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Good game, Nits

He wasn't perfect. What he did to Michigan State last year was damn near perfect (29/31, 400 yards and 6 TDs in the first half). But he was really good regardless, against one of the best secondaries in the country. PSU's defense had something to say about him not getting his usual 4-5 TD passes, but he still took what the defense gave him over the middle and made some terrific throws late when it mattered -- the pass to Egbuka late was the backbreaker, and an NFL throw.

His pocket work still needs improvement, but he evaded some big time pressure situations yesterday (avoiding big sacks) and made some lightning quick decisions in the face of pressure. I'd give him an A- grade on the day.
I'd give him a solid B if you're evaluating him for the next level. He doesn't go through his progressions well at all. He forces throws at this level that he won't get away with at the next level. He's a great college QB and he played well yesterday but he wasn't "almost perfect" as the other person said. There's a lot of room for growth with him. I'd take him on my team in a second but I'm not grading on a curve. He needs to improve in many areas.
 
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I respect your opinions LandoComando. Don’t let these other posters bully you.
keep sharing your thoughts and insights.
Thanks--I'm fine with them trying to say I'm not a fan because that honestly just means they lack the intelligence to actually dispute what I'm saying. It's a desperate move by a desperate crew of people here that aren't used to people challenging them.
 
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I picked PSU against the spread for this reason. I freakin hate playing in Happy Valley -- night time, day time, whatever. Maybe when we go divisionless, we won't have to play you every year.

Your crowd is the best in college football, per usual. Your offensive game plan was terrific -- obviously Clifford's INTs were killer, but getting the ball out to the perimeter was the right move. Yurcich called a solid game, I thought. Ultimately our OL held up in pass coverage just enough, but I was impressed by your DL -- I didn't think your DL would challenge us much, but they sure as hell did. Our run game sucked.

I thought Franklin made a mistake not kicking the FG after halftime, but whatever. Probably didn't influence the game at all. I thought Day made a similar mistake with that crap right before the half. Not the best coached game by either side, but all in all, a much closer game than the scoreboard suggested. Thankfully for us, JTT had his coming out party. His ceiling is higher than the Bosa brothers.

You'll go 10-2 and get a solid bowl. Best of luck to your team -- as always, you had us nervous.
Yeah I thought Franklin should have gone for the FG too until I saw Pinegar miss twice but the team got bailed out with penalties.
 
Wait wait wait--no he didn't. Even toward the end of the game the announcers said something along the lines you look down and Stroud has an impressive stat line but he would be the first to tell you he can play much better. Stroud was far from great let alone perfect yesterday. Look beyond the numbers
But the 3rd year QB had no picks and no fumbles.
 
I don't think either team was "soft" yesterday. That gets thrown around a lot by fans, but I don't think it's fair. A player making some mistakes or a kid missing an assignment doesn't make them "soft".

Now, I think there's legit concern that OSU lacks the same physicality it had during the Tressel or Urb years. One could argue that Ryan Day is more Chip Kelly than Urban Meyer, and our inability to run the football has reared its ugly head again. That is concerning given how Michigan is playing these days.

But "soft" isn't really fair. For either team. "Soft" is Wake Forest or Syracuse or Oklahoma.
Well you did run it from 45 yds out to put you ahead for good at the most crucial time of the game. So you got that. I agree though that the thing I would be concerned about vs Michigan is if they have success controlling the lines of scrimmage (shut the run down, pressure on Stroud from D line, while running effectively against you.)
 
Nah.

You guys are harder on Penn State than an outside observer, IMO.

Franklin can't win big games, and that's concerning. But he always has PSU ready to play against us, and while the turnovers and some playcalling doomed you, it wasn't being "soft". I thought you were damn tough on the line of scrimmage, particularly in the run game (both sides of the ball). Just so happens that a uber-talented freak who will probably be a top-5 pick in the 2024 NFL draft took over. That's not because you're soft as much as it is JT is special.

You'll finish 10-2. It's possible that Maryland could jump up and beat you, but I doubt it. You all have handled business against Maryland quite well, minus the COVID year.

10-2 and a solid bowl game. Not satisfying since you didn't win the two big games, but a damn good year for a team that wasn't ranked in the preseason.
Switch places with us.

You would be irate. Franklin is not getting the job done at his pay scale. Not even close.

