Week 14 Prediction

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  Since I can’t think of anything better than Penn State football, that must mean that the 2013 season has come to its inevitable conclusion.  According to their Facebook page, the Nittany Lions have already boarded their plane and are on their way to Madison, WI to take on last year’s end-of-season foe, the Wisconsin Badgers.  At the end of 2012, Penn State beat the eventual Big Ten Champions thanks to an overtime FG by Sam Ficken.  Don’t expect a repeat of those heroics, though, as this year's Penn State team is markedly worse and this year's Wisconsin team is noticeably better.  The game is set to kick off tomorrow at 3:30 on ESPN.  While we wait, let’s get to the breakdown.

The Good

Not much here.  After a nice catered Thanksgiving dinner in Pollock Commons, the team seems well rested and focused on the task at hand, so that’s good I guess.  Thanks to the jerks over at the NCAA, Penn State won’t be going bowling, so this will definitely be the last game of the season.  The seniors will want to end their careers one a high note, and they know full well after last season that it’s possible to pull the upset, but I also think they're realistic about their chances.  O’Brien may have some intriguing trick plays or packages he hasn't used yet this year.  After all, at the end of the day the team really doesn't have much else to play for until next September, so they might as well throw the kitchen sink at Wisconsin and hope something catches them off guard.  Crazier things have happened, but if I were the average Penn State fan, I wouldn't hold my breath.

The Bad

Wisconsin is trying to get one of three BCS at-large births so they can play in one of the “big boy” bowl games.  It’s also Senior Day for the Badgers, so expect them to play hard for their seniors.  They are lead by a very capable “game manager” in QB Joel Stave.  He’ll be throwing to possibly the 2^nd best receiver in the Big Ten (behind Allen Robinson, of course), Jared Abbrederis.  And he’ll be handing it off to Wisconsin’s potent 1-2 punch of RBs Melvin Gordon III and James White who average nearly 300 yds rushing per game this season.  If all that wasn't enough, Wisconsin also boasts the largest offensive line in the conference and they love to push around smaller teams like Penn State.  Even if the Lions can get Wisconsin’s offense off the field, they still have to tangle with the 5th best defense in the nation lead by standout senior LB Chris Borland.  No aspect of this game will be easy for Penn State, so make no mistake, this may quickly turn into a nightmare.  In fact, Vegas has set the point spread at 24.5, which seems like a lot given Wisconsin’s generally conservative style of play.  Still, even if PSU can keep it close and the end score doesn't reflect it, this game will most likely end up feeling like a worse beat down than the Ohio State game.  The only good news is we all saw it coming.

The Story

This year’s version of the Badgers is under the watchful eye of new head coach Gary Anderson by way of Utah State.  Anderson has his team sitting pretty at #15 in the BCS poll with only two losses: one to Leaders Division Champion Ohio State and the other on a referee screw job to potential Pac-12 South Division Champion Arizona State.  They’re playing for a better bowl game while Penn State knows it can’t go to one.  The Lions may be looking to play spoiler and notch their 7^th victory to finish 2013 with a winning record.  These two old school smash-mouth style teams have had some epic games in the past few years; hopefully this one will be equally entertaining, and hey, miracles happen.

The Prediction

In case you didn't get the memo, Penn State is going to get kicked in the teeth in this one.  Then again, I expect most of the disappointment to come on defense.  Christian Hackenberg will throw for a solid 200+ yds and a score, but he'll probably also throw at least 1 interception.  Allen Robinson and Zach Zwinak will each gain 100+ yds and each score a well earned TD.  The ever-improving defense will keep it close at first, but get dominated by the time the second half rolls around.  Maybe something cool like an interception or a fumble will happen, but in the end it’s just not enough.  The Lions take the long plane ride home to State College with a 6-6 final record.  They lose 42 – 21.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, because I know I did.  Although the Raiders eventually lost, I had a wonderful time watching Matt McGloin look like a bonafide NFL starting QB against the Cowboys!  Follow me throughout the game tomorrow on Twitter @PSUOptimus for live updates.  Don't forget to check back on Sunday for the weekly wrap up, and as always, go State! 

Week 13 Awards

Welcome to Thanksgiving Eve here on the Prime Penn State Football Blog!  Tomorrow is Turkey Day but this whole week might as well be Football Week.  There is football (pro or college) on TV every single day this week and Friday’s schedule is nearly as jam packed as Saturday’s.  To top it off, it’s rivalry week.  Now unfortunately Penn State no longer plays Pitt (that’s changing soon!) so we don’t have a designated rival, but there are still plenty of other hate-fueled matchups occurring around the country, most notably Ohio State – Michigan in the Big Ten and Alabama – Auburn in the SEC.  However, getting back to Thanksgiving, this is the time of year when we all take a moment to reflect on what we’re thankful for.  I’m personally thankful for Energon, laser cannons, and of course, Penn State football.  I would've been thankful for a win this past Saturday, but that didn't happen and we haven’t invented a time machine… yet.  Luckily, win or lose, there’s always awards, so let’s roll them out!

For the 3^rd week in a row the Beast Mode Award goes to Zach Zwinak.  Over these past 3 weeks he has rushed for 149 yds, 150 yds, and 149 yds.  That’s about as consistently awesome as you can get.  It’s not just the yardage, it’s the number of carries he’s been asked to handle – 35 this week alone!  He’s become a true workhorse back and we love it!

The Transformer Award this week goes to Jesse James.  The sophomore tight end had 3 catches for 56 yds including a magnificent sideline-hugging touchdown reception in which he transformed into a freight train and easily shed a would be tackler with an epic stiff arm.  It was glorious.

For the 3^rd time this season, the Matrix Award goes to Christian Hackenberg.  The freshmen was ironically outstanding on Senior Day as he threw for 217yds and 2 TDs before running in a 3^rd.  His play earned him his 4^th Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.  Not bad for a self-proclaimed “game manager.”

This week’s unsung hero and In Disguise Award winner is Malcolm Willis.  A senior safety, Willis was 1 tackle away from leading the team against Nebraska with 9 total.  But the reason he gets this award is because of his 2^nd quarter forced fumble on the goal line preventing the Huskers from gaining any points on a promising drive.  It wasn't enough to win the game, but it was still pretty awesome.

Finally, the Megatron Award for biggest headache goes to Nebraska WR Kenny Bell.  The afro-aficionado had a solid game with 5 catches for 33 yards, but it was his 99 yd kick off return for a touchdown in which he leaped over poor Sam Ficken’s attempted tackle that earns him this award.  He made it look too easy.

That will do it for Senior Day coverage.  Be sure to come back after you've awoken from your turkey coma and braved the crowds on Black Friday to check out my prediction for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin.  There will be plenty of football to keep you entertained in the meantime, including Matt McGloin’s 3^rd start for the Raiders on Thanksgiving day against the Cowboys.  Don’t worry, Sean Lee is injured, so we don’t have to worry about him trying to sack McGloin.  Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone, and as always, go State!

Week 13 Grades

There’s only one game left in the season.  I can’t believe it flew by so quickly.  We've had the privilege of watching some of the younger Nittany Lions like Christian Hackenberg and Adam Breneman make an immediate impact and grow as the season went on.  Unfortunately, we’re also charged with the task of saying goodbye to an incredible group of seniors who lead Penn State during its darkest hour.  Although they were unable to get a victory that they more than deserved against Nebraska on Senior Day, they fought hard to the very end and showed the determination that has come to characterize this entire season.  I think I speak for all Penn Staters when I say thank you and you will all be missed!  With that said, it’s time for this week’s grades!

