Big Ten Coaches Talk Anonymously about Penn State

[Judge Smails]

https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...s-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2019

Penn State

"They're set to take that next big step, not this year because they're replacing a lot of the star power from last year, but in the coming seasons they could be special. They've had a ton of talent cycle through, and that's helped them in recruiting so much, to point to Saquon (Barkley) or Trace (McSorley)."



"Trace was just a flat-out winner. Maybe the most respected QB in the conference, a coach's player. It's a huge void they have to fill on the field and in the leadership position, and James Franklin is drilling that home."



"They're going to run the ball more, but they'll have to be creative doing it."



"Wide receiver was a really weak spot last year, you saw them playing under their potential."



"When you watch their offense, they do a really good job exploiting the mismatches. They're not overly complicated, but they're smart. They adjust really well on offense; they're reading you early on so you have to change up what you're doing a lot against them."



"They lose some at every position on defense, but (DC) Brent Pry has done a great job with their personnel. They're more athletic in their front seven than Penn State ever has been but have a lot of youth."



"They've recruited so well that the gaps in replacing guys are getting shorter and shorter. They don't look like Ohio State right now, but they've got freshman and sophomores who do."

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

Interesting stuff. Seems like a general theme that most think we're a year away.

 

[nits74]

And that sounds about right.

 

[BBrown]

And that sounds about right.

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

 

[Ranger Dan]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

I think less RPO and more called pass or run plays.

 

[Judge Smails]

They don't look like Ohio State right now,

Lost the last two games to Ohio State by 1 point. Games we led most of the way and lost at the end. What the hell do we look like?

 

[Judge Smails]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

Our offense is our offense. They will go to the LOS and change the play to what the defense is giving them. It's game by game, and team by team, what we're going to do "more".

 

[NittPicker]

Agree 100% about the WRs. The freshmen stepped up later in the season but dropped balls early on killed drives in close games which ended up as losses.

 

[Raffycorn]

Lost the last two games to Ohio State by 1 point. Games we led most of the way and lost at the end. What the hell do we look like?

I look at it as a compliment. Penn State has been less talented than Ohio State as far as the 1-85 roster is concerned, and the fact that we’ve played them as close as we have with less overall talent is noteworthy. The gap is closing now in the 1-85, which bodes well.

 

[Obliviax]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

Agree. The known weakness with our offense is a power running game. This is why we have lost close games to USC, tosu and MSU. We cannot control the game to protect a lead.

 

[djr4rebs]

Our offense is our offense. They will go to the LOS and change the play to what the defense is giving them. It's game by game, and team by team, what we're going to do "more".

I think if we complete at least 10% of last year's dropped passes, it skews towards more passing. Confidence was lost, particularly by Trace, in believing our guys would catch what was thrown. Those plays that he scrambled on in '16 and '17 that wound up down field completions ended up more often than not runs in '18.

 

[Obliviax]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

Agree. The known weakness with our offense is a power running game. This is why we have lost close games to USC, tosu and MSU. We cannot control the game to protect a lead. The only solution is to continue to run a high risk, high reward offense. And having smaller RBs exacerbates. This isn't unique to PSU but part of this kind of offense

 

[cjrugger]

I look at it as a compliment. Penn State has been less talented than Ohio State as far as the 1-85 roster is concerned, and the fact that we’ve played them as close as we have with less overall talent is noteworthy. The gap is closing now in the 1-85, which bodes well.

agreed, I think it was a compliment of the coaching job the last few years

 

[Judge Smails]

They're more athletic in their front seven than Penn State ever has been but have a lot of youth

We have a lot of very talented depth that are young, but the front 7 isn't young.

DE YGM Jr
DT Windsor RS Sr
DT Shelton RS Jr
DE Toney RS Jr

LB Parsons So
LB Johnson RS Sr
LB Brown Sr

 

[nits74]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

Was referring to the "still a year away" thought, not the run/pass mix.

 

[CampbellLION]

Stevens leaving may end up being a blessing. I'm not sure if he was going to be significantly better (or better at all) than Clifford this year, but Clifford having a year of experience heading into next year will be huge for the 2020 season.

 

[djr4rebs]

We have a lot of very talented depth that are young, but the front 7 isn't young.

DE YGM Jr
DT Windsor RS Sr
DT Shelton RS Jr
DE Toney RS Jr

LB Parsons So
LB Johnson RS Sr
LB Brown Sr

This is exactly why I say that if we are going to be a playoff contender, period, it begins this year. Guys like YGM and TCF are not likely to have a Clemson mentality and stay for SR year's. If Clifford and Hamler have big seasons, they could be draft bound as well. Not to mention other players who will be completing their 3rd years, nobody is guaranteed to return. Once guys like Bates and Givens declared, I've come to believe that if any paycheck is to be acquired, most are going to pursue it.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

We have a lot of very talented depth that are young, but the front 7 isn't young.

