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Winter Workouts and Spring Practice progress and reports thread

Good article on Tarburton.


Tarburton is a guy we could really benefit from having in the lineup. I have seen only a little of him so far, but he appears to have really good football instincts and might be an important leader.
 
I believe coming out of the gate with two of the three being Wisconsin & Auburn you're not going to see squat. We have 3 first year assistants, and 3 second year assistants, out of 10 assistants, To start out and get a feel for this team the coaches know what they are doing. I think Wisconsin won't know what's going to hit them.
 
A look at the shake out for the OL, as well as depth....

Two things that could help the OL "look" better:
--A Tony Hunt-like RB that always gets positive yardage even when there aren't holes. 2nd and 8 is vastly different than 2nd and 11. Noah Cain is the man for the job...I just hope he can get healthy. OL have a different mindset when a sturdy, fall-forward back is part of the run game.
--Playcalling that reacts quicker. I know the RPO is here to stay...but the QB needs to be decisive.
 
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Two things that could help the OL "look" better:
--A Tony Hunt-like RB that always gets positive yardage even when there aren't holes. 2nd and 8 is vastly different than 2nd and 11. Noah Cain is the man for the job...I just hope he can get healthy. OL have a different mindset when a sturdy, fall-forward back is part of the run game.
--Playcalling that reacts quicker. I know the RPO is here to stay...but the QB needs to be decisive.

Good call-outs. Other than Cain, I think we have that "fall forward" back in Lee as well. I think what this group is missing is the "take it the distance on any touch" RB to really take the run game to another level. Some good candidates between Holmes, Lovett, and Ford.

I think I'm going to jump on the OLINE bandwagon this preseason. IMO, Walker and Wallace are the two best tackles PSU has in a decade or more. I also love what Scruggs did down the stretch last season at guard - his ability to pull (and do it well!) broke some huge plays.
 
ESPN will televise Alabama's game live @1PM. Do they have C19 down there?
 
Two things that could help the OL "look" better:
--A Tony Hunt-like RB that always gets positive yardage even when there aren't holes. 2nd and 8 is vastly different than 2nd and 11. Noah Cain is the man for the job...I just hope he can get healthy. OL have a different mindset when a sturdy, fall-forward back is part of the run game.
--
I'm pretty sure Lee was this last year. Cain can also do this, but Lee consistently churned out 4, 5, 8 yard runs in 2020.
 
Good call-outs. Other than Cain, I think we have that "fall forward" back in Lee as well. I think what this group is missing is the "take it the distance on any touch" RB to really take the run game to another level. Some good candidates between Holmes, Lovett, and Ford.

I think I'm going to jump on the OLINE bandwagon this preseason. IMO, Walker and Wallace are the two best tackles PSU has in a decade or more. I also love what Scruggs did down the stretch last season at guard - his ability to pull (and do it well!) broke some huge plays.
When I see Alabama's backs most years, they seem like this kind of back--like Cain and Lee. And if a defender misses or gets trucked 5 yards down the field, then you see that RB rip off 20+ yards. I'd rather have that back than a back that can't get the extra 2 yards on the typical carry. NFL backs don't "take it the distance" too frequently...but those offenses are efficient and methodical.
 
Good call-outs. Other than Cain, I think we have that "fall forward" back in Lee as well. I think what this group is missing is the "take it the distance on any touch" RB to really take the run game to another level. Some good candidates between Holmes, Lovett, and Ford.

I think I'm going to jump on the OLINE bandwagon this preseason. IMO, Walker and Wallace are the two best tackles PSU has in a decade or more. I also love what Scruggs did down the stretch last season at guard - his ability to pull (and do it well!) broke some huge plays.

I agree that a RB that can get the tough yards is what we need to get back to a consistent running game, and Cain for sure has shown that style and talent, with Lee about the next best choice.

But although Ford and Holmes seem to have some talent, neither has shown enough of they type of explosive style and speed that light up a scoreboard. I can remember the first games Warner and Dozier played at PSU, and even in limited carries it was evident that both would be great PSU RB's and potential NFL players. Ford and Holmes have not shown that talent, don't seem to break enough tackles to be the next great PSU RB, and they have had ample carries to show it. I hope I'm wrong, but that's my gut feeling from what they have shown so far. Maybe Lovett shows some long run talent and provides that spark for the offense in 2021. Seems the staff is still searching for a home run threat like Journey Brown seemed to be......
 
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Are the radio guys told not to describe plays accurately? Or use players real names?
Keeping the super secret 4-5 strategy from the Days and Dabos of the world. Hope it’s a running clock scrimmage...actual game clock management to is too hard...
 
I agree that a RB that can get the tough yards is what we need to get back to a consistent running game, and Cain for sure has shown that style and talent, with Lee about the next best choice.

But although Ford and Holmes seem to have some talent, neither has shown enough of they type of explosive style and speed that light up a scoreboard. I can remember the first games Warner and Dozier played at PSU, and even in limited carries it was evident that both would be great PSU RB's and potential NFL players. Ford and Holmes have not shown that talent, don't seem to break enough tackles to be the next great PSU RB, and they have had ample carries to show it. I hope I'm wrong, but that's my gut feeling from what they have shown so far. Maybe Lovett shows some long run talent and provides that spark for the offense in 2021.


I dont think Lovett is explosive or going to be a break away back. He is a powerful North South runner and has many qualities similar to Cain and runs a solid 4.6. Tony Hunt's name was mentioned above. Lovett is kind of similar to Hunt. He will be a tremendous addition.
 
