The missing element this year is obvious

[Marylovesthelions]

There are no 50/50 balls because we do not have a receiver to go up and get the ball. We had Robinson, Godwin and Hamilton. Our starting receivers are a disappointment. A 6’4” receiver can’t get open? Only because he can’t go up and catch the ball. All this conjecture about losing the team is baloney. What he lost is a reliable receiver. The good news is that our most atheletic players are our youngest at receiver and most other positions.
Winning the B1G championship ahead of schedule raised expectations too high. I see great things ahead for the Lions and will continue to cheer for the receivers. Maybe one or two of our experienced kids will have a Gisecki moment and get the confidence to perform.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

We have plenty of receivers open. But way way too often he doesn’t see them or get a ball to them that’s catchable.

His receivers certainly haven’t helped as much as they should. But not all the drops are on the receivers, many of the passes are in the area but would have been good or great catches.

 

[SUPERTODD]

The missing element this year is a playmaker on D. The offense has been good enough to win every game. They weren’t great against MSU, but 17 should be enough to win if we simply catch the balls thrown to us. We needed Bowen to get his head out of his ass and he failed. Buchholz and Brown got injured. We aren’t deep enough to replace those guys and not have Simmons healthy etc.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

We have plenty of receivers open. But way way too often he doesn’t see them or get a ball to them that’s catchable.

His receivers certainly haven’t helped as much as they should. But not all the drops are on the receivers, many of the passes are in the area but would have been good or great catches.

Seems like a lot of balls batted at the LOS this year for some reason.

 

[PSUFBFAN]

The missing element this year is a playmaker on D. The offense has been good enough to win every game. They weren’t great against MSU, but 17 should be enough to win if we simply catch the balls thrown to us. We needed Bowen to get his head out of his ass and he failed. Buchholz and Brown got injured. We aren’t deep enough to replace those guys and not have Simmons healthy etc.

Uh no. The offense wasn't good enough to beat either osu or msu. It's no longer the 1980's - you are not going to win many games scoring 17 points a game.

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

I'm not even worried about our receivers going up and catching 50/50 balls - just catch the ball when it hits you in the hands.

 

[dna1995]

Agree that we are missing a true playmaker on D. The coaches are having a tough time finding a solid 'go-to' lineup. That said, no way the offense has been good enough to win the last two games. Ohio State was scoring 54 points a game. Our D held them to 27. That should have been enough to win. D held MSU to 14 until that last drive. Again, should have been more than enough to win. Offense couldn't get out of their own way. Not scoring more than 21 last weekend was inexcusable. Defense does need to figure out a way to shut teams down when it matters, but the offense needs to get that killer instinct as well and put teams away, thus allowing the D to play loose and putting pressure on the opposing offense.

 

[DonP74]

Seems like a lot of balls batted at the LOS this year for some reason.

How many.

 

[PennStateTurf2002]

I hate when they are called 50-50 balls, Hail Marys, Ohio state fans say trace arm punts the balls down field. Whatever the term you want to use. I think certainly ARob, Godwin, Hamilton and gesicki made great plays on balls some call 50-50 but look at those plays and really most of them are 80% chance for pSU guy and little chance for the defender. The touchdown to Thompkins last year at Ohio state was a 50-50 but a most of these balls are thrown to the correct spot where only the PSU receiver had a chance. Now they had incredible skill when it came to shielding the defender and attacking the ball, not just up but back to the QB. Johnson and Thompkins wait for the ball too often and allow defender to make plays on it. Very rarely could a defender make a play on Godwin, Gesicki, Hamilton or even blackball. Even though it looks thrown up for grabs, that was a pretty high percentage chance for our offense because of how good our receivers got position and were aggressive with the catch.

We have the players and talent to do this but they are young and coming. Shorter, Dotson and Kuntz have this ability and we will see that hopefully as the year goes on. I believe the injury to shorter was really tough for this offense. He would have been a difference maker with this type of play.

 

[Connorpozlee]

No pass rush. Same problem when OSU came back last year, same problem against USC in the Rose Bowl, same problem against MSU last week. Somehow they have to develop a pass rusher.