Offense

QB: (B+) Hackenberg surpassed my expectations throwing for an impressive 16/33 for 217 yds and 2 TDs.  He also ran for a third TD on a QB sweep for the second week in a row, showing off his surprising running skills.  However, he continues to make mental errors that lead to interceptions, and once again this week he threw a pass to the wrong color jersey.  So far this season he has 16 TDs to 10 INTs.  Not bad for a true freshman, but if he keeps that up next year I’m going to want to see what Tyler Ferguson can do.

OL: (A) Hackenberg routinely had all day to throw and as you’ll see in a second, Zach Zwinak had yet another great day running the ball.  They got a decent push when they needed it and were definitely not the reason for the loss.  A number of starting linemen are seniors, so it was good to see them perform well in their last home game.

RB: (A-) It wasn't exactly their fault, but despite Zwinak’s very impressive 149 yds on 35 carries, he never made it to the endzone.  This was especially disappointing considering it was Zwinak’s Senior Day and at times he was asked to drive the entire length of the field just to watch Hackenberg throw it in the red zone.  Not cool playcalling O’Brien!  Oh, Belton was suffering from strep throat all week and didn't even suit up for the game.  He should be back for this week's game against Wisonconsin though.

WR: (B+) Robinson gets an A here as he collected 106 yds on 8 catches, but, like Zwinak, he was held scoreless.  That makes 4 games in a row that Robinson hasn't scored a TD and I personally think it’s a big reason why he didn't make the finalist list for the Belitnikoff Award.  As for the other receivers, they continue to be absent.  Geno Lewis and Brandon Felder each caught 1 pass, and that’s it.  Hopefully with Robinson most likely headed to the NFL, the other receivers will step it up in the off season.

TE: (A+) Um, more of this please!  Everyone got involved in this game as 2/3 of the TE corps scored a TD and together they caught 6 passes for 83 yds.  This is what I was expecting out of O’Brien and his talented TE group.  But here’s the best part, all 3 of the starters are coming back next year!  Let’s hope we see more games like this!

Defense

DL: (A) Not a lot of stats, although Da’Quan Jones recorded 7 tackles and C.J. Olaniyan added 5 of his own including a sack.  Still, this group consistently brought pressure and held the run game in check for the most part.  Ameer Abdullah’s 147 yds may seem like a lot, but for one of the best running backs in the game, that’s actually a fairly good day for the D-line.

LB: (A) I really hoped that Mike Hull would get an interception on Senior Day.  Alas, he did not, but at least the linebackers played well as a whole.  Carson and Hull were the teams leading tacklers combining for 19 in the game.  It was also nice to see Brandon Bell and Nyeem Wartman step up as they’ll be needed next year to fill in the gaps left by the seniors.

DB: (B-) They weren't terrible as Malcolm Willis and Jordan Lucas were the number 3 and 4 tacklers combing for 17 against the Huskers.  On the other hand, most of Nebraska’s big plays seemed to come through the air and at times the secondary looked a little lost.  I’m holding out hope that this will be the most improved part of the defense come next season.

Special Teams

K: (F) Sorry Ficken, you know we all love you, but that was unacceptable.  In arguably his 2^nd worst game ever Ficken missed an extra point that would have changed the entire course of the game and eventually missed a FG in overtime that allowed Nebraska to win.  He topped it off by allowing a kickoff return for a touchdown for the 2^nd week in a row.  Not good.

P: (C) Alex Butterworth had plenty of chances to show off on his Senior Day as Penn State punted 10 times.  One of those was essentially blocked, which is why he gets a C, but otherwise not much really stood out.  He did OK.

That about wraps up Senior Day 2013.  Again, it wasn't what we wanted, but at least the fans were treated to one heck of a game.  Check back tomorrow for your pre-Thanksgiving Awards, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for all the latest Penn State football news and notes, and as always, go State!

Week 13 Wrap Up

Senior Day 2013 didn't quite go exactly as planned, and the 2013 senior class didn't get the same magical sendoff that the 2012 group received.  Still, on a cold, windy, and at times even snowy night, the few fans who braved the elements were treated to one of the better games played in Beaver Stadium this season – a good ol’ fashioned Big Ten slugfest full of lead changes and suspense all the way to the very end.  Although Nebraska made plenty of mistakes throughout the game, Penn State seemed to make just a few more, especially on special teams.  In the end, the Cornhuskers walked out of Happy Valley as the only team in three tries this season to beat Penn State in Overtime.  Final score: 23-20.

Overall, the senior-laden defense played fairly well, holding Nebraska to only 1 offensive TD and 2 FGs in regulation.  Three and outs were plentiful for both teams as the frigid conditions seemed to affect more than a few plays.  It probably didn't help the Huskers that 2^nd string QB Tommy Armstrong went down in the first quarter with an injury.  His backup Ron Kellogg III, who looked more like a fullback than a quarterback, took over and made the most of his opportunity.  Kellogg went a respectable 20/34 for 191 yds and a TD, but that paled in comparison to Christian Hackenberg, who despite the cold weather completed 16/33 for 217 yds and 2 TDs.  He also scored his 3^rd rushing TD of the year on a similar play to his TD run in the Purdue game.  Hack’s performance earned him his 4^th Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors this season.  Also of note, with 2,616 yds, Hackenberg is now #5 on the all time Penn State single-season passing yds list.  Remember, this kid is 18!  I can’t wait to see how good he’ll be the next 2 years.

Hackenberg’s top target, Allen Robinson, had yet another outstanding day hauling in 8 catches for 106 yds, but again failed to score a TD.  Senior Zach Zwinak also had himself quite a sendoff rushing 35 times for 149 yds, however, he too did not score.  Instead, on Senior Day, it was the underclassmen tight ends who shined brightest, at least on the scoreboard.  Sophomore Jesse James had 3 receptions for 56 yds including a 46 yd TD pass where he tiptoed down the sideline while stiff arming a defender in the face.  To quote a friend of mine, “How do you stop a 6’ 7” tight end who runs a 4.5 40?  You don’t!”  Fellow sophomore Kyle Carter added 2 catches for 25 yds to the tight end total, and freshman Adam Breneman made his only catch of the night count as he scored his second TD of the season.  Speaking of the tight ends, Bill O’Brien unfortunately revealed during his post-game press conference that he thinks it is very unlikely that Matt Lehman will be granted an additional year of eligibility.  I guess now he’ll have plenty of time to heal up and focus on impressing NFL scouts during the upcoming combine.  Good luck Matt!

But the big story of the night was special teams mistakes.  The usually reliable, if not automatic, Sam Ficken missed the extra point after Penn State’s first TD.  That 1 point would prove to be the difference between a win and overtime.  Then, in overtime, Ficken sent his 37 yd FG wide right.  Nebraska’s Pat Smith would go on to nail his 42 yd FG right down the middle to win the game.  Smith's overtime heroics would also lead to Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.  Of course, as if all the kicking woes weren't enough, for the second week in a row, Penn State inexplicably allowed a kickoff to be returned for a 99 yd TD.  This time, when Ficken attempted to save the day, Nebraska’s Kenny Bell simply leaped over him.  It looked a little something like this.  If O’Brien can’t fix the special teams by next season, we’re all going to be in for another loooong season.

Anyway, let’s recap my prediction.  I severely underestimated Hackenberg who threw for way more than the 150 yds I foresaw.  Although Allen Robinson surpassed the 100 yds I predicted, he didn't score a TD.  Zwinak missed the 150 yd mark by 1 measly yd and also didn't score a TD, let alone the 2 I thought he would get in his final home game.  Bill Belton did not play due to strep throat.  Neither Jordan Lucas, nor anyone else on the defense for that matter was able to grab an interception and Da’Quan Jones did not record a sack.  Finally, and obviously, Penn State did not win.  Oh well, I got one more game to hopefully do a little better at this whole prognostication thing.