DE YGM Jr
DT Windsor RS Sr
DT Shelton RS Jr
DE Toney RS Jr

LB Parsons So
LB Johnson RS Sr
LB Brown Sr

Youth is exaggerated IMO. Yes they are green at QB, but this is a RS soph who has 4-5 games to really figure things out IMO. They are young at WR, but I'll take young and talented over seniors that cannot catch a damn ball. Then lets look at the OL. Menet, Gonzo, Fries, Thorpe, and Miranda aren't spring chickens and all have played football for PSU. Walker is young....so basiaclly we are really young or "inexperienced" at LT, QB, and RB. I don't think we lack for talent in those 3 areas, far from it. It's just a matter of how quickly they can grow up.

ON defense, the front 7 has a ton of PT and so does the 2 deep behind them. CB's have played a TON of football and in big games. 1 new safety who is in in his 3rd year....again...not young. This team will be a bit inconsistent on offense early on, but look out if they do click there and they can stay healthy on both sides. They may be a year off, but it won't shock me if they make a decent run this year.

 

[christoph]

This year going to be great. The QB experience thing won’t matter

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

IDK, do you really think we are going to run the ball more this year? I don't.
We had 521 rushing attempts last year and 379 passing attempts. JMO but I think it skews in the other direction.

I think we see split back sets where the RPO becomes a two headed RPO.

There are so many options.... Exciting times.

 

[SR108]

Agree. The known weakness with our offense is a power running game. This is why we have lost close games to USC, tosu and MSU. We cannot control the game to protect a lead.

Is it the offense, the OLine or the play calling?

 

[sluggo72]

Is it the offense, the OLine or the play calling?

neither, it s the blocking schemes.

 

[jrd23psu]

Lost the last two games to Ohio State by 1 point. Games we led most of the way and lost at the end. What the hell do we look like?

While I often think these anonymous takes on teams are made up, because in reality you can't prove they aren't or that they are but I found that to be the best of the bunch and I think it's true.

We have definitely played above what people would expect against tOSU since 2016 and it has showed. We were able to take them to the wire with a team that if you look at them was not as talented as tOSU.

The last two recruiting classes have been different. We have recruited at a high enough level that talent wise there isn't really much difference between their last two classes and ours. If we were able to take them to the wire the last couple of years just wait until those freshman and sophomore are juniors and seniors or juniors and sophomores. You might see PSU take it to tOSU.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

This year going to be great. The QB experience thing won’t matter

I think it will matter. Remember it took Trace 4-5 games to get going on the BT title run. They also held him back from running the ball early on and I hope they don't get gun shy with Clifford there. It keeps DE's honest. Good news is the first 4-5 games are pretty winnable and he can hopefully gain some confidence there.

 

[Obliviax]

Is it the offense, the OLine or the play calling?

I could be convinced differently, but I think it is the offense. The OL is taught due to the read/option. They don't drive people, they get in their way and let the RB pick a hole. In short yardage, you are typically looking at 8 or 9 people within a yard from the LOS and that "getting in the way" blocking isn't effective. Without that RB having a head of steam and moving toward the LOS, I am not sure there are a lot of good plays. The fourth and five against tOSU was a read/option that didn't pan out because the RB couldn't get passed the first wave of defender. You can fake it an pass, but that is high risk (based on the number of drops in wide-open situations we've had in the passed). Just my $0.02.

 

[Countrylion]

Interesting stuff. Seems like a general theme that most think we're a year away.

They hope so ...

 

[djr4rebs]

I think it will matter. Remember it took Trace 4-5 games to get going on the BT title run. They also held him back from running the ball early on and I hope they don't get gun shy with Clifford there. It keeps DE's honest. Good news is the first 4-5 games are pretty winnable and he can hopefully gain some confidence there.

Trace was learning an entirely new system behind a cobbled OL. Granted, he had 4 proven future NFL players in the skill positions, but we didn't know that in '16.

Additionally, Clifford is a better prospect and we could conceivably improve in all areas (minus RB).

 

[loosey goosey]

This is exactly why I say that if we are going to be a playoff contender, period, it begins this year. Guys like YGM and TCF are not likely to have a Clemson mentality and stay for SR year's. If Clifford and Hamler have big seasons, they could be draft bound as well. Not to mention other players who will be completing their 3rd years, nobody is guaranteed to return. Once guys like Bates and Givens declared, I've come to believe that if any paycheck is to be acquired, most are going to pursue it.

Yes,we need to recruit players that are going to have a Clemson mentality, otherwise we have become a football factory like O$U and Meatkichen.

 

[wilbury]

This year going to be great. The QB experience thing won’t matter

College football analysts: PSU will struggle to replace Trace

PSU football fans: Clifford might be so good that he'll leave early for the draft!

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Trace was learning an entirely new system behind a cobbled OL. Granted, he had 4 proven future NFL players in the skill positions, but we didn't know that in '16.

Additionally, Clifford is a better prospect and we could conceivably improve in all areas (minus RB).

