Just watched 2010 Capital One Bowl

[bdgan]

replay on BTN. Has there ever been a worse field for a football game, even in high school?

The end of the road for JoePa and some nice memories. Typical great LBs - Lee & Bowman. Of course D. Still. If we had those guys on defense this year I think we could win a MNC. Royster was an underrated RB. The thing about him is that he always fell forward which added a yard or two to each carry. Daryl Clark was a warrior.

The kickoffs in that game were horrible. The plan was obviously to keep the ball away from LSU's speedy returners but they kept getting the ball at 40. Also a typical conservative Paterno offense that settled for FGs and trusted the defense.

 

[Pennoyer]

Honestly being there in person, the field was even worse than it looks on tv. That defense was one of Penn State's best ever. Those LBs and DL were awesome that day. Lee was all over the field. And when it was over, the 3 LBs went over and led the band playing the fight song.

Josh Hull might be the most underrated PSU defensive player ever. He allowed Navarro to roam all over the field and use his instincts. So important with a player like Bowman to have that rock steady guy in the middle. Josh got grief on this board solely because he was a walk on. As if Bradley and Vandy didn't know what they were doing.

 

[bwifan]

The field probably helped PSU as it seemed to totally neutralize LSU speed. Royster was a good back to have that day in those conditions

 

[83wuzme]

I also recently watched much of this bowl game on youtube. This was a somewhat overlooked PSU team and a one of PSU's better bowl showings under JoePa.
Amen to the positive comments about Royster. Tremendous balance, smooth runner and could catch the ball very well. He is in my top 5 ever for PSU RB's.
Bowman, Hull and Lee were also among the best starting LB lineups in PSU history.

 

[Option Bob]

The field probably helped PSU as it seemed to totally neutralize LSU speed. Royster was a good back to have that day in those conditions

I'm not trying to be argumentative or sarcastic here, but I really don't understand this seemingly universal belief that the poor field helped PSU but hurt LSU because of some vastly huge disparity in fast players.

I thought the poor field affected both sides equally. It's not as if LSU's horde of 4.4 sprinters all dropped to 4.7, while Penn State's Nittany Littany of slow 4.6 guys kept that same 4.6 "speed." Yet, I've heard "explanations" similar to yours become gospel since that game.

As a non-engineer/physics/science major, I am genuinely curious whether and why that field was a boost to PSU over LSU. Thanks.

 

[BBrown]

replay on BTN. Has there ever been a worse field for a football game, even in high school?

The end of the road for JoePa and some nice memories. Typical great LBs - Lee & Bowman. Of course D. Still. If we had those guys on defense this year I think we could win a MNC. Royster was an underrated RB. The thing about him is that he always fell forward which added a yard or two to each carry. Daryl Clark was a warrior.

The kickoffs in that game were horrible. The plan was obviously to keep the ball away from LSU's speedy returners but they kept getting the ball at 40. Also a typical conservative Paterno offense that settled for FGs and trusted the defense.

There was a game we played at Beaver Stadium against Rutgers in the early 90's that Beeno Cook called a cow pasture and it was really bad. Heavy rains before the game but I don't think it was as close as to being as bad as that field was.

 

[Nashville Lion]

Honestly being there in person, the field was even worse than it looks on tv. That defense was one of Penn State's best ever. Those LBs and DL were awesome that day. Lee was all over the field. And when it was over, the 3 LBs went over and led the band playing the fight song.

Josh Hull might be the most underrated PSU defensive player ever. He allowed Navarro to roam all over the field and use his instincts. So important with a player like Bowman to have that rock steady guy in the middle. Josh got grief on this board solely because he was a walk on. As if Bradley and Vandy didn't know what they were doing.

Totally agree on Josh Hull. The guy was so good and never got the respect that I think he honestly deserved. He was just a blue collar, hard nosed LB.

 

[bwifan]

I'm not trying to be argumentative or sarcastic here, but I really don't understand this seemingly universal belief that the poor field helped PSU but hurt LSU because of some vastly huge disparity in fast players.

I thought the poor field affected both sides equally. It's not as if LSU's horde of 4.4 sprinters all dropped to 4.7, while Penn State's Nittany Littany of slow 4.6 guys kept that same 4.6 "speed." Yet, I've heard "explanations" similar to yours become gospel since that game.

As a non-engineer/physics/science major, I am genuinely curious whether and why that field was a boost to PSU over LSU. Thanks.

