will be interesting. OL seems to be again much better. cant imagine we have the home run plays that Saquon made, but we might be more consistent = higher yards per carry as we may have less negative yardage. so overall we may improve in running game after losing one of the best RBs in the last few decades. SB did provide some game changing plays that turned the emotion of games - especially when teams would start to sneak back on us, and that will be missed.
running game this year
- Thread starter blion72
- Start date
I'm hoping this will be a breakout year for Miles Sanders. We some some flashes of great runs last year, now we need to see him hit a few of those homeruns (and hold on to the ball...)
Our overall running game could very well be better if the OC stops running that RPO wherein the best RB in college football was stopped at the LOS waiting for the hand off while the DT's and LB's already penetrated. OSU killed us when we ran that RPO, and even Indiana did a job on us. If you noticed, RR appeared to give the ball to SB in the backfield more often in the bowl game.
It will be interesting to see this offense develop. I think we will see a lot of JJ running underneath routes while Thompkins and Hamler run deep post routes. We saw this in the Fiesta bowl. If you can get JJ isolated with a corner back while the safeties are busy trying to take the top off of the deep post routes he can do a lot of damage breaking the cornerbacks tackles. If a safety doubles on JJ than Hamler or Tompkins should have single coverage deep. We know Thompkins catches the deep ball really well and if Hamler can do the same it will be a nightmare for DC's. I'm really optimistic about the offense because of TM and the OL. TM has proven he can make the best decisions in the RPO. And the OL should be better in every respect.
My biggest concern is the center of the defense. The DT's lack a returning stud. We don't have box LB's and we have new safeties. We're fine on the edges but the inside has big question marks. The potential is definitely there to be better than last year because the new kids (Shelton, Hansford, Jordan, Brooks, Brown, Parsons,) are better athletes than last year's starters but are they better football players. The answers begin today! Great time to be a Nittany Lion football fan.
My biggest concern is the center of the defense. The DT's lack a returning stud. We don't have box LB's and we have new safeties. We're fine on the edges but the inside has big question marks. The potential is definitely there to be better than last year because the new kids (Shelton, Hansford, Jordan, Brooks, Brown, Parsons,) are better athletes than last year's starters but are they better football players. The answers begin today! Great time to be a Nittany Lion football fan.
My biggest concern is the center of the defense.
Yes, that will be a real problem against teams such as Michigan and Wisconsin (and Ohio State and Iowa - yikes) that like to play "mano o mano" football - they could really hurt us with long, time consuming drives that just take us out of the game in the 4th quarter.
Nice post. I'm hopping they also get Shorter involved in the passing game somewhat during those first 4 games so he gets comfortable with the offense prior to the murders row schedule starting with the Buckeyes. He is 6-4 220 and his tape is so impressive for an 18 yo. Great hands, really appears to be fast for someone is size, and really impressive with YAC. Would love to see him and JJ on the field at the same time which will allow Trace to "throw it up" and let the WR's make the plays like the past two years.
I think we ask too much of our guys. The tackles trap,,the guards pull. I don't think there is enough time to properly teach and rep that. But just my $.02
Tommy Stevens will add another dimension to the running game. Improved OL, plus Sanders stepping into the Feature role, plus enough depth -- but not great depth -- in Mark Allen and Journey Brown, not to mention incoming 5-star Ricky Slade, all add up to solid running game. The key will be Trace McSorley, with an outside shot at a Heisman, keeping the defenses honest with the deep strike passing game.
