Offense

[Texas Lion]

Where were some of the quick plays and different wrinkles during the 8 OT game vs Illinois? Did MY just design them last week? Some of the plays on Saturday were amazing. So I ask this:

1. Where was any kind of Dotson run when it was obvious that Roberson was a dud vs Iowa?
2. Sticking with Dotson, where was any kind of attempt to get him a touch in the 9 OT's?
3. I am not sure I have seen us lose multiple yards on the quick outside hit, where was that in OT?
4. 3 Backs? That would have been nice. I'll go one step more with it and let Warren take the snap from under center with Lee, Dotson, and Lovett in the backfield. Talk about what a defense would do? Do they stack the middle so Warren can't QB sneak? Do they cover the G's so Lee can't pound it in there? Do they check the T's in case Lovett runs off-tackle? Or do they watch the outside in case a quick pitch to Dotson? Go 7 OL and the 4 I mentioned and audible at the line on what the defense is going to give you.

 

[rudedude]

Where were some of the quick plays and different wrinkles during the 8 OT game vs Illinois? Did MY just design them last week? Some of the plays on Saturday were amazing. So I ask this:

1. Where was any kind of Dotson run when it was obvious that Roberson was a dud vs Iowa?
2. Sticking with Dotson, where was any kind of attempt to get him a touch in the 9 OT's?
3. I am not sure I have seen us lose multiple yards on the quick outside hit, where was that in OT?
4. 3 Backs? That would have been nice. I'll go one step more with it and let Warren take the snap from under center with Lee, Dotson, and Lovett in the backfield. Talk about what a defense would do? Do they stack the middle so Warren can't QB sneak? Do they cover the G's so Lee can't pound it in there? Do they check the T's in case Lovett runs off-tackle? Or do they watch the outside in case a quick pitch to Dotson? Go 7 OL and the 4 I mentioned and audible at the line on what the defense is going to give you.

IMO the Illinois game was a total miscalculation and cluster by the staff. It’s now obvious they went into survival mode late in the second quarter of Iowa until the Ohio State game. Cost us two more wins IMO.

 

[MacNit]

IMO the Illinois game was a total miscalculation and cluster by the staff. It’s now obvious they went into survival mode late in the second quarter of Iowa until the Ohio State game. Cost us two more wins IMO.

And that is 15+% of the season. Would you be accountable if you totally screwed up 15 % of your overall job?

 

[rudedude]

And that is 15+% of the season. Would you be accountable if you totally screwed up 15 % of your overall job?

Yeah I would be accountable but wouldn’t get “fired” or have a street mob ready to run me outta town. Does the job cause the potential for physical harm to others or just perceived mental anguish? See the difference there? In the end it’s just football and I’m not a coach or have insight to the behind the scenes activities at Lasch. Won’t be the first time I’ve had disappointment over PSU football nor will it be the last. I was a senior at PSU.when Joe decided to run up the middle vs Alabama. He wasn’t run out of town and he could have had Fusina fake the handoff and roll out and walk into the end zone. Life goes on. The old adage always applies in situations like this, be careful what you wish for.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Where were some of the quick plays and different wrinkles during the 8 OT game vs Illinois? Did MY just design them last week? Some of the plays on Saturday were amazing. So I ask this:

1. Where was any kind of Dotson run when it was obvious that Roberson was a dud vs Iowa?
2. Sticking with Dotson, where was any kind of attempt to get him a touch in the 9 OT's?
3. I am not sure I have seen us lose multiple yards on the quick outside hit, where was that in OT?
4. 3 Backs? That would have been nice. I'll go one step more with it and let Warren take the snap from under center with Lee, Dotson, and Lovett in the backfield. Talk about what a defense would do? Do they stack the middle so Warren can't QB sneak? Do they cover the G's so Lee can't pound it in there? Do they check the T's in case Lovett runs off-tackle? Or do they watch the outside in case a quick pitch to Dotson? Go 7 OL and the 4 I mentioned and audible at the line on what the defense is going to give you.

As to 4. The defense wouldn't have to change. Warren may have a couple nice runs before they figure that out and he can't pass (see the terrible pass to Clifford against Illinois). I think Clifford audibles at the line and, if he doesn't, you think an inexperienced QB is going to be giving the authority to do so. Wow!

 

[MacNit]

Yeah I would be accountable but wouldn’t get “fired” or have a street mob ready to run me outta town. Does the job cause the potential for physical harm to others or just perceived mental anguish? See the difference there? In the end it’s just football and I’m not a coach or have insight to the behind the scenes activities at Lasch. Won’t be the first time I’ve had disappointment over PSU football nor will it be the last. I was a senior at PSU.when Joe decided to run up the middle vs Alabama. He wasn’t run out of town and he could have had Fusina fake the handoff and roll out and walk into the end zone. Life goes on. The old adage always applies in situations like this, be careful what you wish for.

The 15% is just the two games in question. The remaining body of work has left a lot to be desired. And who is being run out of town? The said employee seems to be seeking another raise!

