11 – 1 is a very successful regular season! We will have some time to get guys healthy in time for the playoffs and make a real run.
Franklin, your balls dropped today
- Thread starter PSUWrestlingFanSince2011
- Start date
At this point in the season, it’s win and advance time. Don’t worry too much about style points; more important to avoid the land mines that are exploding all over.
I’ll take the one-point win. Still on a trajectory toward a week off to recuperate then a home game in the first round. If that deal was offered back in August, how want would have turned it down.
I’ll take the one-point win. Still on a trajectory toward a week off to recuperate then a home game in the first round. If that deal was offered back in August, how want would have turned it down.
FG kicker missed the game winner as time expired. Their offense is clunky. Much like Wisconsin and Iowa, they have abandoned the old school "big physical OL, grind it out running" style. The problem is that they aren't above average at passing yet, hence they aren't even great at anything while barely being above their previous weak passing.
Personally, I think it's a mistake for the far north brethren to abandon their historical success identities for more modern approaches, but it will benefit us in the long run as we will most likely win 95% of the games against them under these circumstances. Rock fights are tougher than finesse games vs teams you out talent.
And at the end of the day, these teams aren't winning more games by converting. In fact, they all look the same now. Can anyone provide a discernible difference between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa this year? They've traded wins with similar talented teams and lost across the board to the ranked ones.
They all would be better suited going back to their roots. Home growing their lines, built to contend every 3 or 4 years when you are senior laden or the schedule lines up (a la Indiana this year). Essentially what Rutgers is doing (but they have no history of doing it). The whole crew is 7-4 to 5-6.
Big final weekend of the regular season with several upset alerts going out.. that could still shake things up.
Texas at Tex A&M
Miami at Syracuse
Notre Dame at USC
Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Texas at Tex A&M
Miami at Syracuse
Notre Dame at USC
Tennessee at Vanderbilt
I believe that part of the reason teams like Minny no longer play the type of offense that you suggest is that high schools no longer play that style of football. And that is the talent pool from which every team is drawing.
It does not appear to be that easy to get linemen and players that desire to play in the more traditional type of offensive systems. And that problem also exists with acquiring players via portal who have the same 'system' problem.
From an offensive lineman perspective, they have always preferred running the ball and just mauling the guy across from them. A traditional ground and pound offense is what they love. At least the good ones.
And I guess that's the reason for a lot of teams to go with something different. They are not able to get the best players at certain positions so they have to do something different. They aren't going to line up and go nose to nose with a team with better players.
On a related note, I like AK's variety of plays he comes up with but the gimmicks are killing me. When we have the better players in almost every single game yet we continue to run trick plays then there is a problem. Our short yardage success is now completely dependent on outsmarting the opponent instead of outmanning them. Who knows, maybe AK's just been thinking ahead to the playoffs when we have to play a Georgia or Tennessee.
Or.. he was cold because it was practically freezing in Minny…and.. he was shivering.. we need to give credit where credit is do… we have won 4 away games with as hostile crowds and season determing games for our opponents to win as there is.. and we have come away with huge W’s…West Virginia , USC , Wisconsin and now Minnesota.. we’ll done Coach !
You may be right about this. I know in my area of Virginia, a lot of teams are still rush oriented. Some teams go to the Air Raid or the Spread, and tend to play stronger early compared to late (we are getting ready to start the 3rd week of the playoffs and colder weather has affected the passing teams).
The biggest problem at schools like Minny and Wisky and Iowa is they have too high of expectations for the circumstances they deal with;
1. Terrible recruiting base (for every Koi Perich, the SEC states have 50+ guys like him to pick through)
2. Lack of historical relevance to draw from (Little 8 Syndrome)
3. Hiring and firing coaches expecting Buckeye like success (this is more Wisky than the other 2 though)
Indiana was the story of the year. New coach. First time the team ever went 10-0. Still got mowed down by the Buckeye Buzzsaw and it wasn't even close.
Like a talented team that finally put things together but they're proven this year they aren't a good team. Time and time again.
