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Joel Klatt on PSU VS Michigan

Good points...Bit confusing looking at the stats...but it looks like PSU OL has allowed 7 sacks and 23 TFLs. Looks like Mich OL has allowed 8 sacks and 24 tfl's? I think I have that right...so on the surface, similar stats...but I think 3rd down %, where it really matters is the annual struggle for PSU and typically makes the difference. We convert at a 34% clip...Mich at 45%. That is a massive difference and it really starts up front with the run game and not getting stuffed on early downs. I like your idea about letting Cliff run a bit more...especially if Mich is in man. I get that he has taken more hits than Balboa, but without the threat of him running, it makes him truly less of a worry for the defense.
The betting line would be twice what it is if the Vegas experts think it will be one sided domination by scUM on the lines. Essentially this is a 3 pt game on a neutral field and probably less as I think 7 is too many to give PSU in this game.

Our O-Line is better than last year and we have a potential 1st rounder at left tackle. Other guys need to hold up decently. On D I think Chop Robinson along with Mustipher will be very important for us. If they can be disrupters I like our chances.
 
The betting line would be twice what it is if the Vegas experts think it will be one sided domination by scUM on the lines. Essentially this is a 3 pt game on a neutral field and probably less as I think 7 is too many to give PSU in this game.

Our O-Line is better than last year and we have a potential 1st rounder at left tackle. Other guys need to hold up decently. On D I think Chop Robinson along with Mustipher will be very important for us. If they can be disrupters I like our chances.
Although, I would hope Olu returns...I know he is a projected possible 1st rounder, but he hasn't had but a handful of starts. We need him to come back. But, yep, the other guys who have had some disappointing PFF grades at times like Wallace, Tengwall, even Nourzad, really need to hold their own -- at least be neutral vs Michigan which has 23 sacks or something like that already. How about PJ?! you are right...really looks to be a disrupter again which we need desperately on the interior.
 
Clifford will have to run for a few first downs to win this game.
I agree...he has had many big runs over the years...not sure we can sustain a balanced running game with him being a non-factor on the ground.
 
So Klatt is basically saying that Michigan has not shown anything yet on offense.

Between everything I've seen, read, and listened to, Harbaugh has done his best to remain vanilla up to this point. I think one spot they attack Saturday is with motion. To this point, most runs have motion and most passes have been from a set with no motion. I've not verified it, but it makes sense.

I'm sure Michigan will have some wrinkles for Saturday, but the offense they've put on tape is 85-90% of who they are. Those who say "oh they are holding back the offense for so-and-so" are generally wishful thinking. Our fans have been guilty before.
 
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Between everything I've seen, read, and listened to, Harbaugh has done his best to remain vanilla up to this point. I think one spot they attack Saturday is with motion. To this point, most runs have motion and most passes have been from a set with no motion. I've not verified it, but it makes sense.

I'm sure Michigan will have some wrinkles for Saturday, but the offense they've put on tape is 85-90% of who they are. Those who say "oh they are holding back the offense for so-and-so" are generally wishful thinking. Our fans have been guilty before.
Jimmah will want to run, run, run with Corum. He doesn't think we can stop them. He wants to play bully ball just pounding the rock at us. We will see.
 
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Keep telling yourself that whenever your team loses it is because the refs have conspired against your team.
Did you see the 2014 Ohio State-Penn State game? Believing that game wasn’t rigged is like believing Epstein killed himself.

Or maybe America just has a tendency to struggle with video feeds at really inconvenient times.
 
Although, I would hope Olu returns...I know he is a projected possible 1st rounder, but he hasn't had but a handful of starts. We need him to come back. But, yep, the other guys who have had some disappointing PFF grades at times like Wallace, Tengwall, even Nourzad, really need to hold their own -- at least be neutral vs Michigan which has 23 sacks or something like that already. How about PJ?! you are right...really looks to be a disrupter again which we need desperately on the interior.
He's 19 years old and not even Franklin is going to encourage a 19 year old to leave for the show.
 
