Obli's Observations: CJF and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

[Obliviax]

General

• Expectations. We were told we were knocking on the door of being an elite team. After watching an elite B10 team at noon dismantle Nebraska, and watching a Michigan team that looked pretty damn good this was more disappointing to me Sunday morning than Saturday afternoon.
• Systemic Failure: When my car's tires go flat, the car won't turn over and the heater isn't working at the same time, I don't blame the heater, tires or battery. I look for what is common and see why things go wrong at the same time. Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!
• Preparedness. Team simply was not prepared to play. The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Special Teams

• OK, the O was bad and the D collapsed when they were most needed. But the Special Team? My God, did they do ANYTHING right?
• A dropped punt that should have been a TO
• A roughing the receiver penalty for 15 yeards
• A KO return to the FIVE yard line
• Three Missed FGs (ok, one was 57 yards but one was a gift that should have been made with our eyes closed)
• I am sure I missed something. I had to put my mask over my eyes late in the game when ST came in.
• Wade....I mean, is anyone on the coaching staff watching this guy make mental error after mental error and then deciding he can return kickoffs?

Offense

1. Saving grace? I wonder when the staff learned about J-Brown. Cain was their guy and I was comfortable with that. I wonder if having to go into our third string hurt us in terms of opening the playbook or something.
2. Also, in the first half, Clifford almost ALWAYS handed the ball to the RB and never kept it. it looked to me like IN adjusted and said "don't take the QB, just take the RB". They didn't respect Clifford's running. Perhaps the staff made it a no-option opinion given we were so young. I think that is why we went wildcat. Regardless, we did better in the second half and picked up some yards but SC's running success was almost all via QB draws or scrambles.
3. I am shocked at how young we are at the skill positions. We ended up playing all true soph and true fr at RB. We also ended up playing a lot of the same at WR. They did what kids do, make mistakes. One RB dropped the ball in his first college carry. Ouch.
4. I love Clifford...book on his is that he is a winner and a gamer (hello Matt McGloin, Hello Trace McSorley). Will we ever have an elite QB who can run and throw?
5. Having said that, our second team QB came in and fumbled, immediately, in the red zone.
6. Back to Cliff, that INT on the screen pass wouldn't have been tolerated in JV. For a guy returning for his second full year, fourth year in the program, and team leader that was simply inexcusable. The second was on a pass five yards over a guy's head who is 6-5. Other passes in the first half were similarly awful. We were physically beating IN and just needed to not make mistakes. Especially in the first half in an away game and first of the year. Cliff, as team leader and QB, had to know that. If I had to point to one person that lost the game it has to be SC. Sorry, not sorry.
7. Kid played great in the second half. I haven't written him off. Did I mention that the staff didn't have him prepared to play?
8. Young WR looked gifted and athletic. But young WR with no experience make mistakes and it looked like a lot of weird routes, missed blocks (bubble screens) and deer in the headlights.
9. Edit: Clifford played a very good to great second half. His run for the TD was excellent. His passing was pretty crisp. But the game is four quarters. We ended up playing one quarter of good team football.

Defense

• Defense played well, especially considering the O and ST did them no favors.
• Toney is going to be a first-rounder.
• Did Owey play? Of course, he did....but did little to help the team.
• I saw some DT's on the sideline looking like they were injured.
• I love the aggressiveness but we do some dumb stuff. That targeting was really bad. 40 has to be smarter.
• The S are really slow and weak. Our corners, for the most part, looked good. IN has some really good WRs. The S play has to improve or we need to find new guys. (or we will lose at least three games)
• Having said that, we gave up two TDs and TWO two point conversions in the last two drives.
• OK, this is a pattern. How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Coaching

• this year, with the pandemic and "peaceful" protests, it was all about handing distractions. Damn we sucked at that. The team was not prepared to play. It is as simple as that. The dumb mistakes were off the charts bad.
• Time management? don't get me started....pee wee level incompetence.
• We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)
• With all of the PSU history and all of the "feel good" notions about accepting people, we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over? OK, not a big fan of the turnover chain or lawnboys but at least they fall into the celebration of success category. Taunting the opponent? I hope CJF squashes that. To Taunt and then get your ass beat? ****ing embarrassing as a PSU fan. Perhaps the most disturbing of everything I saw on Saturday was that.
• If I am CJF, I pulled the team together Sunday and tell them to stop worrying about peaceful protests, taunting, pandemics and preening and get their heads in the game. Without winning, they have no "platform" and need to get their priorities in place. LeBron James knows this...win the damn game then speak your mind. You don't win, you just look stupid.

Refs

1. Overall, it was what it was. We had 100 yards in penalties.
2. Two critical calls:
   1. the facemask call was after a third down and it would have been fourth and forever. It was clearly not a facemask.
   2. the final play. So close....I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.
   3. I am in the camp that it was OOB. You can watch as the pylon goes straight backwards. Reminds me of "back and to the left" in the JFK movie. But it was close and it shouldn't have come to that.

Summary

1. Anyone who knows sports knew this year was all going to be about managing the distractions. Our staff did a piss poor job of that. The team was simply not prepared to play. Take care of business then be a social warrior later on your own damn time.
2. Do we have a ST coach? If so, that person needs to have a perfect game against tOSU or should be let go ASAP. Horrible. In fact, I've never seen ST not do single play correctly aside from PATs.
3. We are way too young on offense and need Clifford and Friermuth to step up and take leadership seriously.
4. It has been a long time since we haven't had the first game at home and to get game-ready before taking on a good opponent and/or going on the road. Again, preparation and focus. Sad.
5. Joe taught us, you are never as bad as you think nor as good as you think. Lets hope so. These people should be embarrassed. Let hope they take out their anger and frustration on tOSU. We'll need it. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong...and at the worst possible time. Probably a dozen plays, if they go the other way, and we win.
6. Perhaps most disturbing was a pre-planned taunting of the opponent for a take away. That was disturbing at the very root of being a life-long PSU fan. I hope I never see that again.

 

[BBrown]

General

• Expectations. We were told we were knocking on the door of being an elite team. After watching an elite B10 team at noon dismantle Nebraska, and watching a Michigan team that looked pretty damn good this was more disappointing to me Sunday morning than Saturday afternoon.
• Systemic Failure: When my car's tires go flat, the car won't turn over and the heater isn't working at the same time, I don't blame the heater, tires or battery. I look for what is common and see why things go wrong at the same time. Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!
• Preparedness. Team simply was not prepared to play. The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Special Teams

• OK, the O was bad and the D collapsed when they were most needed. But the Special Team? My God, did they do ANYTHING right?
• A dropped punt that should have been a TO
• A roughing the receiver penalty for 15 yeards
• A KO return to the FIVE yard line
• Three Missed FGs (ok, one was 57 yards but one was a gift that should have been made with our eyes closed)
• I am sure I missed something. I had to put my mask over my eyes late in the game when ST came in.
• Wade....I mean, is anyone on the coaching staff watching this guy make mental error after mental error and then deciding he can return kickoffs?

