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Instant analysis: Hell yes, I'm happy...but...

Jerry

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2001
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Got up with a spring in my step this morning. This was a big win. Not pretty. Not perfect. But BIG! Late in the 4th quarter, people all over the land were ready to bail on the season, the coaches, the QB. Hell, friggin' DaQuan Jones is sending out Tweets calling for Cliff to be benched. And then one drive snatches victory from the jaws of defeat and changes everything.

That said, the running game does not appear to have experienced a resurrection from its last-season woes. For crying out loud, why can we not incorporate some stuff on the edge. Pitch-action where you get guys in space. We waste too many downs with this slow-developing, between-the-tackles stuff. Sure, you've got to run those too, but diversify the running attack for heaven's sake. You need a functional running game to have a good offense.

In addition, the receivers need to catch balls that are thrown right into their hands. Allar made a beautiful throw between two defenders, and the TE couldn't hold on to the ball. That was ust one example. You have to make some plays for the QB.

Also, the secondaries on both teams seemed to be grabbing on every pass. PI could have been called on every throw...and was called on a lot of them. Then again, I guess that's how the game is played today, We've got a very physical secondary, which is good. But against the Sacred Cows in Columbus and Ann Arbor, we're going to be crucified by the zebras.

Speaking of the secondary, really guys, the strutting and posing on every play is a bit much. Play the damn game and hold that shit until you actually bring away the W at the end.

As for the zebras, no complaints here. The targeting call was terrible, but it was made in the booth. Fact was, we got bailed out a couple times by penalties on Purdue. Felt damn good too.

Still, it was a great win and hopefully augurs well for the season. On the other hand, last year we came away with a great win on the road against Wisconsin, and well, and you know what eventually happened. But hope springs eternal. And last night gave us grounds for hope. Again, congrats to coaches and players!
 
Your comment on the run game is spot on. I don’t understand the design.
Dont we have guys on staff with NFL experience? You’d think one of them would comment on the ineffectiveness.

Also why can’t we execute a screen?
 
Third and long is a problem on both sides of the ball. Could not convert on O and had trouble getting pressure on D.
I know there may be on exception for each, but we were consistent.
 
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Got up with a spring in my step this morning. This was a big win. Not pretty. Not perfect. But BIG! Late in the 4th quarter, people all over the land were ready to bail on the season, the coaches, the QB. Hell, friggin' DaQuan Jones is sending out Tweets calling for Cliff to be benched. And then one drive snatches victory from the jaws of defeat and changes everything.

That said, the running game does not appear to have experienced a resurrection from its last-season woes. For crying out loud, why can we not incorporate some stuff on the edge. Pitch-action where you get guys in space. We waste too many downs with this slow-developing, between-the-tackles stuff. Sure, you've got to run those too, but diversify the running attack for heaven's sake. You need a functional running game to have a good offense.

In addition, the receivers need to catch balls that are thrown right into their hands. Allar made a beautiful throw between two defenders, and the TE couldn't hold on to the ball. That was ust one example. You have to make some plays for the QB.

Also, the secondaries on both teams seemed to be grabbing on every pass. PI could have been called on every throw...and was called on a lot of them. Then again, I guess that's how the game is played today, We've got a very physical secondary, which is good. But against the Sacred Cows in Columbus and Ann Arbor, we're going to be crucified by the zebras.

Speaking of the secondary, really guys, the strutting and posing on every play is a bit much. Play the damn game and hold that shit until you actually bring away the W at the end.

As for the zebras, no complaints here. The targeting call was terrible, but it was made in the booth. Fact was, we got bailed out a couple times by penalties on Purdue. Felt damn good too.

Still, it was a great win and hopefully augurs well for the season. On the other hand, last year we came away with a great win on the road against Wisconsin, and well, and you know what eventually happened. But hope springs eternal. And last night gave us grounds for hope. Again, congrats to coaches and players!
I have same concern about no running game on the edges and we seem to favor running right for little to no gain. It is still one dimensional and is not working. Also feel Wallace is a liability at @ RT.
Was Parrker Washington being blanketed in coverage or was Clifford not looking his way?
Tinsley is the real deal.

Defensively, the MLB position continues to struggle with covering crossing routes.
Is it me or does Issac seem smallish? Didn't show much last night.
Not sure PSU will see a QB the rest of the year who gets the ball out as quick as O'Connell and to as many receivers.
Sidebar: How ecstatic must that receiver Jones be who transferred from Iowa. He had a great game for Purdue.
 
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Third and long is a problem on both sides of the ball. Could not convert on O and had trouble getting pressure on D.
I know there may be on exception for each, but we were consistent.

Agree re pressure on their QB. It wasn't really there for much of the night, but late in the game in a couple key situations, we had some success in that department.

On the other side of the ball, I thought our OL did a really solid job in pass protection. As for the running game, at this point I honestly think the problem is more scheme than personnel.
 
Agree re pressure on their QB. It wasn't really there for much of the night, but late in the game in a couple key situations, we had some success in that department.

On the other side of the ball, I thought our OL did a really solid job in pass protection. As for the running game, at this point I honestly think the problem is more scheme than personnel.
I agree the running game problem is mostly scheme. Trautwein, the OL coach and Yurcich, the OC, both came here with excellent resumes and I doubt if they've forgotten how to coach. Our OL and RBs are mostly highly recruited guys who were coveted by other programs. So, what's the problem? I think our scheme is pass friendly, but not so good for the run.
 
Those delayed handoffs just do not seem to work in our running game. Watched part of the Pitt game before ours last night. They had the ball on the 10 YL. You should have seen the way their OL came off the ball; like they were shot out of a cannon. The pushed WV DL back 2-3 yards; a thing of beauty. The RB made it to the end zone with defenders hanging on him.