He's 19 years old and not even Franklin is going to encourage a 19 year old to leave for the show.
No doubt...but the issue that can happen with early round projections for young (not ready) players is what they listen to on the outside. Hopefully he'll come back...as he should simply on lack of experience.
 
No doubt...but the issue that can happen with early round projections for young (not ready) players is what they listen to on the outside. Hopefully he'll come back...as he should simply on lack of experience.
NFL scouts are not going to jump on a 19/just turn 20 year old the way you might think. It's a decision here that says he should stay
 
Did you see the 2014 Ohio State-Penn State game? Believing that game wasn’t rigged is like believing Epstein killed himself.

Or maybe America just has a tendency to struggle with video feeds at really inconvenient times.

I am not saying refs don't occasionally blow calls that can impact who wins. I am not buying that there is a ref conspiracy targeting Penn State. That is just nuts.
 
This was a long time ago. Things change.

It has always been out of bounds including in 2005. The call on the field was wrong. And even more egregious - it wasn't even reviewed despite being a critical (and wrong) call. That's the big issue because it was actually a close play and understandable that the refs got it wrong on the field, but to not even review it was clear malfeasance.

Video review by the Big Ten was started in 2004 BTW, so that was not the issue here
 
It has always been out of bounds including in 2005. The call on the field was wrong. And even more egregious - it wasn't even reviewed despite being a critical (and wrong) call. That's the big issue because it was actually a close play and understandable that the refs got it wrong on the field, but to not even review it was clear malfeasance.

Video review by the Big Ten was started in 2004 BTW, so that was not the issue here

Pretty sure the standards of what they review has changed since 2005.

For example, Penn St scored a defensive TD that game after the Michigan QB Henne was already down. Not reviewed. Refs cheating Michigan at that point.

You guys only want reviews on close plays that didn't go your way.
 
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I am not saying refs don't occasionally blow calls that can impact who wins. I am not buying that there is a ref conspiracy targeting Penn State. That is just nuts.
It beggars belief to say that the 2014 Ohio State-Penn State game wasn’t intentionally manipulated. Once you accept that that one game was rigged, it becomes much easier to believe that the other atrocious reffing decisions against Penn State were not accidents, either. That game was the smoking gun that validated what Penn State fans had suspected for years.

I’m not saying this just because I’m a Penn State fan. I’m fans of teams in other sports and levels of football, and Penn State is the only one I would claim a persistent refereeing bias against.
 
This thread has gotten out of control...let me bring it back to actual football, stats, trouble spots, etc. No more of the name calling :)

A couple of interesting stats that I found on the Michigan Rivals page...."On paper, the Nittany Lions have an offensive line that fails to protect the passer, with two linemen below a 46.0 pass block grade (against true pass sets) and two others below 35, while the defense has a 114th-best 48.7 tackling grade. Michigan is the best tackling team in the country (91.0)."

I'm not as concerned about the tackling grade (albeit an issue) as I am with the OL. No question we are running the ball 'better', but still, as a whole, it's not a great unit. And, those pass grade numbers are brutal. This is typically the key matchup vs Michigan for any team...how do you hold up at the LOS. I feel we have better athletes outside the box on both sides, but that doesn't matter if your OL is getting destroyed. To me, more than anything, October is a litmus test for Trautwein and his group, not JF. If we still can't cut it at the OL and get pushed around, it's time for Traut to go. You should be measured against your best opponents....this month should present those opportunities.
The LOS is my concern as well. I feel like UM likely has the edge on both lines, but it's closer than last year since PSU has improved on OL and PJ is back on the DL. This one is likely to be a very physical slobberknocker where the LOS play dictates the game result. I think PSU is capable of winning, but I understand why UM is a slight favorite and PSU will need to execute well. This is a game where we can't afford silly mistakes like leaving points on the field in the red zone or bad overthrows leading to pick 6s, so I hope Clifford is ready to take what's there, he's certainly capable.
 
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It has always been out of bounds including in 2005. The call on the field was wrong. And even more egregious - it wasn't even reviewed despite being a critical (and wrong) call. That's the big issue because it was actually a close play and understandable that the refs got it wrong on the field, but to not even review it was clear malfeasance.

