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Obli's Observations: step by step

Obliviax

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2001
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This game reminded me of Indiana minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
 
Last edited:
This game reminded me of Indian minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
Solid analysis. But JP Jr is not a true frosh.
 
This game reminded me of Indiana minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
On target though Levis' 3-3 included 2 that were pretty lucky not to have been picked.

Also, we are going to need to pull that Alabama RB in this incoming class or go to the portal. The total numbers there are alarming considering the number of injuries that position sustains (this year more than most). But we need to go at least 3 deep and I'm not sure what's going on with Cain's recovery.

WR can come together especially if Dotson thinks he can improve on his projected 298th rated draft prospect from the most recent draft analysis. He should be able to move up to at least the 3rd round from currently listed as undrafted with a solid senior year.

I like the youth movement on the line and Juice gives me some confidence with Menet moving on.

TE seems to be in good hands in the future with at least 2 young studs at this position and perhaps more.

DL may have some holes next year and under-performed this season. That is unless some guys return that would have gone in a non-COVID eligibility scenario or we have some young guys that we haven't seen much from yet step up. I think there is some young potential there particularly Isaac at DE and Beamon and Ellies look promising at DT in limited time.

The LBs will improve and it sure looks like Jacobs is going to make a play at stealing one of the 3 returning LB's job. Dixon could also factor in with a real off season to bulk up a bit.

Several reasonable options at CB but safety depends on what Brisker decides. He is currently not even listed as a top 300 draft prospect and it appears that he has started coming on and would have perhaps the most to gain of anyone returning. I'm ok with Wade moving on. I don't think Sutherland or a Ji'Ayir Brown or Enzo Jennings with a year of seasoning is that much of a drop off from the play we got this year.
 
Agree with everything you noted.

I personally am OK with the amount of QB runs, which seems to be a real hot topic with fans. Is it ideal? No. But we've only had 2/3 schollie RBs suited up for most of the season. Is it predictable? Yes, totally. But it's working, and especially in short yardage situations. Levis is a tank with a full head of steam. I hope he doesn't transfer so we can continue using him in these situations next season. With a healthy stable of backs, I can't imagine the staff running the QB nearly as often in '21.

Who are the starting LBs next season? I'm really hoping it turns out to be some combination of Dixon, Jacobs, and Smith. All are raw, but you can see the light coming on all for all three. The ceiling would be ridiculously high for that group if the staff can figure out the correct combo. Not to bash, but Ellis and Luketa have really struggled. Both are a step slow and really struggle to tackle in space. They both are liabilities in the pass game as well.
 
Awesome write up as always:

Offense:
1. I am hoping we are just doing what we need to do right now and this isn't the offense KC brings to the table.
2. No Thorpe again, is he gone?
3. Still need a wr that can take the top off the defense. I still like my idea of taking everyone not named Dotson, Lutz, PW, KAL, and lining them up outside. They simply take their turns running a go route. You either tire the db out OR he falls asleep and we might have a play.
4. Lee is a beast, but a slow beast. He does have a little cain in him though in that he rarely loses yards.
5. Still don't understand lining a qb up 4 yards back and then running a qb dive. It's worked so it is what it is.

Defense:
1. Still tired of seeing #40 anywhere near the field. He makes tackles, yes, but they are always 6 yards down the field. Oh, he will be the 4th guy to a pile and celebrate like he just made the tackle himself though. Seen enough of him, a captain??? I'll have more on that later.
2. Teams still find soft spots in a Pry defense when we try to blitz.
Shane Simmons had a day, in fact he had more sacks on Saturday than Oweh has had all year. Hope Simmons considers coming back....go get another degree or another Masters or whatever.
3. The biggest coach we are missing is Spencer, no doubt.

Special Teams:
1. Hey, look waht you get when you actually try and return something.
2. Wad was even decent returning kicks.
3. The quick change of formation was awesome.
4. A for the day

Misc:
1. You can't tell me Franklin wasn't aware he was pouting all season. The last week was the JFF we have gotten used to seeing.
2. I am not sure who votes for Captains but whoever voted for #40 should never be allowed to vote again. Kid is a clown and acts like it on the field, plus he isn't very good at what he is supposed to be good at.
3. Hope we get two more games out of this thing, get to 5-5. But only if the kids want to play. I have been selfish all year wanting to play.
 
