The Penn State Football Show

Everyone who knows me has known within the first 5 minutes of meeting me how much I hate Ohio State. I took a road trip there with my dad and age 12 and will never go back. I hate them sooooo so much. Its late on Friday so everyone who will read this is already three sheets to the wind in State College so I'll be brief.

This Ohio State team has been criticized for playing with a lack of fire. Once I heard this it really rang true. Watching them play this year it seems they are just going through the motions and I believe discontent is brewing with Terrelle Pryor and Coach Sweatervest. Also I would like to add that the more I hear or read anything that kid says the more I'm glad he didn't come to Penn State.

Sadly I don't think the Lions have much to gain in the national picture by winning this weekend. If we win, OSU sucks, if we lose, us and OSU suck. But we can't concern ourselves with that. If this game were in Columbus is might be tight but I think at home Penn State wins this game handily; pulling away in the second half.

If Penn State is not prepared to face the no huddle at some point in this game I think the coaches should forfeit a weeks pay. PSU 24 OSU 10
-Everybody Kills Peopls

I was watching some youtube clip the other day from 2005 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjJ86bKIUA8) and the atmosphere was unreal. Penn State had not been 5-0 for 6 years, and every Penn State fan was hungry for a big win. It was undoubtedly the best sporting event I have ever attended, and the whole week before the game the entire campus had nothing on their mind except the game. This weekend I truly hope that the students bring that same intensity and get up for this game, because this win could mean a BCS game for Penn State. This game has been all I could think about for the past week and that's been a huge distraction for my studying, but now my test is over, and here I am on the blog. The past two wins by PSU over Ohio State have been marked by big defensive plays. In 2005 the Calvin Lowry interception, the great play of Poz, and of course the sack by Tamba Hali (where after the play he walked off the field like they stopped Akron on third down in the second quarter...what a guy). Last year Rubin made the big play and this year again I feel that a big defensive play will turn the tides.

Ohio State is a good team with a great defense. Their offense hasn't been able to get on track, but they have the ability to put up a lot of points. Tressel and Pryor's mistakes have limited this. Penn State did an amazing job last year stopping the run, a necessity for this Ohio State team to succeed, and they should be able to do the same this year. The run defense has improved from last year to this year, and last year despite only surrendering 6 points, they gave up a large chunk through the air. Pryor will get his yards this year, but he will also throw a pick or two. As long as the secondary can keep everything in front of them, they will be fine. Pryor has the ability to make great passes, but only sometimes, and they need to make sure that when he does make a good throw, they don't get any extra yards.

On the offensive side of the ball, Pete nailed it. This offensive line has improved, but they haven't seen this kind of tenacity on the defensive line since Iowa. I loved the play call on the first play of the game against Iowa, and I expect to see some more of the quick passing game to open this one up. This should give Penn State some more nickel coverage and allow the offensive line to handle only six or seven in the box. Purdue was able to throw the ball successfully so that is where the attack needs to be made. Establish the pass and then run. I would like to see a few runs by Clark early on as well, and Beachum will hopefully be able to see some more time. He's a bruiser.

As for the loss of their kicker, like Pete said...this is huge. Especially for Tressel and especially in the OSU-PSU game. Their new guy missed a few field goals against New Mexico State so look for them to go for it on 4th between the 20 and 30 yard lines. Pryor is pretty jacked up for this game and there has been a lot of hype about him returning to PA and all that jazz. This to go along with the whole t-shirt situation have probably given him a lot of things to think about. I bet he comes out trying to make every play a touchdown and makes some early mistakes. Penn State needs to capitalize on these mistakes and try and get 7 on the board....not like what happened last week vs. Northwestern where they got a gift-wrapped fumble and only came away with a field goal. Go for the jugular!

