Per your comment on the system. Schemes can be and should be tweaked each week. However, Franklin has a demonstrated preference for system guys. Guys that share his philosophy. Joe Moorhead was the lone exception. System guys, while they can make some adjustments, tend not to make major adjustments, largely because they are limited by the talent they use. System guys tend to to use system talent. Diaz has been plagued by the same fundamental flaw at every stop to date over his career as a defensive coordinator. That is a ten plus year trend. Until he proves he can make changes, I assume he can't or won't.
Your take on the offense is spot on. However, I don't see that changing this year either, or really ever for the same reasons I have doubts of Diaz. Yurcich's offense frequently caved against bad Big XII defenses during his time there despite more talent than we currently have. There is a reason he left Okie State for a lower position at Ohio State, and people weren't upset he left. He too is a system guy. He did add some tricks while at OSU and UT, but they were mere QB gimmicks that don't translate to Allar very well.
Allar will be the man.
This may be the first time in the history of mankind in which the words “offensive”, “philosophy”, and “continuity” have been used in the same string when describing football. You’re welcome.
Moving on.
In the most basic sense, what I mean here is simply the fact Penn State Football will have the same offensive coordinator for the second year in a row. If you can remember all the way back to 2019 when Sean Clifford became the starting QB, this is the first time he didn’t have to learn an entirely new offense in the offseason.
I’m guessing if I polled the majority of Penn State Football fans, they would agree with the assessment that the offense hasn’t looked much different over the past three seasons. They see all of the shotgun formations which include a combination of three and four receiver sets with a flexed tight end. They see the same route combinations and the same molasses-slow read options.
At least that’s what they think.
Let me assure you, even if there have been some similarities between the Rahne/Ciarrocca/Yurcich offenses, I guarantee you behind the scenes they are significantly different. Each offense has different terminology, route progressions, option routes, blocking schemes, hot routes, and different overall philosophies – the list goes on.
Even for the best quarterbacks on the planet, it generally takes them a season to fully absorb the offensive structure to finally open up the playbook, and I would apply the same standard to the offensive line as well.
As for the running backs, receivers, and tight ends? I’m guessing the learning curve is still steep when a new offensive coordinator steps in, however I don’t think it’s quite as high as it is for the QB and O-line.
Luckily for the Nittany Lions, nothing in the playbook will change from last year, which means the offensive unit should see some major improvements.
“It’s the second-year-in-the-system confidence. I feel like, you know, I’ve seen every look in this offense specifically. I know the terminology like it was the back of my hand. I know what plays we want to be in in certain looks. And when we get a look that I don’t like, I know the checks that get us out of those looks. Coach Franklin, Coach Yurcich have both given me a lot of freedom, a lot of responsibility.”
