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Moorhead

PennStateTurf2002

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Aug 28, 2010
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I sit in the stands and hear people complain the entire game about playcalling and singing the praises of Joe Moorhead. I find playcalling to be questionable sure but I don’t understand the love fest for Joe Moorhead. Sure he gave us some nice concepts and the offense has done a complete turnabout from the Donovan days but didn’t Trace have a pretty successful bowl game after Hack got hurt pre-Moorhead? Maybe, just maybe the resumes are a little inflated by the generational talent that was on this offensive football team. Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, Godwin were amazing offensive talents. Not only did they pad Moorhead and Franklin’s resume, Rahne in the bowl game looked pretty darn good too. I think we have seen some fall off in trace this year too, he surely benefitted from these guys as well.

Look at Moorhead vs Mullen at Miss State. He inherited a solid offense with 8 of 11 returning offensive starters and a third year starting QB. They are averaging almost 10 points a game less in 2018 vs 2017. Miss State has scored in single digits more this year (4) then they have the 3 previous years combined (3).

Too many people and followers bow to these coaches for 2016, 2017 successes but a defense having to worry/plan for the generational talent of Barkley in every facet of the game while also dealing with the incredible receivers on the field...that would make a lot of QBs, offensive lines, coaches and game plans look solid. Remember Moorhead called the plays when PSU blew big late leads to USC in 2016 bowl game, 2017 Ohio state. A 2017 victory against Ohio State would have probably landed them in the CFP.

This isn’t apologetic toward Franklin, Rahne and the offensive coaches this year but they had some players they were really counting on to carry them underperform or outright struggle/slump. I think great players and great performances make any coach and game plan look good, we didn’t get enough of that when it mattered this year, we had just the opposite...mistakes, drops, penalties and missed opportunities.
 
I sit in the stands and hear people complain the entire game about playcalling and singing the praises of Joe Moorhead. I find playcalling to be questionable sure but I don’t understand the love fest for Joe Moorhead. Sure he gave us some nice concepts and the offense has done a complete turnabout from the Donovan days but didn’t Trace have a pretty successful bowl game after Hack got hurt pre-Moorhead? Maybe, just maybe the resumes are a little inflated by the generational talent that was on this offensive football team. Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, Godwin were amazing offensive talents. Not only did they pad Moorhead and Franklin’s resume, Rahne in the bowl game looked pretty darn good too. I think we have seen some fall off in trace this year too, he surely benefitted from these guys as well.

Look at Moorhead vs Mullen at Miss State. He inherited a solid offense with 8 of 11 returning offensive starters and a third year starting QB. They are averaging almost 10 points a game less in 2018 vs 2017. Miss State has scored in single digits more this year (4) then they have the 3 previous years combined (3).

Too many people and followers bow to these coaches for 2016, 2017 successes but a defense having to worry/plan for the generational talent of Barkley in every facet of the game while also dealing with the incredible receivers on the field...that would make a lot of QBs, offensive lines, coaches and game plans look solid. Remember Moorhead called the plays when PSU blew big late leads to USC in 2016 bowl game, 2017 Ohio state. A 2017 victory against Ohio State would have probably landed them in the CFP.

This isn’t apologetic toward Franklin, Rahne and the offensive coaches this year but they had some players they were really counting on to carry them underperform or outright struggle/slump. I think great players and great performances make any coach and game plan look good, we didn’t get enough of that when it mattered this year, we had just the opposite...mistakes, drops, penalties and missed opportunities.

This is the difference between MSU 17 and MSU 18 it isnt Donovan....

One day after he was introduced to Gator Nation, new Florida football coach Dan Mullen announced that his long-time assistant, John Hevesy, would join him as a co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach in Gainesville.

Coming off his ninth season at Mississippi State, Hevesy spent the past three seasons as the Bulldogs’ co-offensive coordinator in addition to overseeing the offensive line, which he had done since 2009.

With 24 years of coaching experience at Trinity, Brown, Syracuse, Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Mississippi State, Hevesy returns to Gainesville with a wealth of knowledge amongst the offensive line and running game.

