Penn State football: Three defining moments from Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas
Penn State Nittany Lions football suffered a loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, falling to 7-6 to finish the 2021 football season.
Story: Three defining moments from Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas
- Thread starter DavidEckert
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I totally agree with NoBareFeet. Absolutely no adjustment to the blitzes coming every 3rd down. Clifford ran for his life and over threw his typical amount of passes per game as expected.
I’m just glad this debacle of a season is over with.Penn State football: Three defining moments from Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas
Penn State Nittany Lions football suffered a loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, falling to 7-6 to finish the 2021 football season.www.on3.com
Really just one. The team arrived at the stadium. We had no chance once that happened.
Really? Woefully undermanned today. Game pretty much played out as I expected. Some kids who never or hardly played got a chance to play. Biggest disappointment was the lousy play of the most experienced player on the team: Clifford.
Exactly; like how is the second half different if Clifford hits an easy throw to WIDE OPEN Theo Johnson for a TD? Everything about that play worked except for the throw itself.
Did the announcers say he wasn't on the sideline when CV went in?Exactly; like how is the second half different if Clifford hits an easy throw to WIDE OPEN Theo Johnson for a TD? Everything about that play worked except for the throw itself.
Worst interior offensive line in the country, worst running backs, and worst head coach and offensive coordinator in college football. Also, why would any good Tight End go to Penn State?
That's how I see it as well. And why I was and still am disappointed that Clifford is returning. This team needs to turn the corner from Clifford who has proven an adequate QB for a 2nd 20 team, but not a QB that could win B10 championships or adequately lead his team in a playoff game. With Clifford back PSU will have an experienced QB that could potentially lead PSU to 9 or 10 wins if the rest of the team fell into place, but not one that could lead PSU to a title contender. It's time to move on and develop a better QB that has multiple years of eligibility going forward.
Regarding the "three defining moments" I would have at the top of the list the overthrow of the wide open TE in the first half that would have been a TD and put PSU up 17-7 at the half. Clifford has consistently overthrown wide open deep targets his whole career and continues to do it at the tail end of his 5th season at PSU. He really almost overthrew the first long TD to KLS - a near perfect pass that he should have slightly underthrown to be sure he got the sure TD.
So I'm more disappointed with Clifford coming back than I am with the loss today. But I do believe the team could have shown better today with some better in game adjustments. Even in the 2nd half, the PSU D-line seemed to over pursue to one side leaving the field wide open for the QB or the RB run, almost consistently leaving gaping holes for north/south runs. Sure, the D missed AK, Tangelo, and Smith and Brooks from the front 7 but where was the coaching of the DL to stay in their gaps, coaching my son got at a youngster?
It's great that some young players got experience today, but right now I'm not too optimistic about the future of PSU's front 7 on Defense. This defense needs an influx of talent. Great that van den Burg got some PT at DT, but I don't see a difference maker at DT or DE. Who of the young DT's looked particularly strong today? Tarburton had some moments, but too many times this 4th year player was the worst offender in the DL getting pushed or suckered to one side and the play running right by where he should have been. The defense desperately needs Mustipher back, as well as a top DE transfer, and another DT transfer the caliber of Tangelo. A difference maker at Safety would help as well, such as Young or the kid from Northwestern.
On Offense, it starts and unfortunately likely ends with Clifford. The young WR's show promise, Washington had some highlight catches but has some limitations with his stature, but no 3rd WR showed up today. Meiga had a ball drop right into his hands but couldn't hang on. And the OL played par for the year, a few running lanes but were over matched trying to pass block. Arkansas is not a top 15 team and it PSU's QB's will take a pounding against any decent team until Franklin can recruit and develop better olinemen.
Sorry for the long vent, considering the game was what I was expecting, but not what I was hoping for.......
Exactly; like how is the second half different if Clifford hits an easy throw to WIDE OPEN Theo Johnson for a TD? Everything about that play worked except for the throw itself.
I think you’re nitpicking.
The tackling sucked as usual. Ark went for it on 4th down and the DL whiffed on a TFL. The drive resulted in a TD. JPJ whiffed on what would have been a TFL on a 1st down play which the ball carried ran for another 1st down. There's no telling what a 2nd and 15 would have lead to. The poor tackling is nothing new but it keeps happening.
Have not heard this discussed:
What was the rationale behind taking out Clifford in the 4th? Was Franklin opting out from trying to win the game at that point? It was a 2 score game with plenty of time left. Just baffling. He is truly the worst coach in the country.
What was the rationale behind taking out Clifford in the 4th? Was Franklin opting out from trying to win the game at that point? It was a 2 score game with plenty of time left. Just baffling. He is truly the worst coach in the country.