Questionable coaching decisions

[fairfaxlion2]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

And please stop using Barkley on kickoff returns. He is bringing kicks out of the endzone looking for a homerun, and getting stopped at the 15. Maybe he'd break one KO return for a TD and it would create highlights for his Heisman push. Otherwise, there is no upside to this.

 

[Judge Smails]

The offense was one-dimensional all night.

Passing 284
Rushing 295

 

[KC-KS-Lion]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

And please stop using Barkley on kickoff returns. He is bringing kicks out of the endzone looking for a homerun, and getting stopped at the 15. Maybe he'd break one KO return for a TD and it would create highlights for his Heisman push. Otherwise, there is no upside to this.

 

[nits74]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

And please stop using Barkley on kickoff returns. He is bringing kicks out of the endzone looking for a homerun, and getting stopped at the 15. Maybe he'd break one KO return for a TD and it would create highlights for his Heisman push. Otherwise, there is no upside to this.

Agree on the FG call. The other, not so much. That said, I didn't like some of the calls in the red zone.

 

[sluggo72]

Passing 284
Rushing 295

Yea but look at the imbalance there! (Tic)

 

[Pocky]

I didn't like the fg on 4th and half a yd one bit. I thought it set the tone for the night. Even if you don't get the td there, it's Iowa ball at the 1 yard line and our d came out buzzing.

I thought, overall, it was an outstanding defensive performance. The Iowa offense made 3 plays all night, literally.

The offense moved the ball at will but just couldn't capitalize.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

I have to disagree about the 4th and short. The offensive philosophy does not suit itself for old school short yardage run plays. Also, the defense was awesome, but just had three goof ups. I'd much rather have this against a conservative offensive team like Iowa than a bend but don't break defense.

 

[psuted]

I thought that the very last play call was a good one.

 

[Nittany.Lion]

Yea but look at the imbalance there! (Tic)

Fire Moorhead now!!!!!

 

[Lion1974]

I have to disagree about the 4th and short. The offensive philosophy does not suit itself for old school short yardage run plays. Also, the defense was awesome, but just had three goof ups. I'd much rather have this against a conservative offensive team like Iowa than a bend but don't break defense.

You mean to tell me we can't draw up a play where Trace goes under center and we hand the ball to Barkley with Robinson leading the way? If not, that's just dumb.

 

[cntblvitsbutter]

Or a jump ball to Gesicki who's 6'6 and a leaper on 1st or 2nd down?

 

[KC-KS-Lion]

I was only able to catch half of last game, but from what I was able to see of Penn State's offense and Iowa's defense, that counter to RPO principles, there is enough talent on offense, both running and receiving, that can make plays regardless of the defense's strategy and execution.

At some point, the offense has to attempt and hopefully succeed at what the defense is expecting, more often and earlier.

 

[lionville]

Or a jump ball to Gesicki who's 6'6 and a leaper on 1st or 2nd down?

Haven't seen that all year. Plenty of chances to do so this year thus far.

 

[PaoliLion]

LJ used to return kick offs (people seem to forget this), but he was pretty good at it. Saquon doesn't have a knack for it thus far and its high risk/low reward as others have said. I'd rather see Polk, Thompkins or Sanders back there...it's a reward for them and I think they would be more productive. I like Franklin, but my rub on him is that he gets awfully defensive about these types of things and I wonder if that bleeds into his decision making.

 

[83wuzme]

The short yardage thing is a big problem. There aren't a bunch of dummies coaching this squad and I have to think this game should have raised some red flags for them. We probably left a dozen points off the board because of problems with short yardage down and distance in the red zone.

 

[artsandletters]

You mean to tell me we can't draw up a play where Trace goes under center and we hand the ball to Barkley with Nick Bowers leading the way? If not, that's just dumb.

FIFY

 

[Ranger Dan]

You mean to tell me we can't draw up a play where Trace goes under center and we hand the ball to Barkley with Robinson leading the way? If not, that's just dumb.

Sure, they could do something like this, but Moorhead is all-in and committed to his offensive philosophy. I do think it would be advantageous to have some sort of wrinkle where we could get a tough yard or two, but that seems only to be as effective as the running ability of our QB and RB allow.

 

[YorkCoLion]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

And please stop using Barkley on kickoff returns. He is bringing kicks out of the endzone looking for a homerun, and getting stopped at the 15. Maybe he'd break one KO return for a TD and it would create highlights for his Heisman push. Otherwise, there is no upside to this.

