USA Today: PSU will smoke OSU...

[Howie'81]

I'm not sure I buy Sheridan's argument. I think the opposite is possible, Ohio State could come in and smoke the Nits.

Ohio State now has the best running backs in the B10, Dobbins, Weber and Antonio Williams, running behind an O-line that was playing really well the last half of the season.

The big question is whether the middle of the PSU defense will have enough depth and enough strength to stop the run. Will they be good enough in late September?

There's absolutely no doubt about the Ohio State game plan, they will come in here and try to pound the PSU front seven into submission. And if they can, Urban Meyer will show no mercy -- he wants a statement game if he can get it.

And if Ohio State can do it, Michigan, MSU and Wisconsin will follow the blueprint. The whole season maybe hinges on how ready the PSU backup DTs and linebackers will be. Shelton, Barber, Hansard, Mustipher -- they're the biggest question mark. And they could be fine, we just won't know until the season. I just hope they know what they are facing. I think they'll be good players, but will they be good enough this year?

Pitt could be a pretty good indicator like last year. Last year PSU controlled the game but the Pitt OL controlled the LOS to an uncomfortable degree. If PItt and Ollison can pound it inside, that is not a good sign.

Why am I not surprised that you would disagree with someone who thinks Penn State could do something great and yet you think the opponent may do something great? I mean, why am I not shocked? Ohio State thought they'd make a statement in the shoe last season. They won.....barely.....but it was not statement. Yet you expect it in Happy Valley.

 

[Howie'81]

Yeah their DL will probably be at their peak this year, very tough. PSU has some really good athletes at OL now, so it won't be the kind of mismatch that's been the last few years. It will be a great matchup.

I don't want to sound gloomy. PSU is a lot closer to being at parity with Ohio State talent than it's been in a long, long time. But along the LOS they're not quite there yet.

You do sound gloomy for not wanting to sound gloomy.

 

[Obliviax]

You do sound gloomy for not wanting to sound gloomy.

Ok, so I guess we are all in on 13-0 and a national championship every year!

 

[Howie'81]

Too many unknowns for the PSU offense at this point. Sanders might be good but he is not Barkley. Kuntz is probably a year or two away from filling Gesicki’s role. Not sure if Thompkins can replace Hamilton’s production.
Now, the OL should be better, and that has been the issue for years. Trace is back and has a solid backup guy who can be used in the offense in Stevens. Johnson and Shorter will both likely be matchup headaches for opposing defenses. We have some smaller, faster wideouts who appear to be able to separate. How long it will take the offense to sort itself out under a somewhat new OC is a question. We play tOSU early.

The offense is the least thing to worry about. I mean really, this team will score a ton of points unless half the o-line goes down, and maybe even that won't stop them.

 

[Howie'81]

Ok, so I guess we are all in on 13-0 and a national championship every year!

Uh, is your definition of "gloomy" not winning a national championship? Try again. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO BE GLOOMY ABOUT THIS TEAM, THIS COACH, OR THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW! Try a different hobby if this team makes you gloomy.

 

[Obliviax]

Uh, is your definition of "gloomy" not winning a national championship? Try again. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO BE GLOOMY ABOUT THIS TEAM, THIS COACH, OR THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW! Try a different hobby if this team makes you gloomy.

Gloomy is subject to interpretation. We've got a very tough schedule, lost our best player (by far) and are very thin defensively up the middle. OTOH, we are as deep as we've been in more than a decade. And we've got one of the best, if not the best, QB in the NCAA. Will the kids that didn't start step up? We'll see. But suggesting we may lose 1 ~ 4 games this coming year is hardly "gloom" imho.

 

[Howie'81]

Many think Chase Young will be the next star on the DL, sophomore DE.

We have 2 very good interior guys returning in Dre'Mont Jones and Robert Landers.

Lots of depth, DL is the one unit OSU fans aren't worried about.

Thanks. The problem DB is that many of our fans think that when other programs lose players and plug in a 4 or 5 star guy, they'll be instant stars. When they look at plugging in our own 4 or 5 star guys, they act like its chopped liver.

 

[Howie'81]

Gloomy is subject to interpretation. We've got a very tough schedule, lost our best player (by far) and are very thin defensively up the middle. OTOH, we are as deep as we've been in more than a decade. And we've got one of the best, if not the best, QB in the NCAA. Will the kids that didn't start step up? We'll see. But suggesting we may lose 1 ~ 4 games this coming year is hardly "gloom" imho.