As for Joe, he already had three unbeaten seasons under his belt along with a litany of major bowl victories and a number of top-five/ten finishes when he lost the National Championship game to Bama. Apples to oranges.

 

[rudedude]

The 15% is just the two games in question. The remaining body of work has left a lot to be desired. And who is being run out of town? The said employee seems to be seeking another raise!

As for Joe, he already had three unbeaten seasons under his belt along with a litany of major bowl histories and a number of top-five/ten finishes when he lost the National Championship game to Bama. Apples to oranges.

• Franklin is one of three current Big Ten coaches (Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz) to have won a Big Ten Championship and became the first African American head coach to win a Big Ten title after Penn State’s 2016 victory.
• He owns an 84-43 career record, with a winning record in eight of his 10 seasons at the helm.
• Franklin has led his teams to three Top 10 finishes (3 at Penn State) and six Top 25 finishes (2 at Vanderbilt; 4 at Penn State).
• In the last five seasons under Franklin, Penn State is one of six teams to rank in the top 12 of the CFP final rankings at least four times.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to three New Year’s Six bowls - 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton) - making Penn State one of eight teams to accomplish the feat during the four-year span. It also marked the first time Penn State as a program went to three New Year’s Six bowls in four years since 1980-83 (1980 Fiesta, 1982 Fiesta ,1983 Sugar).
• Franklin’s squads won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span (2017-19), making the Nittany Lions one of seven teams to do so. It also marked the first time PSU has won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span since 1995 (Rose) and 1997 (Fiesta).
• Franklin guided Penn State to back-to-back New Year’s Six bowls in 2016 (Rose) and 2017 (Fiesta) for the first time since 1985 (Orange) and 1986 (Fiesta).
• Penn State was ranked in the AP Top 25 for the 63 consecutive polls in which it was eligible from 2016-20, marking the third-longest streak in program history and longest streak since 1993-2000 when PSU was ranked for 121-straight weeks.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led Penn State to 42 wins, the most in program history for the Big Ten era in a four-year span, and 28 league wins, a program record.
• Franklin has 26 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL level.
• In his first 10 years as a head coach, Franklin mentored 82 players who have gone on to the NFL ranks.
• Penn State had six players selected in both the 2018 and 2019 NFL Draft and five players picked in 2020, marking the third-straight year Penn State has had at least five draft picks, the first time it has happened since 1991-93.
• Franklin has secured top-25 recruiting classes each of his last nine seasons, including a top-5 class at Penn State in 2018.
• Franklin is second all-time in winning percentage by an FBS African American head coach (minimum 80 wins) and is third in total wins.
• Franklin’s victories in the Fiesta Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Music City Bowl and Birmingham Bowl (formerly the Compass Bowl) marked the first time in each bowl’s history an African American head coach earned the win.

I like data and facts and not conjecture. Postulate all you want on someone’s intent, until you know actual facts it may be best to not keep pounding that gavel because it may break.

 

[Texas Lion]

As to 4. The defense wouldn't have to change. Warren may have a couple nice runs before they figure that out and he can't pass (see the terrible pass to Clifford against Illinois). I think Clifford audibles at the line and, if he doesn't, you think an inexperienced QB is going to be giving the authority to do so. Wow!

defense has to change in they have to account for every gap on the field in that situation. I get what your saying with adding a pass out of it as well and I agree. I was thinking more of saving Cliff from having to ram up the middle.

 

[FrontierLion]

• Franklin is one of three current Big Ten coaches (Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz) to have won a Big Ten Championship and became the first African American head coach to win a Big Ten title after Penn State’s 2016 victory.
• He owns an 84-43 career record, with a winning record in eight of his 10 seasons at the helm.
• Franklin has led his teams to three Top 10 finishes (3 at Penn State) and six Top 25 finishes (2 at Vanderbilt; 4 at Penn State).
• In the last five seasons under Franklin, Penn State is one of six teams to rank in the top 12 of the CFP final rankings at least four times.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to three New Year’s Six bowls - 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton) - making Penn State one of eight teams to accomplish the feat during the four-year span. It also marked the first time Penn State as a program went to three New Year’s Six bowls in four years since 1980-83 (1980 Fiesta, 1982 Fiesta ,1983 Sugar).
• Franklin’s squads won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span (2017-19), making the Nittany Lions one of seven teams to do so. It also marked the first time PSU has won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span since 1995 (Rose) and 1997 (Fiesta).
• Franklin guided Penn State to back-to-back New Year’s Six bowls in 2016 (Rose) and 2017 (Fiesta) for the first time since 1985 (Orange) and 1986 (Fiesta).
• Penn State was ranked in the AP Top 25 for the 63 consecutive polls in which it was eligible from 2016-20, marking the third-longest streak in program history and longest streak since 1993-2000 when PSU was ranked for 121-straight weeks.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led Penn State to 42 wins, the most in program history for the Big Ten era in a four-year span, and 28 league wins, a program record.
• Franklin has 26 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL level.
• In his first 10 years as a head coach, Franklin mentored 82 players who have gone on to the NFL ranks.
• Penn State had six players selected in both the 2018 and 2019 NFL Draft and five players picked in 2020, marking the third-straight year Penn State has had at least five draft picks, the first time it has happened since 1991-93.
• Franklin has secured top-25 recruiting classes each of his last nine seasons, including a top-5 class at Penn State in 2018.
• Franklin is second all-time in winning percentage by an FBS African American head coach (minimum 80 wins) and is third in total wins.
• Franklin’s victories in the Fiesta Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Music City Bowl and Birmingham Bowl (formerly the Compass Bowl) marked the first time in each bowl’s history an African American head coach earned the win.