Awesome write up as always:

Offense:
1. I am hoping we are just doing what we need to do right now and this isn't the offense KC brings to the table.
2. No Thorpe again, is he gone?
3. Still need a wr that can take the top off the defense. I still like my idea of taking everyone not named Dotson, Lutz, PW, KAL, and lining them up outside. They simply take their turns running a go route. You either tire the db out OR he falls asleep and we might have a play.
4. Lee is a beast, but a slow beast. He does have a little cain in him though in that he rarely loses yards.
5. Still don't understand lining a qb up 4 yards back and then running a qb dive. It's worked so it is what it is.

Defense:
1. Still tired of seeing #40 anywhere near the field. He makes tackles, yes, but they are always 6 yards down the field. Oh, he will be the 4th guy to a pile and celebrate like he just made the tackle himself though. Seen enough of him, a captain??? I'll have more on that later.
2. Teams still find soft spots in a Pry defense when we try to blitz.
Shane Simmons had a day, in fact he had more sacks on Saturday than Oweh has had all year. Hope Simmons considers coming back....go get another degree or another Masters or whatever.
3. The biggest coach we are missing is Spencer, no doubt.

Special Teams:
1. Hey, look waht you get when you actually try and return something.
2. Wad was even decent returning kicks.
3. The quick change of formation was awesome.
4. A for the day

Misc:
1. You can't tell me Franklin wasn't aware he was pouting all season. The last week was the JFF we have gotten used to seeing.
2. I am not sure who votes for Captains but whoever voted for #40 should never be allowed to vote again. Kid is a clown and acts like it on the field, plus he isn't very good at what he is supposed to be good at.
3. Hope we get two more games out of this thing, get to 5-5. But only if the kids want to play. I have been selfish all year wanting to play.

Excellent point on special teams particularly the quick formation change. That was just smart football.

Also in full agreement on Captains. I honestly don't think any of the defensive captains were guys that were leading at all, maybe Toney. Wade and Luketa have really under-performed. And even though he started playing the last 2 games or so, I was very disappointed in Shelton as well. Unfortunately Castro-Fields just can't seem to stay healthy or his experience may have helped more. Come to think of it, most of the guys on D that we were expecting to lead didn't, like Oweh, he just wasn't what his testing numbers said he should be. But we did have some positive surprises like Porter and some of these young guys who will force their way in next year like Isaac or Jacobs.

That is the same theme on offense. The guys you expected to lead either weren't there (Journey, Freiermuth, Cain) or under-performed (Clifford, George, CSB, etc.). Meanwhile, a bunch of young guys started stepping up (Washington, Lee, Wallace, Strange, Lambert-Smith, Theo Johnson, and Scruggs).

In the end we are left with mostly an incredibly young team who didn't have many reps at all to prepare for the season. I guess if we finish 5-5 with that it would be an accomplishment. But what a leadership vacuum. Parsons leaves, Brown is done, Cain goes down, Freirmuth goes down, 3rd string Ford goes down, Castro-Fields goes down, and then guys like Luketa and Wade are out there hot dogging thinking they finally have the limelight. Now you have a bunch of young and hungry kids who don't know half of the playbook but want to give you 100% every play and it's turning around.
 
Excellent point on special teams particularly the quick formation change. That was just smart football.

Also in full agreement on Captains. I honestly don't think any of the defensive captains were guys that were leading at all, maybe Toney. Wade and Luketa have really under-performed. And even though he started playing the last 2 games or so, I was very disappointed in Shelton as well. Unfortunately Castro-Fields just can't seem to stay healthy or his experience may have helped more. Come to think of it, most of the guys on D that we were expecting to lead didn't, like Oweh, he just wasn't what his testing numbers said he should be. But we did have some positive surprises like Porter and some of these young guys who will force their way in next year like Isaac or Jacobs.

That is the same theme on offense. The guys you expected to lead either weren't there (Journey, Freiermuth, Cain) or under-performed (Clifford, George, CSB, etc.). Meanwhile, a bunch of young guys started stepping up (Washington, Lee, Wallace, Strange, Lambert-Smith, Theo Johnson, and Scruggs).

In the end we are left with mostly an incredibly young team who didn't have many reps at all to prepare for the season. I guess if we finish 5-5 with that it would be an accomplishment. But what a leadership vacuum. Parsons leaves, Brown is done, Cain goes down, Freirmuth goes down, 3rd string Ford goes down, Castro-Fields goes down, and then guys like Luketa and Wade are out there hot dogging thinking they finally have the limelight. Now you have a bunch of young and hungry kids who don't know half of the playbook but want to give you 100% every play and it's turning around.

