The Penn State Football Show

Let me go to one of the most storied football programs in the country and decide what offense we're going to run before I even get there, before I even see who in fact is on the team. I am going to do that because it worked at West Virginia, but I don't care why it worked (Steve Slaton, Pat White, other crazy fast people). Even if all I've got is pocket passers...I'll make them run the option. We might turn the ball over 7 times a game and lose to Toledo, but it'll work. NO. No Rich, it doesn't work. When you come into a program you have to first look at your personnel. What can you do with that? You don't just throw an offense on a bunch of guys that can't run it! Look at Penn State. Over the past 4 years they have run 3 different offenses based on the quarterbacks that have been behind center. They adapted to who they had. And it's worked. And for PSU it will work again this week as they should slaughter Michigan and hopefully start getting more people on Rich Rod's case.

Michigan's offense has players. They really are quite talented...but once again, the way that they are used makes them prone to errors and specifically fumbles as they have put the ball on the turf 20 times in six games, losing 11 of them. In total they have 19 turnover is six games, where PSU has just 7 in 7 games. Good teams make a living off of holding on to the ball, and if that can be done by Penn State, this game should be a breeze. McGuffie is a good back and I have seen many of his recruiting tapes from high school where he was ridiculous, but so far in college he doesn't seem as nimble as he did on Friday nights last year. He will get better, he's just a frosh, and he does have terrific speed. In Michigan's defense, they lost a lot of guys from last year that went in the draft, transferred, and many just wanted to get out of there before Richy got in there (wise move). This doesn't excuse them from losing to a MAC team for the first time in school history.

Going in to this game, I feel Penn State is expected to win by more points than they ever have before against Michigan. The Vegas lines have PSU as the 24 point favorite. Outrageous. The funny thing is that Toledo is a 9 point underdog to Northern Illinois. Apparently beating Michigan didn't get them any more respect, as I doubt PSU would get much more after a victory over the Wolverines. But what does any of that matter? That lack of respect is driving these players, giving them determination, and a victory over Michigan isn't about getting respect from anyone...it's about beating Michigan. It's about time, and I can't wait for the satisfaction. They need to execute, but I have a lot of confidence in this team to really go for the throat as they did on the road in Wisconsin. This team has some attitude and they're not here to squeak one out, they want to score and score and score.

Homecoming weekend, white out, probably one of the largest crowds in Beaver Stadium history....all there to witness something that hasn't been done in 12 years. Although I will be watching from the confines of Atlanta, GA, I hope everyone has a great time watching Rich Rodriguez's team fall to 2-5. That's a decent day at the plate, but at Michigan, that should get you fired. Penn State romps, 45-10