Just listened.
Nothing in the Jack Ham part that was news -- Jack is just excited about the team and where it's headed. Loves the depth. Thinks the LBers are the most athletic group since Sean Lee's time (and I'm taking that to mean 2009 when the group included Bowman, Mauti, Stupar.) Jack sounds confident about DE, excited about the young DEs, thinks if PSU can get some leads this year, there will be a lot of opportunity for edge rushers.
The Terry Bowden segment was more interesting if only because I don't know much about Akron. Bowden expressed confidence in his TB, Ball, an Ohio State transfer who runs a 4.5. Ball was stuck behind NFL running backs at tOSU, then last year got injured in the 1st game of the season against Wisky, so he's never really played. Bowden thinks he'll be very good.
Bowden also excited about their QB, who didn't play most of last year because of shoulder injury, but the year before that led the team to a bowl game and won the bowl.
Bowden also sounded pretty confident about his defense -- says they have been able to keep the team healthy thorugh practice and been able to do the reps necessary for everyone to be ready.
Bowden says what worries him is that PSU's best players, the Heisman candidates, happen to be players who have the ball in their hands a lot. I.e. McSorley and Barkley can do a lot of damage and "put you to sleep early." He said he'd be less worried if PSU's best player was, say, a lineman -- you could scheme for that.
(Read between the lines -- I think Bowden sounds more confident in his O than his D)
I think that 39 point line or whatever it is might be ridiculous. This is not going to be anything like the Akron team of last season, if only because they have an experienced O-line, QB and tailback.
This might be a pretty decent football team at the Beav, and I would certainly welcome that. The PSU players at the press confernece today -- Bates and I think maybe Cothran as well said they're a little sick of going against teammates, they are really looking forward to going against other teams.
If Akron is a total blowout, then the second half becomes like a practice. I'd actually prefer a competitive game till halftime. I think it might be good if PSU only wins by 2-3 TDs and the sports press jumps all over them. I think it would be good for them to go into the Pitt game feeling like they have something to prove.
But whatever, that's fan talk. I'm sure the team just needs to worry about Akron and playing their game for 4 quarters. Franklin said something today that seemed spot on -- he says the challenge is always to play YOUR best, every play, and if you do the rest takes care of itself. Almost doesn't matter who the opposition is, you play your best.
