Recap

[bdgan]

1. Riley faked us out twice on late substitutions forcing us to use TOs. Fool me once shame on me, foll me twice...
2. I'm not impressed with Lynn as DC. How many times did our LBs get sucked in on play action and get beat by throws over their heads? Only 2 LBs didn't help. Bacon would be the third LB but he's at DE.
3. How many PSU 3rd down throws short of the line to gain?
4. Hansen leading rusher with 28 yds on 14 carries. Why did we keep running up the middle on 1st down leaving us with 2nd and long?
5. We were hoping this OL would bed good with Donkoh, Cousins, & Goodman. Riker & Buhr were question marks but this team struggled to run against weak teams. Only 68 yds rushing tonight.
6. Becht had decent stats but he badly missed some open throws.
7. Brahmer is overrated. He's a poor blocker but supposedly a good big target as a receiver. He had 1 catch for 4 yds.
8. Eskildsen might be fast but he's soft. He doesn't catch the ball in traffic and had a huge fumble on PSU's last drive.
9. Granville was a huge loss. Like I said Bacon isn't a DE.
10. I had hope for Ebel. I was wrong.
11. Cooper got beat repeatedly. He's a senior and had good rankings. Big disappointment.
12. Joseph got beat badly too but at least he's a freshman and can improve.
13. Zayas should have dislodged a pass in the red zone but he's also too soft. I'll cut him some slack since he's also a freshman.
14. ZERO TDs in the second half wasn't going to cut it.

 

[Classof09]

Them trying the onside kick in the 2nd half told us everything - they had zero fear of our offense and felt like even if they gave up the 7 due to field position they’d keep moving it on the defense. They weren’t scared - they went for the jugular early.

 

[BobPSU92]

Recap: We suck.

 

[WestSideLion]

Them trying the onside kick in the 2nd half told us everything - they had zero fear of our offense and felt like even if they gave up the 7 due to field position they’d keep moving it on the defense. They weren’t scared - they went for the jugular early.

Spot on. It was the ultimate disrespect. And PSU proved Riley right.

 

[TigersandLions]

After the Marshall game, I thought Ebel was a great find. Man, has better competition exposed him. The missed tackles against NW and a few tonight were obviously glaring. But almost as frustrating, his trying to jump around the block when a running play is coming right at him just creates a huge hole - reminiscent of DeLuca. Really bummed Tatsch was apparently out with an injury tonight as I think he's at least a slight upgrade.

 

[Classof09]

Spot on. It was the ultimate disrespect. And PSU proved Riley right.

Fear and respect are earned. And we don’t earn either of those from anybody anymore. That may be the most frustrating thing about this team - no advantage in speed, size, strength, talent, grit, effort, discipline, coaching, recruiting, etc.

 

[The Song Remains the Same]

2a. The defense rushing only 3 on most third downs despite the TV graphic showing the USC QB completes 73% without pressure vs. 39% with pressure? Blackledge had difficulty hiding his frustration of the obvious WTF was Lynn doing...this strategy was key to the many long drives.

 

[royboy]

The better team won. The Iowa State transfers have not been great; #4 Eskildsen, #8 Ebel, and #10 Bacon are not as good as most Big10 players at their positions. Rocco has some ability but not enough to win games on his own. It's painful to see a PSU defense get shredded.

Penn State simply needs more talent; the portal changes things somewhat, but big gains in talent are probably more than 1 season away.

 

[SoCalLion]

The better team won. The Iowa State transfers have not been great; #4 Eskildsen, #8 Ebel, and #10 Bacon are not as good as most Big10 players at their positions. Rocco has some ability but not enough to win games on his own. It's painful to see a PSU defense get shredded.

Penn State simply needs more talent; the portal changes things somewhat, but big gains in talent are probably more than 1 season away.

Yep. This team may have 1-2 guys drafted come April --- in ANY round.

There is simply nothing even close to resembling top-tier talent on this team.

 

[PSUForever]

We have next to zero talent on defense. No D linemen at all. No LBs except Rojas is solid but I think overrated and not a game changer. Maybe one guy in the secondary. Shocking and disheartening how weak our defense is.

Offense just as talent devoid. Howard who is hurt is our star then I guess Rapp. Brahmer is supposed to be talented. Becht, so so and a disappointment. Same with Sowell. RBs are atrocious and the O-Line is below average to average. Just nothing.

Lucky to go 3-5 in conference and could be 1-7 or 2-6. I do think we manage to win at least one conference game. Blind squirrel theory applies.

 

[Blair10]

Ebel is without a doubt a division 3 player masquerading as a power 4 starting B1G linebacker at linebacker U. This has to be the crime of the century.