Watching that youtube clip I linked above gave me the shivers. That was the most electric crowd I have ever seen, and at that point in time Kirk Herbstreit was right about us having the best student section. Nothing could have matched that intensity and passion for their team to win. I wish so badly that I could witness this game because I feel like the passion will return. A crappy out of conference schedule and dismal weather have held Penn State fans at bay, but clear skies and a 5:05 PM sunset will unleash the beast within. Penn State is the better team this year and they have so much leadership in key positions that I feel they will come away with a victory in this one. It will be close as everyone with an X and Y chromosome could tell you, but if Penn State can get up early, don't be surprised to see some wheels fall off for Ohio State. They are in a fragile state, and after losing to Purdue they have righted the ship...but one more log pulled out of their Jenga set, might just send them tumbling. Let's get it in

This game doesn't have as much hype as some of the recent PSU-OSU games since both teams have at least one loss and Ohio State already has two. In fact, is this the first time since 2004 that GameDay will not be at the PSU OSU game? Regardless, this game still has enormous implications. People don't realize that if Ohio State wins out, they win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Of course that would require wins over PSU, Iowa, and Michigan.

I expect a similar game to the one we see every year between these two. Very close, low scoring, strong defense, conservative playcalling, points at a premium. I think the fact that Ohio State's kicker is hurt will play a HUGE factor in this game. It always comes down to the kicking game, and that could hurt them. I don't know how much faith they have in the other kid. He is untested. They may go for it on fourth when they normally would not.

I think the key to the game will be PSU's offensive line. This unit has been getting better each week since they got destroyed by Iowa. This will be the best d-line they have faced since then though, so I'm anxious to see how they hold up. If Ohio State is able to be as desruptive as Iowa was, Penn State will have a hard time scoring points.

I don't think Ohio State's offense will have much success against Penn State's defense. They contained Pryor last year, and I expect them to again this year. As long as Penn State doesn't drop the ball, they should be able to get a few interceptions.

The fact that Ohio State already has two losses makes me worried that they might play like they have nothing to lose and take some shots they normally would not. This could work in their favor. I'd love to see Penn State play that way as well, but don't expect them to. It's frustrating when they are satisfied with sitting on a 3-point lead instead of trying to put up more points, but it has worked in the past and could work this year again.

Thanks to Ryan Frankeny, I will be at the game. Gotta love that kid. Let's Go State!

Up to this point in his career, I have supported Darryl Clark's ability to lead the Lion's offense and given him the credit when I felt it was deserved. I will also admit I have been critical of Clark at times when I felt he made mistakes and questioned some of his basic fundamentals (setting his feet, checking off receivers, etc.). Unfortunately, college football analysts and couch-potatoes across the nation don't bleed blue and white, nor do they always see things the way we do.

Loyal PSU fans know how much Clark has meant to the Lions since he took over the reins from Anthony Morelli, partly due to the fact that Morelli was just that bad. Kind of like the first time you experienced HD, it made you realize how much you were missing all along.

Saturday's game against the Buckeyes just may be Clark's last chance to show the nation what he can do. As much as I hate to stoop to the level of the naysayers who constantly question Penn State's strength of schedule and lack of quality wins, it is hard not to.

Clark is still looking for that signature win. You could argue that statement as he has consistently put up numbers comparable to the best in the country while leading his team to a Big Ten Championship and potentially 2 BCS bowl games.

In 2008, Clark delivered exceptional performances against Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Michigan State. So far in 2009, Clark displayed his ability to deliver once again with road wins at Illinois, Michigan, and Northwestern.

Clark's only downfall so far, or at least as perception goes, has been his performance against ranked teams during nationally televised games. We all know the '08 and '09 Iowa stories, and last year's trip to Columbus was mostly a wash as he left the game early with a concussion and Pat Devlin led the Lions on their game-winning drive to defeat the Buckeyes 13-7.

Although Clark performed well in the Rose Bowl against a stacked USC defense, his efforts went unnoticed as USC put up 31 points prior to halftime.