Before I finish up, a quick recruiting note: Today, Penn State picked up a commitment from 4-star Juco DT Tarow Barney.  Barney is only the 2^nd defensive lineman in the 2014 class thus far, joining Antoine White.  The Lions are still waiting on a decision from highly rated DT Thomas Holley.  In the meantime, Juco OT Kareem Are walked away from his visit during the Nebraska game very impressed with Penn State.  Here’s hoping we see his commitment soon! 

Week 13 Prediction

Well folks, it’s finally here, the last home game of the 2013 season.  This week’s contest is against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and is set to kick off at 3:30 on the Big Ten Network.  Being the last home game means that it’s also Senior Day (if I hadn't made that point crystal clear already).  The celebration begins approximately 30 minutes before kickoff when each senior will get their 15 seconds of fame, running onto the field solo as their name is announced.  Little known fact, the Blue Band also celebrates their seniors on Senior Day.  Look closely at the “PSU” formation during pregame and you’ll notice that only the seniors remain standing.  Here at Prime Penn State Football, we like to acknowledge everyone that helps make PSU football games so special, and that includes the Blue Band.  So congratulations to all the seniors, and thank you for everything you've done!  With all of that said, there’s still a football game happening, so let’s get to the breakdown.

The Good

Nebraska is coming off a physically draining game against Michigan State and their #1 nationally ranked defense.  The Huskers lost that game and may be on an emotional low.  Penn State, on the other hand, is coming off a relatively easy win over the hapless Boilermakers of Purdue.  They are most likely well rested and riding an emotional high.  Couple that with the drive to “win one for the seniors” and that may be a recipe for success.  Oh, and it doesn't hurt that it’s a home game.  The Lions have played significantly better at Beaver Stadium than on the road, where they haven’t won a game all season.  Nebraska’s star quarterback Taylor Martinez is out for the game with a lingering injury, which leaves his back up, freshman Tommy Armstrong, to once again carry the load.  Armstrong has never played in a place like Beaver Stadium before and with a 3:30 kick in late November, he’ll have to face night game like conditions.  He has been anything but impressive so far, throwing 7 interceptions in the past 3 games with a completion percentage somewhere in the low 50's.  Penn State’s ever improving secondary, especially the all-senior safety unit, is likely licking their chops at the thought of miscues in the passing game.  The emotion of the day combined with the Huskers’ tendency to turn the ball over have actually led Las Vegas to declare Penn State a 2 point favorite!  Very interesting.

The Bad

Regardless of how poorly Tommy Armstrong plays, Nebraska has plenty of weapons on offensive to help compensate.  Running back Ameer Abdullah is one of the best backs in the entire country, having gone for 100+ yds in every game but one this season (and even in that game, he had 98 yds).  Meanwhile, Kenny Bell is arguably the best receiver in the Big Ten behind Allen Robinson and will be a huge challenge to the Penn State’s cornerbacks.  On paper, Nebraska’s offense and defense are better and more talented than Penn State’s, although not by much.  They’re also bowl eligible and competing for a better bowl selection, so they theoretically have “more to play for.”  As for that incredible Senior Day atmosphere, it happens to fall after many students will have chosen to go home early for the start of Thanksgiving break.  If the number of tickets available (for as low as $11) on the student ticket exchange is any indication, the mighty Penn State student section might be closer to a kitten than a roaring Nittany Lion.  Here’s hoping they prove me wrong.  Oh, and I might as well bring it up one more time; Penn State has gone W, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W this season and that means it's time for a loss.  Maybe they'll finally break the trend?

The Story

The big story is of course Senior Day.  These seniors were part of a special class that went through the death of their legendary head coach, the Sandusky scandal, and NCAA sanctions.  They stuck with the team even when they were permitted to leave without penalty.  They, like the 2012 seniors will be remembered forever at Penn State.  Although they may not have the star power of a Michael Mauti or a Matt McGloin, they were true, loyal Nittany Lions just the same.  On the field, hopefully these seniors can channel that emotion and come out with the victory they deserve.  There are 3 keys to the game.  First, stop the outstanding run game of Nebraska and force Tommy Armstrong to throw.  Second, avoid mistakes, namely turnovers.  I’m talking to you Zwinak, Belton, and Hackenberg!  Judging by their last few games, Nebraska will make plenty of mistakes.  Penn State needs to capitalize on those and limit their own if they hope to win.  Finally, 3^rd downs.  The defense needs to get off the field by holding Nebraska on 3^rd down, and the offensive needs to convert their 3^rd downs.  Again, do that and a victory is more than posisble. 

The Prediction

Alright, so we have a team that much like Minnesota two weeks ago has a strong run game and a questionable defense that Penn State should be able to run the ball on.  I think O’Brien leans on the running game heavily in this game, so Hackenberg will most likely only get around 150 yds.  That won’t stop Allen Robinson from claiming at least 100 of those yds for himself.  He'll also score 1 TD on yet another GIF-worthy catch.  Zwinak will get the bulk of the carries, in part because of his performance the last 2 weeks, and in part because he’s a senior.  I expect him to surpass 150 yds with 2 TDs.  Belton may sneak a 100 spot in there too, and score a TD of his own.  I’m predicting 2, yes 2 interceptions for the defense as Jordan Lucas grabs his 4^th of the season and senior Mike Hull gets his first.  Senior Da’Quan Jones is going to do his best impression of Jordan Hill from last year’s incredible Senior Day win over Wisconsin and get at least 1 sack.  I've been fairly pessimistic about this game up until today, but writing this post may have persuaded me.  Penn State narrowly pulls off the victory in a very entertaining back and forth game.  Final score: 31-27

Enjoy Senior Day everyone, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for updates throughout the game (especially since it’s on BTN).  Check back on Sunday for the wrap up, and as always, go State!

*Correction from yesterday's post: OG Miles Dieffenbach is NOT a senior, at least not with regard to eligibility and contrary to ESPN.com.  He will not be graduating and will be back for the 2014 season!

Seniors and Recruiting

I apologize in advance as this will be one of the more technical posts I've ever done.  Sorry to those of you who read this blog strictly for entertainment purposes, but it's time to talk some serious football.

This Saturday marks Senior Day 2013, so I'd like to take a moment to talk about this year's seniors.  There are currently 27 seniors on the roster, 17 of which are starters.  5 additional players will be celebrated during Senior Day festivities despite having eligibility left, most notably TE turned OT Garry Gilliam.  Like last year's seniors, these men could have bolted for other programs after the sanctions were announced, but chose to stay at Penn State.  I think I speak for all Penn Staters when I say, thank you so much seniors for staying with us through our darkest hour!  You truly embody the "success with honor" idle that all Penn Staters strive to live up to, and your loyalty will forever be remembered.  Good luck in the next phase of your lives and whatever paths life may lead you down!  Here is a list of the seniors who will be honored during pre-game on Saturday:

Zach Zwinak               RB

Brandon Johnson        RB

Pat Zerbe                   FB

Brandon Smith            FB

Brandon Felder           WR

Alex Kenney*             WR

Matt Lehman**           TE

Garry Gilliam*            OT

Adam Gress               OT

Kevin Blanchard*        OT

John Urschel              OG

Miles Dieffenbach       OG

Eric Shrive                 OG

Bryan Davie*              OG

Ty Howle                    C

Brad Bars                   DE

C.J. Olaniyan              DE

Da’Quan Jones           DT

Kyle Baublitz*            DT

Tyrone Smith              DT

Glenn Carson              LB

Mike Hull                    LB

Malcolm Willis            S

Stephen Obeng-Agyapong S

Ryan Keiser                S

Jesse Della Valle         S

Alex Butterworth          P

* Junior, forgoing final year of eligibility

** Applying for additional year due to injury

With the seniors leaving, it’s time to see what next year’s team will look like without them.  Now, I've criticized O’Brien over the past year for going after too many “skill” position players (QB, RB, WR, CB, S) in recruiting and not focusing on the immediate needs on both lines and at linebacker.  However, when you look at this list of seniors, you start to see the method to his madness.  First of all, Penn State will most likely lose Allen Robinson to the NFL even though he is not a senior, so I’m including him in the following list.  Additionally from the wide receiver group, Brandon Felder and Alex Kenney are graduating.  Although there are plenty of receivers left on the roster, the remaining players, at least that fans are aware of (Geno Lewis, Richy Anderson, Matt Zanellato), are severely lacking in experience.  Thankfully tight end looks food for the future, so that should help Hackenberg out.  The only senior tight end is Matt Lehman, who due to his injury in the first game of the season against Syracuse, is applying for a medical redshirt and could be back next year.  He will be celebrating Senior Day just in case that 6^th year of eligibility is denied.  As for the skill players on the defensive side, cornerback actually looks fine, so I’m very excited to see Jordan Lucas and Adrian Amos leading that group next year.  The safeties, on the other hand, will be decimated by graduation as all but backup Malik Golden are leaving.  So, in summation, the more I look at the situation, the more I understand O’Brien’s recruiting philosophy.

The problem is that Penn State is still lacking tremendously on the offensive line (at all positions), the defensive line (at tackle), and at linebacker.  All of those positions will be left 1 deep at best, and even that 1 deep is comprised almost exclusively of current backup players.  These are also positions that tend to require a year of development to maximize player potential, whereas skill position players tend to be more capable of playing at the college level in their first year.  If O’Brien waits until the 2015 class to recruit more linemen and linebackers, they most likely won’t be ready until the 2016 season.  Now don’t get me wrong, I trust that O’Brien knows exactly what he’s doing.  I’m just saying, to me personally, the current recruiting strategy looks strange on paper.

Oh, we also need a new punter as Alex Butterworth is graduating.  There are no other punters on the current roster.  Also, on special teams, although all of Penn State’s kick/punt returners are coming back (except Jesse Della Valle), none of the current snappers or holders will be returning.  That will need to be sured up as well.

Here’s a position by position breakdown of key players and whether they are staying or leaving:
Offense

QB: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Christian Hackenberg, Tyler Ferguson

FB: Leaving – Pat Zerbe; Staying – N/A

RB: Leaving – Zach Zwinak; Staying – Bill Belton, Akeel Lynch

WR: Leaving – Alex Kenney, Brandon Felder, Allen Robinson; Staying – Geno Lewis, Matt Zanellato, Richy Anderson

TE: Leaving – Matt Lehman (maybe); Staying – Kyle Carter, Jesse James, Adam Breneman

OT: Leaving – Garry Gilliam, Adam Gress, Eric Shrive; Staying – Donovan Smith, Andrew Nelson

OG: Leaving – John Urschel, Miles Dieffenbach; Staying – Angelo Mangiro, Anthony Alosi

C: Leaving – Ty Howle; Staying – Wendy Laurent

Defense

DE: Leaving – C.J. Olaniyan; Staying – Evan Schwan, Deion Barnes, Anthony Zettel

DT: Leaving – Da’Quan Jones, Kyle Baublitz, Tyrone Smith; Staying – Derek Dowrey, Brian Gaia, Austin Johnson

LB: Leaving – Glenn Carson, Mike Hull; Staying – Nyeem Wartman, Gary Wooten, Ben Kline, Brandon Bell, Adam Cole, Charles Idemudia

CB: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Adrian Amos, Jordan Lucas, Trevor Williams, Da’Quan Davis, Jordan Smith, Anthony Smith, Devin Pryor

S: Leaving – Malcolm Willis, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, Ryan Keiser, Jesse Della Valle; Staying – Malik Golden

Special Teams

K: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Sam Ficken, Chris Gulla

P: Leaving – Alex Butterworth; Staying – N/A

Finally, we’ll take an even closer look at recruiting in the offseason, but with the above lists in mind, this is the basic gist of Penn State’s needs verses like to haves for the 2014 recruiting class:

Needs - fullback, wide receiver, offensive line (all positions), defensive tackle, linebacker, safety, punter

Nice to haves - quarterback, running back, defensive end, cornerback

Hopefully, you can now enjoy Senior Day with a little more knowledge of the seniors and how their departure will affect next year's squad.  Check back tomorrow for my prediction, and as always, go State!

Oh, and here are two great articles by the folks over at OnwardState.com
http://onwardstate.com/2013/11/20/seniors-urschel-gilliam-featured-in-videos/

http://onwardstate.com/2013/11/21/why-you-should-stay-for-saturdays-football-game/

Thank You!

I wanted to do a special post tonight to say thank you to everyone who has read my blog so far this season.  As of last night, I have surpassed 1,000 page views!  I know in the grand scheme of things that doesn't seem like much, but to me it means the world.  I started this blog at the beginning of the season on a whim.  Then, the more I wrote, the more I enjoyed doing it.  And apparently many of you have enjoyed reading it as well.  I'm still not quite sure where this thing is going to take me, but I hope you're all willing to come along for the ride.

Again, I can't say it enough, thank you so much, and go State!

Week 12 Awards

Nothing like an easy win heading into a brutal 2 game final stretch to end the season.  Hopefully the team feels rested up after easily taking care of business against Purdue.  Those kind of games make Awards so much easier.  So without further adieu, here we go!

I think it should be obvious, but the Beast Mode Award this week goes to none other than Zach Zwinak who earned a hat trick of hat tricks!  His 149 yds on 26 carries for 3 TDs was his 3^rd 3 TD game of the season.  He still hasn't gotten control of that fumbling issue, but that’s ok if he keeps putting up numbers like this.

This week’s Transformer Award goes to Eugene “Geno” Lewis who may have stepped up as a decent #2 target for Hackenberg.  Lewis redshirted last year and was poised to do great things this year, but after an amazing catch in the Syracuse game, he’s been mostly relegated to kick returns.  This week, however, he had 3 catches for 19 yds and was the only receiver besides Robinson to catch a pass all game!  Here’s hoping we see more of Geno in the last two games.

The Matrix Award goes to true freshman Adam Breneman.  After being named the #1 tight end recruit in the country last year, it was assumed that Breneman would become a special target for Hackenberg.  But with surprising depth at tight end, many believed he would be redshirted this year.  After Matt Lehman went down in week 1, Breneman was thrown into the lineup.  It took him a while to get used to the college game but on Saturday the Hack-Bren connection finally worked as Breneman scored his first collegiate touchdown!  Overall, he had 2 catches for 11 yds.  Not bad rookie!

It was a little easier to find a winner for the In Disguise Award this week: good ol’ Sam Ficken.  As stated in my previous posts he hit all 6 of his extra points and even a 29 yd field goal.  But it was his successful save of a kick off return for a touchdown that makes him a true unsung hero.  There honestly may not be a fan base that loves their kicker more than Penn State.

Speaking of saving touchdowns, the Megatron Award goes to kick offs.  Not only did our special teams allow one of the worst teams in the country to return a kick off 100 yds for a touchdown, but if it weren't for Ficken they would've done it again.  Our own kick returners did ok taking 3 kicks back for an average of 17.3 yds per return, but that’s not great either.  Does anybody else miss Derrick Williams yet?