Since the 2013 season, seven of Hevesy’s protégés have reached the NFL. Offensive tackle Martinas Rankin, and tight end Jordan Thomas became the latest when the Houston Texans selected them both in the third and sixth round, respectively, of the 2018 NFL Draft.
 
Dan Mullen left Miss State and went to Florida, he inherited 10 returning starters at Florida including the QB. Florida has jumped up about 10 points per game from last year to this. 22 points per game in 2017 and 31 points per game this year.
 
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Dan Mullen left Miss State and went to Florida, he inherited 10 returning starters at Florida including the QB. Florida has jumped up about 10 points per game from last year to this. 22 points per game in 2017 and 31 points per game this year.
yes and I explained that reason as well. John Hevesy, OL coach
 
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This is the difference between MSU 17 and MSU 18 it isnt Donovan....

One day after he was introduced to Gator Nation, new Florida football coach Dan Mullen announced that his long-time assistant, John Hevesy, would join him as a co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach in Gainesville.

Coming off his ninth season at Mississippi State, Hevesy spent the past three seasons as the Bulldogs’ co-offensive coordinator in addition to overseeing the offensive line, which he had done since 2009.

With 24 years of coaching experience at Trinity, Brown, Syracuse, Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Mississippi State, Hevesy returns to Gainesville with a wealth of knowledge amongst the offensive line and running game.

Since the 2013 season, seven of Hevesy’s protégés have reached the NFL. Offensive tackle Martinas Rankin, and tight end Jordan Thomas became the latest when the Houston Texans selected them both in the third and sixth round, respectively, of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Mullen has a great offensive staff, no doubt.
 
Drops, pass protection, and some inaccuracy from Trace have been the biggest things that has held this offense back this year. Lately, of course, the knee injury that Trace suffered really has hurt his elusiveness and speed. That was and is a big part of our offense. And Juwan Johnson and Thompkins you could have logically expected to have break out years based on their body of work coming into this season, especially down field. They, along with Polk, were huge disappointments.

On the positive side, Rahne has really improved the run game from a scheme perspective. The amount of lost yards is way down, you don't see those mesh points blown up 7 yards behind the LOS that we would see all the time with JoeMo.

I keep going back to the dropped INT from Amani O. that would have ended the MSU game. Right.In.His.Hands. Two loss season is a lot easier to swallow but it is what it is.

Finish with beating Rutgers and MD and a bowl win and have a good chance to finish in the Top 10 with another 10 win season for the third straight year. First time that's been done here since 80-82. Then you have ~15 to 18 starters returning for next year.
 
On the positive side, Rahne has really improved the run game from a scheme perspective. The amount of lost yards is way down, you don't see those mesh points blown up 7 yards behind the LOS that we would see all the time with JoeMo.

Please. 26 isn’t in the backfield that’s we get more honest defensive play - run game (schematically) is the same this year as it was last year and what they are running in Starkville this season.
 
I sit in the stands and hear people complain the entire game about playcalling and singing the praises of Joe Moorhead. I find playcalling to be questionable sure but I don’t understand the love fest for Joe Moorhead. Sure he gave us some nice concepts and the offense has done a complete turnabout from the Donovan days but didn’t Trace have a pretty successful bowl game after Hack got hurt pre-Moorhead? Maybe, just maybe the resumes are a little inflated by the generational talent that was on this offensive football team. Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, Godwin were amazing offensive talents. Not only did they pad Moorhead and Franklin’s resume, Rahne in the bowl game looked pretty darn good too. I think we have seen some fall off in trace this year too, he surely benefitted from these guys as well.

Look at Moorhead vs Mullen at Miss State. He inherited a solid offense with 8 of 11 returning offensive starters and a third year starting QB. They are averaging almost 10 points a game less in 2018 vs 2017. Miss State has scored in single digits more this year (4) then they have the 3 previous years combined (3).