Stop, just stop. Please stop. So sick the fans who STILL question every decision Franklin makes. You guys would probably complain if we were drinking Powerade instead of Gatorade. His team won the big ten last year...something tells me you never have.

I give your post a D-

 

[ILLINOISLION]

The safety very clearly showed what good can happen if you have a fourth and short on the goal line and don't make it.

Kicking the FG there early on helped give Iowa and the crowd confidence that they could hang around and play with PSU.

Disappointed that Stevens didn't make an appearance, disappointed we had no real misdirection plays (how about Polk on a reverse?) and disappointed we haven't had a 4-5 wideout formation with some direct snaps to Barkley.

 

[crayfish67]

Would it really be that hard to take a snap from center? If they even have Stevens and back up center package for 3rd or 4th and a yard or less That just look crazy snapping 6 yds deep and Barkley at a dead stop. If they can take practice time for a Stevens trick play they can surely do a short yardage play. Weather will get worse in Nov and it will cost a game. It came within 4 seconds of costing this one

 

[bdgan]

Stop, just stop. Please stop. So sick the fans who STILL question every decision Franklin makes.

That's what we do on message boards. If we stopped second guessing coaches and players all we would have left is to read Bushwood's rants against the officials.

 

[Bobpsu]

Franklin kicked a FG on 4th and goal, needing only 1-2 feet for a TD in the 1st Quarter. That was a bad call.

Also, where was Tommy Stevens? The offense was one-dimensional all night. I feel like Moorhead was playing not to lose, and it seemed like Galen Hall or Fran Ganter were calling the plays up until the final drive.

Pry was blitzing unnecessarily and at bizarre times. This nearly cost PSU the game.

I'd give the coaches a D- for last night.

And please stop using Barkley on kickoff returns. He is bringing kicks out of the endzone looking for a homerun, and getting stopped at the 15. Maybe he'd break one KO return for a TD and it would create highlights for his Heisman push. Otherwise, there is no upside to this.

Me thinks you protest too much! Take a KNEE!

 

[Bobpsu]

Would it really be that hard to take a snap from center? If they even have Stevens and back up center package for 3rd or 4th and a yard or less That just look crazy snapping 6 yds deep and Barkley at a dead stop. If they can take practice time for a Stevens trick play they can surely do a short yardage play. Weather will get worse in Nov and it will cost a game. It came within 4 seconds of costing this one

I take it you are not a coach!

 

[YorkCoLion]

That's what we do on message boards. If we stopped second guessing coaches and players all we would have left is to read Bushwood's rants against the officials.

While I do agree with you, some members of the board are over the top with it.

 

[paddoce]

Even though that last play worked, why on Earth would you have both receivers crossing in the end zone. I wonder if Hamilton ran the wrong route?

The DB covering Hamilton could have crushed Juwan. I know I would have been second guessing the hell out of that route selection if that defender would have broken up that pass.

But he didn't and we won! I am happy.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Even though that last play worked, why on Earth would you have both receivers crossing in the end zone. I wonder if Hamilton ran the wrong route?

The DB covering Hamilton could have crushed Juwan. I know I would have been second guessing the hell out of that route selection if that defender would have broken up that pass.

But he didn't and we won! I am happy.

Two crossing IN the end zone and one crossing JUST SHORT of the goal line.

 

[crayfish67]

I take it you are not a coach!

No, I am not a coach but it surely can't be that hard to have a power formation. Its not like asking them to do synchronized swimming or something it is still football.

 

[paddoce]

Yeah, I can see having

Two crossing IN the end zone and one crossing JUST SHORT of the goal line.

I think I understand the crossing route underneath but why two in the end zone?

If it was intended to be a mesh concept (which I highly doubt ... too deep and too slow developing on the goal line) then Trace threw it too early. I am just curious if both receivers ran the right route.

 

[Safety Blitz]

Fire Moorhead now!!!!!

And the guy who replaces him, too.

 

[hagberg]

Stop, just stop. Please stop. So sick the fans who STILL question every decision Franklin makes. You guys would probably complain if we were drinking Powerade instead of Gatorade. His team won the big ten last year...something tells me you never have.

I give your post a D-

I would be OUTRAGED if they switched to Powerade.

I give your drink choice a D-

 

[mn78psu83]

That's what we do on message boards. If we stopped second guessing coaches and players all we would have left is to read Bushwood's rants against the officials.

I would hope that wouldn't be all. In your case, however, ...