Although I trust the process and appreciate the season, a few disappointments

[PA college fan]

1) The number of potential interceptions not completed or dropped— at least 7-10 INts- even the best like Reid, or Micah and many others— the best teams have great ball skills

2) Not running Journey Brown enough— he outrushed Dobbins yards per carry, but he had 11 carries to 36 for Dobbins. He had 585 yds for 97 rushes in 10 games with 6.0 average, including many of the top rush Ds in country— Sean mad some bad reads in RPO where he would have better off handing off. I think next season, Journey will be a force. Also wish some outside runs to take advantage of speed and one on one matchups.

3)unprepared defensive game plans for first half of Minny and OSU. Although PSU outscored both teams in second half and had great defensive performances— the dud starts doomed season.
Hope this trend stops

 

[Secret Asian Man]

our weaknesses were what we thought they were going into the season: RB and DB. JB matured as the season went on. Sometimes, you start humble and at some point, look around and say "if not me who, if not now when?". I am hopeful Journey had that epiphany.

I DT's overperformed. Our young LBers are as good as any in the country. I am not sold on Sean Clifford, while I like him a lot. Since the break, he's had happy feet and isn't setting them to throw. Perhaps that is injury. The OL is what was expected> C or C- with the talent we've recruited.

Overall, we ddi better than just about everyone expected. So it is hard to be too disappointed. Of course, we need to go 1-0 this week. But going into next year, we should be loaded. tOSU (not withstanding the portal) and UM should have down years.

 

[psuro]

If this team does not throttle Rutgers threads like this will seem like Pollyanna having a picnic.

 

[bison13]

Part of the reason for the discrepancy in carries was OSU getting the early lead and their ability to make plays on 3rd down while PSU did not. Fields doesnt get a 3rd and long and that takes a few carries away and is PSU completes a couple that adds to JB's carries.

 

[Woodpecker]

1) The number of potential interceptions not completed or dropped— at least 7-10 INts- even the best like Reid, or Micah and many others— the best teams have great ball skills

2) Not running Journey Brown enough— he outrushed Dobbins yards per carry, but he had 11 carries to 36 for Dobbins. He had 585 yds for 97 rushes in 10 games with 6.0 average, including many of the top rush Ds in country— Sean mad some bad reads in RPO where he would have better off handing off. I think next season, Journey will be a force. Also wish some outside runs to take advantage of speed and one on one matchups.

3)unprepared defensive game plans for first half of Minny and OSU. Although PSU outscored both teams in second half and had great defensive performances— the dud starts doomed season.
Hope this trend stops

Well, with 2) that tends to happen when a team is behind: they run less. Maybe one compromise approach might be to throw to him. Note that that ties into 3) as well. Better starts allow you to stay ahead/even/close and thus use those strong runners even more. I'm not sure how you ensure good starts by your team - I don't really know what's behind the slow starts.

 

[katchthis]

our weaknesses were what we thought they were going into the season: RB and DB. JB matured as the season went on. Sometimes, you start humble and at some point, look around and say "if not me who, if not now when?". I am hopeful Journey had that epiphany.

I DT's overperformed. Our young LBers are as good as any in the country. I am not sold on Sean Clifford, while I like him a lot. Since the break, he's had happy feet and isn't setting them to throw. Perhaps that is injury. The OL is what was expected> C or C- with the talent we've recruited.

Overall, we ddi better than just about everyone expected. So it is hard to be too disappointed. Of course, we need to go 1-0 this week. But going into next year, we should be loaded. tOSU (not withstanding the portal) and UM should have down years.

Short list of those who thought RB would b a position of weakness going into the season .

 

[Raffycorn]

Short list of those who thought RB would b a position of weakness going into the season .

We had a bunch of the usual hand wringing about the running back position because of losing Sanders.

 

[LionDeNittany]

Short list of those who thought RB would b a position of weakness going into the season .

I don't think RB is or was a position of weakness.
We didn't pick a guy - We never committed to the run even when we had it all day long.

The combination of both cost us the Minnesota game.

LdN

 

[NittPicker]

Dropped passes have been a problem for the past couple seasons. Last year's OSU game may have been iced had there not been a dropped third down pass which would have moved the chains. The drive would have continued and we could have drained much more time off the clock. Such drops in crucial situations kill us. The thing is, other teams drop passes too but we only remember ours.

OTOH, we're going to be 10-2 and have a great shot at landing in a NY6 bowl. Who would have been disappointed with that in August??