Offense

1. Saving grace? I wonder when the staff learned about J-Brown. Cain was their guy and I was comfortable with that. I wonder if having to go into our third string hurt us in terms of opening the playbook or something.
2. Also, in the first half, Clifford almost ALWAYS handed the ball to the RB and never kept it. it looked to me like IN adjusted and said "don't take the QB, just take the RB". They didn't respect Clifford's running. Perhaps the staff made it a no-option opinion given we were so young. I think that is why we went wildcat. Regardless, we did better in the second half and picked up some yards but SC's running success was almost all via QB draws or scrambles.
3. I am shocked at how young we are at the skill positions. We ended up playing all true soph and true fr at RB. We also ended up playing a lot of the same at WR. They did what kids do, make mistakes. One RB dropped the ball in his first college carry. Ouch.
4. I love Clifford...book on his is that he is a winner and a gamer (hello Matt McGloin, Hello Trace McSorley). Will we ever have an elite QB who can run and throw?
5. Having said that, our second team QB came in and fumbled, immediately, in the red zone.
6. Back to Cliff, that INT on the screen pass wouldn't have been tolerated in JV. For a guy returning for his second full year, fourth year in the program, and team leader that was simply inexcusable. The second was on a pass five yards over a guy's head who is 6-5. Other passes in the first half were similarly awful. We were physically beating IN and just needed to not make mistakes. Especially in the first half in an away game and first of the year. Cliff, as team leader and QB, had to know that. If I had to point to one person that lost the game it has to be SC. Sorry, not sorry.
7. Kid played great in the second half. I haven't written him off. Did I mention that the staff didn't have him prepared to play?
8. Young WR looked gifted and athletic. But young WR with no experience make mistakes and it looked like a lot of weird routes, missed blocks (bubble screens) and deer in the headlights.

Defense

• Defense played well, especially considering the O and ST did them no favors.
• Toney is going to be a first-rounder.
• Did Owey play? Of course, he did....but did little to help the team.
• I saw some DT's on the sideline looking like they were injured.
• I love the aggressiveness but we do some dumb stuff. That targeting was really bad. 40 has to be smarter.
• The S are really slow and weak. Our corners, for the most part, looked good. IN has some really good WRs. The S play has to improve or we need to find new guys. (or we will lose at least three games)
• Having said that, we gave up two TDs and TWO two point conversions in the last two drives.
• OK, this is a pattern. How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Coaching

• this year, with the pandemic and "peaceful" protests, it was all about handing distractions. Damn we sucked at that. The team was not prepared to play. It is as simple as that. The dumb mistakes were off the charts bad.
• Time management? don't get me started....pee wee level incompetence.
• We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)
• With all of the PSU history and all of the "feel good" notions about accepting people, we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over? OK, not a big fan of the turnover chain or lawnboys but at least they fall into the celebration of success category. Taunting the opponent? I hope CJF squashes that. To Taunt and then get your ass beat? ****ing embarrassing as a PSU fan. Perhaps the most disturbing of everything I saw on Saturday was that.
• If I am CJF, I pulled the team together Sunday and tell them to stop worrying about peaceful protests, taunting, pandemics and preening and get their heads in the game. Without winning, they have no "platform" and need to get their priorities in place. LeBron James knows this...win the damn game then speak your mind. You don't win, you just look stupid.

Refs

1. Overall, it was what it was. We had 100 yards in penalties.
2. Two critical calls:
   1. the facemask call was after a third down and it would have been fourth and forever. It was clearly not a facemask.
   2. the final play. So close....I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.
   3. I am in the camp that it was OOB. You can watch as the pylon goes straight backwards. Reminds me of "back and to the left" in the JFK movie. But it was close and it shouldn't have come to that.

Summary

1. Anyone who knows sports knew this year was all going to be about managing the distractions. Our staff did a piss poor job of that. The team was simply not prepared to play. Take care of business then be a social warrior later on your own damn time.
2. Do we have a ST coach? If so, that person needs to have a perfect game against tOSU or should be let go ASAP. Horrible. In fact, I've never seen ST not do single play correctly aside from PATs.
3. We are way too young on offense and need Clifford and Friermuth to step up and take leadership seriously.
4. It has been a long time since we haven't had the first game at home and to get game-ready before taking on a good opponent and/or going on the road. Again, preparation and focus. Sad.
5. Joe taught us, you are never as bad as you think nor as good as you think. Lets hope so. These people should be embarrassed. Let hope they take out their anger and frustration on tOSU. We'll need it. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong...and at the worst possible time. Probably a dozen plays, if they go the other way, and we win.
6. Perhaps most disturbing was a pre-planned taunting of the opponent for a take away. That was disturbing at the very root of being a life-long PSU fan. I hope I never see that again.

Couple of things. Oweh had a very good game. He and Toney were excellent. I would like to ask Pry why both were on the bench for the first couple of series on the final IU drive.
The targeting call on Luketa was correct but I don't think it was a case of both players lowering their head. I have more of an issue with Wade and his playing on the "edge".
Agree about the Safeties.
Absolutely agree about trying to get 5 more yards before the long FG. That stupid pass play that was called had about a .1% chance of working. Take the quick 5-8 yards they were giving us and get out of bounds. Not to mention they wasted a lot of time coming up with that play.
As far as Special Teams go. Yea I get it Sat.'s game was bad, like 10 day old fish bad but C'mon Lorig did and exceptional job last year. This is one case I'm putting it on the players. Pinegar misses a FG thats basically and Exrapoint? then a makeable 46 yarder?
I don't like Wade returning kicks but he's the one that completely blew it. Don't agree with your take on ST coach at all.

 

[ftlpsu]

Great recap and best post in last 36 hours--thanks!

 

[JustinTyme]

General

• Expectations. We were told we were knocking on the door of being an elite team. After watching an elite B10 team at noon dismantle Nebraska, and watching a Michigan team that looked pretty damn good this was more disappointing to me Sunday morning than Saturday afternoon.
• Systemic Failure: When my car's tires go flat, the car won't turn over and the heater isn't working at the same time, I don't blame the heater, tires or battery. I look for what is common and see why things go wrong at the same time. Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!
• Preparedness. Team simply was not prepared to play. The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Special Teams

• OK, the O was bad and the D collapsed when they were most needed. But the Special Team? My God, did they do ANYTHING right?
• A dropped punt that should have been a TO
• A roughing the receiver penalty for 15 yeards
• A KO return to the FIVE yard line
• Three Missed FGs (ok, one was 57 yards but one was a gift that should have been made with our eyes closed)
• I am sure I missed something. I had to put my mask over my eyes late in the game when ST came in.
• Wade....I mean, is anyone on the coaching staff watching this guy make mental error after mental error and then deciding he can return kickoffs?

Offense

1. Saving grace? I wonder when the staff learned about J-Brown. Cain was their guy and I was comfortable with that. I wonder if having to go into our third string hurt us in terms of opening the playbook or something.
2. Also, in the first half, Clifford almost ALWAYS handed the ball to the RB and never kept it. it looked to me like IN adjusted and said "don't take the QB, just take the RB". They didn't respect Clifford's running. Perhaps the staff made it a no-option opinion given we were so young. I think that is why we went wildcat. Regardless, we did better in the second half and picked up some yards but SC's running success was almost all via QB draws or scrambles.
3. I am shocked at how young we are at the skill positions. We ended up playing all true soph and true fr at RB. We also ended up playing a lot of the same at WR. They did what kids do, make mistakes. One RB dropped the ball in his first college carry. Ouch.
4. I love Clifford...book on his is that he is a winner and a gamer (hello Matt McGloin, Hello Trace McSorley). Will we ever have an elite QB who can run and throw?
5. Having said that, our second team QB came in and fumbled, immediately, in the red zone.
6. Back to Cliff, that INT on the screen pass wouldn't have been tolerated in JV. For a guy returning for his second full year, fourth year in the program, and team leader that was simply inexcusable. The second was on a pass five yards over a guy's head who is 6-5. Other passes in the first half were similarly awful. We were physically beating IN and just needed to not make mistakes. Especially in the first half in an away game and first of the year. Cliff, as team leader and QB, had to know that. If I had to point to one person that lost the game it has to be SC. Sorry, not sorry.
7. Kid played great in the second half. I haven't written him off. Did I mention that the staff didn't have him prepared to play?
8. Young WR looked gifted and athletic. But young WR with no experience make mistakes and it looked like a lot of weird routes, missed blocks (bubble screens) and deer in the headlights.