When a field is a mud hole and pond with chunks of ground coming up on every cut it negates any speed and quickness. It makes everyone play at the same speed regardless of who is faster/quicker than the opposing player. It was an absolute advantage for PSU. Not saying PSU had slow players, it eliminates the ability to make sharp cuts as well as overall speed. When playing on a wet field you must keep your feet under you and thus you cut your stride and chop steps otherwise your going to fall down due to ground giving way. Everyone plays at the same speed.

 

[Option Bob]

bwifan, thank you for your explanation.

 

[Tweedbear]

The conditions also slow the slower player so he is as disadvatged as his faster opponents.
Quickness is also negated by the mud. Reactive LB is not as effective.

 

[marshall23]

Early on thought PSU might win in a rout. Very fortunate to win and a questionable penalty on LSU kept them out of FG range at the end as I recall. Most of all the downpour limited my tailgating, but I found the LSU fans to be a welcoming bunch. Even then, some of them really hated Les Miles.

 

[Nit16]

replay on BTN. Has there ever been a worse field for a football game, even in high school?

The end of the road for JoePa and some nice memories. Typical great LBs - Lee & Bowman. Of course D. Still. If we had those guys on defense this year I think we could win a MNC. Royster was an underrated RB. The thing about him is that he always fell forward which added a yard or two to each carry. Daryl Clark was a warrior.

The kickoffs in that game were horrible. The plan was obviously to keep the ball away from LSU's speedy returners but they kept getting the ball at 40. Also a typical conservative Paterno offense that settled for FGs and trusted the defense.

I was there. Miserable weather and a total mud fest.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

I remember a few NFL exhibition games were cancelled on fields that weren't even half that bad.

Thankfully, IIRC, neither team suffered any bad injuries because of the field.

Did the officials need a metal detector to find the coin (toss) or did they use the Witvoet method: catch the coin, catch a view of the coin as you put both hands on the coin and then decide which hand is on the bottom and which hand is on the top after a team calls heads or tails?

 

[CDLionFL]

The only other PSU game I can remember being on a track as bad was the Outback Bowl game against Auburn where we curb-stomped them in a quagmire. That Citrus Bowl game was the final nail for them to put field turf in that place because of all the high school championship games that had taken place on a wet track 3 weeks prior.

I remember being so cold in the upper deck from the wind that whipped through during the 2nd half...ended up getting sick the next day. Also remember having numerous redzone opportunities and getting nothing but 3 out of those chances and thought it would be like the previous Citrus Bowl visit vs Auburn in 2003 when a conservative offense bit them in the ass.

 

[91Joe95]

I'm not trying to be argumentative or sarcastic here, but I really don't understand this seemingly universal belief that the poor field helped PSU but hurt LSU because of some vastly huge disparity in fast players.

I thought the poor field affected both sides equally. It's not as if LSU's horde of 4.4 sprinters all dropped to 4.7, while Penn State's Nittany Littany of slow 4.6 guys kept that same 4.6 "speed." Yet, I've heard "explanations" similar to yours become gospel since that game.

As a non-engineer/physics/science major, I am genuinely curious whether and why that field was a boost to PSU over LSU. Thanks.

I completely agree. PSU had a very, very fast team that year and I think it affected them more than LSU.

 

[ThePennsyOracle]

In his later years Josh was an asset on the field.

His first year or two on the field is another story. Saying it was rough is being kind.

 

[Lion78]

The only other PSU game I can remember being on a track as bad was the Outback Bowl game against Auburn where we curb-stomped them in a quagmire. That Citrus Bowl game was the final nail for them to put field turf in that place because of all the high school championship games that had taken place on a wet track 3 weeks prior.

I remember being so cold in the upper deck from the wind that whipped through during the 2nd half...ended up getting sick the next day. Also remember having numerous redzone opportunities and getting nothing but 3 out of those chances and thought it would be like the previous Citrus Bowl visit vs Auburn in 2003 when a conservative offense bit them in the ass.

didn't Wisconsin play Miami the week earlier on the same field?

As to the advantage, one must also consider the negative impact on PSU's D Line. LSU's QB would have been on his azz all day on a dry field.

 

[TenerHallTerror]

I completely agree. PSU had a very, very fast team that year and I think it affected them more than LSU.

IIRC Les Miles was the coach of LSU and bitched about the field conditions after the game. when Joe was asked to respond, he wryly said, "yeah that field was horrible! we had to play on it, too!"