A big-time performance this Saturday against a nationally recognized Buckeye defense would quiet the naysayers and show that he is for real. A lousy performance will most definitely secure the negative perception that he cannot deliver in the clutch. Yes the Lions could still go on to a decent bowl game in which Clark will probably throw for 267 yards and 3 TD's, but it really won't matter.

Clark must deliver this Saturday, and it wouldn't hurt to do it in style. A big time performance against this Buckeye defense would undoubtedly catch the nation's attention and just might strike some debate in the Heisman race. Time will tell, but I'm pulling for him in the worst way. We all know what Clark is capable of, only now is his chance to show everyone else, because on Saturday, it may be his last.

Halloween is a great weekend, and each week I look forward to Penn State football games. It gives me something to live for. This past weekend, watching this game was like sitting at home while my mother refuses to turn off the Golden Girls. Additionally I was spruned by my fate once again at a Halloween party as I attempted to defeat the odds that Drew had set forth, only to ascertain the class standing of the young lass....Georgia Tech class of 2013. No thanks.

I agree with Jason about the Northwestern game being something that the team can really learn from. They came into a stadium that was half filled with little emotion, and the offense never really found a rhythm in the first half. Northwestern was given a myriad of second chances, some that were Penn State's doing and others, like the botched punt, that were simply lucky. Penn State was able to weather the storm and come out in the second half and dominate on defense. I am not sure how much of that was due to Kafka being out, but certainly getting Josh Hull out of the game was a good move. This is not a knock on Hull, who has played extremely well all season, but I feel like the coaching staff was very stubborn and wanted to keep their base defense out there to stop the Wildcats. Kafka picked them apart by utilizing the WR-LB matchups. He certainly is the best quarterback the team has faced this year, and it was necessary to get the nickel package in, which they did starting in the 3rd quarter. I would have liked to see changes made on the fly since it was very clear what the issues were.

Regardless, the team responded well and Clark and Odrick really lead this team. Jack Crawford continues to improve, and although he crashed in on some read-options, I was impressed with his speed and motor. He's going to be a very good player with a few more years of experience. I also cannot say enough about D'Anton Lynn who made several great plays getting off of blocks and making stops on WR screens. This kid knows how to tackle, and should talk to Astorino who apparently has been suffering from a shoulder injury all season.

What I didn't mind about the defense last weekend was the fact that they kept everything in front of them. The longest play for NW was a 25 yard run from their backup quarterback, and the longest pass was 20-yards (on a halfback screen). If Penn State can keep the big play away from Ohio State, I think they will have an excellent shot at winning. OSU's passing offense is reliant on the big play since Pryor has been so inaccurate at times, and they cannot depend on the short game like Kafka and Northwestern. I will say that there are times that Pryor's passes downfield are perfect, but he tends to float the ball a lot and only has success when he is throwing to wide open receivers or guys that are in 1-on-1 coverage. So to look ahead quickly, I think that Penn State's defense has proven that they should be able to limit Pryor. Last year they had to deal with Beanie Wells and Pryor and held the them to a combined 61 yards on 31 carries (Pryor rushed 9 times for only 6 yards). That is unbelievable. I can't see the gameplan differing much, as they will force Pryor to beat them through the air. I will get into the game some more later, but I had a few minutes inbetween classes and my busy schedule and I can't stop thinking about this game.

Penn State is flying under the radar right now as they probably should be since they really haven't beaten a team that has turned out to be legitimate (except for Temple???). I think both teams are coming in after working out a few kinks and it should be a complete defensive battle, but Penn State comes in with a more balanced offense. The key will be the offensive line and if they can provide just enough to give Penn State a few scores. The loss of Ohio State's kicker is also a huge factor and may force OSU into some 4th down attempts.

I really can't wait for the weekend...just like I couldn't wait for last weekend. Let's just hope it goes more according to plan.