We're plugging holes with 4 and 5 star recruits now. Why is it that when OSU does that, you don't think it will hinder them, but when we do that, we're going to tail off. I think this team is extremely well coached and can and will be very good, very fast. Talent, my friend. Talent. That's why we neurotically follow the recruiting choices of 16 and 17 year old kids, right?

 

[Judge Smails]

I think the OL will be deeper and better than in a very long time and we should reap significant benefits there.
We will just have to agree to disagree about the significance of losing Barkley and Hamilton.
Johnson is good, but he’s the only bigger WR we now have with experience. Shorter looks like the real deal and George looks promising also, but they are true freshmen.

Was Hamilton better than Godwin? Push at best, right? We managed to replace Godwin with no issues. And Hamilton was 6 feet tall. Thompkins is 5'11". What is the point you are trying to make about height?

Yes, we lost some great players. What matters is what do you replace them with.

And as great as Barkley is, he ran for 1271 yards at 5.85 ypc last year. Sanders can match that production easily with better offensive line play.

 

[Howie'81]

Gloomy is subject to interpretation. We've got a very tough schedule, lost our best player (by far) and are very thin defensively up the middle. OTOH, we are as deep as we've been in more than a decade. And we've got one of the best, if not the best, QB in the NCAA. Will the kids that didn't start step up? We'll see. But suggesting we may lose 1 ~ 4 games this coming year is hardly "gloom" imho.

@tboyer is the one who used the term gloomy. I said that he sounded gloomy for not wanting to sound gloomy and all of a sudden you see me with rose colored glasses. Give me a break. Gloomy is the last word that should be used describing this team going into ANY season right now. Have you seen my basketball posts? Hardly rose colored. I see things as they are and don't believe we as fans should be falsely insecure about our football team's prospects.

 

[Obliviax]

We're plugging holes with 4 and 5 star recruits now. Why is it that when OSU does that, you don't think it will hinder them, but when we do that, we're going to tail off. I think this team is extremely well coached and can and will be very good, very fast. Talent, my friend. Talent. That's why we neurotically follow the recruiting choices of 16 and 17 year old kids, right?

Maybe....I guess we need to play the games. tOSU has had top five classes for, what, six years in a row now? I think we all love the high end recruits the team has been recruiting. And, I think the staff is first rate, even without JoeMo.

Regardless, we still play in a league that prefers UM and tOSU to play for the B1G east championship every year. We have a really tough schedule this year (tOSU, Sparty, Indy, Iowa, UM and Wisky). According to USA Today that is #3, #5, #13, & #15 in six games.

So, yeah...lots to be excited about. Lots to overcome. I don't think recognizing impediments is horrible.

 

[83wuzme]

The offense is the least thing to worry about. I mean really, this team will score a ton of points unless half the o-line goes down, and maybe even that won't stop them.

I am actually less concerned about the defense than I was after watching the spring game. LB is still an issue, but we will have some very high ceiling young guys pushing the vets. Same on the DL. I also think that the learning curve for defensive players tends to be shorter than offensive players.

 

[Howie'81]

Maybe....I guess we need to play the games. tOSU has had top five classes for, what, six years in a row now? I think we all love the high end recruits the team has been recruiting. And, I think the staff is first rate, even without JoeMo.

Regardless, we still play in a league that prefers UM and tOSU to play for the B1G east championship every year. We have a really tough schedule this year (tOSU, Sparty, Indy, Iowa, UM and Wisky). According to USA Today that is #3, #5, #13, & #15 in six games.

So, yeah...lots to be excited about. Lots to overcome. I don't think recognizing impediments is horrible.

We can talk about OSU's recruiting classes, (PSU's are very good as well the last couple years), but I look at what I've seen on the field, especially the last 2 seasons: Both teams won a close one against the other at home. PSU played them toe to toe both years and PSU has more talent OVERALL than it's had in a long time coming into this season and a veteran QB who fears nothing and is a proven winner. So yeah, every reason to be optimistic.

 

[NewEra 2014]

I'm not sure I buy Sheridan's argument. I think the opposite is possible, Ohio State could come in and smoke the Nits.

The above post is brought to you by "tboyer's Eeyore Report".

Given the recent history of these two programs, I don't expect a blowout either way.

 

[Notsofastmyfriend21]

I am actually less concerned about the defense than I was after watching the spring game. LB is still an issue, but we will have some very high ceiling young guys pushing the vets. Same on the DL. I also think that the learning curve for defensive players tends to be shorter than offensive players.

Middle linebacker is a concern, in that there is great talent without experience, but the only experience, does not have great talent.

 

[mrmk5110]

Both teams lost too many players at key positions to really be able to predict a blowout either way at this point. Should be a close game again.

