Penn State 2019 Season articles
- Thread starter Judge Smails
- Start date
If I heard it correctly from the PC today, Franklin listed the following GREEN LIGHTS:
Keaton Ellis
Adisa Isaac
Lance Dixon
Brandon Smith
Caedan Wallace
Noah Cain
Devyn Ford
Jaquan Brisker
Jordan Stout (not sure if or why he mentioned Stout here)
Weston Carr
Only Brisker and Ellis are in the 2-deep for the above.
Keaton Ellis
Adisa Isaac
Lance Dixon
Brandon Smith
Caedan Wallace
Noah Cain
Devyn Ford
Jaquan Brisker
Jordan Stout (not sure if or why he mentioned Stout here)
Weston Carr
Only Brisker and Ellis are in the 2-deep for the above.
Final preseason S&P+ rankings came out.
https://www.espn.com/college-footba...0/preseason-sp+-rankings-alabama-tops-clemson
What goes into the projections?
The offseason projections -- which, like ESPN Stats & Information's Football Power Index, carry diminishing weight in the SP+ formulas throughout the season -- are comprised of three factors:
Recent history: I use a weighted five-year history as a way of gauging program health. For most programs, what they have done of late is what they will most likely do moving forward.
Returning production: Instead of using returning starters, I created a formula for returning production based on which units seem to have the most effect on a team's improvement or regression. As it turns out, continuity at quarterback, receiver and the secondary is far more impactful on SP+ rating the next year than continuity in other units. Accordingly, turnover in those areas takes on heavier weight.
Recent recruiting: Returning production measures what a program lost, and a two-year recruiting average fills in the gaps on what kind of talent and athleticism it has acquired to replace the lost producers.
The tough thing about our schedule is that we play 4 of the 5 toughest games away, and 4 of the 5 easiest games at home. 2020 is really setting up as a big year when that flips around and with all of young talent that will be seasoned.
@ #7 OSU
#9 Michigan
@ #23 Michigan State
@ #25 Iowa
@ #30 Minnesota
#48 Purdue
#51 Indiana
#60 Pitt
#68 @ Maryland
#111 Rutgers
https://www.espn.com/college-footba...0/preseason-sp+-rankings-alabama-tops-clemson
What goes into the projections?
The offseason projections -- which, like ESPN Stats & Information's Football Power Index, carry diminishing weight in the SP+ formulas throughout the season -- are comprised of three factors:
Recent history: I use a weighted five-year history as a way of gauging program health. For most programs, what they have done of late is what they will most likely do moving forward.
Returning production: Instead of using returning starters, I created a formula for returning production based on which units seem to have the most effect on a team's improvement or regression. As it turns out, continuity at quarterback, receiver and the secondary is far more impactful on SP+ rating the next year than continuity in other units. Accordingly, turnover in those areas takes on heavier weight.
Recent recruiting: Returning production measures what a program lost, and a two-year recruiting average fills in the gaps on what kind of talent and athleticism it has acquired to replace the lost producers.
The tough thing about our schedule is that we play 4 of the 5 toughest games away, and 4 of the 5 easiest games at home. 2020 is really setting up as a big year when that flips around and with all of young talent that will be seasoned.
@ #7 OSU
#9 Michigan
@ #23 Michigan State
@ #25 Iowa
@ #30 Minnesota
#48 Purdue
#51 Indiana
#60 Pitt
#68 @ Maryland
#111 Rutgers
PRESEASON LINEBACKER DEVELOPMENT
I feel like we've progressed tremendously, you know, from coming together with our camaraderie as a unit. We're excited, we feel comfortable, we feel explosive, and we feel that we're ready to really attack the task at hand and just continue our focus of continuing to be 1-0 from week to week.
DEFENSIVE EXPECTATIONS
To be quite honest with you, with the defense we have this year and the way we're playing together as one, as a unit, we think we can be as good as anybody in the country. It's as simple as that...
We feel like if we do what we need to do, play up to the level we know we can play at, and be consistent from week to week, it's gonna be quite the show...
A good show from the defense would be us reaching our turnover goal, which would be three turnovers per game. Being consistent, having fun out there and making plays as a unit together. That's what it's gonna consist of.
EXCITEMENT FOR SEASON KICKOFF
The anticipation is there. ... We're hungry, we're ready to let loose. We've been working so hard, from our film study to the dog days of camp, and just powering through. We're excited.
We're excited to take everything we've been putting together, scheming together as a defensive unit, and to just go out and work and complete the task at hand.
Darkwa looks like a robot, what a specimen. If it clicks during his career watch out.
How many coaches are gonna want to start taking recruiting trips to Germany....especially during Oktoberfest....now?
Joe Juliano in the Inquirer today on Ricky Rahne:
"Something else to consider this season is how Rahne, who is in his 11th season on the same staff as Franklin but called offensive plays for the first time in 2018, improves in his second season in the position.
"The Nittany Lions averaged 55.5 points and 514.5 total offensive yards in a 4-0 start last season but scored more than 30 points only twice after that. Their averages for the final nine games were 24.1 points and 382.3 yards of total offense. Throw out the Maryland game, the averages were 20.6 points and 314 yards in five of their last six.
....
"It’s not that fans are asking Rahne to be Joe Moorhead, who helmed a high-powered attack for two seasons before heading to Mississippi State as head coach. But given the young talent at the skill positions, including game-breaking wide receiver and kick returner KJ Hamler, he should have more success with his team moving the football and putting points on the scoreboard."
Juliano (who btw predicts 9-3) is spot on. If Ricky Rahne isn't a lot better OC than he was last year, this team's record will be no better than last year. They've gone out and recruited some great players but it's Rahne's job to have that offense on the same page and have an attack that is balanced and explosive.