It's like USC and Minnesota getting up to play us. That's great. Doesn't trump everything else. It's a very bad loss for Bama
The crappy play-calling in high-leverage situations (especially against the better teams) across multiple OC’s leads me to believe either a) Franklin inserts himself into those situations or b) it’s a “culture” to revert in those situations. MN is not one of the better teams, but CJF may have taken a step forward last night, and the belief that shows in the players may pay dividends later. They played to win in high-leverage situations, and consequently did not lose.
well to be fair they also think that they were jobbed by the refs and that THEIR defensive ends were being held the entire game, which really raised my eyebrows I can tell you
in years past, we couldn't hold on to the ball with 3 minutes left and a lead. at least yesterday we were able to muster first downs and run out the clock. That's progress
Regarding your comment about the defense, I agree, I don't have the same level of confidence in them as I did the last two seasons under Diaz but having said that the issue yesterday was not 3rd down it was the amount they were gaining on 1st down. We got banged up a bit on the interior line and our tackling was not as crisp as it has been at other points this season. We had several opportunities to make TFLs and get them behind the chains but failed to make the tackle - I also give Minnesota credit, they may not have the same level of talent but Fleck always has them playing hard. They also had two weeks to rest and prepare. Happy with the win time to move on, our best game has not been played yet. We might be on the verge of a breakthrough. No longer burdened with getting there now Franklin can go for broke.
CBS on us today--this is how we're seen. Fair or not--not IMO
"The Nittany Lions needed a fake punt and a late fourth-down conversion to hold off a five-loss Minnesota team in a 26-25 win. Penn State fell down 10-0 early and didn't look like a legitimate title game contender against an average Big Ten opponent. Penn State is the most overrated team in the country at this point with neither the résumé nor the on-field performances good enough to justify a No. 4 ranking. "
We have to win a playoff game this year or we won't get in next year at 10-2 with losses to the only two teams with a pulse that we play next year.
"The Nittany Lions needed a fake punt and a late fourth-down conversion to hold off a five-loss Minnesota team in a 26-25 win. Penn State fell down 10-0 early and didn't look like a legitimate title game contender against an average Big Ten opponent. Penn State is the most overrated team in the country at this point with neither the résumé nor the on-field performances good enough to justify a No. 4 ranking. "
We have to win a playoff game this year or we won't get in next year at 10-2 with losses to the only two teams with a pulse that we play next year.
Just exactly how we lost to Iowa back in the day under similar weather conditions and FUBAR plays. I can still see the Anthony Scirotto "PI" call to keep a Hawkeye drive alive.
This game also had elements of "The Drive" vs Illinois in 94...except this time we didn't need a td...just to kill clock.
If we'd have lost- which we very well could've- I'd be "done" w/ Big Game James.
I think he did grow a pair...and maybe added some hair down there too.
We need to play balls out versus loaded teams...which after pounding The Terps (never forget handshake-gate)...we will hopefully do.
Kuddos to JF and players for executing in clutch.
Have you not seen how many upsets there were yesterday, and every weekend? Only fans talk of fear. There are no gimmies in football. You have to show up. We're 10-1, and some of our fans act as if we suck. How many 10-1 teams are there in all of football? And y'all worried about looks. Lmao.
I tend to agree with the perception -- if rankings are based on potential over results. The computer rankings, which are based on results, have us at #5. Computers do not have an eye test component. They don't know about how results were obtained. For example, did the gap in the score tighten in garbage time or was there some sort of fluke play that enabled a slim win? Humans watching the games might consider those kinds of things as being relevant. In a pure, structured system they are not relevant. (See the NFL.)
The "eye test" from CBS would take some of these (in game events) into account, so they are weighting potential to some extent over results. That might be relevant in an invitational, but that cannot be relevant in a playoff.
One way to look at potential would be through the bookies: How many teams would be favored against PSU on a neutral field? I think that number is greater than 3 or 4, which is why we see perceptions like those expressed by CBS. The bookies would know that Franklin tends to fold against the Big Boys. The perception is not going to change until the results in those games has changed.
I'm amused at all of the praise I'm seeing for Franklin everywhere for the fake punt call, especially from those that are usually critical of Franklin but somehow that play changed their minds. Had that play failed everyone would be calling for his head on a pike for calling that play in our own territory with the lead and 5 minutes left in the game. Just goes to show you that the many of you judge play calls based on the end results and not based on the available data when the call is made. Personally I thought it was the wrong call given the situation, but I'm glad it worked out.
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Computer rankings are based on what an individual or group determined has value. It's not better. Just different bias.
You're just now realizing this?
Yes, most of these trolls are just waiting for a negative result ... then they'll complain about the decision. "OMGerd, we went for 2?!? Sew stoopit! Typical Franklin!"
It's why coaches ignore the critics. Many/most fans are idiots.
I actually noticed the trembling live as well. Definitely was nervous as heck.
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