That wraps up another week here on the blog.  There’s only 2 games left so get excited!  We most likely won’t win either, but with no bowl game to look forward to, we need to enjoy the football while it lasts.  This week’s game against Nebraska is a 3:30 kick and it’s Senior Day so I expect a huge crowd on hand screaming their lungs out.  Follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus throughout the week, and as always, go State!

Week 12 Grades

It was absolutely gorgeous weather on Saturday.  The sun was shining and the sky was a perfect shade of blue as the 2^nd largest crowd of the season filed into Beaver Stadium to watch what most considered a guaranteed win over the Purdue Boilermakers.  Although there were a couple of mistakes that made it look less lopsided than it actually was, the hapless Purdue squad couldn't capitalize on any of them.  In the end, the Nittany Lions got a relatively easy win as they prepare for a significantly more difficult challenge next week against Nebraska.  Hopefully some of the momentum from this game coupled with the emotion of Senior Day will help get win #7 and send this year’s seniors out with a winning record.  For now, though, let’s get to the grades.

Offense

QB: (A-) Bill O’Brien clearly had a run-heavy game plan, especially after he saw how well it was working, but Hackenberg still managed to rack up 212 yds and both a passing and rushing TD.  His biggest strides weren't on the stat sheet as even the casual observer could see that his understanding of the game and decision making continue to get better each week.  Hack just misses the “A” because he threw an interception.

OL: (A) The line created holes for the running backs all day long.  John Urschel loved it so much that he called the heavy dose of running plays a “dream” for offensive linemen.  Garry Gilliam probably wanted out of that dream when somehow his facemask became fused with the facemask of Purdue defensive lineman Bruce Golston and play had to be temporarily stopped.  Thanks to Gilliam's somewhat self-depricating Twitter feed, however, I can bring you this picture of arguably the funniest moment of the game.

RB: (A+) Wow, even when both running backs fumble, they still manage to have a great day!  Akeel Lynch, fresh back from injury, helped reunite the 3-headed monster which carried the ball a record 54 times for 274 yds.  Now that’s production!  Zwinak had his 3^rd 3-TD game of the year while Belton and Hackenberg added TDs of their own, and the rout was on.

WR: (B+) Only 2 receivers caught passes due to the running game’s dominance.  Robinson just missed the 100 yd mark with 98 yds on 8 catches while Geno Lewis came out of his shell and caught 3 balls for 19 yds.  Given the limited stats the receivers played decently, but not great.  Oh, and we didn't even see Felder, Anderson, or Zanellato… mildly disappointing.

TE: (A+) Jesse James’ 58 yd catch and run was not only his longest play of the year, it was Hackenberg’s too.  That, along with Breneman’s first ever collegiate TD meant it was a landmark day for the tight ends.  Also, this picture from the game program is pretty bad ass.

Defense

DL: (A) Da’Quan Jones, Deion Barnes, Austin Johnson, and Carl Nassib all recorded sacks as the defensive line played a key role in holding Purdue to only 41 yds rushing.  They played great, what more can I say?

LB: (B+) Mike Hull and Nyeem Wartman each got a sack and the linebackers looked very good at times, however, they still need to help with the passing game more as Purdue somehow managed to put up more passing yards than Penn State.  If the defense is going to improve next year, it will start at the linebacker position.

DB: (B+) Jordan Lucas got his 3^rd interception of the season and Adrian Amos spent plenty of time in the backfield leading the team with 6 tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss.  They’re going to be REALLY good as Penn State’s cornerbacks next year.  But everyone in the secondary got beat at least once by Purdue receivers that had no business beating our defensive backs so they get knocked down a little bit for that.

Special Team

K: (A-) Sam Ficken hit a 29 yarder and all 6 of his extra points.  There was a kick return for a TD where Ficken basically fell over trying to save it, but he executed a perfect tackle the second time Purdue tried to run one back, so he gets a good grade.

P: (N/A) Alex Butterworth should have just gone out and tailgated with some fans during the game because he didn't see the field once during this game.  That hasn't happened since 1997!

That will about do it for the grades this week.  Thankfully they’re much improved over last week.  Let’s all hope that trend continues into next week and the trend of going W, L, W, L, W, L ends with Nebraska.  Come back tomorrow for the weekly Awards, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State! 

*Side Note: Former walk on Penn State QB Matt McGloin started his first ever NFL game with the Oakland Raiders.  He had a very impressive debut beating the Houston Texans and becoming the first undrafted free agent rookie QB to throw for 3 TDs in a game since 1987!  Congratulations Matt!

Week 12 Wrap Up

Now that was fun!  Penn State took it to the Purdue Boilermakers in front of a surprisingly raucous home crowd (the 2^nd largest of the season), eventually winning 45-21.  Yet even that lopsided score doesn't express just how dominant Penn State was in this game as they more than doubled Purdue’s first downs and nearly doubled their yardage.  Every star on the Penn State roster had a big game as the hapless Boilers provided a much needed confidence boost to the struggling Lions.  Hopefully that confidence carries over to next week for Senior Day, and the last home game of the season, against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Let me preface this by saying that Purdue is truly awful.  They are just as bad as I predicted they would be, maybe worse.  Even when Penn State was playing poorly, Purdue was incapable of capitalizing on mistakes.  So the following statistics are expected.  With that said, a fun little blowout like this is always good for some stat padding.  That’s why I’ll be doing things a little bit differently today.  Here’s the numbers!

- Christian Hackenberg didn't have the superstar performance that I predicted, but he didn't do bad either.  He went a respectable 16/23 for 212 yds and a TD.  The bad news is he threw an interception.  The good news is he ran for a touchdown on a play that gave new meaning to the term “quarterback sneak.”  It appeared as if no one knew who had the ball until Hackenberg was already in the endzone, untouched.  Interestingly, Robinson was wide open on the play and seemed upset that he didn't get the ball.

- Speaking of Robinson, he also underperformed statistically (at least, compared to his usual jaw dropping numbers), but he still managed to look like he was putting up video game stats.  On paper, he had 8 catches for 98 yds and no TDs.  In reality, he was clutch whenever the offense needed him to be.  Robinson also broke his own single-season receptions record which now stands at 81 and continued to add to his single-season yardage record.

- Zach Zwinak was arguably the hero of the game as he rushed for 149 yds on 26 carries.  More importantly he scored 3 TDs for the 3^rd time this season.  He did fumble, but managed to recover it.  I guess those new gloves didn't help very much.

- Zwinak’s counterpart Bill Belton was technically the starter for the game and ran for 81 yds on 19 carries of his own in addition to scoring the first TD of the game before Zwinak decided to set up camp in the endzone.  Belton was not able to recover his fumble, but luckily it didn't lead to Purdue points.

- Adam Breneman scored his first college TD by somehow contorting his body like one of the cheerleaders.  Those body control skills are part of the reason he was the #1 ranked TE recruit coming out of high school.  Here's a picture of him celebrating the TD with Robinson and Jesse James a mere 8 rows from me!

- On the defensive side of the ball, 6 players recorded a sack including my prediction Da’Quan Jones.  Also, Mike Hull and Adrian Amos each added tackles for a loss.  I’d like to take a moment and clear something up; Deion Barnes has 2.5 sacks this season, so technically this was NOT his “2^nd sack of the year.”  He made this point very clear on Twitter, so I figured I would share.  The defense forced 3 turnovers, including 2 fumbles and an interception by Jordan Lucas that yours truly predicted.  Overall, the unit held Purdue to just 14 first downs and only 41 yds rushing.  Impressive!

- Sam Ficken hit a 29 yard field goal and all 6 of his extra points, but his finest moment was on a kickoff.  After Purdue returned one kickoff for a TD, it looked like they might do it again until Sam Ficken threw himself at the returner’s legs and took him out.  To all the kickers out there, this was textbook.