Too many people and followers bow to these coaches for 2016, 2017 successes but a defense having to worry/plan for the generational talent of Barkley in every facet of the game while also dealing with the incredible receivers on the field...that would make a lot of QBs, offensive lines, coaches and game plans look solid. Remember Moorhead called the plays when PSU blew big late leads to USC in 2016 bowl game, 2017 Ohio state. A 2017 victory against Ohio State would have probably landed them in the CFP.

This isn’t apologetic toward Franklin, Rahne and the offensive coaches this year but they had some players they were really counting on to carry them underperform or outright struggle/slump. I think great players and great performances make any coach and game plan look good, we didn’t get enough of that when it mattered this year, we had just the opposite...mistakes, drops, penalties and missed opportunities.

..all good points.

To me, JoeMo was, directionally, the best OC we've had at PSU that I can remember. Frankly, you are correct in that Barkley was a generational RB. However, we didn't have fantastic personnel across the board. We had some good WR and a TE that could really catch (but not block). We had a so-so OL.

Regardless, at a 10,000 foot level, JoeMo was awesome. I am comfortable in saying that this offensive scheme lacks a ball control/short running game dimension. It is what it is. We also scored more points than at any time in our history. But every scheme has its weaknesses.

at a 30 foot level, JoeMo should have been more aggressive with leads against powerful offenses like tOSU and USC. But those are general gripes.

Rahne is learning. We'll see. The fourth and five call against tOSU and the motion/Tommy play against Wiscy seem to me to be fundamentally dumb calls. So you wonder if this is an anomaly or a pattern. We also suffered from a lack of ball control run game and too timid of an offense against both tOSU and MSU. To me, you run a controlled passing game mixed with the RPO to complete passes, run the clock, but have something for when the Defense brings seven people.

Overall, it is what it is. We are using a ton of RS and True FR receivers (Hamler, Dotson, Friermuth). In fact, IIRC, 72% of the total snaps for WR and TEs were taken by FR or RS FR versus Wiscy. That is a lot of youth, inexperience and inconsistency to overcome. So Rahne has done a decent to good job IMHO given the drops by JJ, Thompkins & Polk.
 
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..all good points.

To me, JoeMo was, directionally, the best OC we've had at PSU that I can remember. Frankly, you are correct in that Barkley was a generational RB. However, we didn't have fantastic personnel across the board. We had some good WR and a TE that could really catch (but not block). We had a so-so OL.

Regardless, at a 10,000 foot level, JoeMo was awesome. I am comfortable in saying that this offensive scheme lacks a ball control/short running game dimension. It is what it is. We also scored more points than at any time in our history. But every scheme has its weaknesses.

at a 30 foot level, JoeMo should have been more aggressive with leads against powerful offenses like tOSU and USC. But those are general gripes.

Rahne is learning. We'll see. The fourth and five call against tOSU and the motion/Tommy play against Wiscy seem to me to be fundamentally dumb calls. So you wonder if this is an anomaly or a pattern. We also suffered from a lack of ball control run game and too timid of an offense against both tOSU and MSU. To me, you run a controlled passing game mixed with the RPO to complete passes, run the clock, but have something for when the Defense brings seven people.

Overall, it is what it is. We are using a ton of RS and True FR receivers (Hamler, Dotson, Friermuth). In fact, IIRC, 72% of the total snaps for WR and TEs were taken by FR or RS FR. That is a lot of youth, inexperience and inconsistency to overcome. So Rahne has done a decent to good job IMHO given the drops by JJ, Thompkins & Polk.



Jo Mo has to GO thread on MSU board.

https://247sports.com/college/mississippi-state/Board/102871/Contents/JoMo-has-got-to-go-122684114/
 
OP: I would tend to agree with you. I do think that Moorhead has now seen the downside of having a QB who doesn't have the skills to run the RPO (reads and passing at MissSt). I think Moorhead is a great offensive mind who is only in his third year in the P5. Personally, my criticism is the loyalty to the scheme itself.