 

[MacNit]

1. Riley faked us out twice on late substitutions forcing us to use TOs. Fool me once shame on me, foll me twice...
2. I'm not impressed with Lynn as DC. How many times did our LBs get sucked in on play action and get beat by throws over their heads? Only 2 LBs didn't help. Bacon would be the third LB but he's at DE.
3. How many PSU 3rd down throws short of the line to gain?
4. Hansen leading rusher with 28 yds on 14 carries. Why did we keep running up the middle on 1st down leaving us with 2nd and long?
5. We were hoping this OL would bed good with Donkoh, Cousins, & Goodman. Riker & Buhr were question marks but this team struggled to run against weak teams. Only 68 yds rushing tonight.
6. Becht had decent stats but he badly missed some open throws.
7. Brahmer is overrated. He's a poor blocker but supposedly a good big target as a receiver. He had 1 catch for 4 yds.
8. Eskildsen might be fast but he's soft. He doesn't catch the ball in traffic and had a huge fumble on PSU's last drive.
9. Granville was a huge loss. Like I said Bacon isn't a DE.
10. I had hope for Ebel. I was wrong.
11. Cooper got beat repeatedly. He's a senior and had good rankings. Big disappointment.
12. Joseph got beat badly too but at least he's a freshman and can improve.
13. Zayas should have dislodged a pass in the red zone but he's also too soft. I'll cut him some slack since he's also a freshman.
14. ZERO TDs in the second half wasn't going to cut it.

We are absolutely bereft of high end talent. Luckily U$C was poorly coached or it would have been an unmitigated disaster.
What players scare opponents - none other than maybe Rojas.

In hindsight this should have been expected. If your most important players are from Iowa State results.

Will need a huge infusion of NIL $ and then it will need to be spent wisely.

In the mean time, this game may be peak PSU until next year.

 

[MacNit]

The better team won. The Iowa State transfers have not been great; #4 Eskildsen, #8 Ebel, and #10 Bacon are not as good as most Big10 players at their positions. Rocco has some ability but not enough to win games on his own. It's painful to see a PSU defense get shredded.

Penn State simply needs more talent; the portal changes things somewhat, but big gains in talent are probably more than 1 season away.

Really as simple as LA Dodgers baseball - need to buy the best players. No NIL no winning.

 

[psuno1]

Really as simple as LA Dodgers baseball - need to buy the best players. No NIL no winning.

That is what college football is these days, if you want to run with the big boys you have to spend for talent, PSU need lots of talent.

 

[bdgan]

Really as simple as LA Dodgers baseball - need to buy the best players. No NIL no winning.

PSU has as much NIL as NW & Wisc

 

[rigi19041]

Not one mention of matt Campbell.

Not sure he is better than Franklin at anything.

 

[CyphaPSU]

If Kraft wants to save his job, then he will need to pull a megadonor or two out of a hat.

 

[Ram20]

Id be curious what others think, but Lynn either sucks as a DC, or, he plays the most conservative style of defense week in and week out because he knows he doest have the horses to blitz and stunt. Going back to the temple game, they just do not put any pressure on the QB at all. Its like they are allergic to it. This usc qb is garbage under pressure so we devise a gameplay to give him none of it? Im just going to hope this is a talent thing.

 

[psu0408]

What’s most disappointing is that the only non-QB ISU transfer making any kind of an impact is Sowell. Lots of hype about Marcus Neal and Cooper upgrading the safety room. Brahmer is a non factor and Eskildsen wouldn’t make Ohio State’s scout team. Don’t get me started on the LB and DT.

On the PSU side of things, Yvan Kemajou looked like a guy with tremendous upside, and has 1 sack this year. Martin can’t break through in a mediocre RB room, and the OL remains a mess.

The good news is many of the ISU guys are graduating from somewhere, so there will be fewer loyalty retentions next year

 

[CDLionFL]

I think it is a talent thing. The big DT's have been invisible and teams just run outside of them. The Cyclones on defense are all empty jerseys. Bacon, Ebel, Cooper, and Neal have brought nothing but comedy to that side of the ball. Even during the 2000-03 bad times, at least PSU had some pushback on that side of the ball. This team has shown none of that in conference play. Playing soft zone over and over and getting zero pass rush is a recipe for disaster and we got to see it in the spotlight last night.

 

[rigi19041]

I think it is a talent thing. The big DT's have been invisible and teams just run outside of them. The Cyclones on defense are all empty jerseys. Bacon, Ebel, Cooper, and Neal have brought nothing but comedy to that side of the ball. Even during the 2000-03 bad times, at least PSU had some pushback on that side of the ball. This team has shown none of that in conference play. Playing soft zone over and over and getting zero pass rush is a recipe for disaster and we got to see it in the spotlight last night.

1.2 mil for ezoegu. 0 sacks.