- Finally, punter Alex Butterworth worked on his tan in the bright rays of a beautiful early afternoon sun because his services were never required.  And that’s got to be a pretty nice feeling.

There are only 2 games left in the season, 1 home and 1 away.  Both are against fairly good teams, so this was possibly Penn State’s last win of the season.  It was great to see a solid performance by everyone on the team.  Hopefully they can put together a similar effort next week on Senior Day so the seniors can go out ringing the victory bell.  I’ll be back tomorrow with the grades.  Follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus and as always, go State!

Week 12 Prediction

The season is quickly coming to a close as the Purdue Boilermakers come to town this Saturday for the second to last home game of the season.  Purdue is one of the worst teams in college football, having only won 1 game so far this year.  They should hopefully provide a comfortable win for the Nittany Lions before a brutal two game stretch against Nebraska and Wisconsin to finish out the year.  The game will air at noon on Big Ten Network, so I’m sorry in advance to those of you who only have basic cable.  It’s going to be a battle of the only “P” teams in the Big Ten, so let’s get to the break down.

The Good

It’s Purdue!  They rank near the bottom of the FBS in nearly every statistical category.  They’re offense is absolutely atrocious and should give Penn State’s defense a nice confidence boost.  Their defense isn't much better, especially against the run.  Expect our running backs to have an easy day and put up crazy numbers.  I would also anticipate getting to see a number of back ups by games end.  With such a young team, quality in-game reps for the back ups are always priceless.  This might be Penn State’s last win of the season, so savor it.

The Bad

Um, it’s a noon kickoff?  So I don’t expect the stadium to be even remotely full.  Otherwise, there’s really not much bad when you’re playing possibly the worst team on your schedule.  There is literally nothing that Purdue does well.  Their highest statistical ranking is in passing yards, and Penn State’s defense has had difficulty defending the pass all season.  I guess that might be a problem?  However, that highest ranking is a paltry 97^th so I’m honestly not too worried.  One interesting statistic is that Purdue has recorded a takeaway in every single game, while Penn State has turned the ball over at least once in every single game.  Will both streaks continue?  Maybe, but hopefully it’s not another goal line fumble or costly interception.

The Story

Purdue’s coach, Darrell Hazell, was the head coach at Kent State last year and almost took the Golden Flashes to a BCS bowl before losing to Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game.  His Kent State team was one of the feel good stories of the college football world.  Since coming to Purdue, though, Kent State has fallen on hard times and Hazell’s Purdue team has received a tough lesson in “big boy” football.  Penn State, on the other hand, has had an up and down year of its own.  They've seemingly played down to some of their weaker opponents like Indiana and Illinois.  If they’re plagued by the same mistakes that have haunted them all season, especially on 3^rd down, this could get embarrassingly tight.  The only other storyline of note is that both of Penn State’s kicking specialists are from Indiana, home of Purdue.  Punter Alex Butterworth is from Indianapolis, while kicker Sam Ficken is from Valparaiso.  Maybe they’ll know a few of the Purdue players?  Too bad I don't anticipate seeing either one of them that much in this game.

The Prediction

We’re going to win.  The question is, by how much.  As stated above, I expect the running game to go off.  Bill Belton is listed as the starter, but I would expect both he and Zwinak to get ample playing time.  They both go over 100 yds and each scores at least 1 TD.  Hackenberg will have a nice day, going for 250 yds and 2 TDs.  I would predict more, but he’ll most likely get pulled at some point.  Purdue’s only good player is cornerback Ricardo Allen, who will be guarding Allen Robinson.  I still expect Robinson to go for over 100 yds and a TD, but the added pressure means that other receivers will actually get a shot at catching the ball.  Be on the look out for the tight ends, as well as WRs Richy Anderson, Geno Lewis, and Matt Zanellato.  On defense, the line will have a big game as Purdue’s offensive line is arguably the worst in the country.  I’m calling for a Da’Quan Jones sack.  I’m also calling for a Jordan Lucas interception as Purdue’s QBs (whoever they decide to play this week) have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns this season.  In the end, Penn State cruises to one of its easier wins of the season: 42 – 10.

I’m heading up to State College now and I’ll do my best to tweet throughout the game on Saturday, so keep up with me on Twitter @PSUOptimus.  Thankfully, other than it being a little chilly, the weather should be rather nice, so I’m looking forward to a rather enjoyable weekend.  I’ll see you all on Sunday for the wrap up, and as always, go State!

Week 11 Awards

If Minnesota broke the Governor’s Victory Bell (a trophy that most people don’t even know exists) after beating Penn State, imagine what they’ll do to Paul Bunyan’s Axe if they upset Wisconsin!  Seriously though, the REAL victory bell is in Beaver Stadium and all signs point to a thorough ringing this weekend against Purdue.  In the meantime, though, it’s time to close out this past weekend with the Tuesday Awards!

In true comeback fashion, this week’s Beast Mode Award goes to Zach Zwinak who came off the bench after some fumbling issues earlier this season (with sparkly new gloves), and managed to rack up a very impressive 150 yds on only 26 carries.  So we have 2 running backs now that can be a workhorse back if needed?  Sounds like a good problem to have!

With its ever changing description, the Transformer Award goes to Allen Robinson who transformed into Penn State's all-time single-season receiving yards leader!  Congratulations Allen for breaking Bobby Engram’s 20 year old record!  The new record is only temporary, though, as Robinson still has 3 games to go, but it currently stands at 1,106.

The Matrix Award this week goes to Adam Breneman who is quickly becoming Christian Hackenberg’s favorite tight end target.  These two are both true freshmen, so we can look forward to them ticking off a lot of defensive coordinators over the next few years.

In a disappointing loss, sometimes it’s hard to find heroes, let alone unsung heroes, but I think this week’s In Disguise Award winner fits the bill - Alex Butterworth!  The punter from Indiana quietly kept pinning the Gophers deep in their own territory and for the 2^nd week in a row, he drew a punting penalty that kept a drive alive.  Too bad also for the 2^nd week in a row the offense couldn't turn it into points.

And finally, the Megatron Award goes to Minnesota QB Phillip Nelson.  He went a decent 15/24 for 186 yds and 1 TD, but more importantly he managed the game for the Gophers and made his throws count when he needed to, especially on 3^rd down.

Well that will do it for this week’s coverage of yet another loss.  Luckily struggling Purdue is coming to town just in time to get the Nittany Lions back on track.  I’ll be live at the game in Happy Valley, but that doesn't mean I’ll forget about all my readers.  So be sure to check back on Friday for the prediction and either Saturday night or Sunday for the wrap up.  Follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

*Injury Update: Allen Robinson is apparently dealing with a nagging shoulder injury, but Bill O’Brien says he should be good to go against Purdue.  LB Ben Kline is officially out for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle.  He gets the Big Boy Pants Award for apparently playing with that tear for almost the entire Minnesota game.  Get better guys!

*Special News: Former Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin will most likely start his first NFL game for the Oakland Raiders this week as the previous starter, and former Ohio State Buckeye, Terrelle Pryor sits out with an injury.

Week 11 Grades

Only a few short years ago, there was an oft mentioned statistic in the Penn State football community: if the running back goes for 100+ yds in a game, we’re going to win.  This statistic was made possible by an elite defense year in and year out that guaranteed victory as long as the offense showed even the slightest pulse.  I think if you put the current offense with those defenses of old you’d have yourself a championship caliber team.  Unfortunately, it appears that in his efforts to re-tool an admittedly out of date offense, Bill O’Brien forgot that Penn State is traditionally a defensive team.  We can all gripe about the sanctions and the lack of depth all day long, but at some point those just become excuses.  Interestingly enough, this rather insightful article from the folks over at StateCollege.com argues that maybe this is a good thing.  The very fact that O’Brien has managed to keep expectations so high during the sanctions is a testament to his coaching ability.  We, the Penn State faithful, have not abandoned all hope; we still expect to win and we still see Penn State as the national power that it should be.  I guess after a loss like this week’s, we’ll take any win we can get.  Let’s roll out the grades!

