Week 9 Awards

It wasn't a fun weekend for the Lions.  Luckily for you, there’s always my awards!  I’ll be brief since there wasn't much to celebrate in that game.

This week, the Beast Mode Award goes to the only guy that decided to show up on Saturday, Allen Robinson.  This marks Robinson’s 3^rd time winning this award, giving him the 3 peat, the hat trick, whatever you want to call it.  Any way you slice it, he’s the man!  He had 12 catches for 173 yds and a TD.  Let’s hope for more of that against Illinois.

It was tough to find someone, but I’m going to give the Transformer Award to Bill Belton.  He solidified the starting job over fan favorite Zach Zwinak, who continues to literally fumble away his opportunities.   In an awful game, Belton was one of the few bright spots going for 98 yds on 22 carries.  Not bad.

I’m very excited to give this week’s Matrix Award to Tyler Ferguson.  The back up from California replaced Christian Hackenberg in the 3^rd quarter and still put up better stats than his counterpart.  He went 7/11 for 125 yds and a TD.  I think it’s safe to say if Hack can’t go this week, we should be fine.

No one gets the In Disguise Award this week seeing as there were no “unsung heroes” just slightly less disappointing performances.

And finally, the Megatron Award goes to Braxton Miller.  He went into his own beast mode all over Penn State’s defense.  In limited action he went 18/24 for 252 yds and 3 TDs.  Add in 11 carries for 68 more yds and 2 more TDs and I think it’s safe to say he gave us the biggest headache.  An honorable mention goes to Carlos Hyde who had 16 carries for 147 yds and 2 TD of his own.  Geez… I even hate typing those numbers.

Well that will do it for coverage of this week’s massacre.  Hopefully the blog will have a lighter tone after a win over the Illini at home this week.  The game kicks off at noon on ESPN.  Keep an eye out on Twitter @PSUOptimus for any news throughout the week.  And as always, go State!

Week 9 Grades

Obviously I’m a huge Penn State fan, and I would assume most of my readers are as well.  Fandom inevitably carries with it a certain degree of bias, even if I try to at least limit said bias in these posts.  Hence, when I do grades, more often than not I try to give certain units the benefit of the doubt, especially those getting beat up unfairly by the media.  Today’s issue of grades will not be such a case.  That game sucked and my grades will reflect this fact.  Get ready for a rough one, here we go.

Offense

QB: (F) Sorry Christian, but that was just awful!  The first two drives of the game both ended with interceptions and once again our “talented” freshman quarterback couldn't hang onto the ball after being hit as he fumbled it on his way to the ground.  That’s at least the 3^rd time he’s done that this season.  Speaking of that hit, Hackenberg injured his throwing shoulder during it.  Now credit goes to him for trying to play through the pain, but that will only get you so far.  The only good news is that Ferguson looks like a very serviceable back up in case Hackenberg can’t go this week against Illinois.  He actually had more yards than Hackenberg on fewer attempts and even got a TD.  Impressive.?

OL: (D+) I’m never really sure what to give the offensive line.  There’s no real statistics that jump out and indicate whether they did a good job or not, so I just have to go with the eyeball test.  Hackenberg was hurried too much, and we only put 7 points on the board in meaningful play.  They dodge a failing grade simply because the running game did have some success and quite frankly, I like these guys.

RB: (B) Bill Belton was a mere 2 yds shy of becoming the first running back this season to put a 100 spot on the Buckeyes defense.  He looked shockingly good for most of the night.  Akeel Lynch also had some good runs in garbage time.  Zwinak fumbled again, and it looks like he may be done for the year.  Still, along with Allen Robinson, this was one of the few bright spots on a very dark night.

WR: (A-) Speaking of Allen Robinson, he had 12 catches for 173 yds and his lone TD was arguably the best play of game.  Brandon Felder had 4 catches for 42 yds and a TD of his own.  What can I say, they were brilliant yet again, even as everyone was sucking around them.

TE: (F) There are ZERO stats on these guys because they did NOTHING!  I was going to give them an “NA” except that Hackenberg did try to get it to Jesse James a few times; James just chose not to catch the ball.  So I’m choosing to fail them.

Defense

DL: (F) The good news is these guys got possibly more pressure on Braxton Miller than any other opposing QB all season.  The bad news is Braxton Miller loves pressure because it just means more room at the second level for him to run, to the tune of 68 yds on the ground.  Oh, and some guy named Carlos Hyde put 147 more yds on them.  FAIL!

LB: (F) Linebackers are responsible for covering both the pass and the run.  They get tons of credit when the defense does well, so they’ll get just as much credit when the defense bombs.  They allowed 686 yds of total offense and 63 total points in the worst defeat in Penn State football history.  Um, yeah, that would be a FAIL!

DB: (F) Ohio State quarterbacks combined (and I say “combined” because they were on their 3^rd string by game’s end in an effort to stop the bleeding) to go 20/26 for 278 yds and 3 TDs.  Oh, and they didn't throw a single interception.  The secondary blew it again, FAIL!

Special Teams

K: (NA) Seriously, besides a few kickoffs this unit wasn't given a chance to do much all night.  The returners did average 14 yds/return, which isn’t bad, but that was offset when we stupidly let a backup defensive tackle return a kick… seriously.  No use even giving them a grade.

P: (C) Butterworth averaged 37 yds/punt, I guess that’s worthy of a C?  We didn't bother returning Ohio State’s only punt of the night, so no additional data there to help make my decision.

Well, at least that was probably the shortest grades post I've ever done.  I would anticipate an equally short awards post tomorrow.  *sigh* follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus and try to enjoy the rest of your week.

Week 9 Wrap Up

Well that sucked.  I don’t think any Penn State fan honestly expected a win.  But I do think that almost all Penn State fans, and Ohio State fans for that matter, expected a good close game with potential to be an instant classic.  In that sense, everyone came out disappointed last night as the Buckeyes quite simply manhandled the seemingly hapless Nittany Lions.  Absolutely nothing went right for Bill O’Brien’s squad as they failed their first real road test in miserable and embarrassing fashion to the tune of a 63-14 beat down.  It was the worst loss in Penn State history in nearly every statistical category: largest margin of defeat, most points given up, most yards given up, etc.

Let me get this out of the way up front - Penn State played like absolute crap last night, especially on defense.  They looked like boys among men as they were outclassed in every phase of the game.  Any and everything that Ohio State felt like doing, worked.  If they wanted to go right, Penn State looked left.  If they wanted to run it, Penn State covered the pass (and visa versa).  When the 3^rd string quarterback is still putting up huge yards and points on you, there’s not much else you can do but take it and pray for it to be over quickly.

With all of that said, though, there was a whole lot of nonsense going on in this game that I guarantee no one else will talk about and could have at least made for a better game-watching experience.  Yes, these are excuses, I openly admit that, but hear me out:

First of all, Ohio State was goaded into running up the score on Penn State.  Make no mistake about that.  The Buckeyes are trying to win a national title and they know full well that it’s a simple popularity contest.  As long as teams like Oregon, Florida St, and to a lesser extent Alabama are crushing teams by large margins, the concept of collegiality where you come off the pedal during blowouts will remain a foreign concept.  Maybe when the 4-team playoff comes next year some of this will disappear, but for now, everyone has to live with this garbage.