And highly doubt we win out the regular season. O$U - absolutely as there is accountability. Penn State is more likely to lose 2 rather than win the last 4.

Penn State us now happy with “playing our tail off” participation trophy.
 
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Nah.

You guys are harder on Penn State than an outside observer, IMO.

Franklin can't win big games, and that's concerning. But he always has PSU ready to play against us, and while the turnovers and some playcalling doomed you, it wasn't being "soft". I thought you were damn tough on the line of scrimmage, particularly in the run game (both sides of the ball). Just so happens that a uber-talented freak who will probably be a top-5 pick in the 2024 NFL draft took over. That's not because you're soft as much as it is JT is special.

You'll finish 10-2. It's possible that Maryland could jump up and beat you, but I doubt it. You all have handled business against Maryland quite well, minus the COVID year.

10-2 and a solid bowl game. Not satisfying since you didn't win the two big games, but a damn good year for a team that wasn't ranked in the preseason.
And the fact that we were unranked in pre-season just shows how far Penn State has fallen. Not getting it done in any meaningful games in a long time. Not even one in the last 3 years. And not nearly to the level of our past nor to the resources available. Horrendous underperformance.
 
I don't think either team was "soft" yesterday. That gets thrown around a lot by fans, but I don't think it's fair. A player making some mistakes or a kid missing an assignment doesn't make them "soft".

Now, I think there's legit concern that OSU lacks the same physicality it had during the Tressel or Urb years. One could argue that Ryan Day is more Chip Kelly than Urban Meyer, and our inability to run the football has reared its ugly head again. That is concerning given how Michigan is playing these days.

But "soft" isn't really fair. For either team. "Soft" is Wake Forest or Syracuse or Oklahoma.
Penn State was soft.

O$U is mentally tough…they were challenged and responded and won going away. Again.
 
Penn State was soft.

O$U is mentally tough…they were challenged and responded and won going away. Again.

See, I don't know how fans can even measure that.

That game turned on two or three plays. Tuimoloau making insane NFL-level plays, mostly. And a few timely throws and catches by Stroud to Harrison and Egbuka. That's 5* kids making 5* plays.

Take away that Tuimoloau strip sack, and who knows how that game ends. Would PSU then be "soft"?

We seem to call teams soft because they lose, but when asked to point to specific plays or schemes that prove the softness, it's much harder to do. PSU didn't strike me as soft. They struck me as a very good team with very good talent, but not elite talent. And that made the difference in the end.

Edit: Ironically, OSU fans were calling OSU soft and weak throughout much of the game. Until we suddenly because mentally tough, LOL.
 
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See, I don't know how fans can even measure that.

That game turned on two or three plays. Tuimoloau making insane NFL-level plays, mostly. And a few timely throws and catches by Stroud to Harrison and Egbuka. That's 5* kids making 5* plays.

Take away that Tuimoloau strip sack, and who knows how that game ends. Would PSU then be "soft"?

We seem to call teams soft because they lose, but when asked to point to specific plays or schemes that prove the softness, it's much harder to do. PSU didn't strike me as soft. They struck me as a very good team with very good talent, but not elite talent. And that made the difference in the end.

Edit: Ironically, OSU fans were calling OSU soft and weak throughout much of the game. Until we suddenly because mentally tough, LOL.
Difference? This is a very regular occurrence at PSU over past 9 years. Penn State by the very definition has been soft- incredibly soft. Both physically and mentally. See Indiana 2020, Maryland 2020, Iowa 2021, O$U and Michigan 2022…and that is just for starters.

At O$U? Soft? Hardly. O$U has a killer mentality. That is why you won going away despite l trailing with 9+ minutes left.
 
Appreciate your well thought out and lucid response. Always nice to have civil conversations with fans from other schools. Plz ignore some on here who give off this homer/fanboy vibe that can't see the forest for the trees.
lol he sounds like more of a psu fan than a lot of people who regularly post here and ARE fans
 
lol he sounds like more of a psu fan than a lot of people who regularly post here and ARE fans

LOL. Let's just say that I grew up very close to Penn State football. Was a huge JoePa fan, and still look back on the '94 team as one of the greatest I've ever seen. So I'm guilty as charged in that sense. Not a PSU "fan", but I respect the program. Unlike Michigan. F*** those guys.
 
