obli's observations; one that got away

[Obliviax]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

 

[psuro]

The micro of this is that the 2nd half, and especially the 4th quarter, were really frustrating - the Rose Bowl was the same way.

The macro is that the team is 7-1 and a good shot to win the rest of their games. The team had three hurdles to clear - the easily cleared the first one (Michigan), clipped the hurdle with their toe on the second hurdle (Ohio State), and have MSU coming up. I think they clear that one without a problem. Then, given how Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland have played - it should be a good shot to win out.

It's easy to harp on negatives, and I certainly did so in the 4th quarter and after the game. But, again the macro is that the team and the program are on an upward trajectory.

 

[BBrown]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

Agree with everything you said.
I"ll add that losing Bucholtz was also another big loss.
The blocked punt is concerning. Its the same player that been involved a couple of times, once with the blocked FG at Iowa.

 

[Mixolydian]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

Agree with most of that, but what stats are you looking at when you say we “always” lose stats battle? Time of possession?

 

[psu2016]

We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game?

Yes he was back in during the 4th

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

Good stuff. Still no idea why we didn't try to go five wide when it was obvious the RPO was being blown up in the second half; we had a decided height advantage and made zero attempts to hit Gesicki or Johnson on the fade in the red zone. We also seemed to run better when Trace had designed runs. But, getting better and deeper. Keep winning.

 

[EPC FAN]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

The punt block mistake was by #4. If he just takes the guy right in front of him, the punt is out of there. I don't know what he was thinking about in that spot. The field goals involved #51.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

The punt block mistake was by #4. If he just takes the guy right in front of him, the punt is out of there. I don't know what he was thinking about in that spot. The field goals involved #51.

BINGO! What the heck was he thinking? He went and blocked guys who were being pushed into the 3 guys in front of the punter. His only RESPONSIBILITY was to block the guy right in front of him...jeez....

 

[Pocono Lion]

The punt block mistake was by #4. If he just takes the guy right in front of him, the punt is out of there. I don't know what he was thinking about in that spot. The field goals involved #51.

I think it was #46, not #4.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

I think it was #46, not #4.

It was #4...

 

[BBrown]

The punt block mistake was by #4. If he just takes the guy right in front of him, the punt is out of there. I don't know what he was thinking about in that spot. The field goals involved #51.

I thought it was #46 both times?
Also the alignment itself was off they all looked too close together to me.

 

[PSUcup1]

I think it was #46, not #4.

4 was on the line
46 was in the backfield

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Agree with everything you said.
I"ll add that losing Bucholtz was also another big loss.
The blocked punt is concerning. Its the same player that been involved a couple of times, once with the blocked FG at Iowa.

Bigger issues were predictability and lack of execution on first down. Ran 76% of the time and more than 50% of the time we got zero or negative yardage.

Also not challenging OSU with our tall athletic receivers bit us. CJF was again a victim of scorning too quickly and tried to win with a prevent offense - grind the clock and hope your opportunistic defense can hold. Nice sentiment but blocked punts and no pass rush make that a difficult ask for young DE’s and our time of possession per drive in the second half was diminished because we couldn’t convert on third down.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Agree with most of that, but what stats are you looking at when you say we “always” lose stats battle? Time of possession?

Total Yards in this case...

 

[T J]

The punt block mistake was by #4. If he just takes the guy right in front of him, the punt is out of there. I don't know what he was thinking about in that spot. The field goals involved #51.

Interesting that a special teams blocking error caused a major punt block. The special teams error needs to be coached and corrected.

Yet earlier in the season, the trained special teams unit was not even on the field. PSU got ripped for calling TO, so that players trained in special teams scenarios could be on the field when they should be.

This punt blocking error demonstrates why trained special teams players are needed on the field, who are drilled in multiple situations.

 

[Mixolydian]

Total Yards in this case...

I didn’t go back and look. I know we did on Saturday, but have we always or even usually had less total yards than our opponents this year? I didn’t realize that.

 

[rudedude]

It was #4...

#46 Colin Costagno. You never block inside without checking the outside first

 

[BBrown]

Bigger issues were predictability and lack of execution on first down. Ran 76% of the time and more than 50% of the time we got zero or negative yardage.

Also not challenging OSU with our tall athletic receivers bit us. CJF was again a victim of scorning too quickly and tried to win with a prevent offense - grind the clock and hope your opportunistic defense can hold. Nice sentiment but blocked punts and no pass rush make that a difficult ask for young DE’s and our time of possession per drive in the second half was diminished because we couldn’t convert on third down.

I know that was one of the things Phil talked about was passing on first down more. Seems like we didn't do it. I had no idea the % of runs on first down but INMO that is way to high.

 

[bdgan]

many games, I've always thought, are 50/50. It's like a scale; it can be equal if you put 5lbs on each side, or 500 lbs on each side. Drop a feather on one side, and the scales change. PSU came up short and there are 20 plays that could have changed the outcome. So be it....

I watched the game in a bar in Foxburg PA, then watched the first half again last night. Amazing difference between the first and second halfs.