Secondly, go back and watch the “highlights” of some of the biggest plays from last night.  On almost every 20+ yd play by Ohio State, one or more of their offensive linemen can be seen blatantly holding Penn State players who were in perfect position to make a tackle.  There were also multiple and overt pass interference penalties that went uncalled.  Overall, it seemed like the referees forgot that they have those little yellow flags tucked into their pants, or at least forgot how to use them.  Now, would PSU defenders have missed those tackles anyway? Maybe.  Would OSU have scored on the next play anyway? Maybe.  However, if many of the biggest plays in that game were called back due to holds, it changes the entire complexion of the game.  With longer yardage situations due to penalties, Ohio State’s entire game plan would have been altered.  Play calls would've changed, linemen would've played more conservatively to avoid more penalties, and points would've been at more of a premium.  All of this could have led to a drastic difference in Penn State’s game plan as well and might have at least made things closer.  Again, let me reiterate, Penn State was going to lose that game (and most likely by a lot) regardless.  My point is simply that it could have been more enjoyable and fair if the refs had done their damn job.

I’m not going to bore any of you with a replay of this game.  I barely wanted to watch this steaming pile of crap live.  Instead, I want to highlight something that has bothered me about the future of Penn State football.  Showings like UCF, Indiana, and now this demonstrate why I’m so torn about the recruiting philosophy of Bill O’Brien’s staff.  Yes, there are tons of exciting skill players signing on to play for Penn State.  Wide receivers, defensive backs, running backs, and elite quarterbacks seem to be flocking to State College despite sanctions.  That gives me hope for some high-flying offenses in the future.  Yet, linemen and linebackers, already in short supply on the current team, appear to be low on O’Brien’s priority list.  That is inevitably going to lead to games like we saw in Columbus.  On one hand, Belton, Robinson, even Felder and Lynch had great nights.  On the other hand, the defensive line and linebackers couldn't stop a thing and the offensive line allowed Hackenberg to be rushed all night and even take a sack that led to an injury.  Games, especially in the Big Ten are won in the trenches and I’m just confused where the “big uglies” are at these days.

As for my prediction, let’s not even talk about it.  Basically everything I said was wrong except for Ohio State winning.  In my defense, I wasn't the only one as pretty much no one anticipated that kind of a historic beat down.  The only two bright spots for Penn State were Allen Robinson continuing to be ridiculous getting 12 catches for 173 yds and a TD (also, this play) and Bill Belton firmly entrenching his status as our top running back with 22 carries for 98 yds.  Oh, and in garbage time, Akeel Lynch showed why the running back position looks extremely bright for the foreseeable future.

Thankfully for Lions fans, the next 3 games are all more than winnable and after getting beat by the shorthanded Gophers, Nebraska looks beatable too.  So an 8-4 record isn't out of the question.  And keep in mind after the last tough loss to Indiana, we got to bask in the gloriousness of the Michigan game.  I said it once, and I’ll gladly say it again, all things equal out at some point.  Maybe this was just what we needed to appreciate the next incredible thing that comes our way.

Week 9 Prediction

Ever since Penn State ditched their traditional Northeast rivals and joined the Big Ten the Nittany Lion faithful have searched for a new rivalry to quench their hate-lust.  You see, in the NFL, rivalries aren't all that important.  In college football, however, they mean everything!  Most PSU fans hated the “rivalry” with Michigan State that was essentially forced on us by the conference (the world’s ugliest trophy didn't exactly help matters).  On the other hand, one conference team has stood out to most people as Penn State’s top rival, especially over the last 10 years or so: Ohio State.  Besides being our closest geographic conference opponent, they’re also the proverbial king of the mountain in the Big Ten.  And, as the old theory goes, when you’re new in prison, find the biggest, baddest guy in the yard and knock him out!  Hence, the only way for Penn State to ascend to their rightful Big Ten throne was to consistently beat the big boy on the block, Ohio State… unfortunately, it wasn't that easy.  Still, even during the admittedly impressive Jim Tressel years, Penn State has had by far the most success against the Buckeye behemoth out of any conference team with victories in ’01, ’05, ’08, and ’11 (the last 2 of which were at Ohio State).  Now don’t kid yourselves, Michigan will always be Ohio State’s biggest rival.  Trying to top “the game” is a futile endeavor.  Additionally, Penn Staters will always hate Pitt above all else, even if we don’t play them anymore.  But this Saturday, in primetime on ABC, the “other” rivalry returns and fans for both teams couldn't be happier!

That’s right, after a rare second bye week, it’s time to get back to playing football and what an incredible “welcome back” this will be.  Ohio State is currently ranked #4 in the nation.  They went undefeated last year and haven’t lost a game so far this year.  That gives them the country’s current longest wining streak at 19 games in a row.  Don’t be fooled, though!  This team has plenty of question marks, although they’re not nearly as glaring as Penn State’s.  With that being said let’s get to the break down.

The Good

Unlike Alabama, Oregon, and even Florida St (the teams ranked ahead of OSU), the Buckeyes have looked beatable numerous times, both last year and this year.  Their offense can score on anyone, but their defense is still very young.  Outside of star cornerback Bradley Roby, the secondary is probably Ohio State’s weakest unit.  Heck, even Roby hasn't been as good this season as he was last year.  Check out his stats verses Wisconsin star receiver Jared Abbrederis.  It will be interesting to see if Penn State’s own star receiver Allen Robinson can continue putting up crazy numbers against an elite defensive back in Roby.  In other news, last week Iowa’s tight ends gave Ohio State fits while Penn State rested.  Hmm, who has possibly the best TE group in the conference?  Yeah, that would be Penn State.  Expect to see the big fellas a lot in this game.  Don’t, however, expect this to be a surprise to Urban Meyer.  He said this week that defending the tight ends has been one of his defense’s top priorities going into the game.  Let’s hope he’s wrong.

The Bad

This game will be close, and that might be the hardest pill for fans to swallow as it will feel winnable.  Unfortunately, in years past, even when the Buckeyes looked soft against significantly weaker opponents, they always brought their A-game when it was time to play the Lions.  That led to some big let downs and blowout losses.  The difference this time around is that instead of a somewhat boring defensive struggle between old-schoolers Jim Tressel and Joe Paterno, we may be in for a high octane shootout between offensive gurus Urban Meyer and Bill O’Brien.  Meanwhile, although I hate him with a passion, Braxton Miller is a bonafide FREAK!  And he’s got weapons all around him including Carlos Hyde, one of the best running backs in the league.  On defense, Ohio State’s defensive line may be young, but it includes studs like Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence.  The Buckeye defense also includes All-American linebacker candidate Ryan Shazier.  This will be BY FAR the hardest test that the Lions will face this season, and chances are they probably won’t pass it.

The Story

Outside of Beaver Stadium, Ohio Stadium (affectionately known as “the Horseshoe”) may have the best game day atmosphere in the country, and just like Beaver Stadium, it only gets better at night.  As long as Penn State can keep it close, this will likely be just another in a long line of instant classics between these two powerhouses.  I’m interested in seeing how Hackenberg responds.  He has been uncharacteristically poised all season long, especially for a true freshman and has definitely earned every ounce of praise thrown his way.  Still, I doubt he’ll be able to handle primetime at the ‘Shoe against one of the best teams in the country.  I expect at least one costly turnover by night’s end, be it a strange fumble or a poorly thrown interception.  I’ll also be very interested to see how our offensive line handles former Penn State recruit Noah Spence.  A lifelong Nittany Lion fan, Spence decommitted after the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke.  It would feel great to see one of our running backs put up a 100 spot on Spence and company, although I doubt that will happen as the Buckeyes sport the 3^rd best rushing defense in the conference.

The Prediction

Hackenberg gets some shots hitting both Allen Robinson and Jesse James for TDs.  Even with the dreaded “OR” between Zach Zwinak and Bill Belton’s names on this week’s depth chart, I say Zwinak bounces back after being benched against Michigan and scores 2 TDs.  Felder has a big day going for 100 yds as Ohio State’s secondary focuses a little too much on Robinson.  Similarly, I think the Buckeye offensive line will be too focused on Da’Quan Jones and forget about the ends.  That’s why, despite being silent for most of the season, I predict Deion Barnes will have a big night and pick up a sack.  But in the end, Ohio State just has too many weapons at their disposal.  They wear down Penn State by the 4^th quarter and get the win in front of their home crowd.  Final score: OSU 38 – PSU 31 

*Note: The only other time I’ve predicted a loss so far this season (Michigan) we ended up winning… let’s hope I’m wrong again.