If Oweh goes to the NFL after this year he will make money, probably as a 2nd round pick. However, he will then go down with the likes of the Dion Jordans of the wortld because he just needs to play more football. Tests of the chart but isn't very good yet at the game.

Oweh leaving would not be a smart choice for him.
 
The QB runs bug me a bit too, mostly because I'm worried about our starting QB getting banged up. Have we made it through a full season since the McSorley era where our starting QB didn't miss any snaps due to injury? I wish they'd let Levis throw more too, but as you stated, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's working despite everyone knowing he's going to run so keep riding that horse. I do think this team is now operating under a simplified playbook after the rough start to the year, so that could be another reason why.

I cannot overstate how thrilled I was to see that special teams formation shift to get a first down by penalty. It seems like opposing teams often have some creativity like that and PSU rarely does something to exploit a loophole or shows they have creatively outsmarted the opponent. It was really cool to see us finally do something along those lines and I hope to see more of it going forward.
 
The QB runs bug me a bit too, mostly because I'm worried about our starting QB getting banged up. Have we made it through a full season since the McSorley era where our starting QB didn't miss any snaps due to injury? I wish they'd let Levis throw more too, but as you stated, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's working despite everyone knowing he's going to run so keep riding that horse. I do think this team is now operating under a simplified playbook after the rough start to the year, so that could be another reason why.

I cannot overstate how thrilled I was to see that special teams formation shift to get a first down by penalty. It seems like opposing teams often have some creativity like that and PSU rarely does something to exploit a loophole or shows they have creatively outsmarted the opponent. It was really cool to see us finally do something along those lines and I hope to see more of it going forward.

Trace was very hurt his last year here. Who would have guessed banging your 5'11" 200 LBS Qb into linemen and linebackers all the time was bad for their health? In the Rutgers game, coming out of halftime 2 weeks ago, the sideline reporter reported on her conversation with Franklin about the first half and what he would like to see from Clifford specifically in the 2nd half. She said Franklin wanted to see Clifford finish more of his runs, that he was too early to slide. I almost threw up.
 
The QB runs bug me a bit too, mostly because I'm worried about our starting QB getting banged up. Have we made it through a full season since the McSorley era where our starting QB didn't miss any snaps due to injury? I wish they'd let Levis throw more too, but as you stated, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's working despite everyone knowing he's going to run so keep riding that horse. I do think this team is now operating under a simplified playbook after the rough start to the year, so that could be another reason why.

I cannot overstate how thrilled I was to see that special teams formation shift to get a first down by penalty. It seems like opposing teams often have some creativity like that and PSU rarely does something to exploit a loophole or shows they have creatively outsmarted the opponent. It was really cool to see us finally do something along those lines and I hope to see more of it going forward.
Agree on that special teams play. I was shocked, for a second I thought I accidentally changed the channel and was watching another game. Stuff such as that is good for morale, because I bet the kids had fun practicing it, and they were definitely excited they got a chance to implement it.
 
Thrilled with the win, no doubt. But again, it was a Tale of Two Halves. Apparently the staff made some excellent adjustments at halftime (kudos, CJF, CKC, and CBP). Would have been awesome if the 1st half was as sharp as the 2nd, but I get that the team is young and dealing with lots of things.

Despite the disappointment in the record (high expectations originally) I like the way we ended much better than the way we started the season.

Looks like we found our next feature TB in Lee.
WR's look fantastic going into 2021.
Have some bright spots in the D secondary (Brisker, Porter).
The OL found their rhythm the last 3 games (maybe lesser opponents, but it sure seems like something in the scheme got corrected).
 
“It will be interesting to see who comes back.”

I hope it starts with Brisker.
 
My 2 cents:
Positives-
Washington , He is going to be a play maker for years to come.
OL, If I recall correctly, there were no sacks vs Sparty
QB turnovers, There were none.
STs - Stellar performance all around.