• tOSU clearly had the better O and D line. By far the best we've seen all year.
• What was sad is that our strength, the defensive secondary, was simply horrible in the fourth qtr.
• You would hope it would tighten in the red zone, but WTF was covering deep middle against the TE? I saw that play was open several times earlier in the game but JT didn't get it there. We lost Campbell and meant to see if he was in during the 4th but didn't get that far last night. Did he play later in the game? Regardless, no pass rush and no coverage. In addition, we didn't blitz much either.
• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.
• yet, tOSU will get credit. PSU will get no credit for tOSU jumping offsides and turning the ball over.
• Moreover, PSU has lost the statistics battle all season. A lot of the pundits don't have time to watch all the games so check the stats. PSU always looks bad for the stats. This leads to our lack of respect.
• As such, PSU's big plays were the KO return, the Barkely TD on the opening kickoff, the Barklley long run. tOSU's fumble. All big plays. We are a big play, strike fast offense.
• Problem is, we don't sustain drives and that leads to losing big leads.
• while we still have a shot, a stout defense and a ball control offense are big issues.
• Barkley has one huge problem, he doesn't recognize when he needs to make the most out of a bad play, and just get back to the LOS.

I disagree that PSU isn't respected. The team is still ranked #7 (ahead of ND) even after this loss.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

I didn’t go back and look. I know we did on Saturday, but have we always or even usually had less total yards than our opponents this year? I didn’t realize that.

That was my interpretation of his post - may not be the case.

 

[PSUcup1]

#46 Colin Costagno. You never block inside without checking the outside first

Again.

It was #4 on the LOS
It was #46 in the backfield

 

[Mixolydian]

Bigger issues were predictability and lack of execution on first down. Ran 76% of the time and more than 50% of the time we got zero or negative yardage.

Also not challenging OSU with our tall athletic receivers bit us. CJF was again a victim of scorning too quickly and tried to win with a prevent offense - grind the clock and hope your opportunistic defense can hold. Nice sentiment but blocked punts and no pass rush make that a difficult ask for young DE’s and our time of possession per drive in the second half was diminished because we couldn’t convert on third down.

Blocked punt, no pass rush and an offense that doesn’t have a “grind the clock” component. I know it’s a regularly mocked sentiment on this board, but we need to add that component to take the next step. We all (or most of us at least) knew that would bite us at some point.

 

[rudedude]

The post said the punt block was caused by #4 when it wasn’t. It was the back line guy #46 who ignored the outside rusher.

 

[Obliviax]

Blocked punt, no pass rush and an offense that doesn’t have a “grind the clock” component. I know it’s a regularly mocked sentiment on this board, but we need to add that component to take the next step. We all (or most of us at least) knew that would bite us at some point.

If we aren't going to have an offense that can control the ball with the lead, we need to score, score, score. With Bates out, and tOSU's great front four, that wasn't possible. Net result is an L. Is what it is.

 

[PSUcup1]

The post said the punt block was caused by #4 when it wasn’t. It was the back line guy #46 who ignored thebouside rusher.

View embedded media

He's ignored by both of them

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Blocked punt, no pass rush and an offense that doesn’t have a “grind the clock” component. I know it’s a regularly mocked sentiment on this board, but we need to add that component to take the next step. We all (or most of us at least) knew that would bite us at some point.

It’s tough to complain after putting up 38 points - but 14 of that is all Barkley and an addition 7 is a short field because of the fumble. When we mixed it up we had success. When we were in second and long a lot of the night, our hand was forced.

We also didn’t adjust to OSU changing their offensive philosophy in the second half. They went vertical and cleared the middle of the field with misdirection. Easy pickings for JTB.

 

[bdgan]

The micro of this is that the 2nd half, and especially the 4th quarter, were really frustrating - the Rose Bowl was the same way.

The macro is that the team is 7-1 and a good shot to win the rest of their games. The team had three hurdles to clear - the easily cleared the first one (Michigan), clipped the hurdle with their toe on the second hurdle (Ohio State), and have MSU coming up. I think they clear that one without a problem. Then, given how Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland have played - it should be a good shot to win out.

It's easy to harp on negatives, and I certainly did so in the 4th quarter and after the game. But, again the macro is that the team and the program are on an upward trajectory.

Let's see how the team responds now that they're beat up and without a couple of key starters.

 

[Obliviax]

That was my interpretation of his post - may not be the case.

My thoughts are that the game stats don't match the final score. We beat Pitt, handily, but don't out-gain or TOP them. Indy too. Iowa was a nail biter despite pushing them all over the field.

Just bad optic for those that don't watch the games but have a say in the MNC votes.

Another poster makes a good point, #7 after a loss isn't bad. We had tOSU beat, which helps us in that regard. But we don't have eye polling stats.

 

[royboy]

4 was on the line
46 was in the backfield

it was a pretty clear miss by #46 also
he blocked inward, and allowed the outside Buckeye rusher to blow by him

 

[rudedude]

He's ignored by both of them

Maybe it was the gray uniforms that made him invisible? Turning point on the game, however.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

If we aren't going to have an offense that can control the ball with the lead, we need to score, score, score. With Bates out, and tOSU's great front four, that wasn't possible. Net result is an L. Is what it is.