Jason summed it up pretty well. I was very happy with how things played out in Evanston. Like Jason said, you can't expect the team to perform their best every single week. I was not pleased with the way the team came out in the first half, but in the end, I was glad that they were given a scare and were able to respond in the second half. It benefits the team much more that they were in a close game than if they had just come out and mopped the floor with them from the start. So I'm glad it played out the way it did.

I agree that a weakness was exposed on Penn State's defense. They could not stop those slant routes across the middle and need to address that for next week. They really should have made the adjustment after the first few completions against Northwestern.

Clark played very well once again. Obviously Zug needs to catch those passes. I thin Astorino needs to do a better job of tackling. He really needs to learn how to wrap up and bring the guy down. He needs to become a tackler and not a hitter.

Baechum looked very good, and I'd like to continue to see more of him. I think the staff should use each runner for their strengths: Royster is the main feature back, Beachum should be used as a power back, and Green as a speed back. So, throw the screen passes to Green so he can get the ball in the open field, and utilize Beachum on short yardage situations. Maybe even out of the fullback position.

With Decker out for the season, Moye may be the best wide receiver in the Big Ten.

I think the wide receiver screen pass is effective when they are giving a huge cushion, and we used this very well against Michigan. I think we went a little overboard with it against Northwestern though.

It was good to see Lee on the field for most of the game. Thats a good sign that he's close to full strength. But you could easily see he's not 100% yet.

Nice to see Justin Brown and Curtis Drake in there. Stephon Morris played a lot too. He needs to be smart enough not to make that late hit, but otherwise he played well.

Odrick came out in the second half on a mission and really stepped up his game and lifted the team up. That's what leaders do. He's having a dominant season.

Nobody should be surprised that USC lost to Oregon, or even by the score. USC is a great team, and the number one program over the last 6 or 7 years. They are a team that doesn't rebuild, they reload. But this is clearly a huge reloading year for them, losing all those guys to the NFL last year. Their defense is not playing well at all, and you can only go so far with a true freshman quarterback. That kid is very good, and is going to be great, but you can't expect a kid that inexperienced to go on the road and get a win against a good Oregon team. I don't think people realize how limited teams are with a freshman quarterback. There's not a whole lot you can do, no matter how talented they are. Looks like Oregon will be the Pac 10 Representative in the Rose Bowl this year, and Boise State's win over the Ducks looks even more impressive now. USC will still finish in the top 20 and will be back in the top 5 next year.

Barry Switzer used to say, "In an 11 or 12 game season, I can only get my team to play their absolute best three, maybe four times." I believe this statement to be true across all sports, although I think the number can vary based on the team and the sport. The fact of the matter is teams and players will play games when they are not at their very best...it's human nature. As a result, you have to know how to win when you might not be at your best. Any baseball pitcher will tell you this is the key to success...being able to win when you don't have your best "stuff." Maybe this is where the "experience" factor comes into play that coaches, analysts, and writers constantly talk about. Either way, good teams/players find a way.

Thus was the case for Penn State in this "trap" game against Northwestern. They did not come out of the gates looking very sharp like they did against Michigan. The offense was a step or two out of sync, the run game/offensive line resembled that of the early-September woes, and the defense looked baffled by the different spread looks that Northwestern was throwing at them. Defensively, I think even the coaches were not on top of their game. 12 men on the field penalty? Give credit to Northwestern in the first half for taking advantage of some lucky bounces and Penn State mistakes (12 men penalty, botched punt that resulted in a Northwestern 1st down, and GZ5's drops). The defense could not get off the field a few times and Northwestern turned that into points.

Going into halftime, I was nervous about how this game was going to play out. I wasn't quite sure how we were going to stop their offense. I thought our offense would put up points once they got on the field, but I was envisioning a 35-34, possibly OT, type of game where we were playing catch-up all afternoon. Thankfully, Penn State made some adjustments at half time and came out and dominated both sides of the ball in the second half.