I love CJF, but I kind of cringe when he talks about the RPO being "who [they] are" and that there is not enough time to do other things like going under center, pro-set, etc.

OSU put an entirely new offense in for Haskins. They didn't even struggle early, but both PSU and OSU have basically 3 or 4 games to get the kinks out.
UM: although Jimma has stayed within his offensive ideology, you do see some diversity in their schemes.
Bama runs a bunch of different stuff.

If PSU's QB room is as great as it seems to be, I question why they can't have (instead of the Lion): an under-center-package (even with TS at QB), a non-RPO package that isolates mismatches (I see no reason why JJ couldn't be used on similar routes that Gesicki ran like the 10-15 flag routes - which seems to be an area where JJ can get open or overpower defender). It would also be nice to let the OL let loose every once in a while and go upfield and pound on people at the second level in the running game.

Oddly, I see Moorhead as being a "young coach" because of his short time in the big league. I think that he'll be fine at MissSt unless he refuses to bring in other offensive minds to challenge his rigidity. (CJF should do this as well)
 
I sit in the stands and hear people complain the entire game about playcalling and singing the praises of Joe Moorhead. I find playcalling to be questionable sure but I don’t understand the love fest for Joe Moorhead. Sure he gave us some nice concepts and the offense has done a complete turnabout from the Donovan days but didn’t Trace have a pretty successful bowl game after Hack got hurt pre-Moorhead? Maybe, just maybe the resumes are a little inflated by the generational talent that was on this offensive football team. Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, Godwin were amazing offensive talents. Not only did they pad Moorhead and Franklin’s resume, Rahne in the bowl game looked pretty darn good too. I think we have seen some fall off in trace this year too, he surely benefitted from these guys as well.

Look at Moorhead vs Mullen at Miss State. He inherited a solid offense with 8 of 11 returning offensive starters and a third year starting QB. They are averaging almost 10 points a game less in 2018 vs 2017. Miss State has scored in single digits more this year (4) then they have the 3 previous years combined (3).

Too many people and followers bow to these coaches for 2016, 2017 successes but a defense having to worry/plan for the generational talent of Barkley in every facet of the game while also dealing with the incredible receivers on the field...that would make a lot of QBs, offensive lines, coaches and game plans look solid. Remember Moorhead called the plays when PSU blew big late leads to USC in 2016 bowl game, 2017 Ohio state. A 2017 victory against Ohio State would have probably landed them in the CFP.

This isn’t apologetic toward Franklin, Rahne and the offensive coaches this year but they had some players they were really counting on to carry them underperform or outright struggle/slump. I think great players and great performances make any coach and game plan look good, we didn’t get enough of that when it mattered this year, we had just the opposite...mistakes, drops, penalties and missed opportunities.
I seem to recall a healthy dose of posters lamenting that JoeMo and his delayed hand offs etc. "cost SB the Heisman." By now it is relatively easy to figure out who is popular with a segment of the fan base. The players on the bench, or the players that don't start.......the coaches we don't have. I'll bet the same guys covet their neighbors wife. In three years JoeMo went from coaching at Fordham, to being the HC at MSU and financially set for life. All because James Franklin gave him a shot. Just as another aside, when Franklin choose JoeMo, it didn't exactly bring down the house here with approval.
 
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Please. 26 isn’t in the backfield that’s we get more honest defensive play - run game (schematically) is the same this year as it was last year and what they are running in Starkville this season.

I don’t think the run game is the same. We seem to give Sanders the ball more quickly than Barkley got it. My favorite series of the season was last week in the 4th quarter when they gave the ball over and over to Sanders.
 
I don't get all the hate for Rahne. Even the 4th and 5 call, they at least explained the logic behind it. OSU just made a great defensive call to counter it. Just haven't seen enough to say Rahne's not the right guy. Called a great game in the Fiesta Bowl against a top-ranked defense. Thought the gameplan vs. OSU was solid. Called a great game vs. Wisky. Plus, he doesn't want to be a HC. Having that stability (assuming he continues to learn and grow as an OC) is a tremendous asset to the program. And maybe Rahne isn't the guy. But I think it's too early to tell. Overall, I'm fine with what I've seen this year from him. How many promising drives have been killed by drops or fumbles? The drops and 95% of the fumbles aren't on Rahne.

