Paris Palmer

[novaclassof90]

Entire O Line stunk today but coming out of spring ball there were many skeptical if Palmer was really ready to start at tackle. Seems like that question was answered today. He was just awful. Gotta be a better option than him. He just is not ready to contribute yet.

DSmith is easily the most missed player from last year.

 

[VaNtyLion]

Entire O Line stunk today but coming out of spring ball there were many skeptical if Palmer was really ready to start at tackle. Seems like that question was answered today. He was just awful. Gotta be a better option than him. He just is not ready to contribute yet.

DSmith is easily the most missed player from last year.

I think many are missing the fact that, as Franklin even stated in his post game presser - "these are the best 5 guys we have right now". People don't want to hear it but the cupboard was about as bare as it could get a year ago. This unit was one of the worst in OL history for any school last year and we're 9 months removed from that, not 2 or 3 years. You can't just flip an academic year calendar and say the same players plus a juco making his first start (all against a pretty solid D) is going to show massive, notable improvement...especially after losing its best 2 out of 5 players from the previous year in Smith and Dieffenbach.

There have been many openers over the years where the we were left to wonder if the team was sleeping all off season so probably best to reserve more judgement until we get a few more games under the belt against some D's that provide much better matchup on paper than this one did.

 

[GregInPitt]

I think many are missing the fact that, as Franklin even stated in his post game presser - "these are the best 5 guys we have right now". People don't want to hear it but the cupboard was about as bare as it could get a year ago. This unit was one of the worst in OL history for any school last year and we're 9 months removed from that, not 2 or 3 years. You can't just flip an academic year calendar and say the same players plus a juco making his first start (all against a pretty solid D) is going to show massive, notable improvement...especially after losing its best 2 out of 5 players from the previous year in Smith and Dieffenbach.

There have been many openers over the years where the we were left to wonder if the team was sleeping all off season so probably best to reserve more judgement until we get a few more games under the belt against some D's that provide much better matchup on paper than this one did.

But given that these 5 best players stink and that any reasonable analysis tells an intelligent man that these 5 will not get the job done this year, would playing 5 younger players give a more reasonable expectation of a better performing OL in 2016 and 2017?????

 

[VaNtyLion]

But given that these 5 best players stink and that any reasonable analysis tells an intelligent man that these 5 will not get the job done this year, would playing 5 younger players give a more reasonable expectation of a better performing OL in 2016 and 2017?????

I think this is a legitimate question but also have to consider the past 4 recruiting classes from '12-'15 have not exactly been landing Orlando Pace in our lap thanks to sanctions....we have only three four star recruits in that time frame including this past class signed, and 2 of those higher end talents just got on campus earlier this year. So when we say the cupboard was bare, it really was bare.

 

[GregInPitt]

I think this is a legitimate question but also have to consider the past 4 recruiting classes from '12-'15 have not exactly been landing Orlando Pace in our lap thanks to sanctions....we have only three four star recruits in that time frame including this past class signed, and 2 of those higher end talents just got on campus earlier this year. So when we say the cupboard was bare, it really was bare.

Yes, but Bates was on the travel squad. So is he the 3rd team Center?? If he played this year would he be ready to take over next year and lead to being a first team B10 Center by his 3rd year playing? Tough decisions. But that's why CJF is getting paid $4+MM/year....

 

[Thorndike2012]

Turnstyle Palmer was quite literally helpless out there this afternoon. Helpless! It's going to be a L O N G season, kids.

 

[GregInPitt]

Turnstyle Palmer was quite literally helpless out there this afternoon. Helpless! It's going to be a L O N G season, kids.

If he doesn't improve we will see Sorrell or Brosnan or Beh getting more playing time in the next few weeks. CJF had to go with who he believed had the best chance of success, and being that Palmer is a big athletic kid, is older and has played better competition in JC, he was the pretty obvious choice to start. But if a younger kid can play as well and has a better chance to improve CJF will pull Palmer before long.

 

[NittanyChris]

Has to give Sorrell a shot. And starting in week 2.

 

[PennStateNate]

I think people are confused. Last year's O-Line was so bad that one of them is now basically a NFL starter.

It's the coaching. Smith even tweeted it today.