This team is putting up amazing numbers. The scary part is that they are nowhere near their potential. I saw Steve Smear on Nitwits this morning. This defense reminds me of 1969.
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- Thread starter Marylovesthelions
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It will be that way all year. A very weak schedule but for two games. Can’t see them giving up more than 20 points to either O$U or scUM.
1969 is a high bar to get over...and 1986 is right up there for Best In History. In both those years, we rode a smothering D and vanilla O to unbeaten records.
College football is a lot different today. You can't win a National Championship anymore on the strength of a great D alone. But don't get me wrong: it's sure nice to have one.
The proof will be in the pudding. Our D is fantastic and after four games leads the nation in yards allowed. But the big tests, which are more challenging than those faced by either the 1969 or 1986 teams in the regular season, are still to come.
agree. but we still haven't played a good offense. WVU was probably the best. And, as CJF said today, NW's QB will be the best passer we've seen so far. tOSU and UM are in a different category from everyone else in the B1G especially because Iowa lost their top two RBs and TE coming into the game. I am cautiously optimistic. The team has performed better than anyone predicted so far.
All great defenses had offenses that possess the ball. Yurcich had the perfect plan Saturday. They guarded against the long pass, and he took what they gave.
A run and gun offense gives the opponent 50% more possessions. I like the 2023 to become a great defense.
Manny Diaz is the best PSU defense coordinator since Jerry Sandusky. Penn State has an outstanding defense. No doubt about it!
However, the comments in this thread are a bit over the top and it’s way too early to start comparing this team with other great PSU defenses of the past.
However, the comments in this thread are a bit over the top and it’s way too early to start comparing this team with other great PSU defenses of the past.
I really like your enthusiasm and I hope your prediction turns out to be correct. I really do.
However, you do recall OSU and Michigan averaged 42.5 points against Penn State the last time they played in 2022.
Also, so far in 2023 Penn State has not yet played an offense with a pulse.
Let’s pump the brakes a little until the better teams play Penn State beginning October 21 in Columbus Ohio. A game I believe Penn State will win.
WV has the best OL we will face this year. 3 will be drafted, one in the first round. Their top OLman is on a par with Fashnu. Only our speed overcame their brute force. They will tire out a lot of defenses with their big TB behind them.
In 1986 PSU played a very highly rated schedule that would be considerably more difficult than what is ahead of this team.
Can’t argue with that but the scUM game is at home and they historically score around 21 at the Beav and O$U is very pedestrian this year. They don’t have a vaunted offense like in past years. I’ll stick with my prognostications, at this time.
Well, my point was that the 2023 schedule in terms of "big tests" is more challenging than 1986. In 1986 there was one: at Alabama which was undefeated and ranked #2 when we played them. This year there are two: at Ohio State and Michigan at home, both of which will likely be ranked in the top-5.
Also, the road to a national title is more difficult: if we pass the two big tests (or at least one would still give us a fighting chance), then there's a conference championship game and after that two top-5 teams in a playoff. In 1986, it was straight on to the Fiesta Bowl where, granted, our opponent was rightly considered one of the best college teams of the decade (or longer).
Beyond that, I see the rest of our 2023 regular season schedule as roughly on par with the 1986 slate. Boston College was decent in 1986 and went on to a 9-3 season. Notre Dame was just beginning the process of rebuilding after Faust's disastrous tenure and finished with 6 losses as I recall. The rest of the 1986 schedule was not super rough: a bunch of teams that finished with 5 losses or more.
I have followed Penn State Football since 1972. In my opinion, without question the best Penn State defenses by far were 1978 (Bruce Clark, Matt Millen, Pete Harris, etc.) and 1986 led by the legendary all-America LB Shane Conlan.
The 1986 defense held the Miami Hurricanes to 10 points in the National Championship game. That Miami roster was arguably the most talented in the history of college football. You could combine today‘s Ohio State and Michigan roster and their combined talent would still be subpar to that Miami team’s firepower on offense and their vaunted defense which was filled with future NFL talent.
While the 2023 Penn State defense is fun to watch, they are not in the same league as the 1978 and 1986 PSU defenses. Not even close.
The 1986 defense held the Miami Hurricanes to 10 points in the National Championship game. That Miami roster was arguably the most talented in the history of college football. You could combine today‘s Ohio State and Michigan roster and their combined talent would still be subpar to that Miami team’s firepower on offense and their vaunted defense which was filled with future NFL talent.
While the 2023 Penn State defense is fun to watch, they are not in the same league as the 1978 and 1986 PSU defenses. Not even close.
Ok, I’ll admit that it was late in the day and I was thinking 1982 season.
1982...totally agree with you there. It was rated the toughest schedule in the nation if I recall correctly.