Specific Game Thoughts...

• It would have been interesting to see how this game would have played out without the injury to Northwestern QB Mike Kafka. I think Bradley and Co. would have figured out a way to contain him better, but Northwestern would have put up some points. Kafka looked like a solid QB who had command of their offense...reminded me a lot of Zach Mills...nothing flashy but consistently moved the ball whether with his arm or his feet. He controlled the offense well and continued to make play after play. Looks like the way to attack this Penn State defense is to get them out of their base defense, spread them out and not let the front 7 do their thing. Luckily for Penn State, Kafka will be the most polished QB that this defense will face from here on out.
• Did anybody notice Sean Lee occasionally running frantically across the field before the snap to match up with the wide flanker? Was this a result of Penn State being out coached and unprepared for Northwestern's formations? Why is a LB covering a player out on the edge? The defense, most notably the secondary and LB's, looked confused in the first half at Northwestern's schemes. Was this coaching or was the youth of the secondary beginning to show?
• It is evident that you cannot run against this Penn State defense. The front seven is too strong. But, the weakness in pass protection by all of the LB's showed in the first half. They couldn't keep up with that short reciever across the middle. I thought Bowman and Lee would do a better job in this area.
• Gotta love the Beachum TD run up the middle in the 3rd quarter. Something we all have been begging for for weeks. However, where was this in the 1st quarter on a few of the 3rd-and-shorts that we did not convert? To expand, I don't think Evan Royster is the gritty, tough yardage, "3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust" runner. Royster runs well in space, but, many times, he doesn't create space for himself when there are openings. I almost feel like he has regressed a little bit in this aspect...maybe he is hitting the leg press too hard of late. I think he could do a better job turning some of those 2-3 yard runs into 5-6 yard runs. As a result, we need to see more of BB3 in these situations. Don't get me wrong...I like ER22. I think he's a good college running back. But, I don't think he will get the kind of NFL evaluation he is hoping for. Look for him to be in the PSU backfield again in 2010.
• I don't want to keep bashing Royster and I don't want to take anything away from his performance against Northwestern, but, how can they give him the Player-of-the-Game award? Aside from his 70-yard TD run, his numbers weren't that great. Again, Daryll Clark gets no credit for Penn State's second half offensive dominance. Even the lone TD in the first half was ALL Clark, running and throwing. I usually don't care too much about the Player-of-the-Game award, but Evan Royster didn't win this game for Penn State, Daryll Clark did. Just another notch on Clark's belt.
• I like the swing passes to Moye and Powell. These are essentially run plays and I think they help out the run game when the inside stuff isn't working.
• How bout a few of those catches by true Freshmen Curtis Drake (#7) and Justin Brown (#19) to set up TD's??? Bright future ahead for WR corp.
• I SPY...Graham Zug's DROPS. Typically in this section I like to make note of a player who is flying under the radar and/or doing big things on the field and not getting much recognition. (Yes, Josh Hull's mustache is great, on or off the field!) But, for this week, I have to report the contrary. The Zugster, usually fundamentally sound and a sure handed "possession receiver," had two very big dropped passes against Northwestern. As a result, Zug's drops took 4 points off the board on the initial offensive series and gave Northwestern 3 points right before half...a swing of 7 points, which, at halftime, seemed to play a huge role. Hopefully GZ5 learns his lesson in film session this week!

Let's hope next week will be one of those 3 or 4 games where Penn State plays their absolute best. Ohio State has an outstanding defense and I think it will be a traditional Big Ten showdown, much like the PSU-OSU games of recent...defense and a chess match battle for field position. A big defensive play or special teams play could prove to be the difference in the game. I am interested to see how this Penn State defense handles Pryor and their inside running game and I am interested to see how Penn State's offense moves the ball against their defense. If Penn State shuts down the OSU running game and forces Pryor to throw the ball 30+ times, Penn State wins. Should be a doozy...