Who is in charge of the offense

[Marylovesthelions]

Blaming the pathetic running attack on the OL is like blaming the caboose when the engine goes off the track.
Moorhead leads the offense. For a time the RPO had excellent rushing results. Since the Indiana game DCs have developed a strategy to stop it at the point of hand off. Moorhead has had no answer. It is not the OL or coach. Even coach Franklin seems to want to throw them under the bus and excuse a strategy that has been thwarted, even by mediocre defenses like Indiana.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over that clearly is not working. I have more faith in the kids on the OL and their coach than our OC. He should throw last years press clippings away and develop a strategy to reestablish the running game.

 

[VaNtyLion]

Blaming the pathetic running attack on the OL is like blaming the caboose when the engine goes off the track.
Moorhead leads the offense. For a time the RPO had excellent rushing results. Since the Indiana game DCs have developed a strategy to stop it at the point of hand off. Moorhead has had no answer. It is not the OL or coach. Even coach Franklin seems to want to throw them under the bus and excuse a strategy that has been thwarted, even by mediocre defenses like Indiana.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over that clearly is not working. I have more faith in the kids on the OL and their coach than our OC. He should throw last years press clippings away and develop a strategy to reestablish the running game.

It's the OC's job to score points by any means necessary. PSU is 17th in the country out of 130 teams in points per game, averaging 38.....and we just went through one of the most difficult 3 game stretches any team will have to face this year while scoring 42, 38 and 24 (in a monsoon) points. Moorhead isn't the problem.

Moorhead knows the limitations of this OL and what it means for game planning. It's also not helping going against the caliber of run D's PSU has faced - i.e., it's not just PSU that has struggled against the likes of NW, Michigan, OSU and MSU. Most of their opponents have not fared any better.

Very short memory going on here. As has been pointed out earlier this week, Barkley had only 5 games over 100 yds last year. That's it. Most of the better defenses on the schedule held him in check just as this year's better D's have done. Hitting the meat of that schedule and the best defenses we'll see all season only magnified it.

Have defenses adjusted? Sure. But also not rocket science when you have a player like Barkley in the backfield what defenses are going to try to do. They're sending everyone at him. This wouldn't change regardless of whether we're running RPOs or power I....and the result would be no different. It's been on the passing game to carry the team through this stretch....and they've done an admirable job.

 

[BobPSU92]

21 gums.

 

[Cpeplion]

Jay calls passing plays and Galen calls running plays

 

[sluggo72]

Jay calls passing plays and Galen calls running plays

I never figured out who decided if it was a pass or a run. Do you think they just flipped a coin?

 

[Cpeplion]

I never figured out who decided if it was a pass or a run. Do you think they just flipped a coin?

I was thinking Rock, Paper, Scissors...Jay would win with a surprise dynamite every once in a while

 

[psuro]

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

 

[Nitt1300]

Some people would complain if they had the second best seat in heaven.

 

[LundyPSU]

Offense needs some work. But I am a lot more concerned about the defense.

 

[Raffycorn]

I never figured out who decided if it was a pass or a run. Do you think they just flipped a coin?

I think I remember that Joe usually decided pass or run, McQueary would radio that decision up to the booth, either Galen or Jay would pick the play, then radio it back down to McQueary who would then communicate it to the guys on the field.

 

[lein]

I get the feeling they are building the offense they want rather than the one Barkley needs. Looking ahead two years when they will have an OL pipeline restored from sanctions

 

[ras5051]

It's the OC's job to score points by any means necessary. PSU is 17th in the country out of 130 teams in points per game, averaging 38.....and we just went through one of the most difficult 3 game stretches any team will have to face this year while scoring 42, 38 and 24 (in a monsoon) points. Moorhead isn't the problem. QUOTE].

The issue with this is that the offense did not score 38 points against OSU, Barkley returned a TD.

Also, yes they scored 24 points against MSU, but MSU scored 27. Going into this game, I think any outsider would have agreed that PSU had a better QB, RB, TE & WR's than MSU. MSU played in the same monsoon with arguably less talent and scored more than 24 points

 

[Marylovesthelions]

It's the OC's job to score points by any means necessary. PSU is 17th in the country out of 130 teams in points per game, averaging 38.....and we just went through one of the most difficult 3 game stretches any team will have to face this year while scoring 42, 38 and 24 (in a monsoon) points. Moorhead isn't the problem.

Moorhead knows the limitations of this OL and what it means for game planning. It's also not helping going against the caliber of run D's PSU has faced - i.e., it's not just PSU that has struggled against the likes of NW, Michigan, OSU and MSU. Most of their opponents have not fared any better.

Very short memory going on here. As has been pointed out earlier this week, Barkley had only 5 games over 100 yds last year. That's it. Most of the better defenses on the schedule held him in check just as this year's better D's have done. Hitting the meat of that schedule and the best defenses we'll see all season only magnified it.