Defense

• Defense played well, especially considering the O and ST did them no favors.
• Toney is going to be a first-rounder.
• Did Owey play? Of course, he did....but did little to help the team.
• I saw some DT's on the sideline looking like they were injured.
• I love the aggressiveness but we do some dumb stuff. That targeting was really bad. 40 has to be smarter.
• The S are really slow and weak. Our corners, for the most part, looked good. IN has some really good WRs. The S play has to improve or we need to find new guys. (or we will lose at least three games)
• Having said that, we gave up two TDs and TWO two point conversions in the last two drives.
• OK, this is a pattern. How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Coaching

• this year, with the pandemic and "peaceful" protests, it was all about handing distractions. Damn we sucked at that. The team was not prepared to play. It is as simple as that. The dumb mistakes were off the charts bad.
• Time management? don't get me started....pee wee level incompetence.
• We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)
• With all of the PSU history and all of the "feel good" notions about accepting people, we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over? OK, not a big fan of the turnover chain or lawnboys but at least they fall into the celebration of success category. Taunting the opponent? I hope CJF squashes that. To Taunt and then get your ass beat? ****ing embarrassing as a PSU fan. Perhaps the most disturbing of everything I saw on Saturday was that.
• If I am CJF, I pulled the team together Sunday and tell them to stop worrying about peaceful protests, taunting, pandemics and preening and get their heads in the game. Without winning, they have no "platform" and need to get their priorities in place. LeBron James knows this...win the damn game then speak your mind. You don't win, you just look stupid.

Refs

1. Overall, it was what it was. We had 100 yards in penalties.
2. Two critical calls:
   1. the facemask call was after a third down and it would have been fourth and forever. It was clearly not a facemask.
   2. the final play. So close....I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.
   3. I am in the camp that it was OOB. You can watch as the pylon goes straight backwards. Reminds me of "back and to the left" in the JFK movie. But it was close and it shouldn't have come to that.

Summary

1. Anyone who knows sports knew this year was all going to be about managing the distractions. Our staff did a piss poor job of that. The team was simply not prepared to play. Take care of business then be a social warrior later on your own damn time.
2. Do we have a ST coach? If so, that person needs to have a perfect game against tOSU or should be let go ASAP. Horrible. In fact, I've never seen ST not do single play correctly aside from PATs.
3. We are way too young on offense and need Clifford and Friermuth to step up and take leadership seriously.
4. It has been a long time since we haven't had the first game at home and to get game-ready before taking on a good opponent and/or going on the road. Again, preparation and focus. Sad.
5. Joe taught us, you are never as bad as you think nor as good as you think. Lets hope so. These people should be embarrassed. Let hope they take out their anger and frustration on tOSU. We'll need it. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong...and at the worst possible time. Probably a dozen plays, if they go the other way, and we win.
6. Perhaps most disturbing was a pre-planned taunting of the opponent for a take away. That was disturbing at the very root of being a life-long PSU fan. I hope I never see that again.

A number of valid observations but I disagree on a few.

1) Ohio St did not dismantle Nebraska. They struggled for quite a while and then started taking over after some officiating help. Then it was too much for Nebraska to overcome and they even added a TD with like seconds to go in the game. That game was way closer than it appeared.

2) The team did not look very prepared but I think some of this was also Indiana returning 16 starters from an 8 win team in game 1 and maximizing every opportunity we gifted them. And our more talented youngsters were thrown to the fire with a new offensive system and suddenly without our top 2 RBs in the first series.

3) Wade is both a liability and a guy who makes splash plays. He gets burnt bad but he also creates turnovers. I'm not sure that we have a better option. But I don't like him as the nickel for sure, he is not going to stay on a shifty WR one on one.

4) I'm pretty sure Clifford and Freiermuth are taking leadership seriously. They can't execute for the young guys. Clifford does have to clean up the what was that plays.

Now a number of good observations about several things but here are the best.

1) We did not handle distractions well. I know this wasn't supposed to be considered a trap game but maybe it was and I'd think all of the offseason time lost probably hurts a team with this many young play makers more than a team returning 16 starters.

2) The young play makers did show flashes and I think they grow tremendously throughout the year.

3) Oweh isn't a difference maker yet. He is an athletic freak but it isn't translating just yet. Now Isaac, that kid is already better IMO. Oweh has the ceiling through the roof but he needs more experience to be dominant. Oweh had 2 tackles the entire game. And how did Brandon Smith not have any?

4) I hope coach addresses the taunting. That is just embarrassing and likely took away some focus. Play the game all out. Knock them down and help them up. Hand the ball to the ref. Don't celebrate a win until the game has ended. It may have cost us along with all of the other mistakes. We dominated most of the game other than mistakes but it just seemed like we weren't mature enough to get a win and didn't really deserve to either.

 

[Obliviax]

Couple of things. Oweh had a very good game. He and Toney were excellent. I would like to ask Pry why both were on the bench for the first couple of series on the final IU drive.
The targeting call on Luketa was correct but I don't think it was a case of both players lowering their head. I have more of an issue with Wade and his playing on the "edge".
Agree about the Safeties.
Absolutely agree about trying to get 5 more yards before the long FG. That stupid pass play that was called had about a .1% chance of working. Take the quick 5-8 yards they were giving us and get out of bounds. Not to mention they wasted a lot of time coming up with that play.
As far as Special Teams go. Yea I get it Sat.'s game was bad, like 10 day old fish bad but C'mon Lorig did and exceptional job last year. This is one case I'm putting it on the players. Pinegar misses a FG thats basically and Exrapoint? then a makeable 46 yarder?
I don't like Wade returning kicks but he's the one that completely blew it. Don't agree with your take on ST coach at all.

good points. I didn't watch Oweh but didn't hear his name called, almost at all.

On ST, again, systematic failure. When you punt coverage has a 15 yard penalty, your returner fumbles the ball, your KO return goes to the five, you miss one FG, you miss two FGs....These are all absolutely critical mistakes. I am sorry, the special teams was as bad as I can ever remember, ever. I cannot recall a game where ST ****ed up almost every single play. We are talking 22, 30 kids? What is the common denominator? Coaching. Especially, as you say, our FG kicker was excellent last year. What changed?

 

[Obliviax]

A number of valid observations but I disagree on a few.

1) Ohio St did not dismantle Nebraska. They struggled for quite a while and then started taking over after some officiating help. Then it was too much for Nebraska to overcome and they even added a TD with like seconds to go in the game. That game was way closer than it appeared.

2) The team did not look very prepared but I think some of this was also Indiana returning 16 starters from an 8 win team in game 1 and maximizing every opportunity we gifted them. And our more talented youngsters were thrown to the fire with a new offensive system and suddenly without our top 2 RBs in the first series.

3) Wade is both a liability and a guy who makes splash plays. He gets burnt bad but he also creates turnovers. I'm not sure that we have a better option. But I don't like him as the nickel for sure, he is not going to stay on a shifty WR one on one.

4) I'm pretty sure Clifford and Freiermuth are taking leadership seriously. They can't execute for the young guys. Clifford does have to clean up the what was that plays.

Now a number of good observations about several things but here are the best.

1) We did not handle distractions well. I know this wasn't supposed to be considered a trap game but maybe it was and I'd think all of the offseason time lost probably hurts a team with this many young play makers more than a team returning 16 starters.

2) The young play makers did show flashes and I think they grow tremendously throughout the year.

