To me, the most important factor in PSU's upcoming season is
- Thread starter demlion
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It would not be surprising -- nor would it be a bad thing -- for PSU to play better in the 2nd half again this year.
It happened last year in part because the offense (and often defense as well) didn't start well. But it also happened because PSU's depth on the DL wore down opposing teams in the 2nd half. And then of course the Moorhead factor -- he obviously did some good analysis and came back with great 2nd half game plans. Hopefully both those things will be the case this year.
But it is reasonable to expect the offense to hold its own a lot better in the 1st half. Last year they really couldn't run the ball and they didn't have a well developed short passing game, so they couldn't do steady, methodical drives. By the 2nd half they were often behind so it just became bombs away -- which McSorley and the receivers could do really well.
This year I would think some of the pattern will continue. Moorhead will be careful about calling deep passes, certainly to the center of the field, until he knows what the opposing secondary is doing. The difference is PSU will have something like Bates-Mahon-McGovern-Nelson-Wright and those guys are going to be mauling people, at least the 2nd tier teams.
I'm especially looking forward to Northwestern. It's been a while since PSU had an OL that matched up this well with a Northwestern defensive front 7. This is a really good NW defense but they're not huge and they're not super deep. Nothing would make me happer than for PSU to just grind on those guys and wear them out.
PSU went a long way in the B1G last year with speed. This year they have that speed but they could also have the kind of physicality on offense that Wisconsin and Iowa have.
It happened last year in part because the offense (and often defense as well) didn't start well. But it also happened because PSU's depth on the DL wore down opposing teams in the 2nd half. And then of course the Moorhead factor -- he obviously did some good analysis and came back with great 2nd half game plans. Hopefully both those things will be the case this year.
But it is reasonable to expect the offense to hold its own a lot better in the 1st half. Last year they really couldn't run the ball and they didn't have a well developed short passing game, so they couldn't do steady, methodical drives. By the 2nd half they were often behind so it just became bombs away -- which McSorley and the receivers could do really well.
This year I would think some of the pattern will continue. Moorhead will be careful about calling deep passes, certainly to the center of the field, until he knows what the opposing secondary is doing. The difference is PSU will have something like Bates-Mahon-McGovern-Nelson-Wright and those guys are going to be mauling people, at least the 2nd tier teams.
I'm especially looking forward to Northwestern. It's been a while since PSU had an OL that matched up this well with a Northwestern defensive front 7. This is a really good NW defense but they're not huge and they're not super deep. Nothing would make me happer than for PSU to just grind on those guys and wear them out.
PSU went a long way in the B1G last year with speed. This year they have that speed but they could also have the kind of physicality on offense that Wisconsin and Iowa have.
Phil Steele had the Northwestern linebacking unit ranked last in the Big Ten, and the D line not much higher.
Maybe but look at the Pitt game (early season). Not much until we fall behind and McSorley started slinging the ball around. Look at MSU. Not much until McSorley started slinging the ball around. Same with Maryland, Purdue, Indiana & Wisconsin. Those games were later in the season when they knew the offense but they didn't do much until the team fell behind.
Good. Nothing would make me happier than for PSU to go to Evanston this year and just throttle them. PSU hasn't beaten them soundly at Evanston since 2009. The last two losses (29-6 in 2014 and 23-21 two years ago) were among the most disappointing games of Franklin's career here.