 

[Obliviax]

There are no 50/50 balls because we do not have a receiver to go up and get the ball. We had Robinson, Godwin and Hamilton. Our starting receivers are a disappointment. A 6’4” receiver can’t get open? Only because he can’t go up and catch the ball. All this conjecture about losing the team is baloney. What he lost is a reliable receiver. The good news is that our most atheletic players are our youngest at receiver and most other positions.
Winning the B1G championship ahead of schedule raised expectations too high. I see great things ahead for the Lions and will continue to cheer for the receivers. Maybe one or two of our experienced kids will have a Gisecki moment and get the confidence to perform.

Well, we also don't have a RB where the defense commits their entire linebacking core and their two S to stopping the run, swing pass or wheel route. Sanders is good, IMHO exceeding expectations, but he isn't the threat Barkley was in all phases of the game.

But I do agree, we lost a LOT of talent at Wide, Slot R and TE.

These things have ripple affects. The D's don't have to double team anyone. You've got to be able to break the standard defense (which is often a variation on the Tampa 2). A key to breaking any defense, ask any QB, is the Safeties. If they move up, you pass behind them. If they move back, you run or pass in front of them. You then watch the LBers. CJF always said, last year, that "throwing over the top" was his way to attack the defenses that were keying on Barkley.

 

[Art]

There are no 50/50 balls because we do not have a receiver to go up and get the ball. We had Robinson, Godwin and Hamilton. Our starting receivers are a disappointment. A 6’4” receiver can’t get open? Only because he can’t go up and catch the ball. All this conjecture about losing the team is baloney. What he lost is a reliable receiver. The good news is that our most atheletic players are our youngest at receiver and most other positions.
Winning the B1G championship ahead of schedule raised expectations too high. I see great things ahead for the Lions and will continue to cheer for the receivers. Maybe one or two of our experienced kids will have a Gisecki moment and get the confidence to perform.

Uh, no. If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand, which you don't as evidenced by your post.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

No pass rush. Same problem when OSU came back last year, same problem against USC in the Rose Bowl, same problem against MSU last week. Somehow they have to develop a pass rusher.

Almost all our blitzes,thus year seem to be coming from 5-7 yds off the line-of-scrimmage and are giving the various QBs just enough time to get rid of the ball. There had to be half a dozen times last week against MSU that we were just a step or two from getting him.

Also our containment is pathetic. They had a designed rollout at least three times to the left side of their formation AND whenever pressured he escaped and scrambled to the right side of his formation. No containment.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Almost all our blitzes,thus year seem to be coming from 5-7 yds off the line-of-scrimmage and are giving the various QBs just enough time to get rid of the ball. There had to be half a dozen times last week against MSU that we were just a step or two from getting him.

Also our containment is pathetic. They had a designed rollout at least three times to the left side of their formation AND whenever pressured he escaped and scrambled to the right side of his formation. No containment.

The blitzes don’t work against teams with a pulse. It would be nice to get to the quarterback without a blitz.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

How many.

More than one.

 

[fairgambit]

Bobby Obvious? The big D Lineman from Watchacallit High in Dubuque, Iowa? Great player, but signed with Iowa State, got injured in a tractor accident, and never played football again. Sad story. I agree. We could have used him. (Sorry. I'm off my prune juice again.)

 

[Marylovesthelions]

It doesn’t matter what you call them. We have no one catching them. We have no star receiver. Last year we had three.

 

[Marylovesthelions]

If you do not see a huge drop off in talent, you are a fan without knowledge. Too many dropped passes to even to think that receiving is not a problem. What is your issue? Enlighten me.

 

[Obliviax]

If you do not see a huge drop off in talent, you are a fan without knowledge. Too many dropped passes to even to think that receiving is not a problem. What is your issue? Enlighten me.

yeah...and it goes beyond simply catching a ball.

In today's world, QB's often throw the ball to a spot, before the break, and have to make sure both R and QB know the hot reads. The routes have to be predictable, so the ball and WR arrive at the same place at the same time. You also have to know to come back to the ball, fight for it, catch it at the highest point, and what the QB will expect when a play breaks down. That is, perhaps, the biggest challenge for Trace this year because he is so good at creating when the play breaks down but he needs a partner. That is why having great young, athletic receivers is great, but experience is just as much a consideration.

