Mine is bad play calling in crucial situations. It seems like, in the past, there are always those questionable calls like going for it on 4th down on PSU's side of the field that end up being a negative swing in momentum. I think if the play-calling is solid the entire game, the more talented team (PSU) will be victorious.
What's your biggest concern about tomorrow's game?
- Thread starter proud2bpsufan
- Start date
I am not too concerned. I think we'll play ok but wonder if USC is just better. If we can establish a run game and rush the passer we'll do just fine. The biggest issue on defense is that their WRs are really good with YAC and explosive plays.
We have the advantage in the trenches. And I think they're biggest strengths are QB + skill positions. Keep them under wraps, and I think we win.
I do hope Donkah is okay and playing close to 100%.
I do hope Donkah is okay and playing close to 100%.
I agree the play calling in certain situations has been underwhelming at times. PSU doesn’t need to be crazy on offense, but they can’t turtle up either. I think the offense needs to score north of 27 to feel comfortable tomorrow.
On D, I’d like to see them get more pressure on the QB/ sacks and more 3 and outs. They need to get the USC O off the field quicker. They've done well preventing opponents from scoring much but they give up way too many 3rd/4th down and long conversions. They often allow opponents to have long drives running the clock and flipping field position.
The team must come out on fire from the opening kick and make adjustments sooner than halftime. Giving away the 1st quarter, (and often much of the first half), with slow starts is a problem. They have overcome it against lesser competition but it will eventually burn them against the better teams.
The FG kicking appears to have righted the ship, but it’s still somewhat unknown. We’ll learn a lot from this week on the road against a good team and a hostile crowd.
On D, I’d like to see them get more pressure on the QB/ sacks and more 3 and outs. They need to get the USC O off the field quicker. They've done well preventing opponents from scoring much but they give up way too many 3rd/4th down and long conversions. They often allow opponents to have long drives running the clock and flipping field position.
The team must come out on fire from the opening kick and make adjustments sooner than halftime. Giving away the 1st quarter, (and often much of the first half), with slow starts is a problem. They have overcome it against lesser competition but it will eventually burn them against the better teams.
The FG kicking appears to have righted the ship, but it’s still somewhat unknown. We’ll learn a lot from this week on the road against a good team and a hostile crowd.
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Biggest concern -- slow start followed by some bad bounces
Can PSU come from behind if necessary?
Can PSU come from behind if necessary?
You're right about getting pressure on the QB. The D-line has to get to Miller Moss early so it's always in the back of his mind the rest of the game. If we have to rely on the safety and corner blitzes too much, the secondary could end up getting torched.
Yeah, they can not allow him to feel comfortable back there and pick them apart. Get in his head and give him some happy feet.
Defense not as good as advertised and Moss has big game with their big WRs. On offense we don't execute in the red zone and on crucial downs. Bottom line they make clutch plays and we don't.
I have a few concerns, but first it should be noted that on paper this game looks good for us. As has been noted, their OL seems to be in shambles while our D has played very well. Also, their QB looked very good against LSU but has thrown several interceptions in recent games. In fairness to him, he's been running for his life quite a bit of the time.
On the other side of the ball, our OL is solid, we've got the horses in the backfield, and in their two losses, the Trojans couldn't hold up when faced with a physical-style running attack. It seems like we have the weapons on O to exploit their vulnerabilities.
The concerns I have go to intangibles. Start with the obvious: we're on the road and have to travel to the west coast at that.
Then there are the psychological factors. Media is using the words "pivotal" and "turning point" to describe the stakes for USC and Lincoln Riley. Basically their backs are against the wall and their season is on the line. So do they come out playing with desperate intensity or are they mentally hung over after that demoralizing upset loss to Minnesota?
As for us, let's face it, Franklin's a bit under the gun as well. Obviously his job is not on the line, but the reputation he's developed, fairly or not, is the dreaded can't-win-the-big-game. And this is a big game, no question. Win and we have the inside track for a playoff spot. Lose and our chances are a lot murkier. Not to mention there'll be an uproar in the fan base.
The point being, there's a lot of pressure on both teams. How do they respond? That's a concern.
Finally, the zebras'. (Sorry, I know I'm paranoid.) All I'm hoping for is an evenly called game with no officiating controversies.
USC wide receivers wide open in our secondary
Franklin making a stupid head scratching call
Not getting pressure
Franklin making a stupid head scratching call
Not getting pressure
This...I don't want to have to find out if we can come back down 2 scores. We dont need to jump to a 14-0 lead but we need to come ready to play in case they come out fires up after the loss
Can Allar focus start to finish like it is the 4th quarter. Same goes with the rest of the team. No sleepwalking in this game or any of the rest of them....
and please, no more F'ing injuries.
and please, no more F'ing injuries.
Utah under Willingham hasn't had too many problems against them by playing a style of football that PSU plays.
IMO that's because of our scheme. PSU focuses on explosive plays on defense rather than keeping things in front of them. On 3rd and 14 some teams would be happy to give up 6 yards and force a punt. PSU sees that as an opportunity to blitz and force a TO. That's great when it works but that pressure often doesn't get home vs a quick release passing game. That's where we could get burned on slants.
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Great point. Utah plays a very deliberate and physical game. Michigan and Minny did this as well.
Also a clean game. PSU can't afford to have Carter falling into the offsides crater again, offense avoiding false starts, and no stupid penalties like hitting someone out of bounds.
There's not much that concerns me, as this is a game we should win.
Injuries, of course. Early mistakes leading to easy points for the opposition. The normal stuff that happens when you're facing a team you should beat, but is dangerous enough to pounce on you if things aren't going your way.
