ADVERTISEMENT

What does the timing of the hiring of Kirk Ciarrocca mean to you? *

Your instinct is shared by hundreds of thousands of LSU fans who absolutely knew Joe Burrow was the problem last year.

Not saying you're wrong, but eager to see what Kirk Ciarrocca can do with Sean Clifford next year. Did you see Sean's quote about wanting to make a quantum leap in the offseason like Joe Burrow?

This DUDE. Is willing. To WORK.

Personally, I've been sold on Sean Clifford as the right choice to lead this Penn State football program over the likes of No. 1 overall recruit QB Hunter Johnson (who signed with Clemson and transferred to Northwstern) for several years now.

After his junior season in HS, Clifford's coach said Sean was the best college prospect that he'd ever seen in his 30-year-whatever career of coaching HS football in Ohio, and he predicted that Sean would go down as the greatest player to ever come through the program at powerhouse St. Xavier.

Just wait to see what this kid Sean Clifford can do with Kirk Ciarrocca's tactical advantage and hopefully KJ Hamler back at his disposal.
Cliff didn't appear 100% physically today. He'll be fine next year.
 
Your instinct is shared by hundreds of thousands of LSU fans who absolutely knew Joe Burrow was the problem last year.

Not saying you're wrong, but eager to see what Kirk Ciarrocca can do with Sean Clifford next year. Did you see Sean's quote about wanting to make a quantum leap in the offseason like Joe Burrow?

This DUDE. Is willing. To WORK.

Personally, I've been sold on Sean Clifford as the right choice to lead this Penn State football program over the likes of No. 1 overall recruit QB Hunter Johnson (who signed with Clemson and transferred to Northwstern) for several years now.

After his junior season in HS, Clifford's coach said Sean was the best college prospect that he'd ever seen in his 30-year-whatever career of coaching HS football in Ohio, and he predicted that Sean would go down as the greatest player to ever come through the program at powerhouse St. Xavier.

Just wait to see what this kid Sean Clifford can do with Kirk Ciarrocca's tactical advantage and hopefully KJ Hamler back at his disposal.

I wonder if Clifford is lacking in fundamentals. At times today he looked jittery, not setting his feet.

Of course our coaches lack fundamentals, not realizing what Memphis was giving them and forcing the passing game when it wasn’t there.
 
Clifford is good. We have had schematic, oline, and WR coaching issues for the better part of two years. Clifford and Trace's "struggles" have masked these. Both are/were very good college quarterbacks.

We still don't pass protect well, despite vastly improved talent across the board and an elite S&C program. Our WRs, aside from Hamler are either not open or can't catch the ball. It has been this combination of things holding the offense back, in my opinion. Limegrover....meh. Rahne...meh. WR coaching....F- since the departure of Gattis.
 
Clifford is good. We have had schematic, oline, and WR coaching issues for the better part of two years. Clifford and Trace's "struggles" have masked these. Both are/were very good college quarterbacks.

We still don't pass protect well, despite vastly improved talent across the board and an elite S&C program. Our WRs, aside from Hamler are either not open or can't catch the ball. It has been this combination of things holding the offense back, in my opinion. Limegrover....meh. Rahne...meh. WR coaching....F- since the departure of Gattis.
Fire everyone. We will surely then be elite. All we need are coaches who know the fundamentals. Hell we have so many that live right here.
 
Nobody on our roster could be any worse than Clifford today. He was simply awful .

I think you have to consider the problems in the passing game as an overall player development/offensive coordination issue, not an individual player issue. To the extent that Clifford still isn't comfortable in the scheme, well you can see the receivers aren't comfortable in the scheme either -- you can see it for the second consecutive year. I think that's on the coaching because it's two seasons we've seen it, with two different QBs and two sets of receivers who have looked uncomfortable.

And the good news is, it's fixable. If anything a passing game can be rebuilt a lot more easily than an offensive line and a running game. PSU is probably going to have a wickedly good running game last year so there is absolutely no reason not to have a very good passing game because defenses are going to have to play tight to stop the run.

They'll bring a pile of new receivers into the mix, not just the redshirts but next year's true freshmen (maybe there will be some early enrollees) and Ciarrocca and Parker will go to work with them, and between spring and summer there's enough time to teach the scheme, add a bunch of new wrinkles, and pick the core of recievers who are going to be playing next fall. (some of whom, I desperately hope, will be over 6 feet and capable of high pointing the ball)..

I just don't think players played with confidence for Rahne. He just didn't have it. Based on what we saw from Minnesota, they play with confidence and abandon for Ciarrocca.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ftlpsu
We still don't pass protect well, despite vastly improved talent across the board and an elite S&C program.

Our OL has flip flopped. During Barkley's years, you could coin flip a negative yard running play every time we tried, but managed to pass block good enough for Godwin, Hamilton, and Gesicki to have some good stats.

Now, we run block decent, but seem to miscommunicate or get beat on the edge on nearly every pass play.

If we can sort this out, we'll get over the hump.
 
Clifford is good. We have had schematic, oline, and WR coaching issues for the better part of two years. Clifford and Trace's "struggles" have masked these. Both are/were very good college quarterbacks.

