Keys to Saturday's game

[Mr. Pittsburgh]

What are they biggest keys to Saturday's game? Not to actually win, but more or less keep the score respectable?

Here are my thoughts:

1. Burn the clock. -try as hard as you can do slow the game down, run the clock down, and work to have long drives.

2. Don't give up big plays -try as hard as you can to make OSU work for their points. If we give up a quick big play, I could see things going sideways very quickly

3. First half turnover -getting a turnover in the first half would be nice. This would probably be 7 less points scored than what is anticipated

4. Score first -a score first for PSU could be nice momentum for the team and get some of the OSU fans back to eating hotdogs and popcorn instead of yelling and screaming

5. DB play -if we can play solid pass game and knock down a few passes, etc. this will not make it as easy for OSU


*If we can somehow control some aspects of the game, PSU comes out not losing by more than 3 touchdowns. IF, OSU gets loose... it could get ugly.

 

[mikev2210]

A couple weeks ago, I would have said that we have enough defense and enough ability to make plays on offense to keep this game within reach or even win. But after last week, I still think we have enough defense, but without a QB that can't let loose 100% and absolutely no running game, I don't know how we can keep this close.

I'm always optimistic, and I still am going into this weekend, because a wise coach once said "You're never as good as your best game and you're never as bad as your worst game."

 

[Waaaaaaaany]

I just don't see us burning any clock. Seems like it's always been an issue with Franklin. We get the ball in the second half when we should be burning clock, and we end up going 3 and out while using up 50 seconds. We're going to have to pass and with passes come drops and stopped time. I don't see us keeping this close for any amount of time. Unless we get a turnover and a very short field, I don't see this offense doing much scoring. What did we have last week? 7 tries from the 2 and we only scored once? Maybe we should have had a few false starts to open up the field lol.

 

[PAgeologist]

Key to the game: Go to the Big House and hope ILL shows up for a rematch. Just like JF said in his press conference.

 

[retrospm]

If we can knock out their first 3 quarterbacks this could be a ballgame.

 

[FrontierLion]

What are they biggest keys to Saturday's game? Not to actually win, but more or less keep the score respectable?

Here are my thoughts:

1. Burn the clock. -try as hard as you can do slow the game down, run the clock down, and work to have long drives.

2. Don't give up big plays -try as hard as you can to make OSU work for their points. If we give up a quick big play, I could see things going sideways very quickly

3. First half turnover -getting a turnover in the first half would be nice. This would probably be 7 less points scored than what is anticipated

4. Score first -a score first for PSU could be nice momentum for the team and get some of the OSU fans back to eating hotdogs and popcorn instead of yelling and screaming

5. DB play -if we can play solid pass game and knock down a few passes, etc. this will not make it as easy for OSU


*If we can somehow control some aspects of the game, PSU comes out not losing by more than 3 touchdowns. IF, OSU gets loose... it could get ugly.

Good points. I think #3 through #5 are certainly doable. #2 will be tough against the skill position talent of OSU. I just don't see Penn State being able to achieve #1. Even when the offense is ticking, it feels like we rely on big plays rather than long drives. If we can't really run the ball efficiently against Ball State, how can we do it vs OSU? I do agree with you, though. Complete all points above and Penn State can win.

 

[PSUJam]

. Burn the clock. -try as hard as you can do slow the game down, run the clock down, and work to have long drives

Kind of off topic but I thought Yurcich's offense is supposed to be tempo, catching the defense tired and off guard. Watching the first 7 games, it seems there's a lot of time pre snap looking at the sidelines just like the past many years.

 

[FrontierLion]

Kind of off topic but I thought Yurcich's offense is supposed to be tempo, catching the defense tired and off guard. Watching the first 7 games, it seems there's a lot of time pre snap looking at the sidelines just like the past many years.

I had this exact same thought while watching the game Saturday. First few games of the season had a bit of a quicker tempo at times, but more recently it seems like a lot of looking around.

 

[84lion]

Penn State has not been a ball control offense since...probably the Paterno days. "Burn clock" is not in the current coaching vocabulary. Getting TOP in their favor...it just doesn't happen.
Ohio State doesn't need big plays. All they need to do is march it down the field. Why take a chance on an INT?
Turnover would be nice, but unless OSU is sloppy for some reason, I don't see it happening. I think PSU turnovers are more likely.
PSU scoring first is just going to piss off Ohio State, and then it's Katy bar the door.
I could see the DBs playing well, but I don't think it'll make that much of a difference.