NegatIves-
pass D - Why does a Brent pry secondary make Pedestrian QBs look all American? Related to that, when we don’t pressure the opposing QB, We get picked apart.
QB draws and QB power - This is simply not sustainable. I’m fine with the way things have Been during this current win streak. But if we’re in week five in 2021, And still running the QB play after play, things don’t bode well For the future. What QB gonna want to come here to get his brains beat in Week in and week out. What running back would want to come here to stand in the backfield and never get the ball. What receiver is going to want to come here, to have our QBs Lock onto one receiver. This year was an anomaly but I’m hoping the last paragraph is not new norm. I understand why they’ve been doing all of the QB runs.
Slow first half - This has been a signature of the Franklin era.
Red zone woes - Can’t continually settle for 3 over 6

All in all, I’m happy with a 15 point win.
 
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Agree on that special teams play. I was shocked, for a second I thought I accidentally changed the channel and was watching another game. Stuff such as that is good for morale, because I bet the kids had fun practicing it, and they were definitely excited they got a chance to implement it.
Yep, you could see how psyched they were that it worked!
 
This game reminded me of Indiana minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
Good analysis.

-We could not run that effectively with Lee which is concerning. Maybe Sparty was totally stackingvthe box but I would liked to have sern the O line give him more room and he has more carries. We should not run the QB so much.

-Levis supposedly has a cannon of an arm but he is inaccurate as all get out. His completions were gifts. I like the fact tha he gets tough yards although can he competently throw the ball out of those 3rd or 4th and 2 situations ever? Also want to see Lee used more in those situations.

-The defense was a joke in the first half particularly the 2nd quarter. I guess it is the yutes (My Cousin Vinny) but c'mon man. It is like a decent golfer who has some bad holes of bogey, DB, bogey, DB. Except our D is the golfer who is decent but when we are off we are way off and score four straight 10's. I agree that we make this Thorne kid look like Elway. Why did it take until halftime and after they reel off two TD's by waltzing down the field without any resistance putting us in a 2 score deficit to make adjustments? Makes you wonder about Pry as I have serious concerns about him anyway.

-The DB's need to hold on to sure picks. Those drops will burn us in close games.

- I do have a problem with only Levis carrying the ball at the end. Give the rock to Lee at least once. What, are you scared he is going to fumble? Show some confidence in the kid. He is a big part of the future.

-Back to the D. Holding them to the FG was huge and a mo shifter. I forget who stepoed up for us in that sequence but use that to coach them up. Dotson's PR sealed it and great to see.

-Strange had a big gainer on the first series then disappeared? Why?

-Parker Washington is fun to watch and is a total gamer. He will score many clutch TD's for us before his career is over.

-Does Dotson declare? We need him back desperately.

-Elephant in the room is we don't have a QB that can take us to the B10 championship. We should not be settling for mediocre QB play. Ciarrocca needs to work magic, develop Roberson, Las Vegas kid and even incoming Frosh from Canada to seriously challenge SC with legitimate QB competition. OR go portal. Otherwise be staring at more infuriating losses to the Luckeyes and others.
 
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Excellent observation of the game! I am concern about Lee's speed; he seems to run like he is in cement shoes!
Does anyone know why Ford did not play? Injuries, I assume? Too bad Slade left; he would have been perfect as a counter with his speed to Lee.
 
Excellent observation of the game! I am concern about Lee's speed; he seems to run like he is in cement shoes!
Does anyone know why Ford did not play? Injuries, I assume? Too bad Slade left; he would have been perfect as a counter with his speed to Lee.
I am going to imagine Slade isn't a happy camper right now either. To his credit, he couldn't have seen what was going to happen to JB and Cain....but dang, he would have been nice to have.
 
This game reminded me of Indiana minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
  • Lee takes tacklers with him and he has the vision to cut outside when the middle is clogged up. He reminds me of the Enis or Aaron Harris days.
  • Clifford is definitely thinking too much. He doesn't have a good feel for the pressure and he doesn't have a good touch on some throws. I think the problem is much deeper than his mechanics. It's in his head. I hope that changes but I'm not confident it will.
  • Levis is definitely big and strong but I don't think his runs will be successful against stronger defenses. His 3-3 passing was a turning point in the game but to be honest two of those were poor throws that he got away with.
  • Dotson has made a few circus catches but I'd like to see him and other WRs get better separation. I'd also like to see Clifford release the ball more quickly. There have been a few times where I've seen a WR with a step on the defender but Clifford waits (because he's afraid of an INT?)
  • I actually saw some WRs blocking on the screen. That's been a big problem. Did they improve or were MSU defenders easier to block?
  • Blitzing is fine but our DL should be able to get to a freshman QB without blitzing.
  • I still dislike Pry's defensive schemes. I prefer the 4-3 alignment with an occasional blitz. Pry seems to use more of an NFL approach with more defenders at the LOS. That works when you can get to the QB and defenders can cover one on one. If they don't the middle of the field is left wide open and our inexperienced DBs are left in one on one coverage.
 