Have defenses adjusted? Sure. But also not rocket science when you have a player like Barkley in the backfield what defenses are going to try to do. They're sending everyone at him. This wouldn't change regardless of whether we're running RPOs or power I....and the result would be no different. It's been on the passing game to carry the team through this stretch....and they've done an admirable job.

You need a rushing attack to close out a game OSU and MSU prove that.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Man is everyone so smart after a loss or two. On pace for 10+ wins, but our coaches are idiots....SMH at the level of stupidity that exists online at times.

 

[Marylovesthelions]

Some people would complain if they had the second best seat in heaven.

You are okay with 24 TFL in Sequon’s last 54 carries? Facts are facts not complaints. We are wasting one of the greatest TBs in college football history. We also did not have the depth on defense to overcome key injuries which is made worse by being put back on the field every 3-4 minutes.

 

[BobPSU92]

Some people would complain if they had the second best seat in heaven.

Down in front!

 

[BobPSU92]

You are okay with 24 TFL in Sequon’s last 54 carries? Facts are facts not complaints. We are wasting one of the greatest TBs in college football history. We also did not have the depth on defense to overcome key injuries which is made worse by being put back on the field every 3-4 minutes.

Saquon.

 

[VaNtyLion]

You need a rushing attack to close out a game OSU and MSU prove that.

Given the offensive output for PSU, a moderately effective pass rush would have worked to close out those games too. So would a few key WR catches instead of drops at MSU.

Can't overstate what the losses of Bates and Buccholz did to the PSU chances in both of our L's.

Are we good enough as-is to contend in spite of the OL? Yes. There is really only one team in the country right now that has no personnel flaws.

Still think the 'playoffs or bust' mentality of some of the fan base this year was getting too far ahead of reality where the team sits in the trenches on both sides of the ball and just how much last year's team overachieved. If we want to say this year is a missed opportunity, I'm fine with that.

Two road losses to ranked teams by a combined 4 points does, in and of itself, say this team is close.....but this team is so close in large part because of the coaches and what Franklin and Moorhead have done.

 

[Nitt1300]

You are okay with 24 TFL in Sequon’s last 54 carries? Facts are facts not complaints. We are wasting one of the greatest TBs in college football history. We also did not have the depth on defense to overcome key injuries which is made worse by being put back on the field every 3-4 minutes.

I don't care about stats. Points win games.

 

[Grant Green]

Blaming the pathetic running attack on the OL is like blaming the caboose when the engine goes off the track.
Moorhead leads the offense. For a time the RPO had excellent rushing results. Since the Indiana game DCs have developed a strategy to stop it at the point of hand off. Moorhead has had no answer. It is not the OL or coach. Even coach Franklin seems to want to throw them under the bus and excuse a strategy that has been thwarted, even by mediocre defenses like Indiana.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over that clearly is not working. I have more faith in the kids on the OL and their coach than our OC. He should throw last years press clippings away and develop a strategy to reestablish the running game.

Bad analysis. First of all, Indiana has an excellent defense. If you don't know that, then you don't watch enough football or understand what you are watching. second, do you realize how many teams run RPO with great success (including psu)? It ain't the system. When your ol can't keep defenders from blowing up the mesh point, that is bad blocking. Moorhead has done a nice job gettingas many points as they have.

 

[sluggo72]

Given the offensive output for PSU, a moderately effective pass rush would have worked to close out those games too. So would a few key WR catches instead of drops at MSU.

Can't overstate what the losses of Bates and Buccholz did to the PSU chances in both of our L's.

Are we good enough as-is to contend in spite of the OL? Yes. There is really only one team in the country right now that has no personnel flaws.

Still think the 'playoffs or bust' mentality of some of the fan base this year was getting too far ahead of reality where the team sits in the trenches on both sides of the ball and just how much last year's team overachieved. If we want to say this year is a missed opportunity, I'm fine with that.

Two road losses to ranked teams by a combined 4 points does, in and of itself, say this team is close.....but this team is so close in large part because of the coaches and what Franklin and Moorhead have done.

The players we have on the OL are not the problem.

 

[razpsu]

I don't care about stats. Points win games.

Funny thing you say that because the coaches said the same thing before the two losses. I think they are close but need to get over the hump with the best teams.

 

[Lion84]

Offense needs some work. But I am a lot more concerned about the defense.

Our secondary in my opinion has been less than stellar the last 2 weeks - a few stops here and there and we win both games but we never seem to get that critical stop when needed and it is usually through the air - while the last 2 QB's we faced we not horrible they certainly weren't top flight either. There is a ton of young taken in the secondary so I would expect improvement down the line.

 

[WDLion]

I don't care about stats. Points win games.

Good stats create more points, poor stats less.

 

[sluggo72]

Bad analysis. First of all, Indiana has an excellent defense. If you don't know that, then you don't watch enough football or understand what you are watching. second, do you realize how many teams run RPO with great success (including psu)? It ain't the system. When your ol can't keep defenders from blowing up the mesh point, that is bad blocking. Moorhead has done a nice job gettingas many points as they have.

is it really bad blocking or something else? Callahan made a big deal about MSU putting someone in the A gap, and therefore they couldnt run the inside zone play. Yet I can show you 100's and 100's of plays where teams run the inside zone successfully vs these same defenses. The reason why they can do it? They block the play differently than PSU does.