The announcers said "Pitt has one of the best OL in college football." When you watched them run block, there is no arguing here!!!
 
I think the run game will come around. I saw signs of life with the freshman. They should only use Lee in a power formation with Clifford under center. Too slow in the gun. They do need to be more creative in play calling the runs but both Singleton and Allen have a lot of talent. I thought the O line did better than we saw last year with run blocking. I am hopeful and optimistic it will gradually improve. Also remember right before the Clifford pick I think it was Lee got 9 yards. We should have kept running on that drive. Tinsley was open and with a good throw it is a big play but it was not so it ends up as a pick 6 and does not help our run stats. I think Franklin made a mistake last night and was too quick to revert to the pass in instances.
 
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Agree re pressure on their QB. It wasn't really there for much of the night, but late in the game in a couple key situations, we had some success in that department.

On the other side of the ball, I thought our OL did a really solid job in pass protection. As for the running game, at this point I honestly think the problem is more scheme than personnel.
Franklin said they do a good job scheming to get it out of O'Connell's hands fast. The guy is an NFL talent so he is not going to take a lot of sacks. I said it in preseason, Mustipher needs to round into form from the injury. Not there yet. D will get more stout as Diaz puts his fingerprints more on things.
 
I think the run game will come around. I saw signs of life with the freshman. They should only use Lee in a power formation with Clifford under center. Too slow in the gun. They do need to be more creative in play calling the runs but both Singleton and Allen have a lot of talent. I thought the O line did better than we saw last year with run blocking. I am hopeful and optimistic it will gradually improve. Also remember right before the Clifford pick I think it was Lee got 9 yards. We should have kept running on that drive. Tinsley was open and with a good throw it is a big play but it was not so it ends up as a pick 6 and does not help our run stats. I think Franklin made a mistake last night and was too quick to revert to the pass in instances.
In MLB a batter sometimes homers when the pitcher throws a "mistake." The really good hitters sometimes simply beat the pitcher to the spot.
In football sometimes the defensive scheme beats the offense to the "spot," or point of attack.
As to the burning question...."run or pass?" Old coaches had a saying...."depends on who has the chalk last."
 
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Your comment on the run game is spot on. I don’t understand the design.
Dont we have guys on staff with NFL experience? You’d think one of them would comment on the ineffectiveness.

Also why can’t we execute a screen?
Because the OL is not athletic enough in spots. Our screen game looks like a Pop Warner team executing.
 
Those delayed handoffs just do not seem to work in our running game. Watched part of the Pitt game before ours last night. They had the ball on the 10 YL. You should have seen the way their OL came off the ball; like they were shot out of a cannon. The pushed WV DL back 2-3 yards; a thing of beauty. The RB made it to the end zone with defenders hanging on him.

The announcers said "Pitt has one of the best OL in college football." When you watched them run block, there is no arguing here!!!
Funny but I was thinking the same thing last night when I saw that too. How can Pitt have an O line that fires off the ball but Penn State struggles for years?
 
That said, the running game does not appear to have experienced a resurrection from its last-season woes.
I was watching the game with a couple of PSU grads and they expressed the same concern. PSU will definitely need to find a running game when it goes against OSU, Michigan and MSU. If not, those DLs will just tee off on Clifford - especially OSU's DL
 
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Those delayed handoffs just do not seem to work in our running game. Watched part of the Pitt game before ours last night. They had the ball on the 10 YL. You should have seen the way their OL came off the ball; like they were shot out of a cannon. The pushed WV DL back 2-3 yards; a thing of beauty. The RB made it to the end zone with defenders hanging on him.

The announcers said "Pitt has one of the best OL in college football." When you watched them run block, there is no arguing here!!!
Didn’t watch Pitt game but give me a break.
 
I think the run game will come around. I saw signs of life with the freshman. They should only use Lee in a power formation with Clifford under center. Too slow in the gun. They do need to be more creative in play calling the runs but both Singleton and Allen have a lot of talent. I thought the O line did better than we saw last year with run blocking. I am hopeful and optimistic it will gradually improve. Also remember right before the Clifford pick I think it was Lee got 9 yards. We should have kept running on that drive. Tinsley was open and with a good throw it is a big play but it was not so it ends up as a pick 6 and does not help our run stats. I think Franklin made a mistake last night and was too quick to revert to the pass in instances.
Good points. I think part of the problem with the run game was too many series with predictable running plays up the middle on 1st and 2nd down against a defense stacking for the run on those downs. Nothing run with using the passing game to set up the run game.
 
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I was watching the game with a couple of PSU grads and they expressed the same concern. PSU will definitely need to find a running game when it goes against OSU, Michigan and MSU. If not, those DLs will just tee off on Clifford - especially OSU's DL
Let's see vs Ohio. I know it is Ohio but I am anxious to see if we can pound it down their throats. We could not do that against Nova last year or the other easy non conference game, I think Ball State. So if we can then we can at least say there is some improvement and trending positive.
 
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Good points. I think part of the problem with the run game was too many series with predictable running plays up the middle on 1st and 2nd down against a defense stacking for the run on those downs. Nothing run with using the passing game to set up the run game.
It was the first college game for Singleton and Allen. No matter how good you need some game experience. Purdue I don't think is that physical on the D Line so it will get much tougher sledding vs scUM and O$U BUT our RBs will be improved/more used to the speed of the college game by then. The O-Line should gel as long as we are not constantly swapping guys in and out of positions and I don't think we will since there is solid talent on that line.
 
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