LOL. Let's just say that I grew up very close to Penn State football. Was a huge JoePa fan, and still look back on the '94 team as one of the greatest I've ever seen. So I'm guilty as charged in that sense. Not a PSU "fan", but I respect the program. Unlike Michigan. F*** those guys.
You could never be a "real" PSU fan. You have respect for an opposing program. That is not allowed in any way, shape or form.
 
hey lighten up, man

all of us are in awe of Pitt, the GOAT of all GOATs

Speaking of Pitt, I'm sure you all will appreciate this graphic. We in Columbus despise Mark May probably about as much as you do. He and Trev Alberts both. In that, OSU and PSU fans will always have that in common. F*** Pitt, too.

mark-may51.jpg
 
They h
Difference? This is a very regular occurrence at PSU over past 9 years. Penn State by the very definition has been soft- incredibly soft. Both physically and mentally. See Indiana 2020, Maryland 2020, Iowa 2021, O$U and Michigan 2022…and that is just for starters.

At O$U? Soft? Hardly. O$U has a killer mentality. That is why you won going away despite l trailing with 9+ minutes left.
They have NFL talent all over. This makes them an excellent team not mentally tough. Again they probably don't win the natty so they are not mentally tough then.
 
Edit: Ironically, OSU fans were calling OSU soft and weak throughout much of the game. Until we suddenly because mentally tough, LOL.

Fan bases are delusional. I'm sure you have it with yours.

We have ultimate optimists, and the anti everything's. The majority of ours wants what the Buckeyes have and I guarantee your fan base wishes they had Clemson and Bama level success as of late.

Our play has generally been softer than under Paterno, but some here have this memory that we were Bama dominant at some point in time and it just never existed to that level.

Now, 10-2 is considered a disappointment and beneath us if we lose to Osu and Michigan yet Paterno never regularly beat those schools and he definitely didn't have us winning 10+ games every year at any point in time.

Modern dynasties has ruined fan experience. If you aren't Bama, you suck and should fire and hire until you are.
 
Fan bases are delusional. I'm sure you have it with yours.

We have ultimate optimists, and the anti everything's. The majority of ours wants what the Buckeyes have and I guarantee your fan base wishes they had Clemson and Bama level success as of late.

Our play has generally been softer than under Paterno, but some here have this memory that we were Bama dominant at some point in time and it just never existed to that level.

Now, 10-2 is considered a disappointment and beneath us if we lose to Osu and Michigan yet Paterno never regularly beat those schools and he definitely didn't have us winning 10+ games every year at any point in time.

Modern dynasties has ruined fan experience. If you aren't Bama, you suck and should fire and hire until you are.

Yep. Fan expectations are out of control. OSU has more idiot fans on social media demanding perfection than any fan base in college sports, and it gets really tiring to see Twitter covered with supposed OSU fans taking shots at kids and coaches for any imperfection.

Even on Eleven Warriors which is probably our best board, we legitimately had board regulars (granted, only a handful) calling for Ryan Day to be fired during the half time of the Rose Bowl last year. Yesterday's game thread was toxic -- lots of claims that CJ Stroud was soft, the team was soft, Day needed to go, etc.

The combination of instant gratification culture and social media (where everybody has a public voice) makes for some seriously toxic discourse. I can't imagine how tough it is for coaches and especially players to tune all that shit out.
 
You keep saying that simply because I don't pretend college football (or sports in general) is something different at Penn State. It's about winning.

And we don't need to be well-coached with this schedule. We're in the 4th strongest conference that has 2 elite teams and us this year that even have a pulse.
3rd strongest. And the first two strongest are the #2 and #3 teams in the country.

You are a hater. Either just enjoy trolling or not a PSU fan. Which is it?
 
3rd strongest. And the first two strongest are the #2 and #3 teams in the country.

You are a hater. Either just enjoy trolling or not a PSU fan. Which is it?
We're currently 4th in terms of RPI because of how poor the bottom half of the conference is this year. Generally speaking we're second but this year we're considered 4th. Big XII has more depth and the Pac XII has more teams toward the top. It won't last long just this year. It's okay to admit the Big Ten is down this year. Some year the SEC will be.
 
Our team is soft. I doubt we will win out…one or maybe two losses yet on the regular slate.

Penn State is a mere shell of what our program once was or could be.

Good luck in the playoffs.

