Biggest key to PSU-Pitt game....

[bono47]

Even after digesting Saturday and then objectively analyzing this match up, it still seems amazing to me how many folks on here, as well as local writers, are convinced this is going to be a nail biter. I think everyone's objective judgment has been unreasonably affected by the so called "rivalry".

Step back and consider this match up.

Team X, a top 15 team is heading to Heinz on Saturday, and Team X has all of the following:

1. Senior qb with 21 career wins, 3 come from behind drives, road starts at Mich, Iowa, OSU, the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Indy BiG champ game.

2. Entire offensive line back from 10 win Fiesta bowl season.

3. 3 talented receivers who had significant minutes and contributions last year.

4. A 5 star rb who has only sparkled when given the chance.

5. 2 stellar defensive ends and 1 stellar d tackle. Entire secondary w skill and playing time. Skilled but young backers.....

Vs.

1. A Pitt team that won 5 games last year and no bowl that also lost to Team X 33-14. This team by all analysts of talent has now been predicted to win no more than 6 games this year.

2. A green as grass soph qb who has never played in prime time under the lights with pressure in a tense environment who turned the ball over twice last week against St. Luke's Prep.

3. An offensive line replacing 3 starters with a JUCO and 2 first year starters.

4. A returning defense that was 105th last year in passing yards allowed and 69th in total defense. The same defense who allowed St. Luke's to march and pass on it.

Who are you taking?

The key in my mind is returning quality and experience. PSU's D in places may be young, but Pitt is younger at more critical positions.

If Team X was anyone other than PSU with those stats......Ohio State....SC......West Virginia......no one in their objective mind takes Pitt.

For a different view, make Team X PSU, but make Pitt, perhaps, Indiana. Would you be as nervous?

 

[PSU95alum]

And how would you have written the tale of the tape for App State?

 

[sluggo72]

who cares about all of that, if we don't have some inside linebackers that step up and fill a hole, none of that matters.

 

[Berkstater]

Indiana is better than Pitt

 

[bono47]

And how would you have written the tale of the tape for App State?

To me, App St. falls into a diff category. 1st game of year against an unknown commodity with a tradition of giant slaying. Plus, a defense that is different from what PSU has seen.

 

[WDLion]

Even after digesting Saturday and then objectively analyzing this match up, it still seems amazing to me how many folks on here, as well as local writers, are convinced this is going to be a nail biter. I think everyone's objective judgment has been unreasonably affected by the so called "rivalry".

Step back and consider this match up.

Team X, a top 15 team is heading to Heinz on Saturday, and Team X has all of the following:

1. Senior qb with 21 career wins, 3 come from behind drives, road starts at Mich, Iowa, OSU, the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, the Indy BiG champ game, and Ireland.

2. Entire offensive line back from 10 win Fiesta bowl season.

3. 3 talented receivers who had significant minutes and contributions last year.

4. A 5 star rb who has only sparkled when given the chance.

5. 2 stellar defensive ends and 1 stellar d tackle. Entire secondary w skill and playing time. Skilled but young backers.....

Vs.

1. A Pitt team that won 5 games last year and no bowl that also lost to Team X 33-14. This team by all analysts of talent has now been predicted to win no more than 6 games this year.

2. A green as grass soph qb who has never played in prime time under the lights with pressure in a tense environment who turned the ball over twice last week against St. Luke's Prep.

3. An offensive line replacing 3 starters with a JUCO and 2 first year starters.

4. A returning defense that was 105th last year in passing yards allowed and 69th in total defense. The same defense who allowed St. Luke's to march and pass on it.

Who are you taking?

The key in my mind is returning quality and experience. PSU's D in places may be young, but Pitt is younger at more critical positions.

If Team X was anyone other than PSU with those stats......Ohio State....SC......West Virginia......no one in their objective mind takes Pitt.

For a different view, make Team X PSU, but make Pitt, perhaps, Indiana. Would you be as nervous?

Hopefully the players don't think it will be as easy as you do.

 

[sluggo72]

To me, App St. falls into a diff category. 1st game of year against an unknown commodity with a tradition of giant slaying. Plus, a defense that is different from what PSU has seen.

That's a load of crap. PSU has seen that front before, as recently as MD last year, last game. Rutgers, and Nebraska all play some sort of 30 front (3-4, 3-3-5 etc). Better get use to it, Kent State plays it as well.
Plus they had all pre season to get ready, remember App State, App State etc.

 

[mikemauti42]

Pitt fans are dumb enough to think Pitt is going to win handily.

The reasons you mentioned are exactly right and any chance Pitt had in this game went out the window the minute app st made it a game.