Recruiting News

Recruiting is the lifeblood of any major college football team.  If you want to have the best team, you need to have the best players.  All of that should go without saying.  Well, if you still don’t understand the importance of the Michigan game for recruiting, let me give you a quick rundown of the past week.  Keep in mind that an estimated 100 potential recruits were on hand to witness the epic 4 OT win from the sidelines:

- Back on Thursday, NJ tight end Mike Gesicki (4 stars), who is the #1 TE recruit in the country, committed to Penn State, passing up an offer from Ohio State in the process.

- Then, on Sunday night, MA running back Johnathan Thomas (3 stars) decommitted from Maryland and flipped to Penn State.  He called Penn State his “dream school.”

- Today, NJ linebacker Jason Cabinda (3 stars) decommitted from Syracuse and flipped to Penn State as well.  He originally wanted to commit to the Lions, but with both Troy Reeder and Jared Wangler already on board and the scholarship limitations in place, there simply wasn't room.  However, with the decommitment of Wangler, somewhat ironically to Michigan, and the recent increase in scholarships, O'Brien was finally able to land Cabinda.

I find it amusing that Maryland and Rutgers will be joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014.  Both Gesicki and Cabinda are from New Jersey, home of Rutgers, and although Thomas is from Massachusetts, he was originally committed to Maryland.  O'Brien continues to show off his recruiting acumen by landing top players at positions of need, and the good news both on and off the field is only making his job that much easier.  Penn State’s 2013 class is now ranked in the top 30 with every major recruiting service, and I wouldn't be surprised if they get bumped up after these 3 big pickups.

Johnathan Thomas: http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2013/10/latest_penn_state_commit_johna.html

Jason Cabinda: http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2013/10/linebacker_jason_cabinda_says.html

Mike Gesicki: http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2013/10/tight_end_mike_gesicki_opts_to.html

Five Stories: Part 5

This is it, the fifth and final player in my 5 part series, Five Stories.  Each story examines how different Penn State players handled the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the ensuing NCAA sanctions.  I think it’s pretty obvious who my final player is.  Today we’ll take a look at one of the finest young men to ever come to Penn State.  He kept his commitment, held together his recruiting class, and showed us all the meaning of loyalty.  Of course I’m talking about none other than freshman phenom Christian Hackenberg.

Hackenberg’s family is from Pennsylvania, but he attended high school at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.  In the midst of the Sandusky scandal and the death of Joe Paterno, Hackenberg made his way to State College for a junior day hosted by new head coach Bill O’Brien.  O’Brien was immediately impressed.  Fresh off coaching Tom Brady in the Superbowl, he knew that the best way to return Penn State football to glory was to find an elite quarterback and build the team around him.  Clearly, he saw something special in Hackenberg and offered him a scholarship that very day.  My initial reaction to the news was, “Hackenberg, what a perfect name for a quarterback.”  Shallow reasoning I know, but there turned out to be a lot more to this kid than just a fancy name.  The more I read about him, the more I liked him.  Here was a gifted athlete with a great head on his shoulders.  As the #1 quarterback recruit nationally, he had offers from essentially every school in the country and could’ve easily gone anywhere.  Yet, despite the ongoing scandal, he chose Penn State.  More importantly he chose his school for reasons like academics and a great coaching staff, not flashy uniforms or shiny trophies.  Hackenberg instantly bought into whatever it was Bill O’Brien was selling.  Penn Staters wanted him, O’Brien wanted him, and sure enough, we got him as he became the first ever Penn State recruit of the O’Brien era.

Soon, Hackenberg was joined by an impressive list of other talented high school players all willing to sign on and play for the Nittany Lions.  Hackenberg was the key, though, and a major part of the recruiting strategy, one that many big time programs utilize: land the star player and then get him to recruit for you; the rest will join in time.  The plan worked perfectly and things were looking great for the class of 2013.  Then, as with all of these stories, July 2012 happened.  The NCAA handed down their sanctions and the first thought that went through most people’s minds wasn’t if the class would fall apart, but when?  Sure enough, some players like Tommy Shutt and Noah Spence (who both went to Ohio State) did leave.  However, shockingly the 2 biggest stars, Christian Hackenberg and #1 ranked tight end Adam Breneman, stayed committed.  A group of recruits traveled to Penn State within days of the announced sanctions.  They sat with their parents in the football meeting room and fired questions at O’Brien.  The new head coach did his best to answer all the questions he could as honestly as he could.  Whatever was said in that room may never be known, but it was clearly enough for the recruits.  All but one of the recruits who visited that day stayed committed.  It was in that moment, and with that decision, that Christian Hackenberg proved he was a true Penn Stater at heart.  He was loyal, mature, thoughtful, and most importantly, his word was his bond.  He had committed to O’brien and Penn State, and no bowl ban was going to break that commitment.  There were no surprises on signing day.  O’Brien pulled in a fairly decent class, in spite of everything.  He had proven his recruiting chops and Hackenberg was the prize for his efforts.

The 2012 season played itself out, when suddenly, with Matt Mcgloin’s graduation, everyone realized that there was only one scholarship quarterback left on the roster: Steven Bench, a Georgia native who had been part of the patchwork 2012 recruiting class O’Brien inherited from Joe Paterno.  When O’Brien’s top junior college target chose Kansas State, he turned his focus to California and snagged QB Tyler Ferguson.  Still, with practically zero experience between his quarterbacks, O’Brien knew he couldn’t afford to redshirt Hackenberg.  Instead, the freshman would have to compete from day one in a 3-man race for the starting job.

Neither Bench nor Ferguson impressed in the Blue/White game.  Anticipation grew for Hackenberg’s arrival.  Bench, upon hearing that he was essentially demoted to second string, transferred to South Florida.  Anticipation grew even more.  When Hackenberg did finally arrive in June, O’Brien pledged to make a decision on his quarterback by the mid-way point of camp.  For whatever reason, this didn’t happen.  It wasn’t until a mere day before the first game against Syracuse that O’Brien finally chose.  The 18 year old true freshman had won the job. 

Admittedly, Hackenberg hasn’t been perfect this season.  He is a freshman after all, and even if they didn’t want to believe it, every fan knew there would be at least some growing pains.  However, in the grand scheme of things Hackenberg has been brilliant.  He’s on pace to match or even surpass Matt McGloin’s league-leading stats from a year ago.  He’s showed off his cannon for an arm and an incredible football IQ.  In interviews he’s been more humble and well spoken than most professionals.  Like his mentor Bill O’Brien, he’s been the perfect embodiment of Penn State’s ideals and a phenomenal face for the current program.  Now if he could just cut back on some of those interceptions…

Alright folks, that’s going to do it for this series.  I really hope you’ve enjoyed it and that it helped pass the time during the bye week.  I’ll pick it back up on Friday with the normal prediction post for Penn State’s big prime time game against #4 Ohio State.  Here’s hoping we can ruin their undefeated season!  Go State! 

Five Stories: Part 4

We’re on the home stretch as we come to part 4 of my 5 part series, Five Stories.  Today’s story is all about the Moxie Man from Scranton, Matt McGloin.  What a ride this guy has had, huh?  I’ll let this video do the talking first, especially considering it’s him talking.  Then, I’ll give you all a little background. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJksYoEtrKc

Ah, the “myth of impossibility.”  What a great phrase to define the career of this incredible quarterback.  He’s correct in that video, too.  Everyone in the Penn State community, myself included, spent the better part of the last 3 years trying to tell Matt McGloin that he just wasn’t good enough.  Then again, if we all hadn’t done that, he probably never would’ve lived up to his potential.  So maybe it was a good thing that we doubted him.

