of all the teams that have not yet qualified.
With the 12 team format, and provided PSU maintains the same level going forward (also, they might improve), they will make the playoffs with regularity and just 'getting in' gets you in the running to get on a roll and end up playing for a NC.

 

[PSUPride1]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

Any weakness we have relative to play makers is Franklin's fault. He's supposed to be a great recruiter but yet we have nothing resembling a big time playmaker on the outside. No more excuses for James.

 

[fairfaxlion2]

The 12 team playoff point needs to be emphasized at times like this. Had that been the format from the beginning PSU would have made it 5 times already, far and away the most of all the teams that have not yet qualified.
With the 12 team format, and provided PSU maintains the same level going forward (also, they might improve), they will make the playoffs with regularity and just 'getting in' gets you in the running to get on a roll and end up playing for a NC.

get ready for us to have a ceiling of 13 or 14 unless we go undefeated

 

[LandoComando]

The 12 team playoff point needs to be emphasized at times like this. Had that been the format from the beginning PSU would have made it 5 times already, far and away the most of all the teams that have not yet qualified.
With the 12 team format, and provided PSU maintains the same level going forward (also, they might improve), they will make the playoffs with regularity and just 'getting in' gets you in the running to get on a roll and end up playing for a NC.

Now the Big Ten adds Oregon Washington and USC. It won't be easy but getting into the playoff must be a regular occurrence

 

[wilbury]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

No different than last year when everyone crucified Clifford vs UM but he had absolutely no one open all game. The fact is we're better than everyone in the ACC, PAC 12 and Big 12 but not better than OSU, Michigan, Bama or Georgia (and maybe LSU) but it's not good enough because we're stuck at 3rd place in our own division and we need more at OL and WR to get over the hump.

 

[LandoComando]

No different than last year when everyone crucified Clifford vs UM but he had absolutely no one open all game. The fact is we're better than everyone in the ACC, PAC 12 and Big 12 but not better than OSU, Michigan, Bama or Georgia (and maybe LSU) but it's not good enough because we're stuck at 3rd place in our own division and we need more at OL and WR to get over the hump.

We'll soon find out if we're better than the top of the Pac XII. Agree about the ACC and Big XII

 

[royboy]

Any weakness we have relative to play makers is Franklin's fault. He's supposed to be a great recruiter but yet we have nothing resembling a big time playmaker on the outside. No more excuses for James.

If only....Lonnie White wasn't such a good baseball player...

Yeah, recruiting choices haven't worked out, and the portal hasn't provided much help either. Fatal team flaw against good teams.

 

[scrivener]

Michigan doesn’t have a Marvin Harrison either, but they almost surely will beat OSU at home. That’s because in the last three seasons, Harbaugh has built an offensive identity and stuck with it, and builds the offense to his players’ strengths. Meanwhile, whatever identity that PSU had as an offense was abandoned yesterday, did not play to its strengths, and was a hodgepodge of nothingness.

Exactly right...to simplify this down to us not having MHJR is a total copout. It took a goal line run for OSU to beat ND and MHJR was neutralized...does ND have big league WR's? No. Yet, they came within a second of beating OSU and pounded USC.

Our perceived strengths entering the season on offense, OL and RB, have been average at best, if I'm generous. Olu got taken to task yesterday by JTT, Nourzad's snaps have been awful, Wallace and Wormley are mid...this OL is average. The RB's haven't been game changers in any of our 7 games this year and look slow.

So despite having a putrid WR room, other areas that we counted on being good to very good, just haven't been. Every team in CFB, incuding the elite's have trouble spot areas, yet they find ways to overcome. We don't and haven't for most of JF's tenure. Not having any identity is one of many valid reasons...and accountability being another.

This was a one-score game most of the way...if allar could have put together one good drive, or even quarter, we probably win. Our defense was giving the offense every chance to win the game. This had less to do with MHJR, and most to do with our ineptitude, mental softness, dumb mistakes, etc.

 

[ryoder1]

Yes. One of the Fox analysts said just that -- Ohio State has Harrison Jr. and Penn State doesn't. That was the game.

Any why was he not double covered every play? King mugs him because he's scared as hell that he cuts back to the opposite corner wide open with no help.
The implication is a 14pt swing and huge momentum swing to OSU. Why King needs to mug him there is a separate discussion We could have won if that didn't happen. Not saying we definitely would have but that would have been huge in our favor in a game everyone said could hinge on turnovers and we just snagged a scoop and score.

I agree with your premise that we are weak at WR but not buying that we could never have won or the Monday morning quarterback excuse of see we shouldn't be surprised we knew this all along. This is letting the coaches and specifically Yurcich and Franklin off the hook way too easily. Make some effing adjustments. Figure out a scheme for crying out loud. We have two NFL tight ends. We had some success running. Use swing passes. I am not a coach but c'mon man. Was it difficult to move the ball? Hell yes. Should we had been better than 1-16 on 3rd down conversions and gained more than 6 yards in the second half excluding the garbage TD against their prevent from winning defense? Hell yes. They had their second string CB. You can't tell me there was no matchup ever in that 2nd half that we couldn't have exploited at least for a 20 yard gain.