Offense

QB: (D) Some may blame the play calling, and there’s some legitimacy to that argument.  However, the quarterback is still supposed to execute whatever play gets called and Christian Hackenberg simply did not.  He looked every bit like the freshman quarterback that he is in this game.  In fact, so far on the road this season the only consistent thing about Hackenberg’s play has been how inconsistent he’s been.  He overthrew his receivers, looked uncharacteristically disoriented in the pocket, and fumbled a snap on the 1 yd line while trying to mount a comeback.  You’re better than this Hack!

OL: (B) It appears not to matter who is in at running back because whether it’s Belton or Zwinak, someone is rushing for a lot of yards.  The line performed well again, not just in the running game, but also giving Hackenberg plenty of time to throw (although he doesn't seen to know what to do with all that time).  The fumbled snap by Ty Howle late in the game during a comeback attempt drops these guys from A to B.

RB: (B) Zach Zwinak made a glorious return as the starting tailback and racked up an impressive 150 yds on 26 carries.  Maybe it was his new gloves, but he also didn't fumble the ball once!  Bill Belton, on the other hand, did fumble, on the first play of the game no less!  He was subsequently benched for the aforementioned Zwinak.  Regardless, that fumble also cost the running backs an A grade from me.  Maybe next time boys.

WR: (F) Some of this is on Hackenberg.  Still, in 2 different series Brandon Felder managed to drop 3 passes while Bill Belton, Allen Robinson, Matt Zanellato, and Richy Anderson all dropped 1 each.  That was on just 2 series!  And yes, even Allen Robinson wasn't pulling his weight as he recorded his worst game of the season.  In his defense, he was being double-teamed much of the night and when he did get open Hackenberg didn't throw it to him.  He was visibly frustrated by his lack of touches at numerous points in the game.  It comes down to this, though, if you’re a receiver and the QB throws you the ball, you catch it.  Our receivers did not.  Fail!

TE: (C-) Breneman has been stepping up lately with 2 more catches for 27 yds in this game.  Too bad Kyle Carter and Jesse James only caught 1 pass each for a combined 17 yards.  When things break down and Hackenberg needs a safety valve, these guys are supposed to be there for him.  So far, they've been average at best when it comes to doing their job, so they get an average grade.  What happened to the tight end heavy offense we saw out of O’Brien last year?  I want that back! 

Defense

DL: (C) These guys are difficult to grade.  As I watch the games I see them routinely in the opposing QB’s face and they appear to be excellent at stopping the run.  If you keep watching, though, you’ll notice that they’re very slow.  Opposing runners (RB or QB) with any kind of speed easily outrun these guys to the edge and burn them along the sideline for big gains.  Clean that up and this looks to be the strength of the defense.

LB: (F) This grade is really more of a cumulative assessment for the season thus far.  I’m still a big fan of Glenn Carson and Mike Hull, but overall this unit has just been atrocious and overmatched in nearly every contest and they certain have not lived up to the Linebacker U name.  Missed open field tackles, wide open slot receivers, and a completely ineffective blitz have become the hallmark of this squad and looking at the recruiting picture, it’s not getting better anytime soon.

DB: (F) ESPN’s Big Ten blog actually did this really nice piece on cornerback Jordan Lucas, who has shown random spots of talent throughout the season.  We also know how immensely talented Adrian Amos is at either safety or cornerback.  Yet somehow, any team with even a mediocre quarterback has been able to shred this secondary for big plays.  Minnesota had their 2^nd best passing game of the season and managed to go a perfect 3-3 on 4^th downs while converting 9-17 on 3^rd downs as well.  The 3^rd downs were especially frustrating as Minnesota QB Phillip Nelson managed to find a wide open receiver every time he needed to and move the chains.  These guys need to learn how to stop someone… anyone!

Special Teams

K: (A) Ficken hit his only FG of the game and had a couple of nice kickoffs.  Not much more to say about him this week.

P: (A) Alex Butterworth did a fantastic job pinning the Gophers deep in their own territory.  Unfortunately, Minnesota’s punter did an equally amazing job.  Butterworth gets extra points, though, for single-handedly keeping a drive alive for the second week in a row.  Last week it was a “running into the kicker” penalty, but this week he stepped it up and drew the “roughing the kicker” penalty (a 15 yard personal foul).  Now if the offense could just score some points off these penalties… that would be great.

Ok, that about wraps things up on the grade front.  Not pretty, but neither was the play on the field.  Hopefully things go much more smoothly this week against Purdue as the Nittany Lions return home to Beaver Stadium.  Come back tomorrow for the weekly awards, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 11 Wrap Up

Just like after the Michigan game, when I had never felt better about being wrong, after yesterday’s game, I have never felt worse about being right.  I knew we were going to lose this game, and losing is fine; you can’t win them all.  What’s so frustrating, though, is HOW we keep losing.  Nothing about the way this team is playing right now says Penn State football.  Mistakes, poor fundamentals, lack of ball security, and a horrible defense have been consistently absent from Happy Valley for decades.  Now, all of these problems seem to have firmly entrenched themselves in the Penn State football program.  Bill O’Brien has a ton of explaining to do after this one.  His squad put up nearly identical stats to Minnesota, yet somehow lost by 14 points!  This team is a complete mess right now.  Even if they were bowl eligible, they would most likely be going to one of the crappier bowls available with a 6-6 record to take on some MAC team… and that’s only if they can manage to beat Purdue next week (which is no longer a certainty with the way they’re playing).

Penn State’s offense is nowhere near where they should be given all the talent on that side of the ball.  They have now fumbled on the goal line in consecutive games while trying to mount a comeback against an inferior opponent.  It worked out last week, but not this week.  All in all, the turnovers are getting ridiculous.  The 3^rd down conversion rate, dead last in the Big Ten by a wide margin, is also straight up embarrassing.  Nothing is more frustrating than watching an offense march down the field with impressive runs and passing plays, only to shoot itself in the foot when it matters most.  Whether it’s a penalty, a failed 3^rd down conversion, a turnover, or something brand new that they came up with, this offense is simply not performing up to its potential, especially on the road.  It’s been exactly a decade since we've seen Penn State go winless on the road in a season, and there’s a strong possibility that it happens this year.  Let’s hope not. 

The defense was hit significantly harder by the sanctions than the offense, especially at linebacker, and I have done my best all season to give them the benefit of the doubt solely because of that fact.  Not anymore!  Watching all those missed tackles is past the point of embarrassing and is now humiliating.  I’m going to have to start digging deep into my thesaurus program to come up with more words to describe how I feel about them.  Again, this is NOT Penn State football!  I don’t necessarily blame defensive coordinator John Butler because I think he’s a great coach with a lot of energy, and I think that the players truly respect him.  Nevertheless, something needs to change because given the resources at a school like Penn State, this is nowhere near an acceptable on-field product.  The pass defense is especially disappointing as seemingly every team the Lions face can easily move the ball through the air on them.  At some point injuries and sanctions become lame excuses.  Something needs to be done quickly.  I just hope the coaching staff can figure out what that is exactly.