Penn State has big game experience. They have done this time and time again at night.

Pitt is undersized on the interior Dline. Expect to see 66 and 74 get to the second level

One PSU generates the run (and they will more than they did in 16 and 17) they will use the rpo play action to pull the safeties up and hit shots.

On D expect PSU to play press coverage and force Pickett to throw the ball over 10 yards. He might not have time.

Side note: ASU kept PSU off balance running a 3-4 D. This is a better matchup for our interior Oline


I have psu 42-17

 

[PineIslandLion]

I expect a huge game for PSU through the air. JJ & Hamler may each have 100 yard receiving games. I’m going with 37-24, for the good guys.

 

[cvilleelkscoach]

Even after digesting Saturday and then objectively analyzing this match up, it still seems amazing to me how many folks on here, as well as local writers, are convinced this is going to be a nail biter. I think everyone's objective judgment has been unreasonably affected by the so called "rivalry".

Step back and consider this match up.

Team X, a top 15 team is heading to Heinz on Saturday, and Team X has all of the following:

1. Senior qb with 21 career wins, 3 come from behind drives, road starts at Mich, Iowa, OSU, the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, the Indy BiG champ game, and Ireland.

2. Entire offensive line back from 10 win Fiesta bowl season.

3. 3 talented receivers who had significant minutes and contributions last year.

4. A 5 star rb who has only sparkled when given the chance.

5. 2 stellar defensive ends and 1 stellar d tackle. Entire secondary w skill and playing time. Skilled but young backers.....

Vs.

1. A Pitt team that won 5 games last year and no bowl that also lost to Team X 33-14. This team by all analysts of talent has now been predicted to win no more than 6 games this year.

2. A green as grass soph qb who has never played in prime time under the lights with pressure in a tense environment who turned the ball over twice last week against St. Luke's Prep.

3. An offensive line replacing 3 starters with a JUCO and 2 first year starters.

4. A returning defense that was 105th last year in passing yards allowed and 69th in total defense. The same defense who allowed St. Luke's to march and pass on it.

Who are you taking?

The key in my mind is returning quality and experience. PSU's D in places may be young, but Pitt is younger at more critical positions.

If Team X was anyone other than PSU with those stats......Ohio State....SC......West Virginia......no one in their objective mind takes Pitt.

For a different view, make Team X PSU, but make Pitt, perhaps, Indiana. Would you be as nervous?

Hack was the starter in Ireland not Trace.

 

[diggerpup]

Pitt fans are dumb enough to think Pitt is going to win handily.

The reasons you mentioned are exactly right and any chance Pitt had in this game went out the window the minute app st made it a game.

Penn State has big game experience. They have done this time and time again at night.

Pitt is undersized on the interior Dline. Expect to see 66 and 74 get to the second level

One PSU generates the run (and they will more than they did in 16 and 17) they will use the rpo play action to pull the safeties up and hit shots.

On D expect PSU to play press coverage and force Pickett to throw the ball over 10 yards. He might not have time.

Side note: ASU kept PSU off balance running a 3-4 D. This is a better matchup for our interior Oline


I have psu 42-17

Bravo.

Appy St would beat sPitt by 10.

 

[TheBumble]

You just never know. It's college football.

 

[bono47]

Hack was the starter in Ireland not Trace.

Good look. I stand corrected!

 

[bono47]

That's a load of crap. PSU has seen that front before, as recently as MD last year, last game. Rutgers, and Nebraska all play some sort of 30 front (3-4, 3-3-5 etc). Better get use to it, Kent State plays it as well.
Plus they had all pre season to get ready, remember App State, App State etc.

True. They may have seen it, but that was last year, and I am willing to bet they didn't spend a ton of time in camp dealing with it. Plus on O, App St. did not run the ball in the 4th like PSU had blindly prepared for. Rather, they uncharacteristically made huge throws, which Franklin said both before and after was not what they had expected.

PSU will be better prepared for Pitt in a look they are more used to IMHO. For comparison, remember in 07 Michigan lost to App St. Then the next week they drilled ND and wound up beating PSU and Florida that year. We can agree to disagree, but to me the 1st game of year against App St., a team who prepped for this game all summer, is not truly and objectively indicative of how PSU matches up with Pitt.

 

[Obliviax]

Even after digesting Saturday and then objectively analyzing this match up, it still seems amazing to me how many folks on here, as well as local writers, are convinced this is going to be a nail biter. I think everyone's objective judgment has been unreasonably affected by the so called "rivalry".

Step back and consider this match up.

Team X, a top 15 team is heading to Heinz on Saturday, and Team X has all of the following:

1. Senior qb with 21 career wins, 3 come from behind drives, road starts at Mich, Iowa, OSU, the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Indy BiG champ game.

