Should we run mainly 2 TE sets/12 Personnel going forward?

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

Helps Rucci on the edge. Helps us running the ball. Our TE’s can catch. Our wr’s are struggling, especially besides Trey. Can help the passing game to the RBs as well which has been effective.

It’s Playoff football time and in the playoff you need to be able to run the ball and protect the QB. And I think this can help with both. Obviously you’ll still mix in 3 wr sets but at this stage I think our predominant offense should be 12 personnel.

I don’t think this team is missing out on much from an 11 personnel standpoint.

 

[tboyer]

I'd actually rather PSU, in the very limited time it has left, try to develop the downfield passing game because they'll need it in the playoff. They've got decent passing inside of 20 yards. TEs, Clifford, Fleming, Wallace give them a good possession passing game but they haven't thrown downfield enough to scare people. Evans is clearly a guy who has the speed to do it -- and when they've gone to him deep, they've hit on a pretty high percentage.

Everything PSU can do to enhance its credibility downfield means safeties have to play back a few steps, and that means 6 yard TDs become 30 yards and 6 yard catches can become TDs with Singleton's speed. PSU has adequate speed at the skill positions but hasn't really been able to utilize it fully because teams can ignore the deep threat and bring the safeties down. You can't put Singleton in space -- where he is really good -- if there are 9 guys in the box and safeties and corners playing close to the LOS because they're not worried about being beaten deep.

I'd like to see Evans on the field for more plays, whether he's getting targeted or not, because he is really the only deep threat at this point.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

I'd actually rather PSU, in the very limited time it has left, try to develop the downfield passing game because they'll need it in the playoff. They've got decent passing inside of 20 yards. TEs, Clifford, Fleming, Wallace give them a good possession passing game but they haven't thrown downfield enough to scare people. Evans is clearly a guy who has the speed to do it -- and when they've gone to him deep, they've hit on a pretty high percentage.

Everything PSU can do to enhance its credibility downfield means safeties have to play back a few steps, and that means 6 yard TDs become 30 yards and 6 yard catches can become TDs with Singleton's speed. PSU has adequate speed at the skill positions but hasn't really been able to utilize it fully because teams can ignore the deep threat and bring the safeties down. You can't put Singleton in space -- where he is really good -- if there are 9 guys in the box and safeties and corners playing close to the LOS because they're not worried about being beaten deep.

I'd like to see Evans on the field for more plays, whether he's getting targeted or not, because he is really the only deep threat at this point.

We just don’t have the receivers to be able to do this on a consistent basis. Will be harder to do even more without Donkoh. Plus we have to run the ball better, we are not running the ball as effectively as we need to. Our TE’s are good run blockers as well but they are not just blockers, they’re athletic and can catch as well, not just Warren.

 

[LMTLION]

I think we need to stretch the field more often than we do, even if those are incompletions. We continue to play in a 20 yard box down the stretch .

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

I think we need to stretch the field more often than we do, even if those are incompletions. We continue to play in a 20 yard box down the stretch .

But which wr has been able to stretch the field for us? You don’t think Kotelnicki hasn’t been trying to do this?

 

[bvillebaron]

But which wr has been able to stretch the field for us? You don’t think Kotelnicki hasn’t been trying to do this?

You must have missed the two long TD passes each of the last 2 games where the WR was well beyond the nearest defender. But then again I’m not surprised.

 

[Delcolion915]

I must have missed the memo on Rucci....he actually played pretty damn well against Minnesotas number one edge rusher, and has improved both his run blocking and pass blocking as well. We don't need to become one of the service academies because Donkoh is down.

Good Lord some of you need to come down off the ledge.

 

[Delcolion915]

You must have missed the two long TD passes each of the last 2 games where the WR was well beyond the nearest defender. But then again I’m not surprised.

Obviously he missed the entire game. Rucci will be fine. Dude has us needing to rob the Army playbook now that Donkoh is out.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

I must have missed the memo on Rucci....he actually played pretty damn well against Minnesotas number one edge rusher, and has improved both his run blocking and pass blocking as well. We don't need to become one of the service academies because Donkoh is down.