 

[psuno1]

Id be curious what others think, but Lynn either sucks as a DC, or, he plays the most conservative style of defense week in and week out because he knows he doest have the horses to blitz and stunt. Going back to the temple game, they just do not put any pressure on the QB at all. Its like they are allergic to it. This usc qb is garbage under pressure so we devise a

The last two games for Lynn have been really bad, He should have pressured Mavia all game and play man and let the chip fall were they may, but instead he rushes 3 and the kid picked PSU apart and Northwestern sell out for the run and the see if that Qb can beat you. Really bad the last to week for Lynn.

 

[psuno1]

What’s most disappointing is that the only non-QB ISU transfer making any kind of an impact is Sowell. Lots of hype about Marcus Neal and Cooper upgrading the safety room. Brahmer is a non factor and Eskildsen wouldn’t make Ohio State’s scout team. Don’t get me started on the LB and DT.

On the PSU side of things, Yvan Kemajou looked like a guy with tremendous upside, and has 1 sack this year. Martin can’t break through in a mediocre RB room, and the OL remains a mess.

The good news is many of the ISU guys are graduating from somewhere, so there will be fewer loyalty retentions next year

Yeah PSU need to beat Maryland, Rutgers and Purdue and a bowl and let all the Seniors walk and get some talent in ASAP.

 

[rigi19041]

This team sux and Matt Campbell isn't the guy. He has no clue.

 

[psuno1]

1.2 mil for ezoegu. 0 sacks.

Wow, another 6th senior that never did anything in college but was sold as an AA to be this year.

 

[Nitt1300]

Lesson: be careful what you wish for

 

[rigi19041]

Yeah PSU need to beat Maryland, Rutgers and Purdue and a bowl and let all the Seniors walk and get some talent in ASAP.

Wont matter when the same talent evaluator is signing the check.

Fans spent last year crying g about Liam clifford. This team has 10 liam cliffords.

 

[rigi19041]

The last two games for Lynn have been really bad, He should have pressured Mavia all game and play man and let the chip fall were they may, but instead he rushes 3 and the kid picked PSU apart and Northwestern sell out for the run and the see if that Qb can beat you. Really bad the last to week for Lynn.

Lynn stinks.

 

[PSU Soupy 615]

The Bend but don't break defense could have worked but the USC QB is just too accurate, and even with 8 dropping in coverage, our lack of speed at LB and at Safety left big holes for him to hit. I think that the defense last night was more correct than the NW defensive plan. NW did not have WRs that could beat our CBs.....so sell out and see if NW can hit some one on ones.......we did not do that.

Last night it felt a little bit like if we blitz we get a few sacks, but most likely give up 4 50 yard plays with WRs running free for TDs. It never felt like we could stop USC....it seemed easy for USC, where we had to go for it on 4th down a lot, we had a lot of 3rd and 8s, where USC was somewhat effortlessly was moving the chains. The crowd showed up....but without speed and talent on the defense the noise can only do so much.

Becht played a pretty good game. Rapp played well, Sorrell played well. OL pass blocked pretty well. No players to fear on offense. No players to fear on Defense. Was hoping that we would see a CB blitz. Safety blitz. something.......but we chose to die the slow methodical death versus the going out in style death. We were most likely going to die either way. Need Money. Need players.

 

[Psumatt85]

The Bend but don't break defense could have worked but the USC QB is just too accurate, and even with 8 dropping in coverage, our lack of speed at LB and at Safety left big holes for him to hit. I think that the defense last night was more correct than the NW defensive plan. NW did not have WRs that could beat our CBs.....so sell out and see if NW can hit some one on ones.......we did not do that.

Last night it felt a little bit like if we blitz we get a few sacks, but most likely give up 4 50 yard plays with WRs running free for TDs. It never felt like we could stop USC....it seemed easy for USC, where we had to go for it on 4th down a lot, we had a lot of 3rd and 8s, where USC was somewhat effortlessly was moving the chains. The crowd showed up....but without speed and talent on the defense the noise can only do so much.

Becht played a pretty good game. Rapp played well, Sorrell played well. OL pass blocked pretty well. No players to fear on offense. No players to fear on Defense. Was hoping that we would see a CB blitz. Safety blitz. something.......but we chose to die the slow methodical death versus the going out in style death. We were most likely going to die either way. Need Money. Need players.

Solid point. We were 5-5 on 4th down, and didn’t score a TD in the second half. My largest fear is we just played the best game we could, and that was the result. Becht played better than I thought he could. Still not earning his money.

 

[84lion]

Sometime during last night’s game, can’t remember exactly when, but NBC showed MC prowling the sideline, and right behind him was Terry Smith. I believe TS had his arms folded, with a stare that made him look like he was evaluating the whole mess (including MC). The look on his face made me think that he just wanted to facepalm and walk away. The thought occurred to me that the solution was standing right there - TS did, after all, salvage a bowl-worthy season out of disaster last year. Frankly, I’m amazed that TS stayed knowing he’d be working under Kraft.