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I'm well aware. My point is, people keep asking about a scrimmage. I have no idea what Steve and Jack will be describing.

I'm listening and Steve Jones, this very minute, is interviewing a guy named "Woody" who is a manager at the Student Book Store. Sad stuff and the only thing worse is the empty state of my life
OIP.jzUylLO0qTnUxwjRyNv35wHaFj


Thanks Sandy!
 
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I'm listening and Steve Jones, this very minute, is interviewing a guy named "Woody" who is a manager at the Student Book Store. Sad stuff and the only thing worse is the empty state of my life
OIP.jzUylLO0qTnUxwjRyNv35wHaFj


Thanks Sandy!
Just a heads up, for next week’s “seniors only “ last practice Steve has already scored an interview with a cashier at the creamery.
 
Talked a good bit about the DL. One of the comments is that Rodney McGraw looked the part, that he sure has some development to do, but looking at his stature does not look like a guy that got to a college campus 3 months ago.....raw with development necessary but at least has the stature to play if it becomes needed. Whereas their comment on Mostella was that he still looks pretty skinny and lanky...

Comment on Fisher looking good at DE.... a couple of tackles for loss. And that Vanover played well at DE as well.

Elsdon got a ton of reps and caught their eye. Did well at lining up the defense. With Brooks, Luketa, King and Elsdon at Mike, seems like the roster is thin on outside LB's and overloaded at Mike. Luketa can play outside, but from what we've seen the last couple years, he is a liability outside.

At Safety they thought Rudolph played pretty well, which is good to hear as depth at Safety has been an issue. Jennings seems to be coming along as well. Pry repotedly said they have 4 Safety's they can win games with - Brisker, Brown, Sutherland, and Rudolph.

Spectators included Hamler, YGM, Sanders, Marcus Allen.....


 
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I'm listening and Steve Jones, this very minute, is interviewing a guy named "Woody" who is a manager at the Student Book Store. Sad stuff and the only thing worse is the empty state of my life
OIP.jzUylLO0qTnUxwjRyNv35wHaFj


Thanks Sandy!
She is completely and totally incompetent...a disgrace.
 
After opening statement..... couldn’t watch it.
Yep - thank you fans. Your welcome. That treatment may come back to bite some time in the future...churn out another 4-5-ish season with wins over no one and they might need to offer Pitt ticket prices to get people in seats. Good chance to get off to a very bad start this season and he might be “thank you fans” from a position of Special Teams coordinator in the women’s lesugue. Sandy could be league commissioner....Barron could sell popcorn...
 
Not exactly glowing reviews of Clifford coming out of the scrimmage FWIW. Sounds like he was up to some of his old tricks I.e ill advised throws, inaccurate, happy feet, inability to see the whole field. Good to get these practices with MY with Fall camp as well.

Apparently Roberson had some nice throws but the pick-6 to King was ugly.

CV didn’t make any mistakes and had a few good throws. But he isn’t there yet physically just yet.
 
Not exactly glowing reviews of Clifford coming out of the scrimmage FWIW. Sounds like he was up to some of his old tricks I.e ill advised throws, inaccurate, happy feet, inability to see the whole field. Good to get these practices with MY with Fall camp as well.

Apparently Roberson had some nice throws but the pick-6 to King was ugly.

CV didn’t make any mistakes and had a few good throws. But he isn’t there yet physically just yet.

I think SC's leash is going to be shorter this year. Half because of last year and half because of MY. He's not going to be allowed to commit a slew of turnovers and put a game out of reach before a change is made nor will he have the excuse of no spring/fall to install the offense.

A true game manager last year wins at least 1 of our 5 losses not named OSU, if not 2-3. If SC can't perform, can TR or CV be the guy? Who knows yet, but I think we definitely see one of them no later than the 4th quarter of Ball State (barring an App State type of close game).
 
Only Iowa and Ohio State should have been defeats last year. Defense was porous after first 58 minutes vs. Indiana until UM game. Being down at halftime and double digits sometimes was unacceptable. The team never seemed prepared. That’s more than a Clifford thing.
 
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I think SC's leash is going to be shorter this year. Half because of last year and half because of MY. He's not going to be allowed to commit a slew of turnovers and put a game out of reach before a change is made nor will he have the excuse of no spring/fall to install the offense.

A true game manager last year wins at least 1 of our 5 losses not named OSU, if not 2-3. If SC can't perform, can TR or CV be the guy? Who knows yet, but I think we definitely see one of them no later than the 4th quarter of Ball State (barring an App State type of close game).
I think Clifford's leash is going to be longer than last year. Unless they pick up a QB in portal, there's a pretty big drop off between Clifford and the #2. Last year they had Levis, who would have been ahead of Roberson on the depth had he not transferred.
 
I think Clifford's leash is going to be longer than last year. Unless they pick up a QB in portal, there's a pretty big drop off between Clifford and the #2. Last year they had Levis, who would have been ahead of Roberson on the depth had he not transferred.

Yep, and CJF's history seems to be to usually stick with his starting QB even when he plays poorly. There is an article on VBR about potential QB's fits in the Portal for PSU, but I can't see a QB like the Miami kid coming to PSU given Clifford's hold on the starting job and CJF's history of not making QB moves in season. Especially with Clifford going to be a 3 year starter.....

 
Yurcich's comments on Clifford following the open practice don't have me buying airfare to the CFP that's for sure.

I've given in that I personally need to stay positive because we're rolling with Clifford as the starter next season barring some miracle with the portal. And like mentioned above, the number 2 option isn't going to provide much more.
 
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