 

[Nitwit]

We miss our linebackers of old. We’re not LBU anymore.

 

[Sooner Lion]

There are no 50/50 balls because we do not have a receiver to go up and get the ball. We had Robinson, Godwin and Hamilton. Our starting receivers are a disappointment. A 6’4” receiver can’t get open? Only because he can’t go up and catch the ball. All this conjecture about losing the team is baloney. What he lost is a reliable receiver. The good news is that our most atheletic players are our youngest at receiver and most other positions.
Winning the B1G championship ahead of schedule raised expectations too high. I see great things ahead for the Lions and will continue to cheer for the receivers. Maybe one or two of our experienced kids will have a Gisecki moment and get the confidence to perform.

Agree, but having a WR that can go up and get the ball does not solve two main issues. Inability to run the ball late in the game. Inability to stop the passing game late in the game.

 

[Grant Green]

Why do people always want to boil problems down to just one simple issue? Its rarely just one.

 

[mn78psu83]

Why do people always want to boil problems down to just one simple issue? Its rarely just one.

AMEN!

 

[manofsteel200]

Almost all our blitzes,thus year seem to be coming from 5-7 yds off the line-of-scrimmage and are giving the various QBs just enough time to get rid of the ball. There had to be half a dozen times last week against MSU that we were just a step or two from getting him.

Also our containment is pathetic. They had a designed rollout at least three times to the left side of their formation AND whenever pressured he escaped and scrambled to the right side of his formation. No containment.

While I disagree with your first post in this thread, I think this is spot on. I could complete passes against our blitz. And I am 5'8" when I wake up in the AM.

 

[heckmans]

I hate when they are called 50-50 balls, Hail Marys, Ohio state fans say trace arm punts the balls down field. Whatever the term you want to use. I think certainly ARob, Godwin, Hamilton and gesicki made great plays on balls some call 50-50 but look at those plays and really most of them are 80% chance for pSU guy and little chance for the defender. The touchdown to Thompkins last year at Ohio state was a 50-50 but a most of these balls are thrown to the correct spot where only the PSU receiver had a chance. Now they had incredible skill when it came to shielding the defender and attacking the ball, not just up but back to the QB. Johnson and Thompkins wait for the ball too often and allow defender to make plays on it. Very rarely could a defender make a play on Godwin, Gesicki, Hamilton or even blackball. Even though it looks thrown up for grabs, that was a pretty high percentage chance for our offense because of how good our receivers got position and were aggressive with the catch.

We have the players and talent to do this but they are young and coming. Shorter, Dotson and Kuntz have this ability and we will see that hopefully as the year goes on. I believe the injury to shorter was really tough for this offense. He would have been a difference maker with this type of play.

I think that's the point though. On those "50/50" balls, the reception was on the receiver making a play, not on the QB making a pass. Saying the receiver had an 80% chance of making the catch, doesn't improve the performance of the QB.

 

[Nitt1300]

We start one senior on offense- tOSU starts five

This team was- of necessity- built for 2019 and beyond

 

[Nitwit]

Placekicking problem is not to be overlooked.

 

[novaclassof90]

Against decent teams, not the likes of Pitt or Kent State, we are losing the battle of the trenches on both sides of the ball. Kinda knew the D line would struggle with all the losses and lack of depth but disappointed in the O line vs. both OSU and MSU.

 

[psudsl08]

OSU has been putting Round 1-3 guys on the defensive side of the ball in the league for years. Since 2014: Ward, Lewis, Baker, Hubbard, Lattimore, Hooker, Conley, McMillan, Bosa, Apple, Lee, Bell, Washington, Shazier, Roby

Round 1-3 on D for PSU since 2014: Austin Johnson and Nassib. Zettel, Lucas, Amos, Allen and Daquan Jones all round 4-7 picks. No linebackers drafted in this timeframe.