2. Entire offensive line back from 10 win Fiesta bowl season.

3. 3 talented receivers who had significant minutes and contributions last year.

4. A 5 star rb who has only sparkled when given the chance.

5. 2 stellar defensive ends and 1 stellar d tackle. Entire secondary w skill and playing time. Skilled but young backers.....

Vs.

1. A Pitt team that won 5 games last year and no bowl that also lost to Team X 33-14. This team by all analysts of talent has now been predicted to win no more than 6 games this year.

2. A green as grass soph qb who has never played in prime time under the lights with pressure in a tense environment who turned the ball over twice last week against St. Luke's Prep.

3. An offensive line replacing 3 starters with a JUCO and 2 first year starters.

4. A returning defense that was 105th last year in passing yards allowed and 69th in total defense. The same defense who allowed St. Luke's to march and pass on it.

Who are you taking?

The key in my mind is returning quality and experience. PSU's D in places may be young, but Pitt is younger at more critical positions.

If Team X was anyone other than PSU with those stats......Ohio State....SC......West Virginia......no one in their objective mind takes Pitt.

For a different view, make Team X PSU, but make Pitt, perhaps, Indiana. Would you be as nervous?

IMHO, the game depends on limiting turnovers on offense. Not giving up a TD on special teams. And, the DT/LB play on jet sweeps, inside misdirection plays and shovel passes.

 

[Custerdome]

who cares about all of that, if we don't have some inside linebackers that step up and fill a hole, none of that matters.

We were informed on this board that there was no problem at inside linebacker, so I'm not sure where you are getting your information at. Many times, posters reminded us that 36 was not the problem and that he was stepping up and filling holes while making 10.5 tackles. The board disagrees with you(and me).

 

[BobPSU92]

I don't know the biggest key, but pitt has the biggest keychain.

 

[bono47]

who cares about all of that, if we don't have some inside linebackers that step up and fill a hole, none of that matters.

Even if our backers are bad, you cannot look at that in a vacuum. One, Pitt's questionable offense would still need to outscore a PSU offense who keeps dropping 30+ a game, who will also have the advantage against a weak Pitt secondary.

 

[Custerdome]

1. Simplify the defense
2. Stop playing in a phone booth offensively and take the top off with 1 and 84.
3. Clean up special teams

That's it. Do these three things and you win this game.

 

[tboyer]

How can anybody predict this one? PSU especially defense is a work in progress and they could be improved tremendously or they could still be lost when Pitt starts throwing the ball.

I hope the PSU D can claw and scrape and hold Pitt to 28, and then the PSU offense can get to 35 or 38 on the Pitt D. It doesn't have to be pretty at this point in the season. Just get it done.

If Appy St. is any indication, PSU O is going to have to drive and score consistently -- like at least 50% of possessions -- to keep the D off the field.

If the D has to play too much, Pickett will have all the time he wants in the 3rd and 4th quarter and will pick apart the PSU secondary. The D may not have the horses this year to prevent that, so the O has to be really sharp.

 

[sluggo72]

We were informed on this board that there was no problem at inside linebacker, so I'm not sure where you are getting your information at. Many times, posters reminded us that 36 was not the problem and that he was stepping up and filling holes while making 10.5 tackles. The board disagrees with you(and me).

Well to be clear 36 is not nearly the problem as the other LBer in the clips I posted

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

it's just that, well.... they are super ordinary!

 

[nittnee]

How can anybody predict this one? PSU especially defense is a work in progress and they could be improved tremendously or they could still be lost when Pitt starts throwing the ball.

I hope the PSU D can claw and scrape and hold Pitt to 28, and then the PSU offense can get to 35 or 38 on the Pitt D. It doesn't have to be pretty at this point in the season. Just get it done.

If Appy St. is any indication, PSU O is going to have to drive and score consistently -- like at least 50% of possessions -- to keep the D off the field.

If the D has to play too much, Pickett will have all the time he wants in the 3rd and 4th quarter and will pick apart the PSU secondary. The D may not have the horses this year to prevent that, so the O has to be really sharp.

Kenny football. Two starts with pedestrian stats and he is going to pick apart the PSU secondary the entire second half.

This board has been hilarious this week. One admittedly bad quarter of football, against what was a better team than most expected, and suddenly the defense will struggle mightily against a very ordinary Pitt team that won five games last year and did not reload.

McSorely should have a big game against that Pitt secondary. Good luck to Kenny Football keeping up.

 

[YYZ86]

View embedded media

You just never know. It's college football.