Good Lord some of you need to come down off the ledge.

One of the service academies is 12 personnel?

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

You must have missed the two long TD passes each of the last 2 games where the WR was well beyond the nearest defender. But then again I’m not surprised.

12 personel can still do that. Those were busted coverages.

 

[84Lion]

I think we need to stretch the field more often than we do, even if those are incompletions. We continue to play in a 20 yard box down the stretch .

It's a tempting strategy, but if you have an incompletion, then you're 2nd and 10. Then you've got only 2nd and 3rd down to get 10 yards which means one or both are likely passing downs. Therefore making it easier for the D to key on the pass. Could try a run on 2nd down but then if you only get 2 yards, 3rd down is an obvious passing situation. It just seems to me that long, low-percentage passes have a greater chance of failure than success unless you have exceptional WRs that can wrestle a catch out of a bad throw.

I would rather see a consistent game of short/medium passes and solid runs. Three and outs need to be kept to a minimum.

 

[GregInPitt]

I rewatched the Washington game late last night while waiting for my youngest son to arrive home from Louisville and I was very pleased with the play of PSU's WR's in that game. Wallace made some great catches and Flemming an Clfford made a few catches as well, with Warren lighting things up as usual.

Although I miss seeing the whole field and many of the receivers routes watching most games on TV I've seen enough to realize that Allar has been coached to be pretty conservative in his down field throws. It's great to see him take some shots in recent games and that will have to continue if PSU expects to win playoff games.

I'd like for PSU to have uh-high-ya level WR talent, but it's just not likely to happen. It seems to me that the WR's are better this season than in 2023, and should be better next season as well as long as Harrison, Evans and Clifford return, with the addition of the 2024 and 2025 classes likely providing a replacement for Flemming that may produce more on the field than what he has this season.

Especially since it's Thanksgiving I'm going to say I'm thankful to have some WR's that are making more plays as the season has gone along, as well as a QB in Allar with an NFL arm that seems to be maturing as the season has progressed an has beome more of a leader as well.

And although I have a top 10 WR on my Christmas wish list, whether that happens or not I'll still be estatic if Allar some how decides to return for 2025!!!!!!

 

[bvillebaron]

12 personel can still do that. Those were busted coverages.

LOL.

 

[CJFisJoePaII]

Helps Rucci on the edge. Helps us running the ball. Our TE’s can catch. Our wr’s are struggling, especially besides Trey. Can help the passing game to the RBs as well which has been effective.

It’s Playoff football time and in the playoff you need to be able to run the ball and protect the QB. And I think this can help with both. Obviously you’ll still mix in 3 wr sets but at this stage I think our predominant offense should be 12 personnel.

I don’t think this team is missing out on much from an 11 personnel standpoint.

just as easy to run one of the TEs as a Flanker (or H-back as they now call it) - this alignment allows 2 WRs, a straight 2 TE set allows the defense to put too many resources directly in the box.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

To be fair we’re already doing a lot of 2 TE sets, so not sure why you’re acting like this is some big change. I just want us to continue doing this just maybe a little more, and pass to Dinkins and Reynolds more. Nothing drastic.

 

[tboyer]

I think we need to stretch the field more often than we do, even if those are incompletions. We continue to play in a 20 yard box down the stretch .

Maybe the shot play isn't even a low-percentage play. Against Minnesota, which was supposedly a good secondary, Evans was wide open twice; Allar overthrew him once or it would have been 2-for-2 and 2 TDs.

 

[tboyer]

just as easy to run one of the TEs as a Flanker (or H-back as they now call it) - this alignment allows 2 WRs, a straight 2 TE set allows the defense to put too many resources directly in the box.

Absolutely they could line up Dinkins, who has great hands, as a wideout. And why not send him to split the safeties, like they did with Theo Johnson last year? Dinkins' weakness may be blocking but the guy catches everything near him. He's another player who has been strangely overlooked by Coach K and Allar. How many times have we seen a play forced to Warren, who is well covered, when Dinkins is either wide open or being covered by a corner who he can outreach by a foot and a half?