I like data and facts and not conjecture. Postulate all you want on someone’s,intent, until you know actual facts it may be best to not keep pounding that gavel because it may break.

All very good points. It's tough being a fan of college football, when one loss (or a few) sinks the whole season. I think we all have so much built up excitement, especially when you see very early season rankings in the Top 5, etc., that when it comes crashing down, it crashes hard. We (myself included) look for someone to blame, and that is usually the head coach and maybe rightfully so. But it's good to keep things in perspective ... only one team wins it all every year.

I think it's just another reason why there needs to be an expanded playoff. One injury (Clifford) can change enough of the season to blow it apart. In all reality, are Iowa and Illinois better than Penn State this year? The answer is No. If Cliff was healthy, are we sitting at 7-1 with the only loss to a top 5 team on the road and wins over Auburn, Wisconsin and Iowa? Probably so.

We had a lot of the pieces in place this year, but just didn't get the breaks.

 

[Monty2007]

Also a Sr in '79. Just one more thing to add to rudedude's comment about the Sugar Bowl, which I'm sure he knows. We only ran twice up the middle since Scott F was stopped short his reception at the one. Joe wanted to pass again on 4th down but his assistants talked him out of it.

 

[MacNit]

• Franklin is one of three current Big Ten coaches (Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz) to have won a Big Ten Championship and became the first African American head coach to win a Big Ten title after Penn State’s 2016 victory.
• He owns an 84-43 career record, with a winning record in eight of his 10 seasons at the helm.
• Franklin has led his teams to three Top 10 finishes (3 at Penn State) and six Top 25 finishes (2 at Vanderbilt; 4 at Penn State).
• In the last five seasons under Franklin, Penn State is one of six teams to rank in the top 12 of the CFP final rankings at least four times.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led the Nittany Lions to three New Year’s Six bowls - 2016 (Rose), 2017 (Fiesta) and 2019 (Cotton) - making Penn State one of eight teams to accomplish the feat during the four-year span. It also marked the first time Penn State as a program went to three New Year’s Six bowls in four years since 1980-83 (1980 Fiesta, 1982 Fiesta ,1983 Sugar).
• Franklin’s squads won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span (2017-19), making the Nittany Lions one of seven teams to do so. It also marked the first time PSU has won two New Year’s Six bowl games in a three-year span since 1995 (Rose) and 1997 (Fiesta).
• Franklin guided Penn State to back-to-back New Year’s Six bowls in 2016 (Rose) and 2017 (Fiesta) for the first time since 1985 (Orange) and 1986 (Fiesta).
• Penn State was ranked in the AP Top 25 for the 63 consecutive polls in which it was eligible from 2016-20, marking the third-longest streak in program history and longest streak since 1993-2000 when PSU was ranked for 121-straight weeks.
• From 2016-19, Franklin led Penn State to 42 wins, the most in program history for the Big Ten era in a four-year span, and 28 league wins, a program record.
• Franklin has 26 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and NFL level.
• In his first 10 years as a head coach, Franklin mentored 82 players who have gone on to the NFL ranks.
• Penn State had six players selected in both the 2018 and 2019 NFL Draft and five players picked in 2020, marking the third-straight year Penn State has had at least five draft picks, the first time it has happened since 1991-93.
• Franklin has secured top-25 recruiting classes each of his last nine seasons, including a top-5 class at Penn State in 2018.
• Franklin is second all-time in winning percentage by an FBS African American head coach (minimum 80 wins) and is third in total wins.
• Franklin’s victories in the Fiesta Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Music City Bowl and Birmingham Bowl (formerly the Compass Bowl) marked the first time in each bowl’s history an African American head coach earned the win.

I like data and facts and not conjecture. Postulate all you want on someone’s intent, until you know actual facts it may be best to not keep pounding that gavel because it may break.

Some good stuff in there. And no one likes data more than me.

But most of the bullets are a lot of fluff. Could care less about the demographics stuff - why is that relevant? It is about results. He is paid to coach Penn State. No points are awarded for recruiting rankings - it’s about translating that it onto the field with results. And the results the last two years have been putrid - major underachievement. Not to
mention the record against the other top teams teams in the conference - below .500. Trends are important too. And the arrows are pointing down.

Nice try though…but not a lot of substance.
Maybe next time Franklin switches agents, you can throw your hat in the ring?