Official PSU - Iowa '25 game thread

WaffleShopper

Senior
Sep 20, 2023
431
819
93
Agree. I don't get the Grunk gripes. I didn't expect him, as a redshirt freshman, to come into his first career start and look like a Heisman winner. A real game is faster than practice. He made a couple throws that Drew wouldn't have made, IMHO. Some dumb play calling didn't do him any favors. The bye week will be a good time to watch video and improve. Sure, we'll get our collective azz beat at OSU but it certainly won't be all Grunk's fault.
IMO the entire rest of the season is a free roll for Grunk.
No one asked him to be Heisman level just a division 1 level quarterback and not lose the game with INTs. Well after a 15-28 93 yards and 2 INTs ( one setup a layup TD before halftime) I think that failed miserably. Trust me we all knew it was his first start but it wasn’t like he was going up against, Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon. I just don’t think he got it.
I know fans overreact but dumping our redshirt freshman QB after his first ever start which came in Kinnick after minimal game preparation is a new one.

It wasn’t a great performance but I saw some things that are promising. And as bad as it was he still had a higher QBR than Allar did at home against Nevada in year 3 of being a starter. Tons of blame to go around for this loss but Grunk is far from my first choice.
 

Corner Room Breakfast

All-Conference
Oct 27, 2021
1,517
2,065
113
IMO the entire rest of the season is a free roll for Grunk.

I know fans overreact but dumping our redshirt freshman QB after his first ever start which came in Kinnick after minimal game preparation is a new one.

It wasn’t a great performance but I saw some things that are promising. And as bad as it was he still had a higher QBR than Allar did at home against Nevada in year 3 of being a starter. Tons of blame to go around for this loss but Grunk is far from my first choice.
This is the result of keeping QB's like Clifford & Allar in games to pad stats.
 

PSUwolf

Senior
Nov 11, 2014
2,410
445
83
Please tell me you aren’t trying to compare Julian Sayin to either Allar or Grunkemeyer. They will never be similar and Sayin is already further than either of those two will ever get to in their careers.
I'm not trying to compare them. I agree with you about Sayin. I was just answering the post about some people not liking pocket passers in general
 
  • Like
Reactions: DukeCorey21

Calabrin

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2022
1,617
1,952
113
For the rest of the season expect the offense to get blitzed every play. Grunk does not recognize the blitz and is not a passing threat. Expect a blowout in Columbus.
Yup. It's going to be '94 PSU/OSU but in reverse.

Indiana might hang 70 on us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chumboshifko1

Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
11,432
18,841
113
I expect the new hire to get blown.

holly earl zoe chance GIF by BBC
 

CDLionFL

All-Conference
Oct 25, 2021
1,713
2,601
113
If Kraft didn't have a commitment from a big name prior to firing Franklin, he is set up for failure. You don't make that move 30-minutes prior to a team meeting in mid-October unless the plan is place. Otherwise, it's fire and hope. Oh, and watch a whole lot of coaches get extensions.
Who do you think is making a commitment in midseason? Do you just live in a dream world?
 

Calabrin

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2022
1,617
1,952
113
Maybe the most disappointing Penn State team. Also I think they need a QB switch Grunk doesn’t have it. Give Smolik a shot to see if he has anything. If not bring in qualified quarterbacks in the portal this offseason. Penn State future is in real trouble right now. This reminds me of the sanctions period.
Oh, for sure they are the most disappointing Penn State team in history. These guys were expected to be NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP contenders!

The (former) head coach said this was the most talented team he's ever had, and the most talented staff he's ever had.

They are 0-4 in the conference, and their best win on the season is... [squinting]... Villanova?
 

Calabrin

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2022
1,617
1,952
113
This is the result of keeping QB's like Clifford & Allar in games to pad stats.
This has absolutely been an issue in many games. PSU blowing out opponents, and Franklin would just leave the starters in there for no reason.

Then we wonder why the 2nd stringers come into the game and look like deer in headlights.
 

ZouaveLion

Sophomore
Oct 12, 2021
105
182
43
I m sitting here trying to make sense of the disaster that is this season and quite frankly the program. There will be a significant roster change in both graduation and portal losses. The 27 class is no more and the 26 class is hemorrhaging.
I keep going back to last season. Was Tyler Warren that generational? Did Abdul Carter cover the warts of an otherwise ordinary defense? How about Kobe King and Jaylen Reed?
Lastly, if Penn St loses to one of or both
USC and Minnesota they may miss the playoff entirely or draw a difficult first round opponent on the road.
The future, which just 3 weeks ago seemed so bright now is unbelievably filled with so much uncertainty...l can't help but think we re in for some very lean years unless Kraft pulls a rabbit out of his hat with a home run hire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chumboshifko1