In theory you should see a college offense become more diverse as the season goes along. But it seems like PSU has been thinning out the playbook a lot. They could have used more variety against Minnesota IMO

 

[LMTLION]

It's a tempting strategy, but if you have an incompletion, then you're 2nd and 10. Then you've got only 2nd and 3rd down to get 10 yards which means one or both are likely passing downs. Therefore making it easier for the D to key on the pass. Could try a run on 2nd down but then if you only get 2 yards, 3rd down is an obvious passing situation. It just seems to me that long, low-percentage passes have a greater chance of failure than success unless you have exceptional WRs that can wrestle a catch out of a bad throw.

I would rather see a consistent game of short/medium passes and solid runs. Three and outs need to be kept to a minimum.

I understand the logic but very few teams can be elite without stretching the field and keeping the defense honest.

 

[LMTLION]

Maybe the shot play isn't even a low-percentage play. Against Minnesota, which was supposedly a good secondary, Evans was wide open twice; Allar overthrew him once or it would have been 2-for-2 and 2 TDs.

Yeah, Evans seems to be the guy that can stretch the field.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

I think your best players need to be on the field, and you adapt your offense to fit those players afterward.

Clearly we have a wide receiver weakness, so I like packages that put only one receiver out there but then use tight ends and/or backs that can be split out through motion. You can still spread the defense in this way. You just need to use the area away from the tackles.

I would be very comfortable putting warren in the backfield. So many things can be done by then motioning him wide or to the line.

Imagine Warren and Singleton in the backfield. Singleton goes in motion to the side of the WR to become a slot receiver. Allar (or Pribula, who would fit this very well) takes the snap with an option to pitch to Warren. Pribula holds the DE while Warren can run, pass to Singleton, or pass to the WR down field. Four options would totally thin out that side of the field. There would also be the option to drop Pribula or Allar back and hit the tight end on the other side.

Singleton needs space. He needs to get the ball through a pitch or out in the flat as a receiver.

This is an example of how you put your best players on the field and adapt the offense to what they can do well.

 

[indynittany]

Absolutely they could line up Dinkins, who has great hands, as a wideout. And why not send him to split the safeties, like they did with Theo Johnson last year? Dinkins' weakness may be blocking but the guy catches everything near him. He's another player who has been strangely overlooked by Coach K and Allar. How many times have we seen a play forced to Warren, who is well covered, when Dinkins is either wide open or being covered by a corner who he can outreach by a foot and a half?

In theory you should see a college offense become more diverse as the season goes along. But it seems like PSU has been thinning out the playbook a lot. They could have used more variety against Minnesota IMO

I like Dinkins well enough, but the kid that needs to see the field more is Reynolds.

 

[blair10]

Helps Rucci on the edge. Helps us running the ball. Our TE’s can catch. Our wr’s are struggling, especially besides Trey. Can help the passing game to the RBs as well which has been effective.

It’s Playoff football time and in the playoff you need to be able to run the ball and protect the QB. And I think this can help with both. Obviously you’ll still mix in 3 wr sets but at this stage I think our predominant offense should be 12 personnel.

I don’t think this team is missing out on much from an 11 personnel standpoint.

I don’t believe Kotelnicki has any other choice but to heavily leverage the TE and RB as the primary option for the passing attack.

The Penn State WRs collectively have a grand total of only 3 TD receptions in B1G conference play after 11 games. There is no sugar coating it, the WR room is Franklin’s worst over his 11 years at Penn State.

I am optimistic about the future WRs with the incoming 2025 class. A clean slate with all new WRs (portal, underclassmen) desperately needs to be in place for next year. There is absolutely no way Penn State can have the same core WR starters next year and expect to beat teams like Ohio State and Oregon.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

I like Dinkins well enough, but the kid that needs to see the field more is Reynolds.

Absolutely