3) Oweh isn't a difference maker yet. He is an athletic freak but it isn't translating just yet. Now Isaac, that kid is already better IMO. Oweh has the ceiling through the roof but he needs more experience to be dominant.

4) I hope coach addresses the taunting. That is just embarrassing and likely took away some focus. Play the game all out. Knock them down and help them up. Hand the ball to the ref. Don't celebrate a win until the game has ended. It may have cost us along with all of the other mistakes. We dominated most of the game other than mistakes but it just seemed like we weren't mature enough to get a win and didn't really deserve to either.

I disagree on Ohio State...they put up over 50 points.

Secondly, I did notice that they players on offense went out of their way to give the ball to the ref. Even on incomplete passes the players ran down the ball and gave it to the refs

 

[bvillebaron]

Couple of things. Oweh had a very good game. He and Toney were excellent. I would like to ask Pry why both were on the bench for the first couple of series on the final IU drive.
The targeting call on Luketa was correct but I don't think it was a case of both players lowering their head. I have more of an issue with Wade and his playing on the "edge".
Agree about the Safeties.
Absolutely agree about trying to get 5 more yards before the long FG. That stupid pass play that was called had about a .1% chance of working. Take the quick 5-8 yards they were giving us and get out of bounds. Not to mention they wasted a lot of time coming up with that play.
As far as Special Teams go. Yea I get it Sat.'s game was bad, like 10 day old fish bad but C'mon Lorig did and exceptional job last year. This is one case I'm putting it on the players. Pinegar misses a FG thats basically and Exrapoint? then a makeable 46 yarder?
I don't like Wade returning kicks but he's the one that completely blew it. Don't agree with your take on ST coach at all.

The coaching staff didn’t have Clifford ready to play. Gimme a freakin’ break. That lollipop on a clearly covered screen pass (on 1st down no less) was the kind of stuff you see in pee wee football. Franklin screwed up by not taking a knee but why is it all the coaches’ fault when a player (who is supposed to be the leader of the offense) screws up royally?

 

[LundyPSU]

Wade was weak again in coverage.

 

[BobPSU92]

Did Franklin say postgame whether they told Ford to fall down instead of taking the touchdown? Regardless, if you’re a top team, the defense has to seal the game up eight with 1:42 left. They gave up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Unacceptable.

 

[bvillebaron]

good points. I didn't watch Oweh but didn't hear his name called, almost at all.

On ST, again, systematic failure. When you punt coverage has a 15 yard penalty, your returner fumbles the ball, your KO return goes to the five, you miss one FG, you miss two FGs....These are all absolutely critical mistakes. I am sorry, the special teams was as bad as I can ever remember, ever. I cannot recall a game where ST ****ed up almost every single play. We are talking 22, 30 kids? What is the common denominator? Coaching. Especially, as you say, our FG kicker was excellent last year. What changed? What is the common denominator when fans keep blaming the coaches for abject failures by players? Stupidity and anti-Franklin venom by undefeated armchair critics.

Well obviously the coaching staff taught a kicker who 11-12 in FGs last year to miss 25 yarder.

 

[BBrown]

The coaching staff didn’t have Clifford ready to play. Gimme a freakin’ break. That lollipop on a clearly covered screen pass (on 1st down no less) was the kind of stuff you see in pee wee football. Franklin screwed up by not taking a knee but why is it all the coaches’ fault when a player (who is supposed to be the leader of the offense) screws up royally?

I didn't say anything about Clifford or the coaching staff. I think you replied to the wrong person.
but I don't disagree with what you said.

 

[bvillebaron]

Did Franklin say postgame whether they told Ford to fall down instead of taking the touchdown? Regardless, if you’re a top team, the defense has to seal the game up eight with 1:42 left. They gave up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Unacceptable.

Thar’s what I have been saying. Obvious bone headed decisions not to take a knee or drop down short of the goal line but can a Pry defense ever make a critical play in a one possession game? Pathetic indeed. F

 

[MrDibbs]

Obli

After reading too much on this board for the last day and a half. I appreciate your honest and entirely correct assessment if Saturdays event..

This was truly a team loss. Nobody can escape criticism and that is not a good thing.

Your remarks about all the outside issues and their effect on the team preparation are spot on (and I think that you are the first to mention this).

Was cleaning some yard debris yesterday, thinking about the game, and was finding myself getting more upset about that display with the turnover card. How childish.

Whatever happened to "act like you've been there"?

After watching Justin Fields and his corps of receivers on Saturday, this coming week is going to get very ugly unless these student athletes get their heads screwed back on straight.

 

[BBrown]

Thar’s what I have been saying. Obvious bone headed decisions not to take a knee or drop down short of the goal line but can a Pry defense ever make a critical play in a one possession game? Pathetic indeed. F

I agree there have been too many missed chances to end games by the defense. Although I still put some of them on the offense for not being able to generate a first down but if not for the boned headed play by Franklin they did have the critical defensive stop.
It should have never come down to the last drive or the horribly called 2pt conversion.
Only criticism I do have is why were both Oweh and Toney on the sideline for the first part of that drive?

 

[Texas Lion]

Special Teams: The Wade KR experience is almost as baffling as the Hodges pr experience.....let's end that now.

Offense: Quicker decision making please when the qb is riding the read. I was watching the game with some friends over that really aren't football people and even the one asked my why it took so long for Penn state to hand the ball off.

Defense: develop a blitz like the porter blitz and GO!!! the middle blitzes are slow and almost never get home, thus leaving the middle of the field wide open. If you think about it we were two middle drops from them away from the last drive not even mattering.

Coaching: No excuse, be able to do basic math when it comes to clock management. However, it is time for the coaching staff to stop the we are a team rah-rah-rah bullshit. Be accountable and don't throw your 20 year old sophomore that 2 weeks ago was #3 under the bus. I don't care if you dedicated 3 periods to not scoring a touchdown during the week. In the press conference Franklin should have manned up and said he should have downed the ball. Even if he didn't believe it he should have taken the bullet. CJF has done a great job backing up his players off the field and through issues that a 20 year will go through. However, he still has a little bit of Brian Kelly in him when it comes to him defending a call.

It isn't that hard:

"I don't know what I was thinking. I blew it. I should have downed the ball, made them waste a timeout, and kicked a field goal and then they would have had about 15-20 seconds to go 80 yards for a Touchdown. This one is one me."

But that is too hard for him to do because he prides himself on being prepared for every situation in a game.

Don't think recruits don't see this and that other coaches don't use it against him.

 

[psuno1]

Oweh held the edge and was in the Qb"s face a ton. Played well.

 

[Texas Lion]

Agreed, but sometimes you need to sack the qb and not just be in his face. That is the difference between great and elite.....

 

[psu2016]

Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!

Totally agree. So tired of the excuses. Yes, we all know that the coaches aren't telling the players to commit penalties. Yes, the coaches may have told Ford to go down. Yes, there were pure execution mistakes. But ultimately the coaches are responsible for the team. If we're continually making the same mistakes and playing sloppy, undisciplined football, they need to change something. Saying "oh well we practice these situations during the week" is not a good answer.

The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Not even close to as bad as the PSU-Temple game in 2015. I also think 2013 Indiana and OSU, 2014 Northwestern, and 2018 MSU all could be argued as well.

How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Agree. But in defense of the...defense, they did shut down IU when it counted the first time. The O and the coaches lost the game, period.

we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over?

Who was taunting? Are you just talking about Wade running to the sideline and standing on the bench facing the crowd after turnovers? Not saying it didn't happen, just not sure what you're referring to. I did see Pennix step over our player and flex after the TD at the end of the game. Could have easily been flagged making their 2-pt. try much tougher (that said, my preference is that refs don't call that stuff and just let it resolve on the field).