Matt McGloin came out of Scranton, PA with little fanfare (the 49^th best QB in the nation) and only a handful of offers from smaller schools.  Instead, he chose to reject them all and walk on at Penn State.  As he mentioned, every year, Joe Paterno would recruit yet another 4-5 star blue chip quarterback who was supposed to take McGloin’s job.  After Anthony Morelli graduated in 2007, Daryll Clark took over and had a tremendous 2 year run as the starting QB.  McGloin spent these years on the practice squad.  Clark’s backup was the highly touted Kevin Newsome, who would eventually transfer to Temple before ever playing a down at Penn State.  When Newsome didn’t work out, in the Spring of 2010, there was suddenly a 3-man log jam at the quarterback position.  There was McGloin of course, but this time there were two highly recruited freshmen standing in his way.  Paul Jones, who enrolled early, impressed during the Blue/White game.  Summer enrollee Rob Bolden, though, was the talk of camp.  Eventually, Bolden was named the starter and became the first true freshman to start at quarterback under Paterno.

Now, one interesting note is that Clark, Newsome, Jones, and Bolden were all considered “dual-threat” quarterbacks, meaning they could tuck the ball and run to make plays with their feet in addition to their arms.  McGloin, on the other hand, was a “drop back passer” or “pro style” quarterback.  He was actually the kind of quarterback that Paterno preferred.  Yet, for whatever reason, Paterno would bring in dual-threat guys every year, passing up the chance to help his only pocket passer improve.  Again, this might have been good, because it most likely motivated Matt to keep pushing, knowing he brought something to the table that the other guys didn’t.  Ironically, McGloin would go on to score 7 rushing TDs during his time at Penn State… so much for being just a passer.

Although he was passed up for Rob Bolden in 2010, McGloin eventually found his way onto the field during the 7^th game of the season against Minnesota.  When Bolden went down with an injury, Paterno opted to pass on Paul Jones and go with McGloin who immediately came out swinging, scoring 2 passing TDs to beat the gophers and get Penn State their first Big Ten win of the season.  His confident style of play (bordering on cocky) earned him his most famous descriptor; the kid had “Moxie” and everyone knew it.  McGloin would start every game for the rest of the season, including the Outback Bowl verses Florida, in which McGloin threw 5 interceptions.

Due in large part to his horrendous performance in the Outback Bowl, Bolden again  received the starting nod heading into the 2011 season, but McGloin was not deterred.  He bided his time on the bench as Joe Paterno and his son Jay, the quarterbacks coach, hatched a plan to alternate between the two signal callers until one of them separated himself from the other.  It was an experiment that fans were not happy with.  Despite the dizzying cycle of quarterbacks, it seemed to be working as Penn State won 8 of their first 9 games, only falling to eventual national champions Alabama.  Unfortunately, during the bye week after an exciting win over Illinois, Jerry Sandusky was arrested and all hell broke loose on campus.  Joe Paterno was unceremoniously fired and defensive coordinator Tom Bradley took over for the final 4 games (including a bowl game).  Penn State would lose 3 of those 4 games.  McGloin and Bolden would continue splitting reps the rest of the season.

When Bill O’Brien came to town, he had an entirely different philosophy on how to coach the quarterback position.  Step 1: name a permanent starter and give him time to develop without someone looking over his shoulder.  Step 2: pass more often.  And finally, Step 3: get the tight ends involved more in the passing game.  O’Brien saw a little bit of himself in McGloin, a fellow fiery Irishman, and he knew almost instantly that this was his guy.  He knew McGloin, a 5^th year Senior by this point, had loads of experience.  He also saw way more talent in Matt than most of the media had ever given him credit for.  O’Brien knew that McGloin just needed the right coach to unleash his full potential.

During Spring practice for the 2012 season, O’Brien thought he had a lot of great pieces to work with.  Then, the sanctions came down.  With them, the transfer rule went into effect.  O’Brien watched as his #1 running back, his #1 and #2 wide receivers, and his punter/kicker all leave the team.  Bolden followed suit shortly after McGloin was named the starter, seeing that his services were no longer required.  Jones would leave as well not too long after that.  Yet, O’Brien must’ve seen something in McGloin that no one else saw.  Besides being a more than serviceable passer, McGloin had the leadership skills that every great quarterback needs to be great.  The scandal and the ensuing sanctions served as an excellent opportunity for Matt to lead his team through unspeakable troubles and pull off the unimaginable.  Yet again, he would try to prove wrong the “myth of impossibility.”

The tale of the 2012 season has been told and retold many times.  An 0-2 start, followed by an incredible turnaround, all amounting to the feel good story of the college football world.  By the end of the season, the former walk on whom everyone had said didn’t have the talent to be a full-time starter at a major college program, had played an entire season as the starting quarterback at Penn State.  Even more astonishing, he lead the Big Ten in passing and went on to win the Bulsworth Trophy, awarded each season to the best former walk on player in college football.  O’Brien had turned him into such a great quarterback that Matt started thinking about the NFL.  As the world scoffed at the idea, McGloin pressed on.

He went undrafted in the 2013 NFL draft, but amazingly, after producing the above video, he was picked up in free agency by the Oakland Raiders.  He showed up at Raiders camp ready to work.  Each day he would try a little bit harder than the other guys.  His time in O’Brien’s pro-style system didn’t hurt either.  As he got more reps and showed what he could do, McGloin started creeping up the depth chart.  First, he beat out the quarterback that Oakland had actually drafted, Tyler Wilson.  During preseason games, McGloin, now 3^rd string, looked arguably better than 2^nd string quarterback (and former Ohio State Buckeye) Terrelle Pryor.  Just a few weeks ago, projected starter Matt Flynn was traded to the Buffalo Bills.  McGloin now sits #2 on an NFL roster and could start this season, something unthinkable just one season ago.

What an incredible journey for the scrappy kid from Scranton with moxie to spare!  His determination is a rare quality in players these days.  I think I’ll end by just leaving this here.  Guess we weren’t the only ones shocked by McGloin’s rise to fame…
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/09/matt_mcgloin_paul_mcgloin_bill.html

Five Stories: Part 3

We’re already on part 3 of my 5 part series, Five Stories.  Today’s story is quite different than the others.  I guess you could say, this is the only “negative” story of the bunch, as this was the only player of the five who chose to abandon Penn State in its darkest hour.  Now, in case you haven’t sensed the theme of all five stories, it’s that all five players were immeasurably affected by the NCAA sanctions.  However, it’s how they handled that situation that distinguishes each of the players.  I didn't think it would be appropriate to only tell inspirational stories, so for the sake of parody, I give you: Silas Redd.

During the 2007 football season, I noticed backup running back Evan Royster, who took snaps behind starter Rodney Kinlaw.  The young running back was impressive in limited play.  It wasn't just the stats, though, there was something about how he ran the ball that impressed me.  I immediately predicted that Royster would become the next great Penn State running back.  By his senior season, even I was shocked as Royster went on to become Penn State’s all-time career rushing leader.  Coincidentally, it was during that same season that I noticed Royster’s backup, Silas Redd, and I made another bold prediction; Silas Redd was going to be even better than Evan Royster.

Redd got the starting nod during his sophomore season in 2011 and quickly became one of the best running backs in the nation.  Unfortunately, 2011 was also the year that the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke.  Redd seemed to play the part of a loyal Lion for the rest of the season.  He ran the ball hard and did his best to lift his team to victory – even though Penn State would lose 3 of its final 4 games that season.  The Connecticut native went home over winter break and trained extra hard, even releasing some fun videos of his progress.  In Spring drills, new coach Bill O’Brien praised Redd’s skills and labeled him the clear favorite to start.  After his 2011 season, I was so excited by what I thought Redd could do, I went out and bought a #25 jersey.  I was so excited to wear it for the first game.