Excellent point on special teams particularly the quick formation change. That was just smart football.

Also in full agreement on Captains. I honestly don't think any of the defensive captains were guys that were leading at all, maybe Toney. Wade and Luketa have really under-performed. And even though he started playing the last 2 games or so, I was very disappointed in Shelton as well. Unfortunately Castro-Fields just can't seem to stay healthy or his experience may have helped more. Come to think of it, most of the guys on D that we were expecting to lead didn't, like Oweh, he just wasn't what his testing numbers said he should be. But we did have some positive surprises like Porter and some of these young guys who will force their way in next year like Isaac or Jacobs.

That is the same theme on offense. The guys you expected to lead either weren't there (Journey, Freiermuth, Cain) or under-performed (Clifford, George, CSB, etc.). Meanwhile, a bunch of young guys started stepping up (Washington, Lee, Wallace, Strange, Lambert-Smith, Theo Johnson, and Scruggs).

In the end we are left with mostly an incredibly young team who didn't have many reps at all to prepare for the season. I guess if we finish 5-5 with that it would be an accomplishment. But what a leadership vacuum. Parsons leaves, Brown is done, Cain goes down, Freirmuth goes down, 3rd string Ford goes down, Castro-Fields goes down, and then guys like Luketa and Wade are out there hot dogging thinking they finally have the limelight. Now you have a bunch of young and hungry kids who don't know half of the playbook but want to give you 100% every play and it's turning around.

Funny you mentioned that Heard one of the commentators on one of the games I watched later that night (don’t recall which game) mention how refreshing it was to see freshman and sophomores playing with heart and grit unlike many upperclassmen who are more concerned about their NFL status. Thought that was spot on generally and specifically with respect to some of the upperclassmen at PSU.
 
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  • Lee takes tacklers with him and he has the vision to cut outside when the middle is clogged up. He reminds me of the Enis or Aaron Harris days.
  • Clifford is definitely thinking too much. He doesn't have a good feel for the pressure and he doesn't have a good touch on some throws. I think the problem is much deeper than his mechanics. It's in his head. I hope that changes but I'm not confident it will.
  • Levis is definitely big and strong but I don't think his runs will be successful against stronger defenses. His 3-3 passing was a turning point in the game but to be honest two of those were poor throws that he got away with.
  • Dotson has made a few circus catches but I'd like to see him and other WRs get better separation. I'd also like to see Clifford release the ball more quickly. There have been a few times where I've seen a WR with a step on the defender but Clifford waits (because he's afraid of an INT?)
  • I actually saw some WRs blocking on the screen. That's been a big problem. Did they improve or were MSU defenders easier to block?
  • Blitzing is fine but our DL should be able to get to a freshman QB without blitzing.
  • I still dislike Pry's defensive schemes. I prefer the 4-3 alignment with an occasional blitz. Pry seems to use more of an NFL approach with more defenders at the LOS. That works when you can get to the QB and defenders can cover one on one. If they don't the middle of the field is left wide open and our inexperienced DBs are left in one on one coverage.

Yeah so tired of seeing the 4 man line get the other team in 3rd and long and Pry then plays a 3 man front and/or tries a poorly disguised blitz which far too often results in a first down for the other team. By the way, Lee’s standing back flip at the end of the game was impressive. When do you see a 230 pound player do that?
 
Levis is definitely big and strong but I don't think his runs will be successful against stronger defenses. His 3-3 passing was a turning point in the game but to be honest two of those were poor throws that he got away with.
We were losing 21-0 vs. OSU last year when Levis entered the game and he got it back to 21-17 before OSU's last TD put the game away. He did just fine against one of the best defenses and undoubtedly the best D line in the conference a year ago.
 
Thrilled with the win, no doubt. But again, it was a Tale of Two Halves. Apparently the staff made some excellent adjustments at halftime (kudos, CJF, CKC, and CBP). Would have been awesome if the 1st half was as sharp as the 2nd, but I get that the team is young and dealing with lots of things.