We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)

It was 2nd and inches, so if they did pick up the first, probably do have time to spike it. But, with 8 secs, I think it is risky. People would have been going berserk if we ran a play and didn't pick up the first because time probably expires. Or given how royally we f'ed up the previous possession, I could have seen a player picking up 20-30 yards, staying in bounds, and time expiring.

However, the play call with 11 seconds was terrible. Extremely low % pass that just wasted 3 seconds. That was the down to try to pick up a few more yards. Didn't even need 5. Two more yards and that kick would have been good.

I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.

It was close but the ball clearly hit the turf OOB before the pylon. Not making the correct call because it would piss off the home team is not an excuse.

 

[bdgan]

General

• Expectations. We were told we were knocking on the door of being an elite team. After watching an elite B10 team at noon dismantle Nebraska, and watching a Michigan team that looked pretty damn good this was more disappointing to me Sunday morning than Saturday afternoon.
• Systemic Failure: When my car's tires go flat, the car won't turn over and the heater isn't working at the same time, I don't blame the heater, tires or battery. I look for what is common and see why things go wrong at the same time. Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!
• Preparedness. Team simply was not prepared to play. The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Special Teams

• OK, the O was bad and the D collapsed when they were most needed. But the Special Team? My God, did they do ANYTHING right?
• A dropped punt that should have been a TO
• A roughing the receiver penalty for 15 yeards
• A KO return to the FIVE yard line
• Three Missed FGs (ok, one was 57 yards but one was a gift that should have been made with our eyes closed)
• I am sure I missed something. I had to put my mask over my eyes late in the game when ST came in.
• Wade....I mean, is anyone on the coaching staff watching this guy make mental error after mental error and then deciding he can return kickoffs?

Offense

1. Saving grace? I wonder when the staff learned about J-Brown. Cain was their guy and I was comfortable with that. I wonder if having to go into our third string hurt us in terms of opening the playbook or something.
2. Also, in the first half, Clifford almost ALWAYS handed the ball to the RB and never kept it. it looked to me like IN adjusted and said "don't take the QB, just take the RB". They didn't respect Clifford's running. Perhaps the staff made it a no-option opinion given we were so young. I think that is why we went wildcat. Regardless, we did better in the second half and picked up some yards but SC's running success was almost all via QB draws or scrambles.
3. I am shocked at how young we are at the skill positions. We ended up playing all true soph and true fr at RB. We also ended up playing a lot of the same at WR. They did what kids do, make mistakes. One RB dropped the ball in his first college carry. Ouch.
4. I love Clifford...book on his is that he is a winner and a gamer (hello Matt McGloin, Hello Trace McSorley). Will we ever have an elite QB who can run and throw?
5. Having said that, our second team QB came in and fumbled, immediately, in the red zone.
6. Back to Cliff, that INT on the screen pass wouldn't have been tolerated in JV. For a guy returning for his second full year, fourth year in the program, and team leader that was simply inexcusable. The second was on a pass five yards over a guy's head who is 6-5. Other passes in the first half were similarly awful. We were physically beating IN and just needed to not make mistakes. Especially in the first half in an away game and first of the year. Cliff, as team leader and QB, had to know that. If I had to point to one person that lost the game it has to be SC. Sorry, not sorry.
7. Kid played great in the second half. I haven't written him off. Did I mention that the staff didn't have him prepared to play?
8. Young WR looked gifted and athletic. But young WR with no experience make mistakes and it looked like a lot of weird routes, missed blocks (bubble screens) and deer in the headlights.
9. Edit: Clifford played a very good to great second half. His run for the TD was excellent. His passing was pretty crisp. But the game is four quarters. We ended up playing one quarter of good team football.

Defense

• Defense played well, especially considering the O and ST did them no favors.
• Toney is going to be a first-rounder.
• Did Owey play? Of course, he did....but did little to help the team.
• I saw some DT's on the sideline looking like they were injured.
• I love the aggressiveness but we do some dumb stuff. That targeting was really bad. 40 has to be smarter.
• The S are really slow and weak. Our corners, for the most part, looked good. IN has some really good WRs. The S play has to improve or we need to find new guys. (or we will lose at least three games)
• Having said that, we gave up two TDs and TWO two point conversions in the last two drives.
• OK, this is a pattern. How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Coaching

• this year, with the pandemic and "peaceful" protests, it was all about handing distractions. Damn we sucked at that. The team was not prepared to play. It is as simple as that. The dumb mistakes were off the charts bad.
• Time management? don't get me started....pee wee level incompetence.
• We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)
• With all of the PSU history and all of the "feel good" notions about accepting people, we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over? OK, not a big fan of the turnover chain or lawnboys but at least they fall into the celebration of success category. Taunting the opponent? I hope CJF squashes that. To Taunt and then get your ass beat? ****ing embarrassing as a PSU fan. Perhaps the most disturbing of everything I saw on Saturday was that.
• If I am CJF, I pulled the team together Sunday and tell them to stop worrying about peaceful protests, taunting, pandemics and preening and get their heads in the game. Without winning, they have no "platform" and need to get their priorities in place. LeBron James knows this...win the damn game then speak your mind. You don't win, you just look stupid.

Refs

1. Overall, it was what it was. We had 100 yards in penalties.
2. Two critical calls:
   1. the facemask call was after a third down and it would have been fourth and forever. It was clearly not a facemask.
   2. the final play. So close....I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.
   3. I am in the camp that it was OOB. You can watch as the pylon goes straight backwards. Reminds me of "back and to the left" in the JFK movie. But it was close and it shouldn't have come to that.

Summary

1. Anyone who knows sports knew this year was all going to be about managing the distractions. Our staff did a piss poor job of that. The team was simply not prepared to play. Take care of business then be a social warrior later on your own damn time.
2. Do we have a ST coach? If so, that person needs to have a perfect game against tOSU or should be let go ASAP. Horrible. In fact, I've never seen ST not do single play correctly aside from PATs.
3. We are way too young on offense and need Clifford and Friermuth to step up and take leadership seriously.
4. It has been a long time since we haven't had the first game at home and to get game-ready before taking on a good opponent and/or going on the road. Again, preparation and focus. Sad.
5. Joe taught us, you are never as bad as you think nor as good as you think. Lets hope so. These people should be embarrassed. Let hope they take out their anger and frustration on tOSU. We'll need it. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong...and at the worst possible time. Probably a dozen plays, if they go the other way, and we win.
6. Perhaps most disturbing was a pre-planned taunting of the opponent for a take away. That was disturbing at the very root of being a life-long PSU fan. I hope I never see that again.

The WRs were worse than we feared. They also didn't block well on WR screens. Freshman Lambert gave us a brief spark in the second quarter. Did he play after that?

Journey Brown was a big loss. Cain's injury was the nail in the coffin. Ford didn't show much. Freshman Lee looked better than anybody in his brief appearance. I'm surprised that the staff didn't stick with him.

We expected more from the OL but I wonder how much was the play calling. There was very little misdirection to keep Indy defenders off balance. The late series where we turned it over on downs was discouraging. 4 straight runs up the middle. Don't get me wrong, I liked the ide of pounding it up the middle and wearing down the defense. Just not on every play. I'd have to see the video to be sure but I think Indy brought 10 defenders on that 4th down run.

Toney is too small to be a 1st round pick. He had those back to back sacks but then nothing. I assume Indy made an adjustment. Did we counter by trying to move him around? Like you said, where was Oweh? Simmons?

Wade is an enigma. Big interception and fumble recovery. He's a big hitter and is good in run support but he gets lost in pass coverage (including Indy's last TD). His KO return fumble was a killer.

