Yesterday was an excellent game and there are so many positives for this team. It was an awesome game to end the Pitt series and both teams deserve congratulations.
Unfortunately the PSU o-coordinator is a big lead weight that is going to cost this team 2-4 games. This is a team that might have playoff talent but you can pretty well book Orlando now for the steakhouse or rental car bowl.
He'll be gone at the end of the year -- Franklin does fire people. But for this season we have to adjust our expectations.
Really this is worse than John Donovan I. Donovan I was working with barely a Division 1 offensive line. Now Penn State has a full roster, an offense stocked with 4 star and 5 star players, many of whom will be in the NFL in a couple years.
For the second year in a row, we see really good individual performances and great effort, but an overall lack of production from the offense when the game is on the line. This team knows how to throw bombs and score a lot of points when an opponent is already beaten, but can't get first downs in pressure situations. That's coaching.
Penn State's third down conversion percentage for the year is 27% (113th of 130 Division 1). After the first game it was an eyebrow-raiser, but after three games it is a house fire.
Here's the list. Try to find another team at the bottom of the list that does the kind of recruiting Penn State does, that plays an early season schedule without major opposition. This isn't players. This is coaching.
https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/third-down-conversion-pct
Yesterday they had a third and four at midfield and the game was basically over if they converted. So Rahne sends two receivers 30 yards down the right sideline and Clifford has nowhere else to throw it. That's coaching.
Unfortunately the PSU o-coordinator is a big lead weight that is going to cost this team 2-4 games. This is a team that might have playoff talent but you can pretty well book Orlando now for the steakhouse or rental car bowl.
He'll be gone at the end of the year -- Franklin does fire people. But for this season we have to adjust our expectations.
Really this is worse than John Donovan I. Donovan I was working with barely a Division 1 offensive line. Now Penn State has a full roster, an offense stocked with 4 star and 5 star players, many of whom will be in the NFL in a couple years.
For the second year in a row, we see really good individual performances and great effort, but an overall lack of production from the offense when the game is on the line. This team knows how to throw bombs and score a lot of points when an opponent is already beaten, but can't get first downs in pressure situations. That's coaching.
Penn State's third down conversion percentage for the year is 27% (113th of 130 Division 1). After the first game it was an eyebrow-raiser, but after three games it is a house fire.
Here's the list. Try to find another team at the bottom of the list that does the kind of recruiting Penn State does, that plays an early season schedule without major opposition. This isn't players. This is coaching.
https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/third-down-conversion-pct
Yesterday they had a third and four at midfield and the game was basically over if they converted. So Rahne sends two receivers 30 yards down the right sideline and Clifford has nowhere else to throw it. That's coaching.