I'm sorry, but the better prospect line is a bit much. So were Hack, Bolden, and Morrelli...I'd take Trace over all of them and wouldn't blink. Same for McGloin..take him over all 3. Now I'm hopeful Clifford is even better than Trace and is incredible, but it actually has to be done on the field.

 

[delcoLion]

This year going to be great. The QB experience thing won’t matter

I'm with LaJolla on this one. The experience lost from the '18 squad will hurt. It's crucial to the large majority of QBs (the Clemson kid is the anomaly).

As a pundit once said: "A slow guy going in the right direction is better than a fast guy going in the wrong direction." Fortunately, the schedule is favorable early on but there will be bumps in the road... big ones, too.

 

[roswelllion]

Well... two things
"they lose some at every position on defense" - really? Givens, A.O. and Nick Scott, Shareef Miller. Am I missing something? I guess that qualifies as something at every position but I see very little or no drop off while the others get a year more experience.
2nd The write sounded very complimentary toward Rahne and the offense.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

I think less RPO and more called pass or run plays.

Why? I see this situation as similar to when a young Trace took the helm—except with more talent on both sides of the ball. Sure, there’s no Joe Morehead and we can’t expect Clifford to be Trace II but I don’t recall any stated shift away from RPO. Please explain.

 

[sluggo72]

I could be convinced differently, but I think it is the offense. The OL is taught due to the read/option. They don't drive people, they get in their way and let the RB pick a hole. In short yardage, you are typically looking at 8 or 9 people within a yard from the LOS and that "getting in the way" blocking isn't effective. Without that RB having a head of steam and moving toward the LOS, I am not sure there are a lot of good plays. The fourth and five against tOSU was a read/option that didn't pan out because the RB couldn't get passed the first wave of defender. You can fake it an pass, but that is high risk (based on the number of drops in wide-open situations we've had in the passed). Just my $0.02.

the 4th and 5 blew up not because of how we block (most people dont fire off the ball anymore), but because the blocking scheme/style did not account for the D OSU ran, and OSU ran that scheme alot not only that year but the year before as well. PSU should have been ready for that, and they werent, otherwise the play goes for the first, if not a TD.

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

We have a lot of very talented depth that are young, but the front 7 isn't young.

DE YGM Jr
DT Windsor RS Sr
DT Shelton RS Jr
DE Toney RS Jr

LB Parsons So
LB Johnson RS Sr
LB Brown Sr

This "young" stuff has to end. The new normal in CFB seems to be 3 years and out - either to the NFL or the portal. These dudes probably aren't looking at each other thinking 'damn yo, just wait until next year.'

 

[marshall23]

I'm calling it all bs. I read a few of the paragraphs about PSU, OSU, UM and and Iowa...none of those sound like coach speak.

 

[PSU&Trout]

College football analysts: PSU will struggle to replace Trace

PSU football fans: Clifford might be so good that he'll leave early for the draft!

Hysterical ! Guy has not completed a meaningful pass in his college career but he is ready to be drafted. Yea right.
I'll go with the "College Football analysts" on this one.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I think we see split back sets where the RPO becomes a two headed RPO.

There are so many options.... Exciting times.

Would love to see that, even as a changeup. Only downside is you have to subtract either a WR or a TE. But wouldn't it be great as a new look? Nobody has ever seen it.

 

[Harrisburg Dave]

Lost the last two games to Ohio State by 1 point. Games we led most of the way and lost at the end. What the hell do we look like?

We have looked like a team that did not have enough on defense to hold a lead against a team with superior athletes, and a team that did not have enuf on the OL to sustain against deeper defenses.

The comments show that the gap is closing, but a gap remains. Anyone here will admit that DT is a position with talent and depth issues you do not see at places like tOSU, Bama, Clemson, and Michigan. The OL has questions as well. A couple kids leaving for the draft and losing two great recruits to heart issues and an auto accident does not help.

Things are getting better, and the opposition can see it. But it is not disloyal to admit there are areas we have to improve in order to be as good as we want to be.

 

[BiochemPSU]

I'm calling it all bs. I read a few of the paragraphs about PSU, OSU, UM and and Iowa...none of those sound like coach speak.

This^^^^^^^

However, I agree with the run the ball more comment, especially in the early part of the year. On offense, PSU was dreadful on third down conversion last year: 90th in the country. This year, I am concerned with the left tackle position and that same stat. We need the run on first or second down to put us in third and short situations as often as possible so that we can covert more than 36.9% of the time. A heavy pass rush, especially in third and long situations against a young QB, plus an inexperienced left tackle in pass protection equals the best formula to get your young QB (who will likely need a bit more time to read the defense) injured. And if Clifford goes down, the next men up are only one year or less removed from their HS proms.

Run the ball more and wear the defense down so your young QB has a chance in the end game, hopefully limit the number of times your left tackle will be left on an island by himself in pass protection (until he proves himself capable), and don't limit your formations based on having to constantly help the LT on passing downs.