If you want to know what happened in late July, 2012 as the NCAA unleashed their sanctions on the Penn State football program, just read my post about Michael Mauti from Friday.  Needless to say, each player had a choice to make.  As the Clash once asked, “should I stay, or should I go?”  Now, if you watched the video of Mauti and Zordich’s speech to the media, you’d know that most of the key pieces to the 2012 team stayed.  But a few did take the opportunity to seek out greener pastures with other teams.  LB Khari Fort left for California, WR Justin Brown went to Oklahoma, and K/P Anthony Fera transferred to Texas.  But the most notorious was Silas Redd, who almost immediately after the sanctions were announced took a trip to preseason #1 ranked USC.  Ironically, USC was under their own sanctions and their own scholarship limits, but the NCAA declared that teams under scholarship restrictions could have those penalties temporarily lifted to accommodate adding Penn State players.

Eventually, as was expected, Silas Redd transferred to USC.  He made media appearances to explain his decision, citing “academic” and “personal” reasons, but everyone knew what this was really about.  USC was ranked #1 going into the season, and they didn't just have bowl game hopes, they had National Championship hopes.  If Redd stayed at Penn State, there would be no bowl game, and possibly no national recognition as he tried to make a run at the NFL.  Most members of the media agreed, you couldn't blame Redd for his “business decision” (although in all fairness, it was a complete slap in the face to change your Twitter handle to @coast2coastSi just to rub it in.  I mean really?!).  He was doing what was best for him, and he was doing it under the rules that were established by the NCAA.  He made his choice.

Well, I’ll make this short.  Redd’s stats in 2011 as the feature running back at Penn State were 244 carries for 1,241 yds.  In 2012, as one of many backs at USC, he only had 167 carries for 905 yds.  Meanwhile, due to injuries and inconsistent play, Penn State didn't find their new starting tailback until the 4^th game of 2012.  Even with 3 less games, Zach Zwinak managed 203 carries for 1,000 yds.  In addition, while Penn State was racking up an impressive 8-4 record including a win over eventual Big Ten champs Wisconsin, USC completed one of the most epic falls from grace ever witnessed in college football.  They fell from #1 to unranked and lost 5 of their last 6 including a bowl game against a Georgia Tech team that needed a special waver from the NCAA to even attend said bowl game.  Their final record was 7-6.

Most people predicted that Silas would go to the NFL after his Junior year.  However, after his stats dropped off so significantly, he decided to stay for his Senior year at USC.  So far in 2013, Redd has only managed 38 carries for 192 yds and 1TD.  His NFL stock has basically never been lower.  Zach Zwinak, on the other hand, has already had 92 carries for 393 yds and 8 TDs as part of a 3-headed monster rushing attack.

Now, the whole point of this piece wasn't to gloat.  But in the end, I think it’s fair to ask 2 questions: How did Silas Redd’s business decision work out for him?  How would things have been different if he had shown a little bit of loyalty? 

Five Stories: Part 2

This is part 2 of my 5 part series, Five Stories.  Each post will examine the career of a different Penn State football player.  There are many lessons to be drawn from each story, but I’ll let you take from them what you will.  Today’s story is one I know every Penn Stater holds near and dear to their heart: Michael Mauti.

How exactly does one even go about telling the epic tale of Michael Mauti?  I guess it’s best if I just start from the beginning.  A highly touted linebacker recruit out of Lousiana, Mauti gained almost instant notoriety on campus due to his family name.  Like numerous others, especially in the latter days of the late Joe Paterno, Mauti’s family had a history of producing great football players for the legendary coach.  His father Rich Mauti (1975-76) had a nice NFL career after excelling at Penn State, and his brother Patrick Mauti (2005-09) even played with Mike for a season.  Mauti was rated as a 4-star recruit, ranked #58 in the ESPNU 150, and the 3^rd best linebacker in the country.  He was a huge get for Paterno, who was always looking for the next great linebacker to make his way to Penn State.  Still, despite his hype as a recruit, Mauti soon realized that it would take more than just a high star rating to crack the starting rotation at Linebacker U.  In addition to playing behind guys like Sean Lee, Navarro Bowman, Nate Stupar, and Josh Hull, Mauti also found himself competing with injuries.  During his time at Penn State, Mauti would go on to suffer 3 ACL tears.  Yet, each summer, he would show up on the depth chart, and each season, we the fans would hear rumors about the incredibly talented linebacker who would surprise everyone if he could just stay healthy.  He started out the 2011 season on several All-American and All-Big ten watch lists, as well as the watch list for multiple national awards.  After an impressive start, however, it was all cut short in the fourth game by yet another knee injury, this time to the opposite leg as his first ACL tear.  2011 also happened to mark the season that the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke.  Within months of Sandusky’s arrest, the entire football program at Penn State was thrown into utter turmoil.  Joe Paterno was fired, along with athletic director Tim Curly.  The team, under interim head coach Tom Bradley, was crushed in 3 of their final 4 games, including a 30-14 loss to Houston in the Ticket City Bowl.  Houston QB Case Keenum went an astounding 45/69 for 532 yds and 3 TDs against a normally stout Penn State defense.  A new head coach, Bill O’Brien was hired and immediately did away with all but two members of the former coaching staff.  Only weeks after the bowl game, Joe Paterno would pass away due to complications from cancer.  The campus went into mourning.  Everything was changing and almost none of it seemed to be for the better.  Penn Staters needed something, anything at all, to cling to as the world seemingly began to crumble around them.  These were some of the darkest times in Penn State history.

Unbeknownst to anyone, though, it was precisely during this time that something changed in Michael Mauti.  It wasn't drastic, or all that noticeable to onlookers, but it was there.  Latent leadership skills that had been hidden up to this point, started to surface.  You could see it in his reaction to the scandal.  You could see it in his poise during Joe’s funeral and memorial, where Mauti was asked to speak on behalf of the current players.  You could see it in his eyes when he met Bill O’Brien.  Something was growing inside him.  Yet, even with all the signs, no one could have ever guessed what would happen next, nor just how important this one player, this still very young man, would become to his team, his school, and an entire community.  No one knew, but a legend was about to be born.

Mike Mauti addresses the crowd at Joe Paterno’s memorial ceremony.

July 23, 2012.  Mark Emmert, president of the NCAA, goes on national television only weeks after the release of the Freeh Report and issues a series of sanctions against the Penn State football program.  Penn Staters grew to memorize them by heart.  A $60 million fine, the loss of 10 recruiting scholarships for 4 years, the loss of 20 total scholarships also for 4 years, the right of any player to transfer to another school without penalty, and a 4 year bowl ban.  Many analysts around the country called them the worst sanctions levied against a football program since the Death Penalty issued to SMU in the mid 80s; some even said this was worse than that.  Even the best predictions called for an immediate drop off in program success, followed by a minimum 10 year lull.  The NCAA’s goal was clear, even if the reasons weren't.  They wanted to dismantle the football program at Penn State and send a message to the rest of the college football world.  Within 24 hrs, free agency was declared in State College and coaches from around the country descended upon the small, quiet town in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania.  Players were harassed outside their classes and dorms as each coach hoped to land a few of Penn State’s best players to make their own teams better.  Some players did leave, but shockingly, most who did were backups or rarely used situational players.  The overwhelming majority of the starting talent on Penn State’s roster stayed.  A few days later, Bill O’Brien and a small contingent of players, including Mauti, went to Chicago for Big Ten Media Days.  Mauti didn't shy away from the questions, and gladly let the entire world know just how he felt about the NCAA, the sanctions, and the coaches who had tried to pick apart his team.  It was almost amusing to watch.