Hate to be so pessimistic, but this looks like a Kobayashi Maru scenario - and unless Captain Franklin can reprogram the simulator, we're SOL.

Someone the other day used the phrase, "clubbing baby seals." That's what I see coming. This ain't gonna be pretty.

 

[Al_Tuna]

Penn State has not been a ball control offense since...probably the Paterno days. "Burn clock" is not in the current coaching vocabulary. Getting TOP in their favor...it just doesn't happen.
Ohio State doesn't need big plays. All they need to do is march it down the field. Why take a chance on an INT?
Turnover would be nice, but unless OSU is sloppy for some reason, I don't see it happening. I think PSU turnovers are more likely.
PSU scoring first is just going to piss off Ohio State, and then it's Katy bar the door.
I could see the DBs playing well, but I don't think it'll make that much of a difference.

Hate to be so pessimistic, but this looks like a Kobayashi Maru scenario - and unless Captain Franklin can reprogram the simulator, we're SOL.

Someone the other day used the phrase, "clubbing baby seals." That's what I see coming. This ain't gonna be pretty.

+1 for the Kobayashi Maru reference.

 

[Mr. Pittsburgh]

It's sad that we have to have conversation about ways in which we can "keep the score close." I feel like for the past decade it is the same conversation when we play OSU. -I'm over it!

 

[TOC_Lions44]

Team needs something positive in the first 3 mins of the game. If something goes bad in those first 3, then it will get ugly.

 

[gogolion]

Kind of off topic but I thought Yurcich's offense is supposed to be tempo, catching the defense tired and off guard. Watching the first 7 games, it seems there's a lot of time pre snap looking at the sidelines just like the past many years.

The checking with the sideline seemed to happen a lot more often during the Illinois game. I kept yelling "Did Moorehead come back to run the offense today?" I didn't notice that in previous games, but then again, I'm not all that observant.

 

[Lion Backer]

How about some halftime adjustments? Last week vs. Illinois there were no adjustments at halftime. Also after the TD slant pattern to kLS there were no more. Illinois was supposed to have a weak pass defense and we did not exploit it. Could have brought Roberson for a series or two at least. Coaches should be making some in game adjustments.

 

[gogolion]

How about some halftime adjustments? Last week vs. Illinois there were no adjustments at halftime. Also after the TD slant pattern to kLS there were no more. Illinois was supposed to have a weak pass defense and we did not exploit it. Could have brought Roberson for a series or two at least. Coaches should be making some in game adjustments.

100% agree. This is usually a strong point of Franklin teams. In 2016 we were often losing or doing poorly in the first half, only to turn things around in the 2nd half. Against IL nothing seemed to change.

 

[Nohow]

We have basically no chance, so treat it like a scrimmage. Use all of your QBs and other players.

 

[BranaMan2]

#3 and 4 are the biggest IMO. Turnovers are what kept us in it in 2019. Take the crowd out early and get some momentum going for us. If we get down at all, it’ll be hard to play catch up.

 

[rudedude]

The checking with the sideline seemed to happen a lot more often during the Illinois game. I kept yelling "Did Moorehead come back to run the offense today?" I didn't notice that in previous games, but then again, I'm not all that observant.

From what I have seen, Illinois also ran some funky defensive sets too with dropping DBs off quickly pre snap so that may be why.

 

[Mr. Pittsburgh]

Seeing some rain in the forecast for tomorrow night. Does that change anything as we go into this game!? I always like to see what a young QB such as C.J. Stroud can do in those type of conditions. May slow down OSU offense a bit. -I woke up with some optimism this morning!

 

[dcf4psu]

At this point I'm more concerned about next Saturday at Maryland. That really is a must win game for this program. Deep down we all know what to expect at the Horseshoe tomorrow night.

 

[PSUwolf]

Key to the game: Go to the Big House and hope ILL shows up for a rematch. Just like JF said in his press conference.

That was just crazy. Hope he's more focused on Saturday

 

[PAgeologist]

That was just crazy. Hope he's more focused on Saturday

One thing is for certain, he couldn't be less focused.

 

[Nittany LCN]

One thing is for certain, he couldn't be less focused.

Key to Sat game?
Beer. Founders All Day should help smooth it over.

 

[PSUDMD]

OBVIOUSLY
the key to Saturday's game is Penn State must score more points than O - H - F - U which ain't gonna happen this year

 

[FrontierLion]

Well, Penn State actually seemed to check everything off this list, except preventing the big play. Of course, responding to the first half turnover with our own fumble on the very next play wiped out #3. Those explosive plays ended up killing us ... maybe Franklin is on to something