My biggest concerns are the guys we picked to run STs and WRs. It's very concerning that PSU isn't able to keep a guy like Gattis from making a lateral move to a school like Alabama or Clemson. I could live with Huff leaving. He got a nominal promotion. But we should have been able to come up with the $$ to keep Gattis. That's troubling. And STs have been a complete disaster this year. It'd be one thing if we were just missing FGs. We've got a freshman kicker. You'd expect growing pains there. But the repeated success against PSU with fake punts, and fake FGs, and OS kicks? Gotta make a change there. Every week it's the Keystone Kops on ST.
 
Please. 26 isn’t in the backfield that’s we get more honest defensive play - run game (schematically) is the same this year as it was last year and what they are running in Starkville this season.

Go listen to JF's media availability last night where he says exactly what I wrote above, an improvement in scheme led to improvement in the run game.

You probably know more about that than the head coach, though, to be fair.
 
I don’t think the run game is the same. We seem to give Sanders the ball more quickly than Barkley got it. My favorite series of the season was last week in the 4th quarter when they gave the ball over and over to Sanders.

It’s QB read option and an RPO 45 set block scheme. We might be calling more plays not reading a LB or Safety for the RPO but it’s the same run game. I think the success has to do with defenses having to play more honest (which I am not complaining about).

I agree that some of my favorite drives have been feeding RB1 the rock but we need to have a large breath of run scheme if we want to have a more successful 4 minute offense.
 
Drops, pass protection, and some inaccuracy from Trace have been the biggest things that has held this offense back this year. Lately, of course, the knee injury that Trace suffered really has hurt his elusiveness and speed. That was and is a big part of our offense. And Juwan Johnson and Thompkins you could have logically expected to have break out years based on their body of work coming into this season, especially down field. They, along with Polk, were huge disappointments.

On the positive side, Rahne has really improved the run game from a scheme perspective. The amount of lost yards is way down, you don't see those mesh points blown up 7 yards behind the LOS that we would see all the time with JoeMo.

I keep going back to the dropped INT from Amani O. that would have ended the MSU game. Right.In.His.Hands. Two loss season is a lot easier to swallow but it is what it is.

Finish with beating Rutgers and MD and a bowl win and have a good chance to finish in the Top 10 with another 10 win season for the third straight year. First time that's been done here since 80-82. Then you have ~15 to 18 starters returning for next year.
totally agree. I love Amani but he'll remember that dropped INT for the rest of his life. (as I still remember plays not made in high school)
 
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It’s QB read option and an RPO 45 set block scheme. We might be calling more plays not reading a LB or Safety for the RPO but it’s the same run game. I think the success has to do with defenses having to play more honest (which I am not complaining about).

I agree that some of my favorite drives have been feeding RB1 the rock but we need to have a large breath of run scheme if we want to have a more successful 4 minute offense.

 
Go listen to JF's media availability last night where he says exactly what I wrote above, an improvement in scheme led to improvement in the run game.

You probably know more about that than the head coach, though, to be fair.

I think he’s playing politician there. Rahne is getting heat from a lot of areas and he is trying to handle media. I’d want my boss to do the same for me if that’s any consolation
 
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I sit in the stands and hear people complain the entire game about playcalling and singing the praises of Joe Moorhead. I find playcalling to be questionable sure but I don’t understand the love fest for Joe Moorhead. Sure he gave us some nice concepts and the offense has done a complete turnabout from the Donovan days but didn’t Trace have a pretty successful bowl game after Hack got hurt pre-Moorhead? Maybe, just maybe the resumes are a little inflated by the generational talent that was on this offensive football team. Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, Godwin were amazing offensive talents. Not only did they pad Moorhead and Franklin’s resume, Rahne in the bowl game looked pretty darn good too. I think we have seen some fall off in trace this year too, he surely benefitted from these guys as well.