Our offensive ineptitude was epic and embarrassing. I get we are not a big play offense. Okay does that mean we never can get a first down or ever come remotely close to scoring a TD? We get a muffed punt at midfield and do nothing, inexcusable. We get the turnover and lay an egg. We could have driven 50 yards for a tying score with no play being more than 7 or 8 yards. Yes it was tough to move the ball on them, I get it but we (the coaches) need to figure it out. It was not all the WR's fault. Allar is to blame, the playcalling, the O-Line looked pretty shaky at times also.

The defense played great but could we not have limited Harrison to say 7 catches for 120 yards? More double coverage? McCord was shaky, his security blanket is Harrison. Take that away and make him earn it without his pet receiver. Oh by the way no Egbuka for him either. I am not blaming the defense merely a commentary on what could have been done better.

This is a results driven business. Franklin needs to deliver results as in winning big games against either OSU or Michigan or both and he is failing. He gets paid way too much money to put out a piss poor product like this offense out on the field. That was so freaking Mickey Mouse. This loss stops with him, he is accountable. I don't want to hear excuses that they have the best WR. This was a weaker than normal OSU team and yes Harrison is really good but we could have overcome that. It would have not been easy but we played miserably on offense and that is on the coaches starting with Franklin and the entire offense.

 

[hoflane]

The 12 team playoff point needs to be emphasized at times like this. Had that been the format from the beginning PSU would have made it 5 times already, far and away the most of all the teams that have not yet qualified.
With the 12 team format, and provided PSU maintains the same level going forward (also, they might improve), they will make the playoffs with regularity and just 'getting in' gets you in the running to get on a roll and end up playing for a NC.

This does not need to be highlighted at all. It isn’t reality. It’s just feel good make believe to cover up our inadequacies. Why does the playoff need to change format? Too accommodate mediocrity? Too generate more revenue and viewership? It’s complete garbage IMO….I don’t think final rankings should be the ultimate qualifier. I believe there should incentives for wins vs top 25 teams along with final rankings. This would exclude us from the playoff every year.

 

[blair10]

Nobody should have been surprised by the outcome yesterday. It was big time football, and big time football games, absent turnovers, are decided by team personnel weaknesses -- in this case a single weakness. PSU doesn't have a single playmaker at wideout who can make a difference in a game like this.

Franklin didn't want to talk about it last week -- that's what his anger at the presser was about -- he didn't want to talk about it yesterday, but Joel Klatt was referencing it repeatedly during the broaadcast.

We've been talking about this for months. PSU doesn't have a single wideout who would play for Ohio State or Michigan (or for that matter Georgia or Alabama or Fla. State or Oklahoma or USC). PSU can work around it against lesser opponents but it the weakness rears its head against elite opponents.

PSU has no one who can get separation against good corners, and they don't have anyone who can even make a play on a 50-50 ball. Any throw downfield against a quality secondary is risking an interception. That's why PSU doesn't throw downfield -- it's too risky. And without the ability to throw downfield, the safeties can stay low and jam the run, and the corners can play aggressively and cover the short sideline stuff and over the middle, and Allar is looking at a field where there is simply no one open.

KLS is a good solid receiver but he's small and can't fight a top tier corner for a ball -- it is just isn't his game. He's a good #2 or #3 but he's not a #1 for a top 10 team. Allar made a desperation throw late in the game -- it would have been caught by a Chris Godwin, or a Blacknall or even maybe a Juwan Johnson. But KLS had no chance. The corner was closer to catching the ball than he was.

PSU is at parity with tOSU and Michigan in many ways this year -- and that represents progress. This PSU defense is so athletic it looks like an Ohio State defense. The OL and running backs are pretty close to Ohio State/Michigan level. PSU has a QB who, when he gets a little more experience, will make all the throws.

But the wideout problem is going to keep this team from winning this type of game until Franklin can get some size at wideout and ideally size with speed. You know he's tried, you know he's well aware of the weakness. That's why they keep firing wideout coaches -- it's not the coaching, it's the recruiting.

Anyway, it's pointless to be depressed about it. Penn State is a solid Top 10 program, they're just not a Top 5 program. At home with just a little help from Michigan, they could beat Michigan, but if Michigan plays turnover-free they should win, and PSU will be 10-2 again and maybe go back to the Rose Bowl again? It's a good season and PSU fans should not be crying.

I can only assume you were kidding by stating another 10-2 season, losing to Ohio State and Michigan again, finishing in 3rd place in the B1G East again, and going to another irrelevant bowl represents a good season? You can’t be serious.

 

[LandoComando]

I can only assume you were kidding by stating another 10-2 season, losing to Ohio State and Michigan again, finishing in 3rd place in the B1G East again, and going to another irrelevant bowl represents a good season? You can’t be serious.

Sadly they are. Expectations are too low for what is "good" around here. That should be our floor.