I've seen Rahne quoted on how he's trying to get more sleep this year, presumably so he can make better decisions on game day. And I've just read that he plans to coach from the booth again. I hope it works out for him. That young offense needs leadership from the coaches and they certainly didn't get what they needed last year.
The test isn't an offense that scores a ton of points against Idaho or Buffalo or Pitt. The test is an offense that can make first downs against the best defenses, and keep the PSU defense rested so they can dominate when they come in. That is what will decide the Iowa and MSU games, among others.
I think Juliano is suggesting that the biggest question mark on the team isn't the personnel. It's the OC.
"Something else to consider this season is how Rahne, who is in his 11th season on the same staff as Franklin but called offensive plays for the first time in 2018, improves in his second season in the position.
"The Nittany Lions averaged 55.5 points and 514.5 total offensive yards in a 4-0 start last season but scored more than 30 points only twice after that. Their averages for the final nine games were 24.1 points and 382.3 yards of total offense. Throw out the Maryland game, the averages were 20.6 points and 314 yards in five of their last six.
....
"It’s not that fans are asking Rahne to be Joe Moorhead, who helmed a high-powered attack for two seasons before heading to Mississippi State as head coach. But given the young talent at the skill positions, including game-breaking wide receiver and kick returner KJ Hamler, he should have more success with his team moving the football and putting points on the scoreboard."
Juliano (who btw predicts 9-3) is spot on. If Ricky Rahne isn't a lot better OC than he was last year, this team's record will be no better than last year. They've gone out and recruited some great players but it's Rahne's job to have that offense on the same page and have an attack that is balanced and explosive.
I've seen Rahne quoted on how he's trying to get more sleep this year, presumably so he can make better decisions on game day. And I've just read that he plans to coach from the booth again. I hope it works out for him. That young offense needs leadership from the coaches and they certainly didn't get what they needed last year.
The test isn't an offense that scores a ton of points against Idaho or Buffalo or Pitt. The test is an offense that can make first downs against the best defenses, and keep the PSU defense rested so they can dominate when they come in. That is what will decide the Iowa and MSU games, among others.
I think Juliano is suggesting that the biggest question mark on the team isn't the personnel. It's the OC.
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What part of Rahne's play calling caused trace to hit only 53% of his passes. Trace will always be a hero for what he did at Penn State but, 2018 was a horrible year for him.
Trace had some questionable throws no doubt, but WR drops were really a factor. With just 2 dropped balls per game on average, TM would have been at a 60% completion rate. It seemed like there were at least that many drops by the WR's and Sanders also had several.
Thank you for posting this episode. I and I'm sure many others appreciate your willingness to go find it and then post it here. I hope you will have time to do so throughout the season
McSorley was the first to admit he was part of the problem -- he said on multiple occasions that he was having accuracy problems last year.
But back to Rahne -- the title isn't "Saturday play-caller" it's "offensive coordinator." Rahne is getting paid $600k a year plus bonus, and play calling is just a fraction of his job.
It's his job to, well, coordinate the offense -- work with position coaches, grad assistants, all the data that the analysts are generating, come up with schemes and game plans and then teach it to the players. It's Rahne's job to figure out how to get the ball in the right players' hands at the right time where they can have maximum impact.
He calls plays but the other game-day work is important too -- constant two-way communication with players about what's happening, what the D is doing, what's working and not working. Adjusting the game plan and finding the gaps in the defense -- improvisation is something Moorhead did extremely well.
I think of one time Rahne did that beautifully -- in the Iowa game, when McSorley was badly banged up and limping (and maybe acting?), everyone in the stadium thought he couldn't run -- so Rahne called that sweep for McSorley behind the left tackle and won the game with it. So we know Rahne can do it.
I give him the benefit of the doubt. Franklin's right to say anybody who works as hard as Rahne is gonna be successful. But this is a talented offense. If they play less than the sum of their parts again this year, Rahne has to take the blame for it.
How to know Saturday was a success:
Levis comes in no later than the second possession of the second half.
Roberson and perhaps Johnson each see one drive in the 4th quarter.
Defense pitches a shut out. Idaho doesn't cross midfield until the starters are out.
Levis comes in no later than the second possession of the second half.
Roberson and perhaps Johnson each see one drive in the 4th quarter.
Defense pitches a shut out. Idaho doesn't cross midfield until the starters are out.
Nuggets from the coaches show tonight:
Franklin’s family loves living in SC, talks about what a great community it is for kids. His daughters are both in middle school now. His wife loves the area - she can be at his office in 10 mins, when they lived in College Park it could take up to an hour to get to his office due to beltway traffic. Lol. Eff Maryland (my comment not his). So much for the USC rumors.
Franklin openly hinted twice about changes that are coming offensively that we will all see but he wasn’t ready to talk about tonight before the first game. One was the “way the game is called” that will help his offensive line. This will be interesting to see. Was asked about his offensive line and he generally seemed optimistic and stated that they have made progress but until he sees it in a game he can’t be 100% sure.
Franklin’s family loves living in SC, talks about what a great community it is for kids. His daughters are both in middle school now. His wife loves the area - she can be at his office in 10 mins, when they lived in College Park it could take up to an hour to get to his office due to beltway traffic. Lol. Eff Maryland (my comment not his). So much for the USC rumors.
Franklin openly hinted twice about changes that are coming offensively that we will all see but he wasn’t ready to talk about tonight before the first game. One was the “way the game is called” that will help his offensive line. This will be interesting to see. Was asked about his offensive line and he generally seemed optimistic and stated that they have made progress but until he sees it in a game he can’t be 100% sure.
So excited to hear this. Ricky Slade was built to beat linebackers on the wheel route. One of the most devastating things on the 1994 defense, the thing no defense could account for, was Mike Archie, a running back with wideout skills.