Getting slanted to death and not adjusting. That'll be a concern all year ... and especially against OSU. I doubt our schemes are sophisticated enough, but my hope is that we figure out a way to rope-a-dope that slant we can't guard, by showing that coverage scheme, and then bringing a safety up to jump the slant, instead.
Injuries, of course. Early mistakes leading to easy points for the opposition. The normal stuff that happens when you're facing a team you should beat, but is dangerous enough to pounce on you if things aren't going your way.
Getting slanted to death and not adjusting. That'll be a concern all year ... and especially against OSU. I doubt our schemes are sophisticated enough, but my hope is that we figure out a way to rope-a-dope that slant we can't guard, by showing that coverage scheme, and then bringing a safety up to jump the slant, instead.
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Run the ball. Protect Allar and maintain long drives to keep our D off the field and rested. That way we can play 1st team D players on higher percentage of snaps and wear their D line out.
We need points instead of stalling at edge of fg range after 50 yard drives. Which reminds me, 3 and outs to maintain field position edge. No repeat of BG and Illinois games where we were constantly starting drives inside our own 10. Difficult to do controlled drive for 90 yards. So add big plays as well.
We need points instead of stalling at edge of fg range after 50 yard drives. Which reminds me, 3 and outs to maintain field position edge. No repeat of BG and Illinois games where we were constantly starting drives inside our own 10. Difficult to do controlled drive for 90 yards. So add big plays as well.
Yeah Franklin going for it on our side of the 50.
I watched the Minnesota game they got a lot of breaks that went their way.
They said on radio teams traveling from coast to coast in Big Ten are 1 and 8
Franklin is on the road recruiting before the game.
I just have a bad feeling lol
I watched the Minnesota game they got a lot of breaks that went their way.
They said on radio teams traveling from coast to coast in Big Ten are 1 and 8
Franklin is on the road recruiting before the game.
I just have a bad feeling lol
My biggest concern is that USC is proud program with 4/5 star talent up and down the roster. They are licking their wounds and dangerous. James better no mess around. Play this like Illinois. Grind them down, eat clock and don't be foolish. Play field position and try to get the W
No idea what you're talking about. We're 33rd in the nation in 3rd down defense, 22nd in total 3rd downs allowed. 12th in the nation in pass yards allowed per attempt and 10th in the nation in pass yards allowed per completion. I guess we could change but the idea is to force turnovers which USC has shown that they tend to give up.
From what I’ve read, USC should be all fired up. This and the ND game are their big games at home. The buzz is that their coach is fighting for his job now. If they lose this game their playoff chances are done. I expect them to come out on fire.
If the distributor will have any new beverage varieties when I stop by later.
The recievers torching are DB”s because we can’t get to Moss fast enough
What makes anyone think that USC has tough-minded players? After they lost to Notre Dame last year, they finished out the season 1-4 (excluding the bowl), and the 1 was a one point win over Cal. Their best win all of last season was a flash in the pan Arizona team. And there are a ton of tickets available for Saturday, so the atmosphere should be manageable, and traveling on Thursday was probably a good choice.
I think USC is more likely to fold than to be "fired up", and if we play just a normal game, without anything whacky (including injuries), then we should win without much stress. And if we play a phenomenal game, which we haven't really done yet this season, then we could end up blowing them out.
I watched quite a bit of USC this season and last, and they suck on defense, and are one note on offense. If we lose this game, then we are definitely still not where we should be as a program.
I think USC is more likely to fold than to be "fired up", and if we play just a normal game, without anything whacky (including injuries), then we should win without much stress. And if we play a phenomenal game, which we haven't really done yet this season, then we could end up blowing them out.
I watched quite a bit of USC this season and last, and they suck on defense, and are one note on offense. If we lose this game, then we are definitely still not where we should be as a program.
Stats without context are always valuable.
The losses are :
UCLA @ PSU
UM @ Was
Wisc @ USC
USC @ Minn
USC @ UM
MSU @ Ore
Was @ RU
NW @ Was
Only 2 of the 8 teams that lost were favored and they were both USC. Maybe its a USC problem.
USC's O-Line is a weakness. All of their pundits I've listened to have very little confidence they're going to be able to give Moss any time to throw.
Franklin’s inability to get over the hump and win a big game that will thrust the team into a higher profile. My fear is that he will insert himself into the offensive play calling and that we will play conservative and tight. If we play our game we win this game comfortably. We are just better than U$C.
The collective groan from the same 6-8 posters in the game day thread every time:
We give up a 1st down.
We punt.
Allar throws a crappy pass.
Elsdon comes in the game
Just kidding. I love watching and posting with you guys.
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Legit thing, letting Moss have one of those career type of passing days. I know it isn't something we deal with solely, but doggone sometimes it's like a "dew-do-do" twilight zone moment where it's like "well damn, this guy is having his best game ever...against us...like the 16 other previous QBs who did."
We give up a 1st down.
We punt.
Allar throws a crappy pass.
Elsdon comes in the game
Just kidding. I love watching and posting with you guys.
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Legit thing, letting Moss have one of those career type of passing days. I know it isn't something we deal with solely, but doggone sometimes it's like a "dew-do-do" twilight zone moment where it's like "well damn, this guy is having his best game ever...against us...like the 16 other previous QBs who did."
Ugh...flashback to 2017 Rose Bowl
Sam Darnold
33-53
453 yards, 5 TDs
As if the memory was not enough:
2017 Rose Bowl hero Sam Darnold will lead USC out of the tunnel vs Penn State
2017 Rose Bowl hero Sam Darnold will lead USC out of the tunnel vs Penn State
This will be a special moment. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who led USC to a 52-49 win over Penn State in the epic 2017 Rose Bowl, will lead the USC football team out of the tunnel for this Saturday's reunion with the Nittany Lions in Los Angeles. It is Penn State's fi
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