I happened across the Youtube video of the final drive at Iowa.
And it reminded me of just what a remarkable player McSorley is and how much we will miss him when he's gone.
So yeah, there are lots of stories going into the season -- the OL, the new receivers stepping up, Sanders and the RBs, Ricky Rahne.
But the single player who has had the biggest impact bringing PSU football back to the upper echelon of college football is Mr. McSorley. No question.
I think of all the QBs we've seen at PSU, he is by far the greatest combination of athleticism, decisionmaking and -- most of all -- incredible accuracy under pressure.
If the OL is successful, if they can win the tough games like last year, McSorley will get some of the national attention that Barkley got last season. Who cares about the Heisman -- they proved what a stupid award it is when Barkley didn't even make the finals. But McSorley has a chance to be viewed as the best QB in college football -- not the best pro prospect, undoubtedly, but the best QB in a college offense.
So here's the Iowa drive as I saw it with fresh eyes.
Play 1 -- reads right side of the field, finds Johnson over the middle for 1st down. Right read, good throw but relatively routine.
Play 3 -- total protection breakdown, Trace makes a great maneuver surrounded by Iowa defenders and throws the ball away. He's JUST outside tackle box and gets the ball JUST past the LOS but safe from risking INT. A great play in a situation where a sack or grounding would have been fatal.
Play 4 -- hits Barkley over the middle, perfect throw, Jewell tackles 2 yards short of sticks.
Play 5, fourth down -- NOBODY IS OPEN, McSorley threads needle to Blacknall over the middle for 1st Down, ball is like 1 inch from hands of Iowa defender. Only play that's possible because nobody was open.
Play 6 -- Protection breaks down again, McSorley steps up, sees room, doesn't hesitate, immediately runs for 1st down to Iowa 42.
Play 7 -- another amazing play. McSorley scrambles right to buy time, Johnson was covered short but as Trace scrambled, sneaked behind the corner, Trace sees it and throws immediately just over the outstretched hand of the corner. Again, brilliant execution, incredibly difficult and perfect in a split second improvisation.
Play 8 -- 1st down from Iowa 24, only 24 seconds left. Again, nobody open, McS scrambles as long as he can, then flips out to Barkley who makes the famous play to get around Jewell and out of bounds at the 10.
Play 9 -- released fast to Gesicki for short gain. Could have waited but in that situation you can't risk the sack.
Play 10 -- throws ball to corner where Thompkins should have been but the corner bumped him off the route.
Play 11 -- the infamous screen. Trace threw on the money but batted down. Strange call given the number of Iowa bodies in the way, but nothing else was working.
Play 12 -- the throw everybody's seen, Trace puts the ball in the only place it could go. just an inch or two off and Iowa wins the game.
And it reminded me of just what a remarkable player McSorley is and how much we will miss him when he's gone.
So yeah, there are lots of stories going into the season -- the OL, the new receivers stepping up, Sanders and the RBs, Ricky Rahne.
But the single player who has had the biggest impact bringing PSU football back to the upper echelon of college football is Mr. McSorley. No question.
I think of all the QBs we've seen at PSU, he is by far the greatest combination of athleticism, decisionmaking and -- most of all -- incredible accuracy under pressure.
If the OL is successful, if they can win the tough games like last year, McSorley will get some of the national attention that Barkley got last season. Who cares about the Heisman -- they proved what a stupid award it is when Barkley didn't even make the finals. But McSorley has a chance to be viewed as the best QB in college football -- not the best pro prospect, undoubtedly, but the best QB in a college offense.
So here's the Iowa drive as I saw it with fresh eyes.
Play 1 -- reads right side of the field, finds Johnson over the middle for 1st down. Right read, good throw but relatively routine.
Play 3 -- total protection breakdown, Trace makes a great maneuver surrounded by Iowa defenders and throws the ball away. He's JUST outside tackle box and gets the ball JUST past the LOS but safe from risking INT. A great play in a situation where a sack or grounding would have been fatal.
Play 4 -- hits Barkley over the middle, perfect throw, Jewell tackles 2 yards short of sticks.
Play 5, fourth down -- NOBODY IS OPEN, McSorley threads needle to Blacknall over the middle for 1st Down, ball is like 1 inch from hands of Iowa defender. Only play that's possible because nobody was open.
Play 6 -- Protection breaks down again, McSorley steps up, sees room, doesn't hesitate, immediately runs for 1st down to Iowa 42.
Play 7 -- another amazing play. McSorley scrambles right to buy time, Johnson was covered short but as Trace scrambled, sneaked behind the corner, Trace sees it and throws immediately just over the outstretched hand of the corner. Again, brilliant execution, incredibly difficult and perfect in a split second improvisation.
Play 8 -- 1st down from Iowa 24, only 24 seconds left. Again, nobody open, McS scrambles as long as he can, then flips out to Barkley who makes the famous play to get around Jewell and out of bounds at the 10.
Play 9 -- released fast to Gesicki for short gain. Could have waited but in that situation you can't risk the sack.
Play 10 -- throws ball to corner where Thompkins should have been but the corner bumped him off the route.
Play 11 -- the infamous screen. Trace threw on the money but batted down. Strange call given the number of Iowa bodies in the way, but nothing else was working.
Play 12 -- the throw everybody's seen, Trace puts the ball in the only place it could go. just an inch or two off and Iowa wins the game.