PSUFTG

All-Conference
Nov 1, 2021
2,096
3,301
113
If Kraft didn't have a commitment from a big name prior to firing Franklin, he is set up for failure. You don't make that move 30-minutes prior to a team meeting in mid-October unless the plan is place. Otherwise, it's fire and hope. Oh, and watch a whole lot of coaches get extensions.
The chance that there was a "plan in place" are 0.00001% (only because "never say never", but it is really 0%)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 84lion

Omar81

Senior
Nov 12, 2014
276
592
93
They didn’t let Smolik throw, so who knows what he can do.
I naturally assumed Kotelnicki was setting things up for a “surprise” play action pass by Smolik in just the right situation. It hadn’t occurred to me that the genius OC is playing the long game, and the setup is for even later in the season. 🙄

His other big wrinkle was lining up our soft TE behind center for possibly the first time in his career on the most critical offensive play of the game (of course, it was only critical because of the moronic decision by failed interim HC Smith to go for it on fourth down). The Franklin tradition of NOT giving the ball to your best offensive player in key situations continues.

Apparently, Knowles’s defense isn’t nearly as complicated as the pundits believe. A ragtag collection of opposing OCs seem to have it all figured out . . .
 

Nittany18

Junior
Dec 28, 2013
3,880
322
38
But when Franklin beats these teams, they’re not top teams?
No, we are the top team, the big name team. When we play Iowa, we should beat them. What I meant is, Iowa beating us is the equivalent of us beating OSU. Only we don’t beat OSU, thus the comment, “Must be nice to win games against top teams”

A lot of you are blinded by something. This unwavering super fan loyalty and by some of us saying this team and coaching staff is probably the worst we’ve ever had, you go into protection mode...protect the team!!! Prep yourself, bc no top coach wants this job. We are gonna be bad for years. The only coach that is interested is a worse than Franklin coach named Ruhle.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Hotshoe

Hotshoe

All-Conference
Feb 15, 2012
24,530
3,905
113
No, we are the top team, the big name team. When we play Iowa, we should beat them. What I meant is, Iowa beating us is the equivalent of us beating OSU. Only we don’t beat OSU, thus the comment, “Must be nice to win games against top teams”

A lot of you are blinded by something. This unwavering super fan loyalty and by some of us saying this team and coaching staff is probably the worst we’ve ever had, you go into protection mode...protect the team!!! Prep yourself, bc no top coach wants this job. We are gonna be bad for years. The only coach that is interested is a worse than Franklin coach named Ruhle.
Your second paragraph is absolute nonsense, and it's not remotely based in facts.
 

BobPSU92

Heisman
Aug 22, 2001
42,594
33,259
113
Every loss is the same. Could have won, didn’t. It’s not simply a lack of talent. Sure, there’s dog sh|t in spades, but it’s more than that. They don’t believe, they don’t prepare, they don’t have heart, they aren’t put in a position to win by the coaches, whatever.

SH|T. SHOW. o_O
 

Alphalion75

All-Conference
Oct 24, 2001
14,726
3,757
113
I'm just so tired of the media covering this team during the off season.
This team is now exposed. The assistant coaches are below average. The talent and development is below average. Schemes by the coordinators are piss poor. The talent on this team is going to take several years to improve. I am trying to find positives on this team and staff but it is not easy to find anything good
And what have we been reading and hearing from the media which covers PSU football during the off season? None of these clowns deserve a paycheck.
 
May 11, 2012
409
545
93
No, we are the top team, the big name team. When we play Iowa, we should beat them. What I meant is, Iowa beating us is the equivalent of us beating OSU. Only we don’t beat OSU, thus the comment, “Must be nice to win games against top teams”

A lot of you are blinded by something. This unwavering super fan loyalty and by some of us saying this team and coaching staff is probably the worst we’ve ever had, you go into protection mode...protect the team!!! Prep yourself, bc no top coach wants this job. We are gonna be bad for years. The only coach that is interested is a worse than Franklin coach named Ruhle.
Please explain why Rhule is such a terrible coach.....I truly do not understand why this statement is constantly quoted. Is it because he sux in the NFL? So did Nick Saban and Paterno was wise enough to not go to the Jets.
Is it because he never had success in another college team? Baylor sure looked pretty good while he was the HC...and they haven't been relative since. He even won games at Temple!
 
May 11, 2012
409
545
93
But their fans wave to cancer kids that they probably don't donate their time or money to.
I do not know if you have ever been diagnosed with cancer....I have and it isn't fun. No child should be subjected to such a curse. Yes, I am sensitive for cancer patients....but until you get cut open and wear a colostomy bag, experience the effects of chemotherapy, please refrain from referring to children as "cancer kids".
 
  • Like
Reactions: 12bflying

psuno1

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2004
932
1,175
93
Still can’t believe Clifford got the keys for 4 years.
Yeah but Clifford was better than Levis and Allar and Grunk. Qb recruiting needs to get way better to beat the OSU's UM's of the world. Last first round pick Kerry Collins.