Yes when you are a below average to bad program, you occasionally get an upset win. It is possible that Pitt gets another one on Saturday. What will it change for Pitt's program in the future? Absolutely nothing. Circle of life for the Pitt fan base.

 

[diggerpup]

View embedded media

You just never know. It's college football.

Clemson shit their pants in that game.

Were up 14 much of the game.

Insane INT + return from the goal line.

Plus a mind-numbing WTF 4th down attempt from midfield late.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

If this game were to be played 10 times, I think PSU probably wins it 9.0-9.5 times.

On any one night, who knows? Lucky bounces, fluke plays, turnovers, penalties called or not called, injuries, how each team plays, the weather.....that’s why they play the game.

But IMHO: PSU has WAY WAY WAY too much firepower to lose this week.

 

[Custerdome]

Well to be clear 36 is not nearly the problem as the other LBer in the clips I posted

That would be 7, I surmise.

Both 7, and 6, are liabilities.

Allow me to add, 23 is possibly the worst tackler I've ever seen in a PSU uniform. I counted 7 missed tackles.

 

[Get Nasty]

Even after digesting Saturday and then objectively analyzing this match up, it still seems amazing to me how many folks on here, as well as local writers, are convinced this is going to be a nail biter. I think everyone's objective judgment has been unreasonably affected by the so called "rivalry".

Step back and consider this match up.

Team X, a top 15 team is heading to Heinz on Saturday, and Team X has all of the following:

1. Senior qb with 21 career wins, 3 come from behind drives, road starts at Mich, Iowa, OSU, the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and the Indy BiG champ game.

2. Entire offensive line back from 10 win Fiesta bowl season.

3. 3 talented receivers who had significant minutes and contributions last year.

4. A 5 star rb who has only sparkled when given the chance.

5. 2 stellar defensive ends and 1 stellar d tackle. Entire secondary w skill and playing time. Skilled but young backers.....

Vs.

1. A Pitt team that won 5 games last year and no bowl that also lost to Team X 33-14. This team by all analysts of talent has now been predicted to win no more than 6 games this year.

2. A green as grass soph qb who has never played in prime time under the lights with pressure in a tense environment who turned the ball over twice last week against St. Luke's Prep.

3. An offensive line replacing 3 starters with a JUCO and 2 first year starters.

4. A returning defense that was 105th last year in passing yards allowed and 69th in total defense. The same defense who allowed St. Luke's to march and pass on it.

Who are you taking?

The key in my mind is returning quality and experience. PSU's D in places may be young, but Pitt is younger at more critical positions.

If Team X was anyone other than PSU with those stats......Ohio State....SC......West Virginia......no one in their objective mind takes Pitt.

For a different view, make Team X PSU, but make Pitt, perhaps, Indiana. Would you be as nervous?

Dumb post of the week award?

 

[BobPSU92]

Dumb post of the week award?

You win.

 

[bono47]

Dumb post of the week award?

Well thank you for that contribution.

What is dumb is calling a post dumb with absolutely no original thought or analysis to back one's statement up.

 

[SR108]

IMHO, the game depends on limiting turnovers on offense. Not giving up a TD on special teams. And, the DT/LB play on jet sweeps, inside misdirection plays and shovel passes.

Stop the run, create a lot of third and long situations. We will then get more heat on their QB and force some turnovers. If they have success running right at us, it will be a close track meet game which could go either way. If I were a betting man I would probably take the over.

 

[BBG65]

I expect a huge game for PSU through the air. JJ & Hamler may each have 100 yard receiving games. I’m going with 37-24, for the good guys.

Don't forget about Thompkins. I know he didn't catch any balls last game, but he is an experienced, proven receiver and maybe, the fastest player on the team. I imagine they'll make a point to get him the ball since he didn't get it last week.

 

[OhioLion]

I'm a bit disappointed in the board with regards to this thread.
Biggest key to winning PSU/Pitt game.....

Ummm, scoring more points then the opponent!

Just remember, you have to beat them to win!

OL

 

[tboyer]

Franklin pointed out that app state pass d is to play back and prevent long passes. Pitt philosophy is more to press and not give up the short stuff.

So given that Tompkins is so often the deep target, maybe he gets more balls thrown his way.

Don't forget about Thompkins. I know he didn't catch any balls last game, but he is an experienced, proven receiver and maybe, the fastest player on the team. I imagine they'll make a point to get him the ball since he didn't get it last week.

 

[Grant Green]

who cares about all of that, if we don't have some inside linebackers that step up and fill a hole, none of that matters.

Pitt rushed for 341 yards two years ago. That is a recipe for a loss. Can't let it happen again. Front 7 needs to be stout.