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

[MacNit07]

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.

Totally and absolutely correct. Recruit’s parents see this too.

Enough is enough.

 

[MacNit07]

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.

What happened to “act like you have been there?” That left in November 2011.

And you know, it is too “old school” / “ JoeBot” to act with class anymore!

 

[bytir]

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.

It is inexcusable coaching in that situation to take the ball out of the QB's hands at all. Snap, block and burn as much time as possible before taking a knee. FG on fourth at worst and you have burned the majority of the time and IU's timeouts.

 

[Obliviax]

It is inexcusable coaching in that situation to take the ball out of the QB's hands at all. Snap, block and burn as much time as possible before taking a knee. FG on fourth at worst and you have burned the majority of the time and IU's timeouts.

It's a good point. He was the only one in the backfield with a full year's starter experience and a full Jr. Aside from scoring a TD, the other issue is fumbling.

 

[BobPSU92]

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.

From your first paragraph, it sounds like Ford was told to fall down short of the goal line. Not definitive though.

 

[97Lion]

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.

PFF releases highest-graded B1G defensive players from Week 1 action

These defensive stars stood out the most.

saturdaytradition.com

 

[BobPSU92]

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.

Ciarrocca didn’t want to show Tosu anything.

 

[BobPSU92]

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.

View embedded media

Thanks.

 

[PSUHarry33]

From your first paragraph, it sounds like Ford was told to fall down short of the goal line. Not definitive though.

In another thread there is a Friermuth interview and he confirms they were told on the sideline not to score. Ford either missed it or forgot in the moment on the field.

 

[Texas Lion]

In another thread there is a Friermuth interview and he confirms they were told on the sideline not to score. Ford either missed it or forgot in the moment on the field.

They gave the ball to Ford. They needed someone that is a solid decision maker to make that play. See where I am going with this? Even if JFF didn't want to kneel on the ball, you don't let Clifford give up the ball. 3 Clifford Runs up the gut. Kick a field goal on 4th. Stout kicks it through the endzone and IU now has about 20 seconds to go 80 and score a TD.

 

[Ski]

2) Players held up two signs toward the Indy bench thanking them for the ball after a turnover.

I am old school, but even in modern times, that is low class and stupid.

 

[Texas Lion]

To the "Get Off My Lawn" Crowd. Teams the past couple of years have done something every time their team gets a turnover. I believe Miami started it with the Turnover Chain. Pitt has a turnover mini basketball hoop.

Personally I hate it and think it is dumb. too much "look at me, look at me". But if the kids like it then let them do it.

 

[PSUHarry33]

I am old school, but even in modern times, that is low class and stupid.

Yeah and if you believe in Karma she delivered with a goalpost doink.

 

[Woodpecker]

To the "Get Off My Lawn" Crowd. Teams the past couple of years have done something every time their team gets a turnover. I believe Miami started it with the Turnover Chain. Pitt has a turnover mini basketball hoop.

Personally I hate it and think it is dumb. too much "look at me, look at me". But if the kids like it then let them do it.

It's one thing to celebrate with your teammates but (OK granted, in the opinion of this old fool, anyway) something completely different to denigrate your opponent.

 

[BobPSU92]

Has Franklin commented about the taunting after the turnover?

 

[MacNit07]

To the "Get Off My Lawn" Crowd. Teams the past couple of years have done something every time their team gets a turnover. I believe Miami started it with the Turnover Chain. Pitt has a turnover mini basketball hoop.

Personally I hate it and think it is dumb. too much "look at me, look at me". But if the kids like it then let them do it.

I don’t care who likes it, it is a low class thing to do. When no discipline is instilled, you get f-ups like Saturday. And that’s on CJF.

 

[Madsol]

I don’t care who likes it, it is a low class thing to do. When no discipline is instilled, you get f-ups like Saturday. And that’s on CJF.

"Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm." Principal Joe Clark.

I've never understood this idea that the only way to let kids have fun is to let them do whatever they want. I don't think that works for parenting. And I don't think it works for coaching college football players. I know I am way in the minority but just play the darn game and enough with all of the other nonsense.

And as a PSU alumnus, I have the right to say that the turnover card being displayed by my alma mater's football team is a flat-out embarrassment and should be shut down immediately. No one has to listen to me, but I have the right to say it.

 

[tlbakernc]

Shaka was the one guy I thought would benefit most from a Big Ten season. Without this year he’s a 3/4 round pick. He should now go round 2, possibly round one.

Indiana defense played 6/7 in the box large portion of the game. OL failed to open up holes between the tackles. Pass blocking was questionable too.

Clifford’s 2 ints were abysmal. No excuse for those throws.

