Sure it would have been better to gets some more games in before playing them, but the schedule’s out and we can’t change it. Anyway, who has the advantage? On offense, we have a veteran O line returning, an All American TE, veteran qb and a deep running back corp. The achillies heal is, of course, the receivers. We have Friermuth and Dotson as returning starters, but, imo, need only one more dependable starter to make this group complete. Think it will come from Jones/Dunmore, if one breaks out, think this offense potentially can explode.
Can the O line protect the qb? Think this is where Trautwein will shine, The line was a sieve late in the year, simple twists and stunts from the Rutgers’ D line seemed to confuse them. And Clifford ran for his life against Memphis. This has got to be poor coaching, a veteran line playing this poorly late in the year, there’s no other explanation. As an aside, does anyone know where Limegrover landed?
On defense, I think the key is stopping the OSU running game, every thing they do starts with that. That said, Master Teague does not impress me. They have younger RBs backing him up, but with the season so young, OSU has the same problem Penn St has with its receivers, lack of experience. Think Penn St has the advantage with its front seven, think they can bottle up the OSU run game. The problem is can they stop Justin Fields?
The layman would say no based on Fields’ performance last year, but people in the Den are a different breed, and we know Fields play was so dependent on JK Dobbins. With him gone perhaps Penn St can make Fields one dimensional. Now a one dimensional Fields could still make life miserable for Penn St. After all, OSU has a world class receiving corp and if our defense doesn’t cover better we are seriously in trouble. Hopefully Pry benefits from Ciarracca being on staff and he helps him tighten up that god awful, undisciplined, zone he employed last year. It would also help if Pry would play more “bump and run” and knock the OSU receivers off their roots.
Think this game could be a 31-24 affair with OSU winning, Until I see some changes in tactics by Pry, I’m not sold on this Penn St defense. We certainly have the defensive personnel to beat these guys this year, just not sold on the coaching. Unfortunately Penn St will need more time to get the bugs out of Pry’s schemes So over all, OSU has the advantage.
What do you guys think?
Can the O line protect the qb? Think this is where Trautwein will shine, The line was a sieve late in the year, simple twists and stunts from the Rutgers’ D line seemed to confuse them. And Clifford ran for his life against Memphis. This has got to be poor coaching, a veteran line playing this poorly late in the year, there’s no other explanation. As an aside, does anyone know where Limegrover landed?
On defense, I think the key is stopping the OSU running game, every thing they do starts with that. That said, Master Teague does not impress me. They have younger RBs backing him up, but with the season so young, OSU has the same problem Penn St has with its receivers, lack of experience. Think Penn St has the advantage with its front seven, think they can bottle up the OSU run game. The problem is can they stop Justin Fields?
The layman would say no based on Fields’ performance last year, but people in the Den are a different breed, and we know Fields play was so dependent on JK Dobbins. With him gone perhaps Penn St can make Fields one dimensional. Now a one dimensional Fields could still make life miserable for Penn St. After all, OSU has a world class receiving corp and if our defense doesn’t cover better we are seriously in trouble. Hopefully Pry benefits from Ciarracca being on staff and he helps him tighten up that god awful, undisciplined, zone he employed last year. It would also help if Pry would play more “bump and run” and knock the OSU receivers off their roots.
Think this game could be a 31-24 affair with OSU winning, Until I see some changes in tactics by Pry, I’m not sold on this Penn St defense. We certainly have the defensive personnel to beat these guys this year, just not sold on the coaching. Unfortunately Penn St will need more time to get the bugs out of Pry’s schemes So over all, OSU has the advantage.
What do you guys think?
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