Great second half yesterday. Honestly, I was never concerned in the first half as we kept shooting ourselves in the foot and Purdue was struggling to hold their advantage. A quick turnover and Purdue's fragile psyche comes apart.
- Seemed to me the refs called a favorable game for Purdue. They are not a good football team but we let them get into it. They like the new coach, they are nuts if they go hire anyone on the open market instead of hiring him going forward.
- For example, the long TD pass Purdue hit mid-third quarter the WR pushed off to get separation. The goof balls in the booth never mentioned it. Nor did the refs. Whatever.
- Also, we got called for a personal file hitting a kid while he was throwing the ball away while stepping OOB. Kid was making a play so he's open to the hit, IMHO. That was a bad call on a key 3rd and ten in the second quarter. No biggie, it turns out. But it was a bad call.
- Got a kick out of the "quite a drop off after Cabinda" comment. Probably true, against PItt and UM, but not so much any more.
- Love the way the staff is using the defensive personnel. DL looks fresh all game. Nice to see we perform well in the second half (Pitt, Minny, tOSU, Purdue). I'd like to see better starts but we've owned the second half every game except UM.
- Not sure what was up with Trace. He managed a good game but he looked like he regressed at running the read option. Seemed he missed several "keeps" on read-options that were open for him. are we calling no option options again? Also, his short and mid range passing was not as accurate as usual. Still, he managed a very good game with no turnovers. The offense, as it has all season, executed. Sometimes they get beat but there are few mental errors and missed assignments. Only once all season did I see a personnel screw up.
- Gesicki wasn't 100%, we will need him to be for Iowa and that is a key. We are very thin at TE, probably (now) our thinnest position given the time the LB and DL have had to mature.
- We have to be the best team in the nation at winning 50/50 balls. Is it our large WR's? Does TM has some kind of secret 50/50 ball weapon? Is it a great chemistry between TM and our WR's? Is it some kind of combination? IDK, but it is working like nothing I've ever seen. And, he is getting the time.
- I thought the line did OK, but Purdue's line isn't going to make anyone forget the fearsome foursome. Good pass blocking, and sometimes running. But there was a lot of penetration that blew up zone-reads.
- Barkley? What can you say. Kid is a stone cold beast. IMHO, the best RB PSU has ever had. Kid is big, fast, strong, has good hands and can block. He's got great vision and an incredible cut. He is very fast as you can see kids take bad angles when he attacks the edge. He seems to be deceptively fast, like Pryor from tOSU was. He seems to glide, with minimum effort. Not sure I liked him jogging into the end zone but he seems like a great kid so won't pick on it.
- Tommy looked good at QB. Obviously, there is no QB controversy as TM is the solid starter. But if something should happen, I am comfortable with TS in there. I liked how he lowered his shoulder in the red zone. I don't think the Purdue defender was expecting to get pancaked by our QB. TS looks like a big kid that can run pretty well. Have to realize it was against a tired and demoralized Defense, but he did as well as you could expect.
- BTW, anyone see the dildo thrown on the field today in the Buffalo Bills game?
- Overall, I really like our offense. I said we'd score over 50 this season and I was right! We've got a all timer in Barkley. We've also got several good playmakers in TM, Gesicki, and three or four WR's. Teams are always going to have to stack the box because of the zone-read and Barkley....but we've got so many weapons and attack the entire field (vertically and horizontally). I'd hate to have to game plan against us right now. I guess you have to attack Paris Palmer and our Center.
- I am thrilled with the coaching staff. Morehead looks so much more comfortable on the sideline now. He looks in control and like he belongs. I don't see our D coaches jumping around like idiots and flaming. they look like pros keeping your kids into the game and keeping their head's together. CJF needs to tone down some of his personal feelings. Is that just me?
- Lots of conversation about Bates leading the way for Barkley on his long run. Kid looks like a great athlete.
- Still getting a kick out of, not only, the national press dissing this team, but the local press as well. Almost none of them predicted a comfortable PSU win. Jonesy predicted a two point, close game, win. Although he did give the team and CJF some props, in kind of a back handed way stating he thought he was going to be writing about a coaching change soon...what?!. The only way you make that change is if the coach has lost control and the program is spiraling. Even a six or seven win season wouldn't have been enough to fire CJF this season.
Iowa and the rest of the schedule
- while we can win every game, we can also lose 3 of 4. Rutgers is the only game that I'd be shocked to lose (still, it is in NJ and an 8pm game). However, Iowa, Indy and Sparty are all good teams.
- Iowa is a stout team with a power offense and good defense. With Cabinda and Bell, I like our chances and would put us at 60% chance of winning. I feel like Iowa is Pitt, warmed over in so many ways (power offense, uniforms, passing game, defense). With our new confidence, home game and healthier defense, I am optimistic.
- Indy is a good team and we need to be on our game to beat them. Honestly, as good as Iowa IMHO.
- Sparty played hard against UM. Yet, they still lost. Will they take it as a moral victory or continue to fade? Hard to know. But they've got good athletes. PSU is gelling and Sparty is "un-gelling". But with them now 2-6, a decent bowl is out of the question. That PSU game may be the seniors last game so anything can happen.
- So I am expecting 3-1 or 2-2. That would make us a 9 or 8 win team. By any measure, a successful year given expectations coming into the year. And, a ten win regular season is still within possibilities. That would also put us in a good bowl game. This is great experience for our team.