Mauti and Zordich give a passionate speech to the media only a few days after the sanctions are announced.

Mauti at Big Ten Media Days expressing his feelings about the NCAA, the sanctions, and the coaches who came to campus to poach players.

Exactly what happened behind closed doors, and how O’Brien, along with players like Mauti, held the team together may never be known.  Then again, that mystery probably just adds to the legend.  Author John U. Bacon, in his book Fourth and Long, had unprecedented access to the football program in the aftermath of the NCAA sanctions.  If you really want to know the ins and outs of what happened, or at least as close as anyone may ever come, I would highly suggest reading that book.  In the meantime, the guys over at OnwardState did a good job of summing it up.  Let’s just say, if it weren't for Michael Mauti and Michael Zordich, there might not even be a Penn State football program today.  The leadership that Mauti showed throughout those incredibly difficult summer months leading up to the 2012 season may never again be seen in a college football player.  It was almost inhuman how much pressure he was able to take on his own shoulders, while simultaneously uniting a fan base decimated by everything that had happened.  Mauti became the unofficial symbol of the program, and of Penn State’s strength and determination to get through even the hardest times together.  His spirit embodied the famous “We are!” chant.

The story of the 2012 season could take up an entire blog by itself (not just post, but a blog).  After losing their first 2 games to teams they had no business losing to, many in the media wondered if Penn State could manage even 1 win that season.  Then, something clicked.  Maybe O’Brien got over his nerves, maybe the players remembered how to just have fun and play, maybe the losses took some of the pressure to win off the team.  Frankly, who cares?  Next thing anyone knew Penn State rattled off 5 wins in a row and won 8 of their final 10.  Against Illinois, the most documented poachers in the conference, Mauti let out all his aggression, leading the team in tackles and recording 2 interceptions.  The previously disgraced Nittany Lions were now the quintessential feel good story of the college football world.  Everyone was riding high and Mauti was watching his draft stock soar as he put together an All-American caliber season… until it happened.

Indiana University came to town in Penn State’s second to last game of the season.  On a routine run, an IU player was tackled and rolled up on Mauti’s leg.  He tore his ACL again.  The stadium fell silent and the television announcer’s loss for words was evident to those watching from home.  It was as if someone had reached into the collective chest of Nittany Nation and ripped out their heart.  Zordich reached out and clasped the hand of his best friend as he was carted off the field.  Mauti, with his helmet still on, just dropped his head in disappointment.  Penn State went on to crush Indiana 45-22, but the damage was done, and next week brought the eventual Big Ten champions, Wisonsin, to Beaver Stadium.

In a tribute to their fallen leader, every Penn State player wore #42 on their helmet against Wisconsin.  Mauti’s linebacking teammate and roommate, Gerald Hodges, wore #42 on his jersey.  Before the game, Penn State honored the 2012 team by placing the number “2012” on the ring of honor under the suite boxes, an honor previously reserved for undefeated or championship teams.  It was Senior Day, and this would have been Mauti’s last game in a Penn State uniform.  Instead, he stood by on the sidelines, cheering his brothers on.  It didn't start out well, but inspired by the crowd and the moment, the team managed to take the game into overtime.  After scoring a field goal, the defense held Wisconsin to a field goal try of their own.  Nervous does not begin to describe how every player, coach, and fan felt at that very moment.  The kick was no good.  Cheers erupted from throughout the stadium and pandemonium ensued down on the field.  Hugs were in order for everyone, but especially for Michael Mauti.  His father, his teammates, his coach, they all took their turn, attempting to show the Lion’s undisputed leader how they felt.  Of course, a hug can’t do that kind of emotion justice, but on that night, it would have to do.

Mauti’s Journey.

Although his injury caused him to fall all the way to the 6^th round of the NFL draft, Mauti was eventually taken by the Minnesota Vikings.  In an incredibly perfect turn of events, the Vikings also drafted Gerald Hodges, and both linebackers eventually made the roster together.  But even the passionate Vikings fan base will never be able to appreciate the love that Nittany Lions everywhere have for Michael Mauti.  There will simply never be another player like him again… ever.

Five Stories: Part 1

Since it’s the bye week, and there’s no game for me to predict or comment on, I figured I’d take this opportunity to delve into the backgrounds of some of the Penn State football players we've all come to know and love.  This is part 1 in a 5 part series I’m titling Five Stories, chronicling the careers of five different players from the past few years of Penn State football.  I think each story is unique and can offer different lessons, however, what those lessons are, I’ll leave up to you.  So, let’s get to story number #1: Sam Ficken

This is one of the more inspiring stories of the bunch, a true tale of perseverance and redemption.  Sam Ficken went from little known backup kicker to one of the shining stars of the still young O’Brien Era.  When the sanctions against the Penn State football program were announced back in the summer of 2012, it was decided that in order to “help” the players escape the burden of playing under harsh sanctions, all players would be granted the right to leave the program without penalty.  One of the biggest losses of this decision was do-it-all kicker and punter, Anthony Fera.  Now, I was probably the least mad at Fera for leaving (of the surprisingly few who left) because he transferred to the University of Texas, near his hometown, to take care of his ailing mother.  However, it left the inexperienced Ficken in a tough spot.  It was abundantly clear by game 2 that Ficken wasn't quite ready to kick in the big leagues.  At Virginia, Ficken delivered arguably the worst kicking performance in Penn State history, missing 4 field goals and an extra point in 1 game; a game decided by 1 point no less!  He received hate mail and threatening messages on social media for weeks.  His poor performance forced Bill O’Brien to consistently take risks on 4^th down, something very unfamiliar to Penn Staters during the Paterno years.  It must have been hell for the Indiana native who shouldn't have been in that situation to begin with.  Things looked bad for Ficken, until he got a surprising phone call from Chicago Bears kicking phenomenon, and former Nittany Lion, Robbie Gould.  Gould analyzed Ficken’s technique and noticed some flaws.  It’s technical, but basically, Ficken was going too fast and getting sloppy.  With his new friend’s advice in toe (see what I did there?), Ficken went on to hit all 10 of his final field goals of the season, shockingly becoming Mr. Automatic.  His biggest kick of the season, though, came in the final game, at home, on Senior Day, against Wisconsin, the eventual Big Ten champs.  Everyone on the team played great that night, but, in as perfect an ending as there could ever be, everything came down to a kick in overtime.  There would be no bowl game for this team, only this moment, to send this amazing senior class out with a win on their day, in front of a packed Beaver Stadium.  And, whereas Wisconsin’s kicker would go on to miss his field goal, Ficken, the former team liability, squeaked his kick through the uprights.  It wasn't the prettiest, but it was good, and that’s all that mattered.  The jubilation that ensued that night was indescribable and memories of that win would help to carry a fan base that had been put through hell into yet another legendary State College winter.  O’Brien was so overcome with emotion that he tripped on a word during his post game interview, accidentally swearing on national television.  But even that was ok given everything that had just happened.  And somewhere in that crowd of celebrating players, coaches, and fans, stood little Sam Ficken, the kicker who was thrust into the spotlight too soon, failed in epic fashion, and was now redeemed.  He would go on to set the Penn State school record for most consecutive field goals made the very next season.  But it was that 1 kick, on a freezing cold night in late November, that will forever cement his legacy in Happy Valley.

*BREAKING NEWS* The #1 tight end recruit in the country, Mike Gesicki out of Southern Regional H. S. in Menahawkin, N.J. has committed to Penn State.  That’s the second year in a row that O’Brien has landed the #1 tight end.  Welcome aboard Mike, and go State!!! 