Ford didn’t look very good at running the ball between the tackles. Lee looked really good for a true freshman.

Inexperienced WR’s looked, well, inexperienced. They couldn’t get open. They ran their route then quit.

Porter is going to be really really good. TCF looks like he’s back.

 

[MacNit07]

"Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm." Principal Joe Clark.

I've never understood this idea that the only way to let kids have fun is to let them do whatever they want. I don't think that works for parenting. And I don't think it works for coaching college football players. I know I am way in the minority but just play the darn game and enough with all of the other nonsense.

And as a PSU alumnus, I have the right to say that the turnover card being displayed by my alma mater's football team is a flat-out embarrassment and should be shut down immediately. No one has to listen to me, but I have the right to say it.

Amen brother!

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Shaka was the one guy I thought would benefit most from a Big Ten season. Without this year he’s a 3/4 round pick. He should now go round 2, possibly round one.

Indiana defense played 6/7 in the box large portion of the game. OL failed to open up holes between the tackles. Pass blocking was questionable too.

Clifford’s 2 ints were abysmal. No excuse for those throws.

Ford didn’t look very good at running the ball between the tackles. Lee looked really good for a true freshman.

Inexperienced WR’s looked, well, inexperienced. They couldn’t get open. They ran their route then quit.

Porter is going to be really really good. TCF looks like he’s back.

The play before Clifford’s second interception was a dropped pass by Freiermuth. SMH.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

"Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm." Principal Joe Clark.

I've never understood this idea that the only way to let kids have fun is to let them do whatever they want. I don't think that works for parenting. And I don't think it works for coaching college football players. I know I am way in the minority but just play the darn game and enough with all of the other nonsense.

And as a PSU alumnus, I have the right to say that the turnover card being displayed by my alma mater's football team is a flat-out embarrassment and should be shut down immediately. No one has to listen to me, but I have the right to say it.

There are three things that bother me about Franklin. Two of these are not characteristic of a coach worth 6 million per year.

1. Insistence on an offense that runs the QB. We will never be a great passing team if that's the direction he wants to take us. Banged up QBs don't throw well. To win you have to be lucky, or have such a good supporting cast that the QB doesn't get touched.
2. Game plans and game day decision-making. I think Franklin is a smart man but I don't think he is a quick-thinker. Getting lost in trying to drum up enthusiasm in my opinion detracts from level-headed decision-making -- staying in touch with the game. Which leads me to the big one ....
3. Driving enthusiasm into the players rather than preparation and discipline. Any form of taunting or excessive celebrations, ESPECIALLY when you haven't achieved anything, is a very telling sign of what goes on in practice and off the field. "Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm." I could not agree more. Show me some discipline and then I'll know that your enthusiasm has been constructively channeled. Show me no discipline and your enthusiasm makes you look like a child, and makes you play like one too.

The way this team came out in the first half tells us everything. We were unprepared. That means we are undisciplined.

If the players want to reach the top then it's business first, nonsense later. The fact that Franklin doesn't reign this stuff in tells me that he doesn't have what it takes to get to an elite level. He hasn't shown that he can produce a disciplined team. Every year we will lose some that we should have won and every few years we will win one we should have lost, but it won't be balanced.

Fans and alums, it is what it is. We are good but will not be great until the above are addressed.

 

[MacNit07]

There are three things that bother me about Franklin. Two of these are not characteristic of a coach worth 6 million per year.

1. Insistence on an offense that runs the QB. We will never be a great passing team if that's the direction he wants to take us. Banged up QBs don't throw well. To win you have to be lucky, or have such a good supporting cast that the QB doesn't get touched.
2. Game plans and game day decision-making. I think Franklin is a smart man but I don't think he is a quick-thinker. Getting lost in trying to drum up enthusiasm in my opinion detracts from level-headed decision-making -- staying in touch with the game. Which leads me to the big one ....
3. Driving enthusiasm into the players rather than preparation and discipline. Any form of taunting or excessive celebrations, ESPECIALLY when you haven't achieved anything, is a very telling sign of what goes on in practice and off the field. "Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm." I could not agree more. Show me some discipline and then I'll know that your enthusiasm has been constructively channeled. Show me no discipline and your enthusiasm makes you look like a child, and makes you play like one too.

The way this team came out in the first half tells us everything. We were unprepared. That means we are undisciplined.

If the players want to reach the top then it's business first, nonsense later. The fact that Franklin doesn't reign this stuff in tells me that he doesn't have what it takes to get to an elite level. He hasn't shown that he can produce a disciplined team. Every year we will lose some that we should have won and every few years we will win won we should have lost, but it won't be balanced.

Fans and alums, it is what it is. We are good but will not be great until the above are addressed.

Yes.