 

[shifix]

My biggest disappointment continues to be consistent play every week.
Another would be our amassing talent and then not being able to beat a team which we have better personnel.
But I am pleased overall. Got to figure out how to get to the next level.

 

[gogolion]

The thing is, other teams drop passes too but we only remember ours.

I sure remember the pass Michigan dropped against us this year

 

[jferretti]

our weaknesses were what we thought they were going into the season: RB and DB. JB matured as the season went on. Sometimes, you start humble and at some point, look around and say "if not me who, if not now when?". I am hopeful Journey had that epiphany.

I DT's overperformed. Our young LBers are as good as any in the country. I am not sold on Sean Clifford, while I like him a lot. Since the break, he's had happy feet and isn't setting them to throw. Perhaps that is injury. The OL is what was expected> C or C- with the talent we've recruited.

Overall, we ddi better than just about everyone expected. So it is hard to be too disappointed. Of course, we need to go 1-0 this week. But going into next year, we should be loaded. tOSU (not withstanding the portal) and UM should have down years.

I think we need to reconsider making predictions about college football teams for the next year. The portal is about to change the landscape and as the coach said, you not only have to recruit high schoolers but you have to recruit your own team every year. It's anyone's guess what the teams will look like next year with early entry into the NFL and the portal.

 

[cjrugger]

My biggest disappointment continues to be consistent play every week.
Another would be our amassing talent and then not being able to beat a team which we have better personnel.
But I am pleased overall. Got to figure out how to get to the next level.

Um, that’s how sports work

 

[bourbon n blues]

1) The number of potential interceptions not completed or dropped— at least 7-10 INts- even the best like Reid, or Micah and many others— the best teams have great ball skills

2) Not running Journey Brown enough— he outrushed Dobbins yards per carry, but he had 11 carries to 36 for Dobbins. He had 585 yds for 97 rushes in 10 games with 6.0 average, including many of the top rush Ds in country— Sean mad some bad reads in RPO where he would have better off handing off. I think next season, Journey will be a force. Also wish some outside runs to take advantage of speed and one on one matchups.

3)unprepared defensive game plans for first half of Minny and OSU. Although PSU outscored both teams in second half and had great defensive performances— the dud starts doomed season.
Hope this trend stops

As for number three, OSU is very good and holding them to 14 seems to indicate the D did okay.
One? That bugged me. Reid's drop against Indiana would have blown the game open imo.
Two? OSU has great team speed and lateral movement. I don't think it would have worked as well as going right at them .

 

[danvillenit]

My biggest disappointment continues to be consistent play every week..

You mean like the #1 team in the country dominating the first half then losing the second half.

 

[PS4814]

I remember pre-season a discussion on here of who would be our leading rusher and I had put out there that it was possible for Clifford to do so with the 4 way split at running back. I was wrong as JB accumulated the most yards but Clifford did have more yards than Cain/Ford/Slade and actually has more carries than any of our running backs (103 for Clifford to 97 for Brown).

Here's hoping the offense as a whole improves their consistency from this year into next. Flashes of brilliance, streaky scoring, and then periods of "wtf was that" in between the rest.

 

[Pocono Lion]

I remember pre-season a discussion on here of who would be our leading rusher and I had put out there that it was possible for Clifford to do so with the 4 way split at running back. I was wrong as JB accumulated the most yards but Clifford did have more yards than Cain/Ford/Slade and actually has more carries than any of our running backs (103 for Clifford to 97 for Brown).

Here's hoping the offense as a whole improves their consistency from this year into next. Flashes of brilliance, streaky scoring, and then periods of "wtf was that" in between the rest.

That’s disconcerting. Any wonder why he’s so banged up at the end of the year? I’m all for having the QB as a running option, but that stat needs to change.

 

[psugisher]

Part of the reason for the discrepancy in carries was OSU getting the early lead and their ability to make plays on 3rd down while PSU did not. Fields doesnt get a 3rd and long and that takes a few carries away and is PSU completes a couple that adds to JB's carries.

Our running backs had 4 carries in the first half against OSU. Maybe they were lining up and taking it away but I was disappointed in whatever we were trying to do on offense in the first half. At least we tried a couple screen passes but the defense was sitting there ready for it. We did nothing to use the aggressiveness of Ohio State's d against them. In fact, we enhanced it. I wouldn't be surprised to see a new OC next year.