Despite the disappointment in the record (high expectations originally) I like the way we ended much better than the way we started the season.

Looks like we found our next feature TB in Lee.
WR's look fantastic going into 2021.
Have some bright spots in the D secondary (Brisker, Porter).
The OL found their rhythm the last 3 games (maybe lesser opponents, but it sure seems like something in the scheme got corrected).

One of the TDS happened when Franklin substituted half of the players on defense and Hardy simply got burned. On one of the other TDS, the coverage was good and the MSU WR made a helluva catch. It happens.
By the way, was I imagining things or was the first game where Franklin actually had a play sheet in his hands?
 
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We were losing 21-0 vs. OSU last year when Levis entered the game and he got it back to 21-17 before OSU's last TD put the game away. He did just fine against one of the best defenses and undoubtedly the best D line in the conference a year ago.

Levis played well against OSU yes, but despite all his faults, PSU really had no chance to win that game after Clifford got hurt. Levis had some initial success, but OSU adjusted to the fact that ultimately he was no threat to pass.
 
We were losing 21-0 vs. OSU last year when Levis entered the game and he got it back to 21-17 before OSU's last TD put the game away. He did just fine against one of the best defenses and undoubtedly the best D line in the conference a year ago.
True but I think that situation was much different. OSU didn't realize that Levis was primarily a run option and it took them a while to adjust.
 
Where are people getting the idea that all of these underclassmen are going to try to jump to the NFL? Based on what? Who is giving them such horrible advice? Below are 3 recent rankings of draft prospects. Besides Parsons and Freiermuth in the 1st round, Oweh shows up on it as a late 2nd rounder and Dotson as an undrafted free agent with the potential to land in the 7th round. Other than that, who is selling guys on leaving early if they can't make a top 300 list of draft prospects? That's just flat out dumb.

1st Rounders
3
Justin Fields
QBOhio StateJunior
4
Micah Parsons
LBPenn StateJunior
12
Kwity Paye
EDGEMichiganSenior
19
Rashod Bateman
WRMinnesotaJunior
22
Jalen Mayfield
OTMichiganRS Sophomore
23
Wyatt Davis
IOLOhio StateRS Junior
30
Pat Freiermuth
TEPenn StateJunior
31
Rashawn Slater
OTNorthwesternSenior
2nd Rounders
34
Shaun Wade
CBOhio StateRS Junior
38
Josh Myers
IOLOhio StateRS Junior
40
Aidan Hutchinson
EDGEMichiganJunior
44
Chris Olave
WROhio StateJunior
51
Jayson Oweh
EDGEPenn StateRS Sophomore
52
Rondale Moore
WRPurdueJunior
54
Cameron McGrone
LBMichiganRS Sophomore
62
Daniel Faalele
OTMinnesotaJunior
3rd Rounders
85
Shaka Toney
EDGEPenn StateRS Senior
95
Haskell Garrett
IDLOhio StateSenior
4th Rounders
112
Jack Sanborn
LBWisconsinJunior
115
Pete Werner
LBOhio StateSenior
116
Nico Collins
WRMichiganSenior
119
Nick Eubanks
TEMichiganRS Senior
131
Baron Browning
LBOhio StateSenior
133
Mohamed Ibrahim
RBMinnesotaRS Junior
137
Jake Ferguson
TEWisconsinRS Junior
140
Jeremy Ruckert
TEOhio StateJunior
5th Rounders
152
Ihmir Smith-Marsette
WRIowaSenior
162
Ambry Thomas
CBMichiganSenior
176
Tyreke Johnson
CBOhio StateRS Sophomore
177
Master Teague
RBOhio StateRS Sophomore
6th Rounders
180
Brenden Jaimes
OTNebraskaSenior
204
Tyler Linderbaum
IOLIowaRS Sophomore
208
Ronnie Bell
WRMichiganJunior
210
Tyreke Smith
EDGEOhio StateJunior
214
Peyton Hendershot
TEIndianaRS Junior
7th Rounders
216
Whop Philyor
WRIndianaSenior
222
Tariq Castro-Fields
CBPenn StateSenior
225
Trey Sermon
RBOhio StateSenior
227
Carlo Kemp
IDLMichiganRS Senior
228
Josh Imatorbhebhe
WRIllinoisRS Senior
245
Alaric Jackson
OTIowaRS Senior
248
Dicaprio Bootle
CBNebraskaRS Senior
254
Naquan Jones
IDLMichigan StateRS Senior
Undrafted but have a chance
257
Cole Van Lanen
OTWisconsinRS Senior
277
Lorenzo Neal
IDLPurdueRS Senior
282
Marcelino Ball
SIndianaRS Senior
291
Joshua Ross
LBMichiganSenior
292
Michael Penix Jr.
QBIndianaRS Sophomore
297
Xavier Henderson
SMichigan StateJunior
299
Jahan Dotson
WRPenn StateRS Junior

Also, Menet shows up at #324, Clifford at #336, Wade at #341, Fries at #424, and no one else from PSU shows up in the rankings at all.