 

[Nitt1300]

Good stats create more points, poor stats less.

sometimes and sometimes not

 

[LundyPSU]

Our secondary in my opinion has been less than stellar the last 2 weeks - a few stops here and there and we win both games but we never seem to get that critical stop when needed and it is usually through the air - while the last 2 QB's we faced we not horrible they certainly weren't top flight either. There is a ton of young taken in the secondary so I would expect improvement down the line.

I think the coverage issues are more of a reflection of zero pressure on the QB. Haley has struggled recently though. And Allen and Apke are not great in coverage. DL and LB need the most attention. Not sure therein enough talent there right now to have a great defense. I think there is high end talent on offense.

 

[WDLion]

sometimes and sometimes not

Most times.
If we would've averaged 5yds per rush instead of 1.8 per rush i think we would've scored more points and the other team less points.

 

[RochLion]

Bad analysis. First of all, Indiana has an excellent defense. If you don't know that, then you don't watch enough football or understand what you are watching. second, do you realize how many teams run RPO with great success (including psu)? It ain't the system. When your ol can't keep defenders from blowing up the mesh point, that is bad blocking. Moorhead has done a nice job gettingas many points as they have.

I'd like to know if teams that run RPO also mix in putting the QB under center for toss sweeps, etc.

One RPO offense I remember was FSU with Charlie Ward. Wow! I don't think they ever lined up with QB under center (may be wrong on that). Then again when you've got Charlie Ward and the offensive line he had how could you not be all-world team.

 

[Marylovesthelions]

Saquon.

Sorry typo.

 

[razpsu]

It does seem the dbs are playing catch up. Can’t believe Haley the past two games. I watched the game again and the qb on some of those throws just went back and threw it and Haley was beat. Why don’t we see more of Monroe at this point.

 

[PSU20]

Anyone who calls 3 straight R/O (won't even call them RPO) plays from the 7 YL on first down, only to loose the game is the problem. We have W/R's who are 6-6, 6-4, and 6-3, vs OSU whose DB's average 5-11, and we don't even try one pass to the end zone. And, that is after getting stuffed with our running game all day long!

Remember the pass we beat Iowa with to Johnson? My god, at least attempt one pass. The Buckeyes knew what was coming, and we still ran it "3 times" for no gain!

 

[razpsu]

Actually against osu running to the left with Saquan was open.

 

[Grant Green]

is it really bad blocking or something else? Callahan made a big deal about MSU putting someone in the A gap, and therefore they couldnt run the inside zone play. Yet I can show you 100's and 100's of plays where teams run the inside zone successfully vs these same defenses. The reason why they can do it? They block the play differently than PSU does.

Callahan also was pretty clear in his article that it is the young OL, not the scheme that is hurting PSU.

 

[Grant Green]

I'd like to know if teams that run RPO also mix in putting the QB under center for toss sweeps, etc.

One RPO offense I remember was FSU with Charlie Ward. Wow! I don't think they ever lined up with QB under center (may be wrong on that). Then again when you've got Charlie Ward and the offensive line he had how could you not be all-world team.

Charlie Ward did not run an RPO offense

 

[WDLion]

Callahan also was pretty clear in his article that it is the young OL, not the scheme that is hurting PSU.

Why play to your weakness? Against OSU we ran 7 more times than we passed.

 

[Grant Green]

Why play to your weakness? Against OSU we ran 7 more times than we passed.

PSU's offense scored 31 points against one of the best defenses in the country at their home field. Offensive scheming was not the problem in that game. The OL was gassed by the end and couldn't block anymore and the DL was gassed and couldn't get to Barrett.

 

[WDLion]

PSU's offense scored 31 points against one of the best defenses in the country at their home field. Offensive scheming was not the problem in that game. The OL was gassed by the end and couldn't block anymore and the DL was gassed and couldn't get to Barrett.

The number of points we are scoring isn't the issue nor is it my gripe. 38 ppg is great. My issue is calling a play over and over that loses yards more often than it gains.
Against OSU we averaged 11.3 per reception, 2.6 per rush. Should have passed more ran less.

 

[RochLion]

Charlie Ward did not run an RPO offense

Your right ... just saw he was single back formation. Thinking of some other team that ran it successfully in the 90s.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Our secondary in my opinion has been less than stellar the last 2 weeks - a few stops here and there and we win both games but we never seem to get that critical stop when needed and it is usually through the air - while the last 2 QB's we faced we not horrible they certainly weren't top flight either. There is a ton of young taken in the secondary so I would expect improvement down the line.

The third down "efficiency" of the PSU defense has REALLY been lacking of late. Yeah, the opponents have been better than earlier in the season, but third downs have really become a nightmare for the PSU defense. Particularly third and long. I hope this turns around quickly.