Franklin's clock management and play calling in crunch time continues to be horrible. I think he's smart but he can't handle the pressure.

I was worried about Pry's constant blitzing but that didn't materialize until late. Once Toney got those two sacks he just kept bringing the pressure. IIRC Indy's game tying 2 pt conversion we only had 1 LB in the middle of the field. Over pursuing or going wide in coverage leaves the middle open for a QB draw.

Pre season was filled with hope. Then Parsons opted out and now we'll be missing Luketta for the 1st half vs OSU. Journey Brown is out and so is Cain. It's tough when you're missing your top 2 RBs and top 2 LBs.

Like most sports football is a head game. Pinegar is better than this but one miss led to the next. Same with Clifford, Wade, etc. A few things went wrong and they tightened up.

 

[Woodpecker]

Offense: Quicker decision making please when the qb is riding the read. I was watching the game with some friends over that really aren't football people and even the one asked my why it took so long for Penn state to hand the ball off.

And make the correct read! It baffled me when he gave it rather than kept it when the read was crashing to the middle.

 

[Texas Lion]

And make the correct read! It baffled me when he gave it rather than kept it when the read was crashing to the middle.

I don't know enough about the offense to know exactly what is the right read or wrong read....but I know it was slow developing AND we often got tackled behind the line.

I do know that this kind of offense is very hard on an OL. Maybe that is the reason you lose kids like Rucci that wants to block in a Wiscy type offense. We have good lineman but because they way they need to block are forced in to bad situations.

 

[Obliviax]

Totally agree. So tired of the excuses. Yes, we all know that the coaches aren't telling the players to commit penalties. Yes, the coaches may have told Ford to go down. Yes, there were pure execution mistakes. But ultimately the coaches are responsible for the team. If we're continually making the same mistakes and playing sloppy, undisciplined football, they need to change something. Saying "oh well we practice these situations during the week" is not a good answer.


Not even close to as bad as the PSU-Temple game in 2015. I also think 2013 Indiana and OSU, 2014 Northwestern, and 2018 MSU all could be argued as well.


Agree. But in defense of the...defense, they did shut down IU when it counted the first time. The O and the coaches lost the game, period.


Who was taunting? Are you just talking about Wade running to the sideline and standing on the bench facing the crowd after turnovers? Not saying it didn't happen, just not sure what you're referring to. I did see Pennix step over our player and flex after the TD at the end of the game. Could have easily been flagged making their 2-pt. try much tougher (that said, my preference is that refs don't call that stuff and just let it resolve on the field).


It was 2nd and inches, so if they did pick up the first, probably do have time to spike it. But, with 8 secs, I think it is risky. People would have been going berserk if we ran a play and didn't pick up the first because time probably expires. Or given how royally we f'ed up the previous possession, I could have seen a player picking up 20-30 yards, staying in bounds, and time expiring.

However, the play call with 11 seconds was terrible. Extremely low % pass that just wasted 3 seconds. That was the down to try to pick up a few more yards. Didn't even need 5. Two more yards and that kick would have been good.


It was close but the ball clearly hit the turf OOB before the pylon. Not making the correct call because it would piss off the home team is not an excuse.

1) I forgot about Temple and them getting a sack when rushing only two players.
2) Players held up two signs toward the Indy bench thanking them for the ball after a turnover.
3) It was second and two, not inches

 

[Obliviax]

I don't know enough about the offense to know exactly what is the right read or wrong read....but I know it was slow developing AND we often got tackled behind the line.

I do know that this kind of offense is very hard on an OL. Maybe that is the reason you lose kids like Rucci that wants to block in a Wiscy type offense. We have good lineman but because they way they need to block are forced in to bad situations.

My take is that the team was trying to read the DE. The DE just stood there not committing to RB or QB so there was a kabuki dance of nobody doing anything. The delay allowed the rest of the defense to swarm. I wonder if it had to do with the lack of experience at RB (causing more indecision for Clifford). And, as I stated, in the entire first half Clifford rarely ran the ball in the zone read, allowing the Indy Defense to concentrate on stopping the RB.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Offense: Quicker decision making please when the qb is riding the read. I was watching the game with some friends over that really aren't football people and even the one asked my why it took so long for Penn state to hand the ball off.

That’s a huge issue that no one has been talking about. Taking so long puts tremendous pressure on the O line. Plus it allows for an outside rush to come in, especially from the back side.

It was that long delayed handoff that led to the fumble by Levis at the 2 yd line. He took so long that the back side end came around and got him from behind just as Levis pulled the ball out and took his first step. If he hadn’t been hit there was room for a TD on the right where he was going.

All game the handoffs took far too long. Gives the D time to collapse on the ball, the back has no momentum going forward, his brain is also too busy trying to figure out if he is getting the ball instead of concentrating on running with it, and such indecision will lead to more fumbles as both try to control the ball.

 

[PSUcup1]

Thar’s what I have been saying. Obvious bone headed decisions not to take a knee or drop down short of the goal line but can a Pry defense ever make a critical play in a one possession game? Pathetic indeed. F

Can they “make a critical play in a one possession game?”

yes... they can. In fact they did it on Saturday. And then CJF blew the game

 

[Texas Lion]

Totally agree. So tired of the excuses. Yes, we all know that the coaches aren't telling the players to commit penalties. Yes, the coaches may have told Ford to go down. Yes, there were pure execution mistakes. But ultimately the coaches are responsible for the team. If we're continually making the same mistakes and playing sloppy, undisciplined football, they need to change something. Saying "oh well we practice these situations during the week" is not a good answer.


Not even close to as bad as the PSU-Temple game in 2015. I also think 2013 Indiana and OSU, 2014 Northwestern, and 2018 MSU all could be argued as well.


Agree. But in defense of the...defense, they did shut down IU when it counted the first time. The O and the coaches lost the game, period.


Who was taunting? Are you just talking about Wade running to the sideline and standing on the bench facing the crowd after turnovers? Not saying it didn't happen, just not sure what you're referring to. I did see Pennix step over our player and flex after the TD at the end of the game. Could have easily been flagged making their 2-pt. try much tougher (that said, my preference is that refs don't call that stuff and just let it resolve on the field).


It was 2nd and inches, so if they did pick up the first, probably do have time to spike it. But, with 8 secs, I think it is risky. People would have been going berserk if we ran a play and didn't pick up the first because time probably expires. Or given how royally we f'ed up the previous possession, I could have seen a player picking up 20-30 yards, staying in bounds, and time expiring.

However, the play call with 11 seconds was terrible. Extremely low % pass that just wasted 3 seconds. That was the down to try to pick up a few more yards. Didn't even need 5. Two more yards and that kick would have been good.


It was close but the ball clearly hit the turf OOB before the pylon. Not making the correct call because it would piss off the home team is not an excuse.

My problem with the play before the half was it seemed to be another read and the read was to throw it deep. I don't know this answer so I am asking.....in a read offense do they always run some kid of read at the line? Do they ever not come up to the line and see wr run an 8 yard out.

 

[Achowalogan]

A number of valid observations but I disagree on a few.

1) Ohio St did not dismantle Nebraska. They struggled for quite a while and then started taking over after some officiating help. Then it was too much for Nebraska to overcome and they even added a TD with like seconds to go in the game. That game was way closer than it appeared.

2) The team did not look very prepared but I think some of this was also Indiana returning 16 starters from an 8 win team in game 1 and maximizing every opportunity we gifted them. And our more talented youngsters were thrown to the fire with a new offensive system and suddenly without our top 2 RBs in the first series.

3) Wade is both a liability and a guy who makes splash plays. He gets burnt bad but he also creates turnovers. I'm not sure that we have a better option. But I don't like him as the nickel for sure, he is not going to stay on a shifty WR one on one.