We still don't pass protect well, despite vastly improved talent across the board and an elite S&C program. Our WRs, aside from Hamler are either not open or can't catch the ball. It has been this combination of things holding the offense back, in my opinion. Limegrover....meh. Rahne...meh. WR coaching....F- since the departure of Gattis.

Fire everyone. We will surely then be elite. All we need are coaches who know the fundamentals. Hell we have so many that live right here.
Marshall, I'm with you in wanting to offer appreciation to Ricky Rahne for his years of service and dedication to CJF & PSU. He did a great job with Sean Clifford and was a big part of surpassing the expectations that had us going 8-4 this year. 99% of us will ansolutely be wishing him well at ODU.

That being said, there is room for inprovement, and I'm very excited about Kirk Ciarroccaa bringing his "less is more" approach to PSU. That's exactly what Joe Moorhead believed in, and they shared similar results.

All of my feelings about the offense can pretty much be echoed by @tboyer, who has been open-minded about keeping RR in-house to achieve the ultimate goal.
I think you have to consider the problems in the passing game as an overall player development/offensive coordination issue, not an individual player issue. To the extent that Clifford still isn't comfortable in the scheme, well you can see the receivers aren't comfortable in the scheme either -- you can see it for the second consecutive year. I think that's on the coaching because it's two seasons we've seen it, with two different QBs and two sets of receivers who have looked uncomfortable.

And the good news is, it's fixable. If anything a passing game can be rebuilt a lot more easily than an offensive line and a running game. PSU is probably going to have a wickedly good running game last year so there is absolutely no reason not to have a very good passing game because defenses are going to have to play tight to stop the run.

They'll bring a pile of new receivers into the mix, not just the redshirts but next year's true freshmen (maybe there will be some early enrollees) and Ciarrocca and Parker will go to work with them, and between spring and summer there's enough time to teach the scheme, add a bunch of new wrinkles, and pick the core of recievers who are going to be playing next fall. (some of whom, I desperately hope, will be over 6 feet and capable of high pointing the ball)..

I just don't think players played with confidence for Rahne. He just didn't have it. Based on what we saw from Minnesota, they play with confidence and abandon for Ciarrocca.
 
  • Like
Reactions: flash86

CJF realized we need to run some plays from under center, add the QB sneak, but keep our core RPO. He found the coordinator to do it after watching Minny carve up our defense and made the hire as soon as he could after the job was posted.
 
Marshall, I'm with you in wanting to offer appreciation to Ricky Rahne for his years of service and dedication to CJF & PSU. He did a great job with Sean Clifford and was a big part of surpassing the expectations that had us going 8-4 this year. 99% of us will ansolutely be wishing him well at ODU.

That being said, there is room for inprovement, and I'm very excited about Kirk Ciarroccaa bringing his "less is more" approach to PSU. That's exactly what Joe Moorhead believed in, and they shared similar results.

All of my feelings about the offense can pretty much be echoed by @tboyer, who has been open-minded about keeping RR in-house to achieve the ultimate goal.
Perhaps. Put me on record as betting the ranch that short of 15-0.... and winning every game by 30 or more, the whining about KC will mirror what we heard about RR and JoMo in year 2.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sluggo72
Exactly RIP, that's the way I look at the upcoming season.... anticipation and fun.
I have a front row seat next to the team. Can't wait.

How good is that Step. ! This OC is the perfect fit for this group of players.... great to see him celebrating the win with the guys already. Onward and upward. Happy New Year!
 
How good is that Step. ! This OC is the perfect fit for this group of players.... great to see him celebrating the win with the guys already. Onward and upward. Happy New Year!
With all due respect. The only PSU coach that is a perfect fit....is one that hasn't coached a game yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: step.eng69
I think it's a good hire because CJF thinks it's a good hire.

I also know he will get thrown under the bus by the usual crowd as soon as we score under 30 or lose a game.
 
If Clifford cannot get his head on straight, we will waste 2020. He is the most nervous looking qb I have seen at PSU in a long time. If Kirk can fix that, great. I doubt it, though. You either have ‘it’ or not. We have seen an entire body of work from the likes of idaho to osu and memphis, and we certainly have not seen ‘it’ for any consistent stretch of time. What have any of you seen from Clifford to lead you to believe he is capable?
 
If Clifford cannot get his head on straight, we will waste 2020. He is the most nervous looking qb I have seen at PSU in a long time. If Kirk can fix that, great. I doubt it, though. You either have ‘it’ or not. We have seen an entire body of work from the likes of idaho to osu and memphis, and we certainly have not seen ‘it’ for any consistent stretch of time. What have any of you seen from Clifford to lead you to believe he is capable?
Just my take....I think his knee buckled against MSU,and he played injured after that. It's possible he had a knee scoped and played yesterday less than 100%. If you and others look at 11-2 as a "wasted" season you are likely correct. My condolences on your condition.
 
He's 'nervous' because every other play he's running for his life at the snap!

Did you watch LSU last night? Burrow often had ALL DAY to go through all of his reads and throw the ball. What a blessing it must be to have confidence in your OL and be able to actually have the time to do your job.

Think about whatever it is you do for a living every day. Now think about having to do everything you're responsible for with very large, angry humans flying at you from all angles. You wouldn't be 'nervous'?
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT