Oblis Observations - The Silver Lining

[Obliviax]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

Edit: Not sure why special teams suck. With the recruiting talent CJF has brought in, we should be up to speed but we are not. Perhaps a new ST coach?

 

[YorkLion]

A lot of what you wrote goes directly to Coaching and preparation.

 

[psuro]

Not for nuthin', but in Joe's first five years

1966 5-5
1967 8-2-1
1968 11-0
1969 11-0
1970 7-3

Franklin's first five years

2014 7-6
2015 7-6
2016 11-3
2017 11-2
2018 9-4


Again, not for nuthin'....

 

[Obliviax]

A lot of what you wrote goes directly to Coaching and preparation.

Agree and disagree. At some point, its on the players. Its their game. Team didn't play until they were embarrassed. That's on the players, IMHO. I never played at this level, obviously, but you either want to be there or you don't. Its like going to war: You ponder the decision and weigh it, but once in, you have to be all in. You can't half-ass it and expect anything other than the outcome we got. My only real beef was the fake. No reason to do that and give KY the momentum at a critical time. That is what teams that are giving 7 points do. You don't see the top teams doing that kind of stuff. It tells the team "hey, to win, we have to trick people". Is that were we are as a program? I think not.

 

[Obliviax]

Not for nuthin', but in Joe's first five years

1966 5-5
1967 8-2-1
1968 11-0
1969 11-0
1970 7-3

Franklin's first five years

2014 7-6
2015 7-6
2016 11-3
2017 11-2
2018 9-4


Again, not for nuthin'....

In defense of CJF, he didn't have the sanctions. And, its a whole new ball game with national recruiting and social media. We'll see what CJF can do the next two years. He's got great kids and they are all his now.

 

[ryoder1]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

O-Line needs to improve and major concern is we have supposedly improved the talent level but still do not see it on the field.

Special teams lost this game and are in shambles. Do not see how the ST coach keeps his job.

Agree we have one tremendous leader in Trace then no one. Who will step up next season? Not sure if Stevens can hold a candle to Trace in the leadership area which is a huge intangible that we do not know the impact.

The decision to kick the FG was iffy. If we miss the 4th down conversion then do not stop them then the criticism is still there maybe worse. Disappointing that we cannot step up there and make a stop especially since everyone knew the play was going to be a hand off to Snell. Kentucky wanted it more there at the end.

 

[BobPSU92]

I get the criticism of Franklin at times, but it's not his fault that receivers drop easy passes or that the guy fumbled the direct snap on the fake punt. Credit kentucky if we get stopped behind the line of scrimmage on the fake punt, but you obviously can't fumble the snap. Thinking back to the regular season, that dropped gift interception by Amani against michigan state still stings. So does Sanders' fumble late in the first half against Tosu. Those things also aren't Franklin's fault.

 

[danvillenit]

Not for nuthin', but in Joe's first five years

1966 5-5
1967 8-2-1
1968 11-0
1969 11-0
1970 7-3

Franklin's first five years

2014 7-6
2015 7-6
2016 11-3
2017 11-2
2018 9-4


Again, not for nuthin'....

Not sure what your point is. The circumstances at PSU were totally different and college football in general was totally different

 

[Cosmos]

Agree and disagree. At some point, its on the players. Its their game. Team didn't play until they were embarrassed. That's on the players, IMHO. I never played at this level, obviously, but you either want to be there or you don't. Its like going to war: You ponder the decision and weigh it, but once in, you have to be all in. You can't half-ass it and expect anything other than the outcome we got. My only real beef was the fake. No reason to do that and give KY the momentum at a critical time. That is what teams that are giving 7 points do. You don't see the top teams doing that kind of stuff. It tells the team "hey, to win, we have to trick people". Is that were we are as a program? I think not.

The timing of the fake FG was peculiar. Maybe it was to show the kids he was all-in. To incite them. To motivate. I dunno. What I do know is emotion is a big part of the college football. It's hard to get the kids up for each game. Whereas for Kentucky it was their Superbowl. And I'll just leave it at that.

 

[fastlax16]

I get the criticism of Franklin at times, but it's not his fault that receivers drop easy passes or that the guy fumbled the direct snap on the fake punt. Credit kentucky if we get stopped behind the line of scrimmage on the fake punt, but you obviously can't fumble the snap. Thinking back to the regular season, that dropped gift interception by Amani against michigan state still stings. So does Sanders' fumble late in the first half against Tosu. Those things also aren't Franklin's fault.

mental mistakes that are allowed to linger for literally an entire season are everybody’s fault.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

Circumstances were totally different for JVP, for sure. And not to rile up the anti-Joe crowd here, but the guy was a very very good coach. All of the details were taken care of with him. I don't see that yet. In his prime, Paterno teams did not repeat the same mistakes for an entire season. It just didn't happen. Right now, it is happening. Special teams mistakes, blown coverages in the secondary by the safeties, missed blocking assignments by the OL. This is not news. It's been the same the entire year. These things have nothing to do with the fact that we had sanctions 4 years ago.

And yeah, constant dropped passes are a coaching issue to some extent. Fumbling is a coaching issue to some extent. If they can't catch, then stop throwing to them, period.

 

[psuro]

Not sure what your point is. The circumstances at PSU were totally different and college football in general was totally different

Hence the phrase...."Not for nuthin'"

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

Edit: Not sure why special teams suck. With the recruiting talent CJF has brought in, we should be up to speed but we are not. Perhaps a new ST coach?

On the fake punt: it completely caught me off guard - I do think there was an element of surprise to it. What is bothersome here is the way that the punt unit broke the huddle. They snapped into formation in unison which I don't believe was shown all year and this may have been a clue to KY that something was up. Not good gameplanning if this is true. The fake punt almost seemed to be challenge to the ST coach by Franklin to "go and make a play" it seems forced, that they were trying to make something happen....

Much more troubling is the continued decision to take the ball in the 1st half - I am not certain if PS won the toss, but, if they did and they elected to go on offense in the 1st half, it makes little sense, especially when looking at what KY did to open the 2nd half....

 

[bcspsu]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

Edit: Not sure why special teams suck. With the recruiting talent CJF has brought in, we should be up to speed but we are not. Perhaps a new ST coach?

Maybe for one season, Kentucky was just better. After all, they did have a win that was better than any win PSU had (Florida), and finished 10-3 while playing a SEC schedule. In the end, this PSU team was a very average one that didn't win any games that it was not supposed to win. More than likely, it would've lost at Iowa and Wisconsin if those games had been played there. Everything needs to improve next year, including the coaching and execution. I know that this was a young team, but many teams are "young" these days. This season was a minor step back in the progress of the program.

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

The offensive/ST staff needs overhauled. You cannot be a playoff caliber team with the position coaches currently on the staff.

Limegrover - it's been 3 years and he has a position group full of 4/5* prospects. There has been no progression. When will this group learn to block a stunt? At the time of the hiring I was perplexed at how most thought he was a steal - is there such a thing as a "steal" from Minnesota?

Curley - he isn't qualified. He coached at a service academy that threw the ball 100 times in his last season there. The WR group showed the biggest regression of any position group year over year. the drop-off from Gattis is like night and day.

Rahne - I get it, he's been on Franklin's staff for years and is a really smart guy. But let's not forget that he came up under the John Donovan offensive regime before Moorhead was brought in. He was also the QB coach during Hackenburg's 2-year slide. His play calling is mind-boggling at times (4th & 5 vs. OSU anyone?) and he seems to lack any comprehension when it comes to game momentum and vibe.

Galiano - do I have to even bring it up? Special Teams were inconceivably bad at times this season. Teams ran (successful) fakes on us in almost every single game. Special Teams accounted for a 16-point swing in the bowl game. God-awful.

 

[psuaxe70]

I’m not sure how much you can determine from one game. If you look at the last 36 games, Penn State had a lead in the fourth quarter in 34 of them. In the Kentucky game they were within 3 in the fourth. So they were in a position to win in 35 of the last 36 games. That is all a coach can do, give them a chance to win. I don’t know if any other coach in the country has done as well over that stretch of games.

 

[Big 0]

As I stated previously, CJF is good at getting the Jimmy and the Joes. When it comes to the X and O’s he has not shown great ability, especially in game situations. I was a proponent of JoePa retiring about 10 years earlier than his demise, but give him a month and there was great confidence that Penn State would be well prepared and ready to WIN it’s bowl game.

 

[artsandletters]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

Edit: Not sure why special teams suck. With the recruiting talent CJF has brought in, we should be up to speed but we are not. Perhaps a new ST coach?