We have not had comparable defensive talent and hopefully that will change as recruiting continues to improve.

 

[SUPERTODD]

Uh no. The offense wasn't good enough to beat either osu or may. It's no longer the 1980's - you are not going to win many games scoring 17 points a game.

Uh yes. We outgained O$U in the passing and running game, scored 26 points and had a double digit lead in the 4th quarter. Our defense couldn’t make a play.

 

[Lion Lineage]

Uh no. The offense wasn't good enough to beat either osu or may. It's no longer the 1980's - you are not going to win many games scoring 17 points a game.

The O was good enough to beat tOSU. They rolled up the yardage but failed to score when they got into tOSU’s end. I think Mary’s point that this lack of scoring is because receives aren’t making clutch catches and getting separation is partially correct. I also think it’s Trace making bad throws and at other times missing/not seeing open receivers.

What’s pretty remarkable is that despite losing two starting D tackles, the starting middle linebacker, and the starting safety who came up huge in run support time and again, this D played well enough to beat tOSU and MSU. This D lost 7 of its 8 top tacklers and other than some early season breakdowns in the secondary they’ve played well enough that Penn State could and should be undefeated.

 

[psu2016]

Uh no. The offense wasn't good enough to beat either osu or may. It's no longer the 1980's - you are not going to win many games scoring 17 points a game.

The defense looked bad early in the season. But in the two games we've lost, they played about as well as you can expect given what they have to work with. Yes they collapsed the last two drives vs. OSU and yes they dropped a couple of game-sealing picks vs. MSU. But the bottom line is if the offense could have finished drives or even just picked up a few first downs we win both of those games.

 

[psu2016]

Uh yes. We outgained O$U in the passing and running game, scored 26 points and had a double digit lead in the 4th quarter. Our defense couldn’t make a play.

Yes they moved the ball up and down the field vs. OSU yet only had 13 points to show for it. The defense collapsed at the end but overall played much better than anyone expected against a high-powered offense.

 

[NC2017]

There are no 50/50 balls because we do not have a receiver to go up and get the ball. We had Robinson, Godwin and Hamilton. Our starting receivers are a disappointment. A 6’4” receiver can’t get open? Only because he can’t go up and catch the ball. All this conjecture about losing the team is baloney. What he lost is a reliable receiver. The good news is that our most atheletic players are our youngest at receiver and most other positions.
Winning the B1G championship ahead of schedule raised expectations too high. I see great things ahead for the Lions and will continue to cheer for the receivers. Maybe one or two of our experienced kids will have a Gisecki moment and get the confidence to perform.

This and we need to run faster.

 

[Nitt1300]

This and we need to run faster.

Who is this "we" you speak of?

 

[joeparules]

We miss our linebackers of old. We’re not LBU anymore.

Not just players like Poz, Lee, Mauti and Cabinda, but we miss their leadership on defense. TM is clearly the leader on offense, but the defense is missing that go to person.

 

[corkster999]

Agree that we are missing a true playmaker on D. The coaches are having a tough time finding a solid 'go-to' lineup. That said, no way the offense has been good enough to win the last two games. Ohio State was scoring 54 points a game. Our D held them to 27. That should have been enough to win. D held MSU to 14 until that last drive. Again, should have been more than enough to win. Offense couldn't get out of their own way. Not scoring more than 21 last weekend was inexcusable. Defense does need to figure out a way to shut teams down when it matters, but the offense needs to get that killer instinct as well and put teams away, thus allowing the D to play loose and putting pressure on the opposing offense.

Just tackle!!!! Wrap up and tackle.

 

[nits74]

Seems like a lot of balls batted at the LOS this year for some reason.

In fairness, that did happen quite a bit last year also. Remember Iowa? Weren't there something like five or six in that game alone?

 

[Nitt1300]

Not just players like Poz, Lee, Mauti and Cabinda, but we miss their leadership on defense. TM is clearly the leader on offense, but the defense is missing that go to person.

We used to have a lot of senior starters- and we will again. But one of the under discussed costs of rebuilding the program was- and continues to be- an inbalance of classes and a lack of experience. Next year will be better in that regard.