Ya...don't we all remember that PSU played for the national championship every year before Franklin arrived...

Sure! Lol
 
We're currently 4th in terms of RPI because of how poor the bottom half of the conference is this year. Generally speaking we're second but this year we're considered 4th. Big XII has more depth and the Pac XII has more teams toward the top. It won't last long just this year. It's okay to admit the Big Ten is down this year. Some year the SEC will be.
I wasn't talking about the Big Ten's relative strength.

I was asserting that PSU isn't the 4th best team, they are the third best team.

And, their two losses are to two top five teams. No shame in that.
 
Fan bases are delusional. I'm sure you have it with yours.

We have ultimate optimists, and the anti everything's. The majority of ours wants what the Buckeyes have and I guarantee your fan base wishes they had Clemson and Bama level success as of late.

Our play has generally been softer than under Paterno, but some here have this memory that we were Bama dominant at some point in time and it just never existed to that level.

Now, 10-2 is considered a disappointment and beneath us if we lose to Osu and Michigan yet Paterno never regularly beat those schools and he definitely didn't have us winning 10+ games every year at any point in time.

Modern dynasties has ruined fan experience. If you aren't Bama, you suck and should fire and hire until you are.
ok, so it's not every year, but 1968-1986 is a point in time, and this looks pretty good to me.......

1986​
12​
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10​
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11​
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7​
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1969​
11​
0​
1968​
11​
0​
 
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ok, so it's not every year, but 1968-1986 is a point in time, and this looks pretty good to me.......

1986​
12​
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11​
1​
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9​
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10​
2​
1973​
12​
0​
1972​
10​
2​
1971​
11​
1​
1970​
7​
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1969​
11​
0​
1968​
11​
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Era's change as do expectations. Why does everyone revert back to what JoePa did versus Team X...it's irrelevant now. Who says anyone expects us to beat OSU/Mich regularly? Most teams don't beat the other (of those caliber of programs) regularly. How about more then once in 9 years? Is that too much to ask considering the NFL caliber of talent we have put in the NFL. MSU knocked off both during Dantonio's high points...it can be done. Enough excuses.
 
Era's change as do expectations. Why does everyone revert back to what JoePa did versus Team X...it's irrelevant now. Who says anyone expects us to beat OSU/Mich regularly? Most teams don't beat the other (of those caliber of programs) regularly. How about more then once in 9 years? Is that too much to ask considering the NFL caliber of talent we have put in the NFL. MSU knocked off both during Dantonio's high points...it can be done. Enough excuses.
It can be done and PSU has beaten Michigan (more frequently) and OSU (once) in the last year years. As you rightly point out, it is unlikely to do this every year. Keep in mind even OSU doesn't go undefeated most years.
 
It can be done and PSU has beaten Michigan (more frequently) and OSU (once) in the last year years. As you rightly point out, it is unlikely to do this every year. Keep in mind even OSU doesn't go undefeated most years.
Both have made the playoffs...so by that metric alone, they are ahead of the game. Sure, no doubt, OSU doesn't go undefeated most years. It is very hard to do. But, when they don't, they are sometimes still making the playoffs, or like last year, the Rose Bowl. I'm just not a fan of the "our program wasn't ever this or that." So, what. Bama prior to Saban when they had DuBose, Shula, etc., was erratic and not great. Tennessee has been cheeks for decades. Both, with major tradition and history.
 
How about more then once in 9 years? Is that too much to ask considering the NFL caliber of talent we have put in the NFL. MSU knocked off both during Dantonio's high points...it can be done. Enough excuses.

Since 2005, PSU has beaten OSU 5 times. The most of any team over that time frame.

I believe Purdue, Clemson, and Sparty was on the list with 4, 3, and 3 wins.

And that's it.

Dantonio did make the playoff once. He beat Michigan regularly. And his 3 wins vs OSU are better than James 1. What's he doing?
 
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I wasn't talking about the Big Ten's relative strength.

I was asserting that PSU isn't the 4th best team, they are the third best team.

And, their two losses are to two top five teams. No shame in that.
Fair--so who's our best win against?
 
Fair--so who's our best win against?

1. Purdue - 2 conference losses vs 3, plus h2h over Minnesota.
2. Minnesota - 5-3
3. Auburn - not a good team, but the roster is talented. We broke their will.
4. Tie. Rest are who they are.