4) I'm pretty sure Clifford and Freiermuth are taking leadership seriously. They can't execute for the young guys. Clifford does have to clean up the what was that plays.

Now a number of good observations about several things but here are the best.

1) We did not handle distractions well. I know this wasn't supposed to be considered a trap game but maybe it was and I'd think all of the offseason time lost probably hurts a team with this many young play makers more than a team returning 16 starters.

2) The young play makers did show flashes and I think they grow tremendously throughout the year.

3) Oweh isn't a difference maker yet. He is an athletic freak but it isn't translating just yet. Now Isaac, that kid is already better IMO. Oweh has the ceiling through the roof but he needs more experience to be dominant. Oweh had 2 tackles the entire game. And how did Brandon Smith not have any?

4) I hope coach addresses the taunting. That is just embarrassing and likely took away some focus. Play the game all out. Knock them down and help them up. Hand the ball to the ref. Don't celebrate a win until the game has ended. It may have cost us along with all of the other mistakes. We dominated most of the game other than mistakes but it just seemed like we weren't mature enough to get a win and didn't really deserve to either.

#4. Agree! Re: taunting

 

[PSUHarry33]

Did Franklin say postgame whether they told Ford to fall down instead of taking the touchdown? Regardless, if you’re a top team, the defense has to seal the game up eight with 1:42 left. They gave up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Unacceptable.

He actually waffled on it a bit. He said we talk about that scenario all the time in practice. Talked about it this week. But regarding what was said during the game he said "we told them to get as much as they could and get down". For Ford, as much as he could get was the goal line I guess.

James deflected the question saying if we don't take the uncharacteristic penalties, turnovers etc we win the game. He didn't like the question, which tells you all you need to know.

In a dark moment Saturday night I bet James knows the message at the time was not explicit enough to the offense and to the guy toting the rock on that play. We will never know for sure. But if the words are said "do not score" to Ford 30 seconds before the ball is in his hands, I think we are all feeling relieved about this game instead of all the anguish.

 

[Obliviax]

He actually waffled on it a bit. He said we talk about that scenario all the time in practice. Talked about it this week. But regarding what was said during the game he said "we told them to get as much as they could and get down". For Ford, as much as he could get was the goal line I guess.

James deflected the question saying if we don't take the uncharacteristic penalties, turnovers etc we win the game. He didn't like the question, which tells you all you need to know.

In a dark moment Saturday night I bet James knows the message at the time was not explicit enough to the offense and to the guy toting the rock on that play. We will never know for sure. But if the words are said "do not score" to Ford 30 seconds before the ball is in his hands, I think we are all feeling relieved about this game instead of all the anguish.

I, honestly, am not upset about scoring at that point of the game.

1. very young player
2. CJF should have never let it get to that point: take a knee and run out the clock
3. Still, we were up by 8 with 1:40 to go in the game, including an opportunity to kick a game-ending FG but had more questionable play-calling/time management and still missed by a whisker.

 

[psu2016]

1) I forgot about Temple and them getting a sack when rushing only two players.
2) Players held up two signs toward the Indy bench thanking them for the ball after a turnover.
3) It was second and two, not inches

Thanks, missed the signs during the game. That is really disappointing.

And no, it was second and inches. We started from the 49 with 21 seconds. Clifford scrambled for 9.5 yards on 1st down and we called our last TO with 11 seconds. Next play looked like pretty much just a fly route to Dotson and Clifford threw the ball out immediately when it wasn't open. That's the play I thought was a complete waste.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

As I unfortunately predicted last week: no quick counts, no toss sweeps, no misdirection plays, no crossing patterns.

If Clifford ever pumped fake on a stop and go, our wideout would be open by 20 yds. Of course, we’d probably call this play from our opponent’s 10 yd line so the receiver would be out of the back of the end zone.

A SLOW SNAIL PACED VERY VERY VANILLA OFFENSIVE.

 

[PSUSignore]

Did Franklin say postgame whether they told Ford to fall down instead of taking the touchdown? Regardless, if you’re a top team, the defense has to seal the game up eight with 1:42 left. They gave up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Unacceptable.

Franklin stated that not scoring was something they had talked about on the sideline. He wasn't clear if he stated it immediately before the play and reminded the players or if he was simply referring to coaches talking about it. Freiermuth was asked about it as well and was more clear in his answer, he indicated the coaches had told the team not to score and the team didn't execute.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Did Franklin say postgame whether they told Ford to fall down instead of taking the touchdown? Regardless, if you’re a top team, the defense has to seal the game up eight with 1:42 left. They gave up a touchdown and two-point conversion. Unacceptable.

To be honest, they gave up two TDs and two 2 point conversions. I think if you told Franklin and his D that to win the game, all they had to do was stop one of the TDs or one of the 2 point conversions, he would feel pretty good about his chances. I think Luketa being out and the D going balls out (well, Toney really) the previous drive (which I think they thought would seal the game for them) it was a lot to ask of them to do again. The phantom facemask call was a killer. They make the right call there it's 4th and ballgame.

 

[BiochemPSU]

1. Saquon Barkley made a lot of people look really good.
2. PSU has no one who can take over a game on the offense. What you see on film is what you get on game day. Too easy to prep for and adjust to on defense as the game goes on.
3. The defense failed to recruit an interior DL that can command double teams or generate consistent backfield pressure. That kills your LBs in the run game and your secondary in the pass/blitz game.
4. The program is starting to turn into what Paterno had in his later years: good man, good school, and good discipline. That's boring. My theory: CJF misses on too many very high end recruits to get over the hump, so the team and the staff know they have to prepare more to bridge the gap. I think the team and staff over focus on the Ohio States of the world because of this talent gap, and that can let an Indiana snipe you beforehand.

 

[BBrown]

As I unfortunately predicted last week: no quick counts, no toss sweeps, no misdirection plays, no crossing patterns.

If Clifford ever pumped fake on a stop and go, our wideout would be open by 20 yds. Of course, we’d probably call this play from our opponent’s 10 yd line so the receiver would be out of the back of the end zone.

A SLOW SNAIL PACED VERY VERY VANILLA OFFENSIVE.

JMO but the lack of more running yards was a direct result of what looked like the slowest RPO decisions ever being made.

 

[KCLion]

Thar’s what I have been saying. Obvious bone headed decisions not to take a knee or drop down short of the goal line but can a Pry defense ever make a critical play in a one possession game? Pathetic indeed. F

Not defending Pry, but the defense did make critical plays to turn the ball over to the HC with 1:42 left in a 1 possession game and the HC choked by not running out the clock.

 

[jrd23psu]

I’ll keep this short.

The team definitely was not prepared to play a football game.

Clifford threw two of the worst INTs you will see this year.

If you refuse to use your arms to tackle you are begging for a targeting call. I still cannot comprehend the amount of launching themselves at defenders guys do. Nobody teaches anyone to not use their arms to tackle.

We will see just how far this team has to go when OSU comes to town.

 

[PSUHarry33]

Franklin stated that not scoring was something they had talked about on the sideline. He wasn't clear if he stated it immediately before the play and reminded the players or if he was simply referring to coaches talking about it. Freiermuth was asked about it as well and was more clear in his answer, he indicated the coaches had told the team not to score and the team didn't execute.

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I re-watched it focusing on the reactions of the other PSU players. None were thrilled. Some looked to the sidelines like WTF? If everyone had cheered that tells you no direction was given about non scoring. No one hugged Ford in the clip I saw. They just trotted off the filed.
Meanwhile, IU players were pretty psyched.

Ford brainfarted.

