1) The Cabinda Crunch can now be entered into PSU lore along with the Lavar Leap...THAT play brings back echoes of LBU for sure
2) Franklin should be National Coach of the Year barring any letdown in the next 3 games...and IMO it shouldn't even be close. What he and the staff are doing with a decimated roster, which is already over-stocked with FR and RS FR, is nothing short of breathtaking. Guys I'm not sure if you REALLY realize it, but you are watching a coaching masterpiece in progress this year. And it's not 100% Franklin because Moorhead, Pry, Limegrover, Spencer, et al are all coaching their positions in a way that is just mind-boggling. I'm actually struggling to find the words to explain JUST how great a job they are doing with the players they have available. Just "Wow".
3) The "difference maker" in the whole process is the guy Matt Millen referred to repeatedly last night: Trace McSorley. When McSorley started running the ball this season, THAT'S when everything else took off...especially Barkley. McSorley's legs opened up a world of options for PSU and also, more importantly, dictated to the defense JUST how they would have to play PSU. The Safeties got off the LOS, Barkley started running wild, and the WRs were suddenly open all over the place.
4) Special recognition to Gesicki. Since I already mentioned Lavar's Leap, did anyone else besides me have a sudden FLASHBACK to MRob vs Minny when Gesicki steamrolled the Iowa DB along the sidelines? I have to admit I had severely underrated Gesicki's taste for hard contact and BOY do I love admitting I was wrong. Again I say with great eloquence, "Wow".
5) I'm glad Franklin gave his young lads a minor "heart to heart chat" after Barkley did a TINY but of showboating into the endzone. You know for 100% fact that Barkley isn't that kind of kid on a regular basis and was having a little fun out there. But I'm sure Franklin reminded him about maintaining his class, and never tempting a flag-happy ref to penalize his team 15 yards for unnecessary "celebrations" if that what you want to call it. (It was actually a little taunting and Barkley is much, MUCH better than that so Franklin brought the young man back to Earth...no harm done).
6) Moorhead is amazing. When he was hired I kept mentioning Paul Johnson and how he always seemed to have an answer to anything a defense would present to him, and how Moorhead reminded me of him. Well answering is one thing, but DOMINATING with a suspect OLine and a bunch of young guys in the backfield and an entire offensive unit JUST learning his new offense is another thing. Moorhead gets a "Wow".
7) Pry/Spencer and the whole defensive staff are earning their pay game after game since the young bucks finally settled in and gained experience. I think with Barkley etc on offense, the PSU defense is being a bit underappreciated. But look at the field position they hand the O, the big stops on 3rd and 4th downs, the picks, the sacks, etc etc. They are playing ::drum roll:: "Penn State Defense", which is to say "dominant defense".
8) Miles Sanders is on the verge of busting loose and showing that after Say Say, HE is The Man. IMO Franklin did the right thing with Sanders by holding him back a bit until he KNEW Miles was ready for bigtime football. And Miles is one lucky kid to have a mentor like Barkley. IMO the best is yet to come as Moorhead is starting to scheme things that utilize ALL the weapons that PSU has in its offensive arsenal. Tommy Stevens on a Jet Sweep...REALLY?
(Ran out of "wows" sorry)
I could go on and on but I'll stop for now. But one MORE time I'll repeat...assuming there are no major meltdowns in the next 3 games, Franklin should be awarded COY and IMO it's not even close...and you all know the reasons why so I won't even mention them.
2) Franklin should be National Coach of the Year barring any letdown in the next 3 games...and IMO it shouldn't even be close. What he and the staff are doing with a decimated roster, which is already over-stocked with FR and RS FR, is nothing short of breathtaking. Guys I'm not sure if you REALLY realize it, but you are watching a coaching masterpiece in progress this year. And it's not 100% Franklin because Moorhead, Pry, Limegrover, Spencer, et al are all coaching their positions in a way that is just mind-boggling. I'm actually struggling to find the words to explain JUST how great a job they are doing with the players they have available. Just "Wow".
3) The "difference maker" in the whole process is the guy Matt Millen referred to repeatedly last night: Trace McSorley. When McSorley started running the ball this season, THAT'S when everything else took off...especially Barkley. McSorley's legs opened up a world of options for PSU and also, more importantly, dictated to the defense JUST how they would have to play PSU. The Safeties got off the LOS, Barkley started running wild, and the WRs were suddenly open all over the place.
4) Special recognition to Gesicki. Since I already mentioned Lavar's Leap, did anyone else besides me have a sudden FLASHBACK to MRob vs Minny when Gesicki steamrolled the Iowa DB along the sidelines? I have to admit I had severely underrated Gesicki's taste for hard contact and BOY do I love admitting I was wrong. Again I say with great eloquence, "Wow".
5) I'm glad Franklin gave his young lads a minor "heart to heart chat" after Barkley did a TINY but of showboating into the endzone. You know for 100% fact that Barkley isn't that kind of kid on a regular basis and was having a little fun out there. But I'm sure Franklin reminded him about maintaining his class, and never tempting a flag-happy ref to penalize his team 15 yards for unnecessary "celebrations" if that what you want to call it. (It was actually a little taunting and Barkley is much, MUCH better than that so Franklin brought the young man back to Earth...no harm done).
6) Moorhead is amazing. When he was hired I kept mentioning Paul Johnson and how he always seemed to have an answer to anything a defense would present to him, and how Moorhead reminded me of him. Well answering is one thing, but DOMINATING with a suspect OLine and a bunch of young guys in the backfield and an entire offensive unit JUST learning his new offense is another thing. Moorhead gets a "Wow".
7) Pry/Spencer and the whole defensive staff are earning their pay game after game since the young bucks finally settled in and gained experience. I think with Barkley etc on offense, the PSU defense is being a bit underappreciated. But look at the field position they hand the O, the big stops on 3rd and 4th downs, the picks, the sacks, etc etc. They are playing ::drum roll:: "Penn State Defense", which is to say "dominant defense".
8) Miles Sanders is on the verge of busting loose and showing that after Say Say, HE is The Man. IMO Franklin did the right thing with Sanders by holding him back a bit until he KNEW Miles was ready for bigtime football. And Miles is one lucky kid to have a mentor like Barkley. IMO the best is yet to come as Moorhead is starting to scheme things that utilize ALL the weapons that PSU has in its offensive arsenal. Tommy Stevens on a Jet Sweep...REALLY?
(Ran out of "wows" sorry)I could go on and on but I'll stop for now. But one MORE time I'll repeat...assuming there are no major meltdowns in the next 3 games, Franklin should be awarded COY and IMO it's not even close...and you all know the reasons why so I won't even mention them.