College Football Doomsday

College football doomsday might just be upon us.  For those of you who follow the sport as closely as I do, you know that this is the last year of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).  The BCS was created in the late 90s to do away with the old bowl system and provide fans with a true National Championship each year.  In the old bowl system, each bowl game was run like a business.  They had tie-ins with various conferences and only the teams from those conferences could play in that particular bowl game.  So if two teams like USC (PAC 10) and Alabama (SEC) were the top ranked teams and fans wanted to see them play each other, too bad, USC was going to the Rose Bowl and Alabama was going to the Sugar Bowl.  Penn State, on the other hand, along with teams like Miami and Notre Dame, were independent and had no conference affiliation, and therefore, no bowl tie ins (Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993).  This is why Joe Paterno was able to play in every major bowl game of his time and also why Penn State has such a huge national following.  So, when Miami and Penn State were ranked Nos 1 & 2 respectively in 1986, bowl games salivated at the prospect of getting them to play in a rare 1 vs 2 matchup.  They even moved the date of the game from January 1 to January 2 so that no other sporting events would be on TV to compete.  The game had a Superbowl-like atmosphere and thankfully for us Nittany Lion fans, Penn State won.  To this day, it is the highest rated and most watched college football game in television history.  The BCS system was designed to replicate that same atmosphere and excitement every single year by guaranteeing that the top 2 teams played each other every season.  Given those parameters, the BCS system did a fine job; but most people believe, it was just a quick fix.

In the last 10 years or so, there have been plenty of controversies surrounding the BCS system.  Most of the time, these controversies center around the #3 team thinking that it should have gotten a shot at the title.  College football (or at least Division I-A football, also known as the FBS) is the only major sport in America that doesn’t have a playoff structure in place to determine its champion.  That’s why it was so exciting when last year, it was decided that college football will be moving to a 4 team playoff model starting in the 2014 season.  So say goodbye to the BCS with its whacky formulas and polls, and say hello to… a selection committee?  Yes that’s right, the 4 teams who get to compete in the playoff will be determined much like they are for the NCAA Basketball Tournament, through a committee of supposedly bright sports minds who can take a little more information into account than a computer formula can (what they like to call “the eye test”).  Now, I could write an entire post about who will be on this selection committee - which was announced today - but instead I’ll just leave this here and you can form your own opinions:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9834426/college-football-playoff-selection-committee-officially-announced

I bring this up today instead because I think it would be better if the 4 team playoff started this year.  You see, the selection committee is going to weigh numerous criteria when selecting the 4 teams who will compete, and one of those criteria is winning your conference championship; more specifically, winning the championship of one of the 5 “major” conferences: Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Big 12, and PAC 12.  Well this year, something special is happening.  A team from 4 of those conferences is currently undefeated and ranked in the top 4 of the AP poll.  Those 4 teams would be Alabama (SEC), Oregon (PAC 12), Clemson (ACC), and Ohio State (Big Ten).  If things were to remain the same, and those 4 teams were ranked in that order come the end of the season, this would have been the single most ideal start to the 4-team playoff imaginable.  However, since the playoff doesn’t start until next season, instead we could see the biggest controversy of the BCS era EVER on our hands.  After all, which of those 4 teams do you leave out?

History tells us that at least 2 of those teams will slip up and lose a game by the end of the season.  But history also said that Penn State has never lost to Indiana and we saw where that got us 2 weeks ago… just saying.  But seriously, it’s completely possible that the fickle beast that is college football may have saved its biggest controversy for the final year of the BCS.  College football doomsday could be upon us, and if you’re one of the “men” that Alfred spoke of in the Dark Knight movies, maybe you’ll be just sick enough to enjoy “watching the world burn” one last time.

Week 7 Awards

It feels like everyone is still talking about the game.  That’s because it was completely insane!  Here’s how loud it got during the White Out in Beaver Stadium:
http://blog.pennlive.com/joehermitt/2013/10/just_how_loud_is_beaver_stadiu.html

And apparently recruits loved the White Out atmosphere too:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1811110-penn-states-win-over-michigan-a-cinderella-story-for-recruiting

So obviously, the bandwagon hoppers in the the previously skeptical press were quick to hand out the compliments.  Allen Robinson’s catch at the 1 yd line in the final drive is still being replayed on SportsCenter, after being named their top play over the weekend.  Bill Belton even got a helmet sticker on ESPN’s Big Ten blog.  The Big Ten Conference named C. J. Olaniyan their Defensive Player of the Week, and Christian Hackenberg their Freshman of the Week (for the 3^rd time!).  Hackenberg was also named  Athlon Sports National Freshman of the Week.  So there’s plenty of awards going around.  But we all know which awards everyone really cares about!

Hmmm, so many to chose from, but I have to give this week’s Beast Mode Award to WR Brandon Mosby?-Felder.  He came back for a mild injury with a vengeance, grabbing 6 catches for 97 yds and 2TDs.  He was also a big part of the final drive to send the game into overtime.  Other candidates were Allen Robinson, because of his heroics on the final drive, and Bill Belton for a brilliant run on 4^th and 1 in overtime followed by the game winning TD.

For the first time ever, my Transformer Award goes to a defensive lineman!  C. J. Olaniyan turned into a tackling machine (see what I did there) against Michigan recording 8 total tackles and 2.5 sacks.  Looks like someone’s giving Deion Barnes a run for his money at the DE position.

Although I was harsh on the secondary in my grades yesterday, this week’s Matrix Award goes to CB Jordan Lucas who had a very respectable 4 tackles.  But it’s his interception, only 2 plays after Hackenberg had also thrown an interception, that seals this award up for him.

There’s always someone who kills it, but doesn’t get the same press as the Christian Hackenbergs of the world.  That’s why I give out the In Disguise Award to guys like TE Jesse James who quietly (despite his hulking 6’ 7” frame) grabbed 6 catches for 67 yds and a TD.  Opponents better watch out for the outlaw!

And finally, this week’s Megatron Award, goes to Michigan’s Devin… Funchess (bet you thought I was going to say Gardner).  Here’s the thing, although Gardner put up big stats against our run defense, his 2 interceptions both lead to Penn State touchdowns, so he wasn’t Penn State’s biggest problem.  That honor goes to Funchess who may have only grabbed 4 passes, but he made them count for 112yds and 2TDs, negating the points Gardner so graciously gave up.  Remember what I said yesterday about things equaling out?

Ok, another successful set of awards.  Check back throughout the bye week as I have some ideas for posts to help you pass the time.  And as always, follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for all the latest Penn State football news and notes.

Week 7 Grades

It’s funny how the world works.  There always seems to be equality in things – the proverbial ying and yang.  Even us Transformers have Autobots and Decepticons.  Both sides are important because without one, the other could not exist.  In 2005, Penn State followed one of its greatest victories ever, with one of its most heart wrenching losses.  8 years later (or the equivalent of two entire classes of Penn Staters), it happened again, only in reverse order.  The Indiana game was tough to swallow.  The only team in the Big Ten still winless against Penn State finally broke the streak.  Most Nittany Lion fans were out of it all week, and the much anticipated Michigan game seemed to lose some of its luster… well what a difference a week makes!  Penn State played inspired football, especially at the end, leaving everything they had on the field as they came from behind to win an epic contest in 4 overtimes and beat the previously undefeated Michigan Wolverines!  In a strange way, this win wouldn’t have felt as good without the depression that followed Indiana.  So it’s fitting that as bad as last week’s grades were, this week’s are equally as awesome.  Let’s roll em out! 

Offense

QB: (A-) To be honest, Hackenberg probably deserves a B or even a C here.  He only completed about 50% of his passes while throwing two picks.  But, that final 80 yd drive to tie the game was nothing short of legendary.  With the poise of a seasoned veteran, he made all the right plays when he needed to the most, setting up arguably the greatest ending to a Penn State game ever… and this is only the beginning.