Clifford wasn’t in over his head. The OL and Thompkins sure were when he was in. He threw a perfect deep ball to Thompkins. He over-threw another pass. The sack wasn’t his fault. He was trapped.

 

[Nashville Lion]

Before we totally write off Tommy Stevens....and question whether or not he will be a leader, let's look at some facts.
For one, we don't know what type of leader he will be because he has not had the opportunity. But here is what we do know. He is a big strong athletic kid who could have transferred...but instead he stood by us....and his PSU brothers on the team. That to me shows a lot. I am excited for this young man to have his shot. If he is the better player then I think he starts.

 

[YorkCoLion]

Circumstances were totally different for JVP, for sure. And not to rile up the anti-Joe crowd here, but the guy was a very very good coach. All of the details were taken care of with him. I don't see that yet. In his prime, Paterno teams did not repeat the same mistakes for an entire season. It just didn't happen. Right now, it is happening. Special teams mistakes, blown coverages in the secondary by the safeties, missed blocking assignments by the OL. This is not news. It's been the same the entire year. These things have nothing to do with the fact that we had sanctions 4 years ago.

And yeah, constant dropped passes are a coaching issue to some extent. Fumbling is a coaching issue to some extent. If they can't catch, then stop throwing to them, period.

You obviously didn’t watch PSU football circa 2000-2004

 

[CDLionFL]

On the fake punt: it completely caught me off guard - I do think there was an element of surprise to it. What is bothersome here is the way that the punt unit broke the huddle. They snapped into formation in unison which I don't believe was shown all year and this may have been a clue to KY that something was up. Not good gameplanning if this is true. The fake punt almost seemed to be challenge to the ST coach by Franklin to "go and make a play" it seems forced, that they were trying to make something happen....

Much more troubling is the continued decision to take the ball in the 1st half - I am not certain if PS won the toss, but, if they did and they elected to go on offense in the 1st half, it makes little sense, especially when looking at what KY did to open the 2nd half....

I believe they went into formation like that because Gillikin’s 3 personal protectors all season are linemen and if they set up with Thomas now a protector, it would tip off a fake.

And yes, PSU won the toss. I’m yelling ‘defer’ but they didn’t hear me. Your offense hasn’t played in almost 6 weeks and neither has UK’s but yeah, we’ll be the well-oiled machine.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

You obviously didn’t watch PSU football circa 2000-2004

Ok. Those years stunk. But only a fool would suggest that they were anything other than an anomaly. You obviously didn't watch the previous 25 years, when there was no bowl game that we weren't absolutely prepared for.

 

[Obliviax]

I get the criticism of Franklin at times, but it's not his fault that receivers drop easy passes or that the guy fumbled the direct snap on the fake punt. Credit kentucky if we get stopped behind the line of scrimmage on the fake punt, but you obviously can't fumble the snap. Thinking back to the regular season, that dropped gift interception by Amani against michigan state still stings. So does Sanders' fumble late in the first half against Tosu. Those things also aren't Franklin's fault.

Hmmm...it is a high risk play regardless of how or why it is missed. I agree the player should have caught the ball, at the same time, you are asking players to do something they are not accustomed to doing. So it is high risk. My guess is that the team saw something in film study they thought they could exploit.

 

[danvillenit]

Ok. Those years stunk. But only a fool would suggest that they were anything other than an anomaly. You obviously didn't watch the previous 25 years, when there was no bowl game that we weren't absolutely prepared for.

I remember the Blockbuster bowl in 1992 was an embarrassing effort.

 

[Achowalogan]

Circumstances were totally different for JVP, for sure. And not to rile up the anti-Joe crowd here, but the guy was a very very good coach. All of the details were taken care of with him. I don't see that yet. In his prime, Paterno teams did not repeat the same mistakes for an entire season. It just didn't happen. Right now, it is happening. Special teams mistakes, blown coverages in the secondary by the safeties, missed blocking assignments by the OL. This is not news. It's been the same the entire year. These things have nothing to do with the fact that we had sanctions 4 years ago.

And yeah, constant dropped passes are a coaching issue to some extent. Fumbling is a coaching issue to some extent. If they can't catch, then stop throwing to them, period.

In Joe's day, individuals were held accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, in many aspects of society today - the everyone gets a trophy generation - not just with our football team - everywhere - there is not a sense of accountability, only a sense of entitlement.