Agree. Now how do you do that by running, and failing to get positive yardage, so much? Bates was a big loss but we struggled running the ball all night. You can do things to take the speed out of the rush of the front four. Slants, sweeps, quick outs - can’t say the loss of one OL caused our O to implode.

 

[LundyPSU]

If we aren't going to have an offense that can control the ball with the lead, we need to score, score, score. With Bates out, and tOSU's great front four, that wasn't possible. Net result is an L. Is what it is.

No doubt OSU dominated both lines, especially in the 2nd half. That said, there is no excuse for the terrible playcalling when they settled for a FG late. You don't need a ton of time in the pocket to push the ball down field. 1st and Goal inside the 10 and they in essence, run 3 plays to line up a FG. Horrible. They know the D has not been able to stop them. Most stops were because of OSU mistakes. D was gassed. Go for the TD. Considerable height advantage with Gesicki and Juwan. And Hamilton is catching anything close to him. Guess they were scared of a TO or a bad angle FG.

 

[Obliviax]

Agree. Now how do you do that by running, and failing to get positive yardage, so much? Bates was a big loss but we struggled running the ball all night. You can do things to take the speed out of the rush of the front four. Slants, sweeps, quick outs - can’t say the loss of one OL caused our O to implode.

Hmmm...first, I think we still have a lack of depth on the O-line. I believe we moved a G to T and brought in a new guard. So we had three guys out or out of position. (or something like that, the who line got effed up) That is because we dont have enough depth to just plug in the second team LT with our other T hurt as well.

I agree, you fake to #26 and do other quick hits. tOSU was able to get pressure with four and clog the short throwing lanes. Our offense was left to hope McS could scramble and find someone open....not a great plan. I don't know why we didn't throw some jump balls in the final drive. Perhaps that was the plan when we over threw #88 in the second to the last play.

 

[LundyPSU]

Hmmm...first, I think we still have a lack of depth on the O-line. I believe we moved a G to T and brought in a new guard. So we had three guys out or out of position. (or something like that, the who line got effed up) That is because we dont have enough depth to just plug in the second team LT with our other T hurt as well.

I agree, you fake to #26 and do other quick hits. tOSU was able to get pressure with four and clog the short throwing lanes. Our offense was left to hope McS could scramble and find someone open....not a great plan. I don't know why we didn't throw some jump balls in the final drive. Perhaps that was the plan when we over threw #88 in the second to the last play.

We hit Juwan on a few quick slants with success early in the Michigan game. Maybe OSU was jumping those, but worth a try.

 

[royboy]

One of my game observations was the importance of having really elite D-linemen.

PSU has a number of good D-linemen, but none who are true playmakers. tOSU has Bosa and others who apply pressure on nearly every pass rush, giving the defense the flexibility to rush just 4, or mix up pressure.

We need some stars on the D-line, high NFL draft choice types. I don't know if some of the younger guys in the program may reach that status or perhaps some in the 2018 recruiting class, but it's an important feature of a college football playoff level team. Examples: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State

 

[canuckhal]

• The game changed when Bates got hurt, but we were hanging on. The momentum changed when they blocked the punt.
• Part of a game is mistakes, that blocked punt was an awful mistake. The guy on the right end blocked in leaving the DE open. Then the three guys in front of the punter blocked in and the DE had a strait shot. It wasn't a great play by tOSU, a mistake by PSU.

Franklin said the exact thing in his presser. The three unit got too close to one another allowing the edge rush. They were lined up wrong. Also said that gave OSU momentum and OSU's DL and OL took over. PSU couldn't get a pass rush and the secondary couldn't cover OSU's receivers for that long and Barrett made all the throws. Because OSU's DL took over, PSU couldn't run the ball or pass. It turned out to be the perfect storm against PSU.

 

[psuro]

We can balance " one that got away" with " one we snatched away". I.e. Iowa.

 

[LundyPSU]

One of my game observations was the importance of having really elite D-linemen.

PSU has a number of good D-linemen, but none who are true playmakers. tOSU has Bosa and others who apply pressure on nearly every pass rush, giving the defense the flexibility to rush just 4, or mix up pressure.

We need some stars on the D-line, high NFL draft choice types. I don't know if some of the younger guys in the program may reach that status or perhaps some in the 2018 recruiting class, but it's an important feature of a college football playoff level team. Examples: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State

Losing Torrance Brown and Bucholtz are huge losses. Quality DE who can play 3 downs. Our young depth are just ready for situational spots. Guessing Givens will get more reps at DE, but don't think he is the answer. But we are forced into it now.

 

[BBrown]

Maybe it was the gray uniforms that made him invisible? Turning point on the game, however.

Oh yea. That whole "their gray is going to be too close to our white uniforms" was so blown out of proportion. I don't even know why LASCH responded to it or tried to stop it.

 

[Mixolydian]

If we aren't going to have an offense that can control the ball with the lead, we need to score, score, score. With Bates out, and tOSU's great front four, that wasn't possible. Net result is an L. Is what it is.

When did Bates go out of the game? Was it before or after we went right down the field to first and goal at the 7 throwing the ball? It’s all running together, and I honestly don’t remember.