Video review by the Big Ten was started in 2004 BTW, so that was not the issue here
Stop responding to this guy. An obvious troll. There are about 3 or 4 of them that will go away tomorrow. Kind of like a fly that eventually dies. Pesky but completely irrelevant.
 
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The LOS is my concern as well. I feel like UM likely has the edge on both lines, but it's closer than last year since PSU has improved on OL and PJ is back on the DL. This one is likely to be a very physical slobberknocker where the LOS play dictates the game result. I think PSU is capable of winning, but I understand why UM is a slight favorite and PSU will need to execute well. This is a game where we can't afford silly mistakes like leaving points on the field in the red zone or bad overthrows leading to pick 6s, so I hope Clifford is ready to take what's there, he's certainly capable.
Good point about the red zone. That could be the difference. The team that gets TDs end not FGs wins.
 
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If PSU hits big plays early and the scUM defense doesn't stop them, the Referines will step in and flags will fly....

If scUM's Offense struggles, the Referines will allow them to hold with impugnity and if that isn't sufficient, flags will fly on 3rd down to extend drives.
True and unfortunate.
 
Pretty sure the standards of what they review has changed since 2005.

No it hasn't. The Replay Rule specifically stated that any such sideline play, under two minutes to play, will be Replay Booth Reviewed (same for fumbles / knee down). What was changed for the 2006 Season was the addition of a Coach's Challenge to the Replay Rule (Replay Rule was implemented in 2005 for most conferences, but in 2004 for b1g) - here is a LINK to an article confirming this change.
 
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I'm less concerned about the flags the refs throw than the ones they don't throw. If they let the MI offensive line hold and the defense commit pass interference with impunity then winning will be very difficult. The refs can easily control the game by ignoring penalties. If possible PSU will need a big, very big, early lead but even that might not be enough. League will want to protect the "big game".
 
Pretty sure the standards of what they review has changed since 2005.

For example, Penn St scored a defensive TD that game after the Michigan QB Henne was already down. Not reviewed. Refs cheating Michigan at that point.

You guys only want reviews on close plays that didn't go your way.

You're full of shit as per usual. Fumbles were reviewable in 2005. Alan Zemitas is the PSU player who stripped Henne of the ball and took it the other way for a TD (Henne was running the ball on a QB draw). Two PSU players stood Henne up and Zemitas, one of the PSU players, went directly for the ball and took it directly from Henne's stomach and continued running directly to the scUM endzone without even breaking stride.

BTW, the play was not reviewed because it was clearly a fumble and did not happen in the last 2 minutes of the game.

But you're absolutely dead wrong again that fumbles were not a reviewable play.
 
but, but what I have read on here is:
  • Clifford stinks
  • Franklin is a lousy coach
  • Manny Diaz is a bag of shit
Does Penn State even have a chance?
 
I am not saying refs don't occasionally blow calls that can impact who wins. I am not buying that there is a ref conspiracy targeting Penn State. That is just nuts.
For Pete’s sakes dude, the refs actually told our players not to complain as “we were lucky to be playing football.”

And are you aware that replay review was instituted because of so many horrendous calls against Penn State?

And even after replay was initiated, the refs still robbed Penn State despite indisputable video evidence.

Look it all up - it’s fairly easy to find.
 
The photo was taken after he had already been ruled in. Bring it in on your toes and you can have your entire body land out of bounds. That is a legal catch.
100% wrong. Toes in, then heels out is not a catch. Every single time it happens, it’s out - except that time
 
Did you even watch the game? Either you are misinformed, a pure Homer with zero objectivity, or a troll.
Even though we obviously disagree we're two of the few people that actually watch the games we discuss
It's amazing how little some of these people know about games they comment on
 
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Even though we obviously disagree we're two of the few people that actually watch the games we discuss
It's amazing how little some of these people know about games they comment on

You are just a more nihilistic fan than me, but that's all good. I enjoy opposing views. We can disagree without "IgNoRe! Lol"

But that guy, over here talking out his butt? Please watch your team before you make a point about them!
 
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Duke's Mayo Bowl.

They be babbling about a team headed to Duke's Mayo Bowl!
 
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