 

[Obliviax]

Maybe for one season, Kentucky was just better. After all, they did have a win that was better than any win PSU had (Florida), and finished 10-3 while playing a SEC schedule. In the end, this PSU team was a very average one that didn't win any games that it was not supposed to win. More than likely, it would've lost at Iowa and Wisconsin if those games had been played there. Everything needs to improve next year, including the coaching and execution. I know that this was a young team, but many teams are "young" these days. This season was a minor step back in the progress of the program.

I don't think so. KY had their best talent in years. But they are not, top to bottom better than PSU. Stoops, on the other hand, comes from great coaching stock and is part of the Youngstown Cardinal-Moony cabal that have all showed to be good to great college coaches.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

I remember the Blockbuster bowl in 1992 was an embarrassing effort.

Bill Walsh was also a Hall of Fame coach.

 

[Obliviax]

I believe they went into formation like that because Gillikin’s 3 personal protectors all season are linemen and if they set up with Thomas now a protector, it would tip off a fake.

And yes, PSU won the toss. I’m yelling ‘defer’ but they didn’t hear me. Your offense hasn’t played in almost 6 weeks and neither has UK’s but yeah, we’ll be the well-oiled machine.

Good point. lots of bad football in the bowls this year. Much of that is due to rust (like every year, I guess).

One thing of note, #11 came to play!

 

[psuro]

Bill Walsh was also a Hall of Fame coach.

So is Joe.

But he stunk up the joint that night.

 

[Obliviax]

So is Joe.

But he stunk up the joint that night.

your photo was taken in Pasadena

 

[LurkerLazarus]

So is Joe.

But he stunk up the joint that night.

Nobody ever said he batted 1.000. Overall, though, he had a darned good average because the details were taken care of. I don't see the same attention to detail right now.

 

[CbusLion10]

Part of being a good coach is getting your guys ready to play, and well-drilled at the fundamentals. I’m sure Corley isn’t telling the receivers to drop the ball, but they’ve collectively regressed which points to coaching. Drill them on the jugs machine. Figure it out, it’s your job. Pry didn’t teach Cam Brown to not use his arms at all when he tackles, or to target all the time, but he hasn’t done enough to drill those tendencies out of an experienced linebacker.

Limegrover came in well-thought-of and Minnesota has had some good lines so I was optimistic. Lines have been “meh” and inconsistent with stud recruits which I put on coaching.

Galiano......this has been the worst season of special teams I can remember. Freshmen kickers or not, we had a terrible FG completion percentage, blocking issues, kickoffs out of bounds (another against Kentucky in a game where field position is very important), punt protection breakdowns, an All-American punter regress and become inconsistent, and generally poor kick and punt coverage. And with a very athletic young roster which is when special teams should excel.

Limegrover is meh, Rahne did ok all things considered and is in his first year so I’d give him a pass, Pry’s schemes are fine even if player development is average and fundamentals are poor, but Corley and Galiano’s performances are both fireable offenses and I can’t imagine either adds much to recruiting. Nothing against them personally, but this feels like an easy call for Franklin the CEO...

 

[royboy]

Good point. lots of bad football in the bowls this year. Much of that is due to rust (like every year, I guess).

One thing of note, #11 came to play!

Yeah, though only a sophomore next year, there is your leader on defense. He's got the ability and the fire.

 

[Obliviax]

Yeah, though only a sophomore next year, there is your leader on defense. He's got the ability and the fire.

yeah...the issue is offense. I really like Friermuth....in the Barkley mold but at TE. Can we play three TE's next year? Hamler looks and sounds like a leader but not sure if he can carry the load (physically). My guess is we lose Sanders so we need one of the younish RB's to step up. Tommy? Sean? Someone else?

 

[artsandletters]

You obviously didn’t watch PSU football circa 2000-2004

Those years had more to do with lazy recruiting than actual coaching.