This was updated Dec 4th. 2021 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings | The Draft Network

If you prefer, CBS Sports (didn't use that one since it still included Journey Brown) 2021 NFL Draft Prospect - Position Rankings - CBSSports.com

Here is another updated Dec 11 with the top 10 at each position. Daniel Garrett's December Positional Rankings « (nfldraftrite.com)
 
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This team (Sparty) beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable.

Sparty has always been a bit schizo. They'll play great one week and beat a top team and then awful the next to a bottom dweller and lose. We'll see if that continues under their new coach.
 
This game reminded me of Indiana minus the turnovers and add in the punt return for a TD. In many ways, the game summary is that the Freshmen came to play. Unexpectedly, we have a very young team. Young teams are inconsistent and make mistakes. So we physically dominated a team that got destroyed by tOSU the week before. However, we made so many dumb mistakes that it let them gather themselves and gain momentum. Who's idea was it to let a freshman QB stand in the pocket and pass with no pressure? Regardless, after getting punched in the nose in Q2, we stabilized and punched back. That is a maturing step for us.

O
  • Looks like K-Lee is our #1 back. I love the kid and love what he does. Let's see if he can improve his straight-line speed. RB will be a heck of a competition next spring assuming we don't get 18 injuries.
  • I still think that SC is thinking too much. he makes a great pass then a few that look like Hackenberg after a banger. He throws the slant pattern well. I am not sure why we run the fade so much other than we need to take the top off and don't have that burner. But I did notice the absence of the fade in this game. baby steps!
  • Sparty came in to stop the run. Our first play was a run, then three passes in a row. If not for a dumb hold inside the ten, we get a TD but ended up settling for a FG.
  • after a Sparty TD, we drive the field for a TD with a nifty run by SC for 31 yards that looked like Sparty was way out of position. So the O was moving with 10 points in our first three drives.
  • We then punted twice and the D gave up two TDs in the 2nd leading to a 21 -10 halftime lead and it looking pretty bleak for the seniors in their last games
  • We then go TD, TD, Punt, TD in our next four possessions.
  • The Levis "sneak" is interesting. There is no sneak about it. But it is working and working well. Why change? I gut when he gets in our third of fourth and short it is predictable but I believe it was only stopped once all game. He is listed at 230 but I suspect he is bigger than that, and he is all muscle so the weight isn't wasted weight. I mean, the entire defense knows that is happening and can't seem to stop him. He took, and delivered, a heck of a shot late in the game. Levis also had three passes for 18 yards (3 for 3)
  • I've got no problem with going into a shell late with a sizable lead for this team. It is fragile, mentally, and is prone to turnovers.
  • I love that fake WR screen play to Dotson. The coaches dialed it up at the right time. Dotson was having a day. No way to stop a WR quick screen without the CB and S crashing. So Washington fakes the block and takes off. I recall us getting a TD on a fake to Barkley years ago. It was a poor pass, however, and Washington made a good move to get into the endzone.
  • Washington with TWO TDs and he and SC seem to be able to complete that slant play at will.
  • over 200 yard receiving between Dotson and Washington. it's great when you have more than one threat...in fact, it is needed.
D
  • Again, we play a QB with little experience and make him look like an all American. I have no idea what our staff was thinking in the second quarter letting this kid stand back and pick us apart in a cover two. At least against Neb the kid could run. Thorne isn't a good runner, at all. So dialing up blitzes seems to be a no brainer. Maybe we were just afraid of blown assignments as we used a lot of kids, young ones to boot.
  • Looked to me like Sparty avoided JP Jr. Pretty cool to be avoided when you are a true Frosh CB.
  • Having said that, Spary was making plays. The QB was putting it on a dime and the WRs were making some great cached, including a 6-7 WR.
  • Sparty's RB, Simmons, was giving us fits at only 200 lbs. Kid is a Frosh. I think Sparty is going to be OK with their new coach and roster in the coming years.
  • Having said that, the D made a stand when it counted.
  • Brisker may be our second-best defensive player as he had 9 tackles, the second really good game in a row. After him, Simmons and Brooks had 7. I'd love to have Brisker and Simmons back next year.
ST
  • This was the ST best game of the year. Doton's punt return TD (surprise) was key to putting an end to the game. But we also had another good kickoff return (Wade) and made a FG (1 for 1 in the game)
  • the only gaffe was Tarburton returning a kickoff. I have to think Sparty kicked it to him as part of something they saw on film or during the game. We can't have DE's returning kickoffs.