OL: (B) Some people have complained that the pocket was too small, holes for running backs weren't big enough, and Hackenberg was sacked/hurried too many times.  Those people may be right.  However, I saw an offensive line that has routinely given Christian Hackenberg all day to throw and paved the way for 3 different backs to have success.  I’ll have to see a lot more mistakes before I fault these guys too much.

RB: (A) True, Zwinak’s fumble almost lost the game for Penn State.  On the other hand, Belton’s 4^th and 1 rumble straight up saved it, and his 2 yd scamper outright won it.  Screw the stats, this one’s all about giving props where they’re due.

WR: (A+) This season has been the Allen Robinson show, and Saturday was no exception.  He hauled in two of his best catches as part of a last minute drive that will go down in the annals of Penn State history.  But the question was always, who will step up as the #2 target?  Enter Brandon “sometimes I use Mosby” Felder.  His 6 catches for 97 yds and 2 TDs were a statement after sitting out last week with an injury.  He even joined Robinson on the final drive with a catch of his own.  Watch out Big Ten, this kid’s for real! 

TE: (A-) Some commentators were complaining after the Indiana loss, “where are the tight ends?”  I think they answered that question on Saturday.  Although Breneman didn't catch a single pass, Carter and James combined for 8 catches and 91 yds.  So, what was it you guys were saying again?

Defense

DL: (A) Da’Quan Jones was his usual self, Anthony Zettel got an interception, and C.J. Olaniyan lead the Big Ten with 2.5 sacks, earning Defensive Player of the Week honors in the process.  Oh, and stud Michigan RB Fitz Toussaint got a whopping 27 yds on 27 carries (seriously).  Any more questions?

LB: (B-) They did well in run support, but they still haven’t figured out a way to help out the secondary in the pass game.  Not to mention it was clear that none of our guys was good enough to keep Devin Gardner in check when he decided to run.  Hopefully this bye week gives them time to regroup and heal up.

DB: (C) Whew, if Devin Gardner could throw the ball we might’ve been in trouble.  The one saving grace was Jordan Lucas’ interception.  However, Jeremy Gallon and Devin Funchess combined for 11 catches for 207 yds and 3 TDs.  Ouch.  Amos, the veteran do-it-all defensive back, and one of the best athletes on the team, didn't help matters with his 3 penalties.  Still, I appreciate the aggressiveness?

Special Teams
K: (C) Ficken went 3/5, which is respectable enough I guess.  But if he had made just one of those two missed kicks, Penn State would’ve won a lot sooner and I might not have lost ten years of my life due to stress.  Then again, the ending wouldn’t have been nearly as epic, so whatever.

P: (B) For once Alex Butterworth wasn't half bad, averaging 44.8 yds/punt with 2 touchbacks.  Jesse Della Valle had 3 decent returns, too.  The punting still isn't great, but it’ll do.

Overall: (A) We just beat freaking Michigan on Homecoming in the best Penn State football game in nearly a decade.  What grade did you seriously think I was going to give them?!  It wasn't pretty at times, but it was entertaining as hell.  Congrats all around!

I don’t think the bye week could’ve come at a better time.  Now we all get to bask in the awesomeness that was this game for an entire extra week and the team gets an extra week to prepare for the biggest test of their season: Ohio State.  This time, Hackenberg and crew are taking their show on the road for another night game in primetime on ABC.  Maybe, if we wish hard enough, we’ll get another game as memorable as this one.  Awards are up tomorrow.  See you then!

Week 7 Wrap Up

That was… I mean… what just… wow.  Last night’s game was, without question, the greatest Penn State game, and maybe even college football game, I’ve seen since the Ohio State game in 2005.  A mere week after that fateful game, Penn State ironically traveled to Michigan.  Then head coach, Lloyd Carr, inexplicably convinced the refs to put 2 seconds back on the clock towards the end of regulation.  Those 2 seconds would prove to be the difference as QB Chad Henne threw a dart to Mario Manningham at the back of the endzone with 1 second left to win the game and ruin Penn State’s undefeated season.  Last night, Penn State turned the tables and it was Michigan’s undefeated season that was ruined, and let’s just say, it felt SO GOOD!!!  Just as hope was fading, 18-yr-old true freshman QB Christian Hackenberg lead a 5 play, 80 yd drive with only 50 seconds left on the clock to send the game into the first of 4 (yes 4!) overtimes.  At over 4 hours long, it was the longest game in Penn State history.  Sensing a theme?  The number 4 was everywhere as Penn State and Michigan also combined for 4 missed/blocked field goals during those overtimes.  But eventually, Penn State came out on top 43-40 in an epic win!

The sold out and White Out crowd in Beaver Stadium was the loudest it’s been in years and the entire town was electric all week.  After a rainy Friday where many of the Homecoming parade floats were ruined, the Penn State hockey team took to the ice for the very first time in their brand new Pegula Ice Arena, beating Army 5-1.  Little did the Penn State faithful know that the hockey game was just the appetizer.  On a gorgeous, sunny day in Happy Valley, the tailgating was as good as ever, and there was just a hint of optimism in the air.  “Maybe we can at least be competitive” seemed to be the thought of the day at most tailgates, although few truly believed Penn State could pull out the win outright.  With the stinging loss to Indiana still fresh in many people’s minds, it was hard not to think Penn State was only just beginning a long run of disappointing results… but oh ye of little faith (myself included).  Homecoming 2013 was an incredible instant classic that will be remembered for years to come; one of those “where were you?” games that alumni will glowingly reminisce about at future Homecoming games.  It was emotionally and physically exhausting, even for those not playing in the game.  Voices will be gone for days as fans try to recover.  Thankfully, the second bye week comes just in time to give everyone an extra week to let it all soak in.

Coming into this game, we knew that Michigan QB Devin Gardner was an electric athlete who was somewhat prone to turning the ball over.  He didn't disappoint throwing 2 interceptions in the first 2 quarters that both lead to Penn State scores.  Meanwhile, the Nittany Lion defense played one of their best games of the season, recording 11 tackles for a loss and generally stuffing a potentially lethal Michigan offensive attack.  Every time the defense needed to make a play, they did.  What more could you ask for?

During his 2 minute… check that, 1 minute drill, at the end of the game, Christian Hackenberg looked like he had done this a million times before.  Homecoming, night game, Beaver Stadium, White Out, national TV audience, over 100 recruits looking on?  No problem!  He displayed the poise of a veteran signal caller and may have just solidified his legacy for generations to come.  What else can people say about this kid?!  He’s the kind of program changing quarterback Penn State has been looking to find for decades.  Enjoy this Nittany Lion fans, it’s going to be an incredibly fun ride.

Ok, enough waxing poetic, I know what you all really care about: my prediction.  Let’s just say I have never been happier to be completely and utterly WRONG!  Hackenberg more than eclipsed the 250 yds I predicted, going 23/44 for 305 yds, although he didn't connect with Robinson for a touchdown.  Speaking of which, Robinson only caught 5 passes for 84 yds, good enough stats I guess, but nowhere near the 7 catches and 100 yds I thought he would get.  It was Bill Belton who provided the spark in the run game, not Zwinak, whose early 3^rd quarter fumble got him more or less benched for the rest of the game.  Sam Ficken hitting 1 FG turned out to be the understatement of the century.  On defense, it was Jordan Lucas and Anthony Zettel, not Trevor Williams and Mike Hull who got interceptions, although I’m proud of myself for predicting that we would pick off Gardner twice.  And finally, I could not have been more wrong predicting Michigan to win 27-24, although that was the score at the end of the 3^rd quarter.  No one could have predicted anything close to this kind of ending, but after a win like that, who really cares?!  Penn State wins, the peasants rejoice, and Happy Valley may never have been happier.

Because of my trip and the bye week, I’ll be posting my grades tomorrow, and awards on Tuesday.  Check in later in the week as I have a few special bye week pieces I think you’ll all enjoy.  Stay safe over the bye week, and go State!!!