 

[SR108]

• As I feared, Lions didn't take KY seriously, weren't excited about the Citrus Bowl and didn't show up. I guess there are levels of grey between "meaningless" and "meaningful" games.
• The Fake punt was simply nuts. I am not sure why CJF feels the need to play the underdog. Perhaps he sensed the team wasn't into it and wanted to show them that this was all in. But the fake punt, at that point, was very high risk and gave KY all the momentum in the world.
• This team, as they've been all season, was up and down. At one point, you felt like "how did we beat Pitt?' and the next "man, wish we could play Ohio State again".
• Have to give such respect to McSorley. I don't like to use the word "warrior" but this kid is it. I'f follow him into battle anytime.
• The rest of the team phoned it in. You have to have a chip. You have to feel that it is win or die. You have to feel like you will NOT lose no matter what. These guys were on holiday.
• An example of this was Tommy having surgery early so he could be in top shape for spring ball. That decision, made on balance and need, left us with no second team QB. Clifford was in over his head. That was a choice...because this game wasn't important. I doubt that choice is made if we are in the Rose or a championship game.
• Two really ugly penalties taken..didn't look good (targeting and the push OOB) . Windsor being suspended really, really hurt as well. We were very very thin at DT.
• Not sure why CJF is so married to Koa. I guess, in one respect, it is great he likes the upper classmen and it gets noticed. On the other....well. Brooks brought the wood on one play...looking forward to seeing more of that.
• Dropped passes? I think it is time to "move on" at WR. A one-year experiment was enough for me to see.
• I've got no problem with kicking the FG late. Its a 50/50 call. But with our FG kicker taking the night off, I'd have opted to go for it. Especially because, if you don't make it, you've got them pinned deep with 4:30 to go. But I understand kicking it and expecting to get the ball back. But our DL was LB corp was whipped, at that point.
• There was little senior leadership on this team. Basically, it was Trace and ?. It is the seniors, playing in their last game, that keep these bowls together. Trace can't do it all. There was no senior leadership on Defense. Zero.
• So, after a four-loss season, one has to wonder: Was CJF's success tied to the best RB the world has seen play college ball in a decade? What happens next year without Trace? Personally, I believe someone will step up.
• I believe the future is still bright. I think CJF needs to do something else at the OL coach position. I don't think these guys have progressed. I am still not sure about the OC but we played with 1/2 of a starting QB and a second team kid that we now know was hurt all season. So it was an injured Trace, injured Stevens, or Clifford. I just don't know what to think about Sanders. One minute he looks good, the next he looks tentative and scared. No way he's NFL ready.
• Lots of talent leaving the B1G so we have every shot at the B1G title next year. So, I am hopeful that the younger kids learned a lesson. Show up at 100% with an all in, can do attitude. There are lots of good teams in college ball and it will take a full effort to win. You can't be moping that you had to wait in line at Space Mountain all week.

Edit: Not sure why special teams suck. With the recruiting talent CJF has brought in, we should be up to speed but we are not. Perhaps a new ST coach?

I don't think the team mailed it in or took Kentucky too lightly, Kentucky may have had a bit more motivation due to their terrible football history and finally having a decent year, but our kids played hard, and other than special teams, outplayed Kentucky IMO.

We missed two field goals and allowed a punt return for a touchdown. Special teams let us down. That was the difference in the game. Coaching should be accountable for that phase of the game for sure.

Our offense out gained and out scored Kentucky. Not sure why everyone is on Rahne's case. He doesn't drop passes, and he doesn't miss blocks. Give Kentucky some credit, they have a pretty good/talented defense. We still had more splash plays then they did.

Clifford dropped a dime to Thompson who dropped the ball. he did not look in over his head to me. The QB room should be interesting this spring.

The defense played pretty well for most of the game. The loss of Windsor hurt for sure, especially at the end with 4 min. to go with us needing the ball back. Not sure why these kids can't just abide by the rules, but that's why their kids. Hopefully some of the younger tackles will develop over the winter, spring and summer to give us more quality depth. Will be interesting to see if 69 moves back to guard or if he stays at DT.

Parsons is still learning. While leading the team in tackles, he still takes bad angles at times, does not get off blocks at times and is out of position at times. when he puts it all together, he is going to be something special. #13 is getting better and better. Should be some serious competition this spring at linebacker.

The loss was disappointing, but it was a very entertaining game. We should be pretty good next year, if Tommy stays healthy and prepares the way Trace did, but I would also be ok with Clifford.

People need to relax and enjoy the ride.

 

[BBrown]

The offensive/ST staff needs overhauled. You cannot be a playoff caliber team with the position coaches currently on the staff.