Look at Moorhead vs Mullen at Miss State. He inherited a solid offense with 8 of 11 returning offensive starters and a third year starting QB. They are averaging almost 10 points a game less in 2018 vs 2017. Miss State has scored in single digits more this year (4) then they have the 3 previous years combined (3).

Too many people and followers bow to these coaches for 2016, 2017 successes but a defense having to worry/plan for the generational talent of Barkley in every facet of the game while also dealing with the incredible receivers on the field...that would make a lot of QBs, offensive lines, coaches and game plans look solid. Remember Moorhead called the plays when PSU blew big late leads to USC in 2016 bowl game, 2017 Ohio state. A 2017 victory against Ohio State would have probably landed them in the CFP.

This isn’t apologetic toward Franklin, Rahne and the offensive coaches this year but they had some players they were really counting on to carry them underperform or outright struggle/slump. I think great players and great performances make any coach and game plan look good, we didn’t get enough of that when it mattered this year, we had just the opposite...mistakes, drops, penalties and missed opportunities.

It's amazing how brilliant coaches become when player talent lives up to expectations.
 
.... another 10 win season for the third straight year. First time that's been done here since 80-82. Then you have ~15 to 18 starters returning for next year.

To be fair, if we are judging by comparison with the past, we play an extra game now. For a winning program a slightly better comparison would be based on losses, i.e., how often did we have 3 or less losses? Answer: 1993 thru 1999 -- 7 years in a row.

Then we had the dark years with an aging Paterno, nepotism, stubbornness, and so on. Then sanctions.

What has happened over the last three years is great considering the intended kill-blow, but it isn't that great compared to history and what should be expected with the school's advantages.
 
It’s QB read option and an RPO 45 set block scheme. We might be calling more plays not reading a LB or Safety for the RPO but it’s the same run game. I think the success has to do with defenses having to play more honest (which I am not complaining about).

I agree that some of my favorite drives have been feeding RB1 the rock but we need to have a large breath of run scheme if we want to have a more successful 4 minute offense.

But not every running play is an option, right? The plates that seem to be designed handoffs are happening quicker than they were last year. Of course, I do know the intracacies of the offense so I may well be wrong, but I don’t see the dreaded 1.5 second delay in the handoff that I saw last year.
 
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But not every running play is an option, right? The plates that seem to be designed handoffs are happening quicker than they were last year. Of course, I do know the intracacies of the offense so I may well be wrong, but I don’t see the dreaded 1.5 second delay in the handoff that I saw last year.

Correct, not every play is. But we have run the vast vast vast majority in a read option.

A play I miss from last year is QB iso - I know we won't see it for the remainder of the year because of 9's flat but that was head and shoulders my favorite running play we ran.
 
Drops, pass protection, and some inaccuracy from Trace have been the biggest things that has held this offense back this year. Lately, of course, the knee injury that Trace suffered really has hurt his elusiveness and speed. That was and is a big part of our offense. And Juwan Johnson and Thompkins you could have logically expected to have break out years based on their body of work coming into this season, especially down field. They, along with Polk, were huge disappointments.

On the positive side, Rahne has really improved the run game from a scheme perspective. The amount of lost yards is way down, you don't see those mesh points blown up 7 yards behind the LOS that we would see all the time with JoeMo.

I keep going back to the dropped INT from Amani O. that would have ended the MSU game. Right.In.His.Hands. Two loss season is a lot easier to swallow but it is what it is.