 

[ram2020]

As I unfortunately predicted last week: no quick counts, no toss sweeps, no misdirection plays, no crossing patterns.

If Clifford ever pumped fake on a stop and go, our wideout would be open by 20 yds. Of course, we’d probably call this play from our opponent’s 10 yd line so the receiver would be out of the back of the end zone.

A SLOW SNAIL PACED VERY VERY VANILLA OFFENSIVE.

Good points, and why oh why never just a touch of up tempo? You don't need to change anything or do anything special that would mess up your team, just snap the ball, for one play, or a series, or after a first down with 15 seconds on the clock as a pose to 2. Its so slow, and we clearly don't get all of special advantage of seeing their defense for 30 seconds(very rarely do we catch our opponent pre-snap in a position that we clearly take advantage of.)

 

[MacNit07]

General

• Expectations. We were told we were knocking on the door of being an elite team. After watching an elite B10 team at noon dismantle Nebraska, and watching a Michigan team that looked pretty damn good this was more disappointing to me Sunday morning than Saturday afternoon.
• Systemic Failure: When my car's tires go flat, the car won't turn over and the heater isn't working at the same time, I don't blame the heater, tires or battery. I look for what is common and see why things go wrong at the same time. Nobody played well, nobody. So.....coaching staff, hello?!
• Preparedness. Team simply was not prepared to play. The first half was as bad of a game as I've seen played by PSU since UVA when Ficken missed the FGs to win.

Special Teams

• OK, the O was bad and the D collapsed when they were most needed. But the Special Team? My God, did they do ANYTHING right?
• A dropped punt that should have been a TO
• A roughing the receiver penalty for 15 yeards
• A KO return to the FIVE yard line
• Three Missed FGs (ok, one was 57 yards but one was a gift that should have been made with our eyes closed)
• I am sure I missed something. I had to put my mask over my eyes late in the game when ST came in.
• Wade....I mean, is anyone on the coaching staff watching this guy make mental error after mental error and then deciding he can return kickoffs?

Offense

1. Saving grace? I wonder when the staff learned about J-Brown. Cain was their guy and I was comfortable with that. I wonder if having to go into our third string hurt us in terms of opening the playbook or something.
2. Also, in the first half, Clifford almost ALWAYS handed the ball to the RB and never kept it. it looked to me like IN adjusted and said "don't take the QB, just take the RB". They didn't respect Clifford's running. Perhaps the staff made it a no-option opinion given we were so young. I think that is why we went wildcat. Regardless, we did better in the second half and picked up some yards but SC's running success was almost all via QB draws or scrambles.
3. I am shocked at how young we are at the skill positions. We ended up playing all true soph and true fr at RB. We also ended up playing a lot of the same at WR. They did what kids do, make mistakes. One RB dropped the ball in his first college carry. Ouch.
4. I love Clifford...book on his is that he is a winner and a gamer (hello Matt McGloin, Hello Trace McSorley). Will we ever have an elite QB who can run and throw?
5. Having said that, our second team QB came in and fumbled, immediately, in the red zone.
6. Back to Cliff, that INT on the screen pass wouldn't have been tolerated in JV. For a guy returning for his second full year, fourth year in the program, and team leader that was simply inexcusable. The second was on a pass five yards over a guy's head who is 6-5. Other passes in the first half were similarly awful. We were physically beating IN and just needed to not make mistakes. Especially in the first half in an away game and first of the year. Cliff, as team leader and QB, had to know that. If I had to point to one person that lost the game it has to be SC. Sorry, not sorry.
7. Kid played great in the second half. I haven't written him off. Did I mention that the staff didn't have him prepared to play?
8. Young WR looked gifted and athletic. But young WR with no experience make mistakes and it looked like a lot of weird routes, missed blocks (bubble screens) and deer in the headlights.
9. Edit: Clifford played a very good to great second half. His run for the TD was excellent. His passing was pretty crisp. But the game is four quarters. We ended up playing one quarter of good team football.

Defense

• Defense played well, especially considering the O and ST did them no favors.
• Toney is going to be a first-rounder.
• Did Owey play? Of course, he did....but did little to help the team.
• I saw some DT's on the sideline looking like they were injured.
• I love the aggressiveness but we do some dumb stuff. That targeting was really bad. 40 has to be smarter.
• The S are really slow and weak. Our corners, for the most part, looked good. IN has some really good WRs. The S play has to improve or we need to find new guys. (or we will lose at least three games)
• Having said that, we gave up two TDs and TWO two point conversions in the last two drives.
• OK, this is a pattern. How many times do we have to blow leads late in the game to understand we have a philosophy problem? OSU, Sparty, USC....over and over and over again.

Coaching

• this year, with the pandemic and "peaceful" protests, it was all about handing distractions. Damn we sucked at that. The team was not prepared to play. It is as simple as that. The dumb mistakes were off the charts bad.
• Time management? don't get me started....pee wee level incompetence.
• We should have tried to get five more yards before the end of regulation but kicked the 57 yarder that missed by about a foot. 8 seconds? Plenty of time if you go OOB or get a first down. (clock it on first down as soon as the clock is set)
• With all of the PSU history and all of the "feel good" notions about accepting people, we go to TAUNTING the opponent for turning the ball over? OK, not a big fan of the turnover chain or lawnboys but at least they fall into the celebration of success category. Taunting the opponent? I hope CJF squashes that. To Taunt and then get your ass beat? ****ing embarrassing as a PSU fan. Perhaps the most disturbing of everything I saw on Saturday was that.
• If I am CJF, I pulled the team together Sunday and tell them to stop worrying about peaceful protests, taunting, pandemics and preening and get their heads in the game. Without winning, they have no "platform" and need to get their priorities in place. LeBron James knows this...win the damn game then speak your mind. You don't win, you just look stupid.

Refs

1. Overall, it was what it was. We had 100 yards in penalties.
2. Two critical calls:
   1. the facemask call was after a third down and it would have been fourth and forever. It was clearly not a facemask.
   2. the final play. So close....I don't blame the refs. They had to make a call on the field. And, the issue came down to it being conclusive. I don't agree with the call but accept it. A home game with Indy celebrating on that close of a call would have been a really tough thing to overturn.
   3. I am in the camp that it was OOB. You can watch as the pylon goes straight backwards. Reminds me of "back and to the left" in the JFK movie. But it was close and it shouldn't have come to that.

Summary

1. Anyone who knows sports knew this year was all going to be about managing the distractions. Our staff did a piss poor job of that. The team was simply not prepared to play. Take care of business then be a social warrior later on your own damn time.
2. Do we have a ST coach? If so, that person needs to have a perfect game against tOSU or should be let go ASAP. Horrible. In fact, I've never seen ST not do single play correctly aside from PATs.
3. We are way too young on offense and need Clifford and Friermuth to step up and take leadership seriously.
4. It has been a long time since we haven't had the first game at home and to get game-ready before taking on a good opponent and/or going on the road. Again, preparation and focus. Sad.
5. Joe taught us, you are never as bad as you think nor as good as you think. Lets hope so. These people should be embarrassed. Let hope they take out their anger and frustration on tOSU. We'll need it. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong...and at the worst possible time. Probably a dozen plays, if they go the other way, and we win.
6. Perhaps most disturbing was a pre-planned taunting of the opponent for a take away. That was disturbing at the very root of being a life-long PSU fan. I hope I never see that again.

Absolutely fabulous post - one of the best I have ever seen on this Board.

Perhaps I feel that way because I agree with just about all of it?! But you have made your points concisely and clearly and fairly. I only take issue with Toney being a 1st Rounder. I think he is far too small to make an impact in the League. But what do I know - hopefully you are correct...seems like the kid has really out in tbe work.