There were few, if any, highlights from this game, so let’s just get to my prediction.  I was right, we lost!  Christian Hackenberg threw for a mere 163 yds and no TDs, a far cry from the 200 yds and 2 TDs I predicted, and I believe it was a season low for the freshman.  The only good news is that he did not throw the interception I thought he would.  Allen Robinson also had what I believe was a season low 7 catches for only 63 yds instead of the 10 catch 100 yd performance I was looking forward to.  He seemed visibly upset at his lack of touches numerous times throughout the game.  Meanwhile, at the running back position, O’Brien continued his practice of not playing the “hot hand” and gave Zach Zwinak the majority of reps just one week after Bill Belton went for 200 yds for the first time since 2002.  Although Zwinak had a very nice game, gaining 150 yds on 26 carries and 1 TD, this tactic of benching the player with momentum is mind boggling.  Belton, by the way, only had 47 yds on 7 carries.  And finally, just as I predicted, it was mistakes throughout the game that killed every attempt at a comeback, including the aforementioned fumble on the goal line that would've put us within one score of the lead.

Another loss means another week of bad grades and undeserved awards, but a robot's got to do what a robot's got to do.  At least there's a lot of buzz about Men's and Women's basketball this year!  Keep following me on Twitter @PSUOptimus and as always, go State!

Week 11 Prediction

It’s week 11 in the college football world and the end of the season is in sight, especially for teams like Penn State that have no possibility for a bowl game.  That’s why these final few weeks are so precious.  This week the Nittany Lions play in their second to last away game against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  The game kicks off at noon, which is actually 11am in Minnesota (sucks to be you guys), and will air on ESPN2.  This will be a very interesting matchup, so let’s just get right to the break down:

The Good

Despite everything you may have heard to the contrary, this is still Minnesota.  I know I said that about Indiana (and to a lesser extent Illinois), but seriously, there are traditional powers in the Big Ten like Penn State, and then there are teams like Minnesota.  They can be very good, even dangerous for small stretches, but they’re rarely good on a consistent basis.  This team also has very little in the way of true star power and tends to win games with grittiness and teamwork.  The Gophers’ head coach, Jerry Kill will be up in the press box again, continuing to focus on health problems steaming from his epilepsy.  Teams without their head coach tend to be distracted, so this could definitely work in Penn State's favor (I’ll discuss the other side of this in a moment).  Finally, Minnesota is a classic run-first team.  Their primary running back is deceptively good and, along with their mobile backup quarterback Mitch Leidner, will try to run it early and often.  Thankfully, Penn State’s defense has defended the run significantly better than they've defended the pass, so even if we do lose, we shouldn't get blown out like we did against throwing teams like Indiana and Ohio State.

The Bad

I'm not going to lie, there’s more here than there was in the good section.  First of all, it’s a road game.  The Lions haven’t fared very well this season away from the friendly confines of Beaver Stadium.  In fact, they haven’t won a single true road game yet, and heaven forbid they get roped into another OT without the student section there to do what it does.  Despite the aforementioned loss of their head coach, Minnesota has inexplicably gone on a 3-game winning streak against some of the best teams in their division.  The usually porous defense has definitely picked up as of late behind stud defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman, who has a similar story to Michael Oher of the Blind Side.  He'll try to get in Hackenberg's face all afternoon.  The defense doesn't exactly get a lot of turnovers, but that doesn't mean they’re not dangerous.  On the other side of the ball, the Gophers’ offense seems to have finally found an identity.  Quarterback Phillip Nelson has gotten much better as a passer the last few weeks after some early struggles and he has talented running back David Cobb to help bail him out of trouble. Lastly, I've mentioned the W/L pattern that I've noticed emerging all season.  This week happens to fall on the losing side of that pattern.  Just saying.

The Story

These two teams are practically friends.  Anything that may resemble a rivalry between them is a fading illusion.  If Penn State thinks it can rely on emotion to win like they did against Michigan, they've got another thing coming.  As a program, Minnesota hasn't been a national story since the 50s.  Occasionally they’ll have a star player emerge such as RB Laurence Maroney of the Patriots, but generally speaking they just can’t pull in the kind of talent that programs like Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State can.  Being in the state of Minnesota doesn't exactly help either.  After some particularly terrible years, Jerry Kill has begun turning things around and appears to be a good fit in the Twin Cities.  Still, he’s had at least 4 in-game seizures during his brief time on campus and his health always seems to loom large over the program’s long term stability.  As for Penn State, the big story is whether or not the team can finally win one on the road.  They’ll have to clean up the penalties and mental errors if they hope to have a chance against a very strong opponent.  The good news is that Allen Robinson is still on the team and is only 40 yards away from breaking the single season record for receiving yards, and at the pace he’s going, he could potentially break his own record for single season receptions by more than 20!  Basically, he’s going to shatter every receiving record there is at Penn State and that will be fun to watch.

The Prediction

Christian Hackenberg throws for more than 200 yds and 2 TDs, but he also throws at least 1 costly interception.  Allen Robinson gets another 100 yds easily on at least 10 catches, while Bill Belton continues to prove why he’s the starter, netting another 100 yd performance of his own.  Even though Minnesota is surging right now, make no mistake, Penn State SHOULD win this game, however, I predict that they won’t.  Yet another mistake laden game leads to Penn State’s 3^rd straight road loss as they fall 35 – 28.

There's No Politics in Football!!!

Well actually there's a lot of politics in football, especially college football... but I digress.

A little while back I wrote about the much maligned BCS.  Now, I try to stay away from politics here on the blog because, well, it’s a football blog.  But I recently realized an interesting connection between the BCS and Obamacare… no seriously.

Hear me out on this one.  As I discussed back in my College Football Doomsday post, the BCS was developed with one goal in mind, to ensure that the #1 and #2 ranked teams played each other at the end of every season.  Numerous controversies have led to a lot of BCS hate over the years.  However, when we examine the BCS in its proper context, it’s fairly obvious that it accomplished the goal it was designed to tackle.  Every year since the start of the BCS, the #1 and #2 ranked teams have in fact played a National Championship Game and determined a “true” National Champion on the field instead of in the polls (except 2004, but we won’t talk about that).

Likewise, Obamacare aimed to accomplish a few simple goals as well.  It was designed to close the infamous “doughnut hole” in Medicare, insure young adults on their parent’s plans up to age 26, get ride of the policies that allowed for denying insurance to people with pre-existing conditions, and allow people who were previously unable to get health insurance the ability to finally receive it.  Therefore, it would appear that, when framed in the proper context, Obamacare has accomplished its goals (or at least it will once that damn website starts working).  Now, from the beginning it was made clear that this bill was not going to solve every problem facing the healthcare system in the U.S.  And from the beginning, Conservatives have complained that Obamacare goes too far, while Liberals don’t think it goes far enough.  Again, football blog, so we’re just going to stop there.

Which brings me back to the BCS.  Like Obamacare, it wasn't designed to be the end-all solution to a problem (in this case, determining a National Champion).  It was simply designed to be a step in the right direction.  Some traditionalists claimed at the time that it went too far.  Reformers, on the other hand, claimed that it didn't go far enough.  The latter seems to have won out since we’ll be moving to a 4 team playoff next year.  Still, make no mistake, even the playoff will be controversial.  There are many out there who want an 8 or even 16 team playoff.  I don’t claim to be psychic (just robotic), so I won’t speculate on where this will take us.  But in the meantime, can we all just acknowledge that some things are fine for what they are and the sky is NOT actually falling?  Here’s the thing, progress is almost always good.  Even when new things don’t work, they provide us with an opportunity to at least learn from them and continue moving forward.  So just let it happen and enjoy the ride.

Here’s hoping that one day we can all live in a world where this healthcare thing is figured out AND we know for a fact who has the best college football team in the nation!  I’m PSUOptimus and I approve this message.