Finish with beating Rutgers and MD and a bowl win and have a good chance to finish in the Top 10 with another 10 win season for the third straight year. First time that's been done here since 80-82. Then you have ~15 to 18 starters returning for next year.

plus 1,000 on that dropped int .gawd that hurt
 
All figures adjusted for strength of opponent:


PSU Offense... 2017 vs 2018: Rankings (out of 130 D1 Programs):
(With 8 returning starters - including 5 OL and a 3-Year "Heisman Caliber" QB)

Efficiency 8th …. to 61st
Drive Success Rate 10th .... to 52nd
Yards Earned 7th …. to 74th
Touchdown Rate 7th …. to 48th

And - supposedly the weakness of the 2017 Offense, Ball Control (and, relatively, it was the "weakest link" of the 2017 offense):

Ball Control 38th …. to 87th (The "watch the grass grow, Ricky" offense has been 10% MORE likely to yield a 3-and-Out than the 2017 O. Wonder how many folks know that?)

Link Here:
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff



It is what it is.
I'm sure the guy in charge of making the decisions is more than well aware of all "that stuff".... what he will do about it? That's the question.
Rah did has last year’s playbook but he’s just calls the plays from there, he doesn’t understand the scheme.
 
All figures adjusted for strength of opponent:


PSU Offense... 2017 vs 2018: Rankings (out of 130 D1 Programs):
(With 8 returning starters - including 5 OL and a 3-Year "Heisman Caliber" QB)

Efficiency 8th …. to 61st
Drive Success Rate 10th .... to 52nd
Yards Earned 7th …. to 74th
Touchdown Rate 7th …. to 48th

And - supposedly the weakness of the 2017 Offense, Ball Control (and, relatively, it was the "weakest link" of the 2017 offense):

Ball Control 38th …. to 87th (The "watch the grass grow, Ricky" offense has been 10% MORE likely to yield a 3-and-Out than the 2017 O. Wonder how many folks know that?)

Link Here:
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff



It is what it is.
I'm sure the guy in charge of making the decisions is more than well aware of all "that stuff".... what he will do about it? That's the question.
Thanks for that...great stats.

Have to factor in the Barkley affect. also the Hamilton, & Gesicki, affects.
 
Thanks everyone. Had fun following your discussion if you agreed with me or not. I am not judging Rahne yet. Franklin has a huge contract and the job security as a head coach isn’t something to bank on anymore. As he showed with Donovan, he isn’t gonna stick around with someone if he doesn’t think they are up to the challenge, friend, long time associate or not. I trust Franklin to evaluate all the coaches each year and make the proper decisions because ultimately you are 1 bad year away from all the pressure of the world on your shoulders and a seat that is very very hot. Winning the B1G championship so fast might have been a curse for him because it raises expectations to a very high level really fast. Means even less wiggle room if he falters.

They lost a ton of talent from last year, they have had players they counted on to make plays that didn’t come thru. We will see how it plays out. I am usually of the opinion 1 or 2 plays do not decide the game but you can honestly look at where we were at the end of OSU and MSU games and point to 3 plays that would have finished them with a win.

1). Trace tucking and running on the play pass past the LOS. If he doesn’t waltz into the endzone, he is darn close. Thompkins leveled the only defender down there.
2). JJ dropped a TD right in his hands that would have sealed the Ohio state game
3). AO dropping the interception that seals the game vs Michigan State.

We are that freaking close to being 9-1 right now and planted nicely in the top 10, even with all the other issues and the experienced talent lost form last years team on coaching staff and roster.
 
Correct, not every play is. But we have run the vast vast vast majority in a read option.

A play I miss from last year is QB iso - I know we won't see it for the remainder of the year because of 9's flat but that was head and shoulders my favorite running play we ran.

How about that drive where they rode Sanders down the field? Weren’t those mostly just direct handoffs?
 
plus 1,000 on that dropped int .gawd that hurt


That int is what we’ll all remember, but let’s be honest. That game should NEVER have come down to MSU’s final drive.

Playing at home.....payback time from last year.....coming off a bye week.....against a beat-up and injured MSU team.....that should have been a 17-20+ pt victory.
 
So he went to Alabama where there is no clear path to the OC job--same as PSU?
actually he went to Alabama to be co offensive coordinator with a clear path to being OC. as soon as Locksley moves on or blows himself up, which ever come first. Had he'd stayed, under what scenario do you see him being OC at PSU?
 
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