 

[83wuzme]

Middle linebacker is a concern, in that there is great talent without experience, but the only experience, does not have great talent.

Luketa impressed me. Parsons, now at WLB, is still a project, but you can see the raw athleticism.
Jan Johnson is serviceable. Cooper, who knows with his injury struggles ?
I would have liked to see Tarburton get a look at MLB. The roster has him currently listed at 243, which isn’t too big, but looking at his Dad, I would expect him to be north of 250 by this time next year.

 

[Notsofastmyfriend21]

Luketa impressed me. Parsons, now at WLB, is still a project, but you can see the raw athleticism.
Jan Johnson is serviceable. Cooper, who knows with his injury struggles ?
I would have liked to see Tarburton get a look at MLB. The roster has him currently listed at 243, which isn’t too big, but looking at his Dad, I would expect him to be north of 250 by this time next year.

Pretty much what I basically said.

 

[83wuzme]

Was Hamilton better than Godwin? Push at best, right? We managed to replace Godwin with no issues. And Hamilton was 6 feet tall. Thompkins is 5'11". What is the point you are trying to make about height?

Yes, we lost some great players. What matters is what do you replace them with.

And as great as Barkley is, he ran for 1271 yards at 5.85 ypc last year. Sanders can match that production easily with better offensive line play.

Hamilton is bigger than Thompkins, probably about 15 - 20 lbs. He was able to outmuscle smaller DB’s for 50:50 balls because he was big and athletic. He was also a superb route runner with excellent hands.
Thompkins has more speed than Hamilton. He has shown ability, but I would not put him in the same category with either Godwin or Hamilton at this point.
Sanders is not as good as Barkley. Nobody is.

 

[tboyer]

the only thing we have never actually done at PSU is reload after losing a substantial star base. This could be a first - talent is certainly there. if this forecast becomes true, then we are joining the big boy ranks with OSU, Bama, etc where they just reload.

No question Franklin is getting there fast. They are pretty much positioned for reloading at every position group now except for one -- defensive tackle. DT is a couple of years behind because of the trouble the staff had recruiting DTs in 2015 and 2016. They got some good prospects, just not enough. I really believe DT will be in great shape but it could be a year away. Or it could be a pleasant surprise this year.

 

[tboyer]

Oh christ, the year before everyone was moaning about how we lost Chris Godwin, how would we ever replace him???? Juwan Johnson is a stud, he's going to be a high draft pick when he leaves early. Thompkins is a proven deep ball threat. KJ Hamler was the star of the spring and is an absolute burner.

They're losing size, which is not a small thing. PSU has feasted on small corners the last two years. When you don't have that size you have to have separation, which isn't easy against good secondaries.

Anyway if Johnson stays healthy and Shorter arrives ready to play, then no worries, they have everything they need to be the most explosive offense in the B1G. What really puts it over the top is the super-quickness they're adding with Hamler and presumably Slade. If you're a D-coordinator, where do you even start?

 

[83wuzme]

They're losing size, which is not a small thing. PSU has feasted on small corners the last two years. When you don't have that size you have to have separation, which isn't easy against good secondaries.

Anyway if Johnson stays healthy and Shorter arrives ready to play, then no worries, they have everything they need to be the most explosive offense in the B1G. What really puts it over the top is the super-quickness they're adding with Hamler and presumably Slade. If you're a D-coordinator, where do you even start?

Thanks for making my point better than I was able to make it.
I rewatched the 2016 BIG championship game last night. PSU absolutely owned Wisconsin’s secondary in that game.
Shorter and George could definitely create the same kind of problems for opposing defenses, but it’s something of an unknown at this point.
OTOH, with a better OL, the smaller, speed WR’s we have could also really open things up vertically. This sets up well for Tommy Stevens next year and beyond. But again, we have not seen it yet.

 

[Judge Smails]

Thanks for making my point better than I was able to make it.
I rewatched the 2016 BIG championship game last night. PSU absolutely owned Wisconsin’s secondary in that game.
Shorter and George could definitely create the same kind of problems for opposing defenses, but it’s something of an unknown at this point.
OTOH, with a better OL, the smaller, speed WR’s we have could also really open things up vertically. This sets up well for Tommy Stevens next year and beyond. But again, we have not seen it yet.

You haven't seen Thompkins as a deep threat? Really?

 

[83wuzme]

You haven't seen Thompkins as a deep threat? Really?

Where did I say that ?
Maybe I should clarify things by saying the “ smaller “ speed guys are Polk, Hamler, Hippenhammer and Dotson. They are all in the 170 range and have track speed.
Thompkins goes about 190. I guess I would call him a midsize but he is fast and capable of gaining separation on deep routes.