Minnesota should be 7-3 going into Iowa and Wisky final stretch. They realistically could win out, if healthy.

Purdue has Iowa next. Coin toss game. Likely lose to Illinois, but if Indiana passed on them, O’Connell very well might. 7-5 is probable.

I don't buy Illinois as the prime of the West yet. They've done a good job mucking up their games, but their best win is over a wounded Minnesota team that we beat much more convincingly.
 
1. Purdue - 2 conference losses vs 3, plus h2h over Minnesota.
2. Minnesota - 5-3
3. Auburn - not a good team, but the roster is talented. We broke their will.
4. Tie. Rest are who they are.

Minnesota should be 7-3 going into Iowa and Wisky final stretch. They realistically could win out, if healthy.

Purdue has Iowa next. Coin toss game. Likely lose to Illinois, but if Indiana passed on them, O’Connell very well might. 7-5 is probable.

I don't buy Illinois as the prime of the West yet. They've done a good job mucking up their games, but their best win is over a wounded Minnesota team that we beat much more convincingly.
And we beat Minnesota without Morgan. It's just a shame there really isn't a quality win on the schedule. Not blaming the team--you play who you play and we scheduled Auburn not knowing Harsin would be there and would destroy them. It's just what it is.
 
Since 2005, PSU has beaten OSU 5 times. The most of any team over that time frame.

I believe Purdue, Clemson, and Sparty was on the list with 4, 3, and 3 wins.

And that's it.

Dantonio did make the playoff once. He beat Michigan regularly. And his 3 wins vs OSU are better than James 1. What's he doing?
What's who doing? Mark? Retired, who knows. But, his reign at MSU at the apex was superior to JF and Hairball for that matter. Again, who cares about two decades ago since 2005...it's irrelevant.
 
What's who doing? Mark? Retired, who knows. But, his reign at MSU at the apex was superior to JF and Hairball for that matter. Again, who cares about two decades ago since 2005...it's irrelevant.

If you go with a shorter time frame, you are going to find even less losses for the Buckeyes. That's the point of reference.
 
They h
They have NFL talent all over. This makes them an excellent team not mentally tough. Again they probably don't win the natty so they are not mentally tough then.
Let’s see what happens. I would rate the Bucks the favorites right now. Incredible firepower and quick strike on offense.
 
Dantonio did make the playoff once. He beat Michigan regularly. And his 3 wins vs OSU are better than James 1. What's he doing?
Both OSU and UM were down when MSU did that. PSU was also down (for multiple reasons).
 
Both OSU and UM were down when MSU did that. PSU was also down (for multiple reasons).

OSU has 1 down year since they fired Cooper. I'm not sure I follow ya there. Michigan was a mess post-Carr and pre-Harbaugh.

Sparty still won during that period. What are you against in that statement?
 
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OSU has 1 down year since they fired Cooper. I'm not sure I follow ya there. Michigan was a mess post-Carr and pre-Harbaugh.

Sparty still won during that period. What are you against in that statement?
Right...I mean who cares if teams are 'down.' Sparty still crushed it for a few yrs under Dantonio, regardless. It's palpable how much of a struggle it is for some, (we know who they are), to give other programs a modicum of credit. Not to mention, that other programs, in our very division, have reached a higher mountain than JF and PSU. The bottom line is, half the division has made the playoffs, PSU hasn't. No excuses are needed.
 
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Right...I mean who cares if teams are 'down.' Sparty still crushed it for a few yrs under Dantonio, regardless. It's palpable how much of a struggle it is for some, (we know who they are), to give other programs a modicum of credit. Not to mention, that other programs, in our very division, have reached a higher mountain than JF and PSU. The bottom line is, half the division has made the playoffs, PSU hasn't. No excuses are needed.
Hard to give the deserved credit to those programs when you are totally focused on slinging shit at them, their coach and their fans. If they accomplish more than us then they have to be cheating because they are never better than us.
 
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Hard to give the deserved credit to those programs when you are totally focused on slinging shit at them, their coach and their fans. If they accomplish more than us then they have to be cheating because they are never better than us.
Yep, our fanboys sounds quite a bit like JF at times - all about excuses and how winning is hard...etc. Sorry that some should expect a program like ours to rise above every couple of years or so, and actually put it together for an entire season. We have many examples to point to.
 
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