Overall, a healthy win. The team made some mistakes in Q2 but given our conservative O in Q4 it was a solid win against an opponent that isn't very good. This team beat Michigan before they folded, and Northwestern so they are capable. This is what we are getting: some spotty play due to a lot of young kids getting substantial playing time with little or no time to prepare. But we are improving and the future is not quite bright but promising. It will be interesting to see who comes back.


Let's go beat ILL and then escape without a losing season.
We are missing game breakers/ big play threats on offense. We have two good possession receivers with good hands but neither are long ball threats. We also need a back with break away speed.
Most of all we need a QB. That can get us to the next level.
The OLine has improved but is not dominant by any measure.
We are solid at DB, but DL and LB have been and continue to a disappointment. At least they have not yet lived up to potential.
 
We are missing game breakers/ big play threats on offense. We have two good possession receivers with good hands but neither are long ball threats. We also need a back with break away speed.
Most of all we need a QB. That can get us to the next level.
The OLine has improved but is not dominant by any measure.
We are solid at DB, but DL and LB have been and continue to a disappointment. At least they have not yet lived up to potential.
I totally agree on offensive speed. We don't have a burner on this offense and Lee is a truck while possessing interesting quickness at the LOS. This allows S to cheat up knowing they won't give up the long TD. And when they cheat up we have a problem running the ball and have to account for them on potential blitzes. I am also not sure our QB can deliver the ball if someone were to go over the top and get open by a yard or two.

Having said that, this has really kind of been a perfect storm shit show for the offense. PSU didn't manage the B1G very well during the pandemic summer (from a football perspective). Then losing JBrown, who was a threat to make long runs, is out and he had already pushed out another dynamic runner, Slade. So we start with a pretty good RB in Cain and he goes down in the first series of the first game. So that leaves us in a situation where we have to play two Fr RBs and several Fr WRs for the first game of the year, away, against probably the second best team in the B1G. As the year progresses, we get tOSU next and then lose our best O player in Friermuth. By the fourth game, we are playing seven Fr on offense in the rotation. Again, without a spring practice, summer practice, normal season prep, or a couple of easy games before B1G or our first away game.
 
I totally agree on offensive speed. We don't have a burner on this offense and Lee is a truck while possessing interesting quickness at the LOS. This allows S to cheat up knowing they won't give up the long TD. And when they cheat up we have a problem running the ball and have to account for them on potential blitzes. I am also not sure our QB can deliver the ball if someone were to go over the top and get open by a yard or two.

Having said that, this has really kind of been a perfect storm shit show for the offense. PSU didn't manage the B1G very well during the pandemic summer (from a football perspective). Then losing JBrown, who was a threat to make long runs, is out and he had already pushed out another dynamic runner, Slade. So we start with a pretty good RB in Cain and he goes down in the first series of the first game. So that leaves us in a situation where we have to play two Fr RBs and several Fr WRs for the first game of the year, away, against probably the second best team in the B1G. As the year progresses, we get tOSU next and then lose our best O player in Friermuth. By the fourth game, we are playing seven Fr on offense in the rotation. Again, without a spring practice, summer practice, normal season prep, or a couple of easy games before B1G or our first away game.
I agree that bad luck has been a factor for sure. As bad as we played against Indiana, (mistakes/turnovers/penalties), we still could have and should have won that game. A win there and the season could have been a lot different. The loss of Parsons and Brown were big IMO. The season has allowed a lot of younger kids get a lot of experience they may not.

With all that said, the season indicated to me that we are still not in the same ball park with playoff teams in terms of overall depth and talent, given the injuries, retirements, and having the next man up ability that the playoff teams have.
 
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