Limegrover - it's been 3 years and he has a position group full of 4/5* prospects. There has been no progression. When will this group learn to block a stunt? At the time of the hiring I was perplexed at how most thought he was a steal - is there such a thing as a "steal" from Minnesota?

Curley - he isn't qualified. He coached at a service academy that threw the ball 100 times in his last season there. The WR group showed the biggest regression of any position group year over year. the drop-off from Gattis is like night and day.

Rahne - I get it, he's been on Franklin's staff for years and is a really smart guy. But let's not forget that he came up under the John Donovan offensive regime before Moorhead was brought in. He was also the QB coach during Hackenburg's 2-year slide. His play calling is mind-boggling at times (4th & 5 vs. OSU anyone?) and he seems to lack any comprehension when it comes to game momentum and vibe.

Galiano - do I have to even bring it up? Special Teams were inconceivably bad at times this season. Teams ran (successful) fakes on us in almost every single game. Special Teams accounted for a 16-point swing in the bowl game. God-awful.

Agree with some of what you wrote but I don't like singling out that 4th and 5 against OSU. It didn't work and wasn't blocked well. But it wasn't a horrible call. IIRC there was a 3rd and 10 deep in KU territory and we ran Sanders for a 1st down. It was a great play, why? because it worked. If it hadn't you would be adding that to your list.
My biggest issue with RR is some of his game plans. I'll start with the MSU game. It was just a horrible design.
And yesterdays game didn't give me a lot of confidence he is going to get any better.
Our best and biggest play maker gets "targeted" 2, yep thats right 2 times all game and both were big plays by him. That is completely unnaceptable and to me a much much bigger problem than the 4th down play against OSU.

Yes Galiano has to go.

 

[BBrown]

Part of being a good coach is getting your guys ready to play, and well-drilled at the fundamentals. I’m sure Corley isn’t telling the receivers to drop the ball, but they’ve collectively regressed which points to coaching. Drill them on the jugs machine. Figure it out, it’s your job. Pry didn’t teach Cam Brown to not use his arms at all when he tackles, or to target all the time, but he hasn’t done enough to drill those tendencies out of an experienced linebacker.

Limegrover came in well-thought-of and Minnesota has had some good lines so I was optimistic. Lines have been “meh” and inconsistent with stud recruits which I put on coaching.

Galiano......this has been the worst season of special teams I can remember. Freshmen kickers or not, we had a terrible FG completion percentage, blocking issues, kickoffs out of bounds (another against Kentucky in a game where field position is very important), punt protection breakdowns, an All-American punter regress and become inconsistent, and generally poor kick and punt coverage. And with a very athletic young roster which is when special teams should excel.

Limegrover is meh, Rahne did ok all things considered and is in his first year so I’d give him a pass, Pry’s schemes are fine even if player development is average and fundamentals are poor, but Corley and Galiano’s performances are both fireable offenses and I can’t imagine either adds much to recruiting. Nothing against them personally, but this feels like an easy call for Franklin the CEO...

Agree for the most part but I will take a huge issue with this >>Pry’s schemes are fine even if player development is average and fundamentals are poor,<<
The player development, IMO has been very good this season. Garret Taylor improved about 100% from the AP St. game. Parson's is getting better and better, I thought the other freshman LB'rs did well when they played. Johnathan Sunderland is another player that improved through out the season.

 

[psugisher]

I’m not sure how much you can determine from one game. If you look at the last 36 games, Penn State had a lead in the fourth quarter in 34 of them. In the Kentucky game they were within 3 in the fourth. So they were in a position to win in 35 of the last 36 games. That is all a coach can do, give them a chance to win. I don’t know if any other coach in the country has done as well over that stretch of games.

This is what sticks with me.. we've had a chance to win every game but one. That's not just recruiting. It's also coaching. We're not lucking our way into two score leads in the 4th quarter vs Ohio State. The couple plays or coaching decisions really stand out in a close game, so when something goes wrong, the scrutiny gets dialed up. Couple things need cleaned up on the coaching side of things but that's what the offseason is for. Franklin certainly isn't going to settle for anything other than winning championships.

 

[BBrown]

Those years had more to do with lazy recruiting than actual coaching.

IDK, I sat in NEU and thought the offensive coaching was pretty bad during those years. QB play was bad, our WR's only ran sideline routes and usually stopped 2 yards before the first down marker. Coaching was bad.
Do you remember the tirades over the S&C coach? The OL coach? it was bad.