Week 1 Wrap Up

The long anticipated trip to Dublin, Ireland is now officially over.  James Franklin and company heard all the critics and doubters, but didn't let it get to them as they put together a solid week 1 performance and came away with a victory.  Penn Staters consumed all the Guinness in Temple Bar, boarded their planes, and partied the whole way home.  It was a game that proved to be equal parts record-breaking air show, and sloppy first game jitters.  As with any season opener, there were a plethora of learning opportunities, but just as many flashes of the potential this team has.  So let's get to what happened.  But first, here's what victory looks like!  How cool is that trophy?  The football is made from 4,500 year old Irish bog yew (aka ancient wood) and the metal frame is made of recycled steel from Three Rivers Stadium and designed to evoke the facemask of an American Football helmet.  All I know is it will look sweet in a trophy case back at Beaver Stadium.

Coach Franklin decided to make me look like an idiot, going for an air raid style of offense instead of the conservative running attack I predicted.  I was correct about Zwinak getting the bulk of the carries, although he only managed 32 yds on 12 attempts.  Bill Belton didn't fare much better rushing 10 times for just 16 yds.  As everyone guessed correctly, the offensive line struggled to get any kind of push and created absolutely no holes for the running backs.  Thankfully, they were competent enough in pass protection that Christian Hackenberg was able to shatter the single-game passing record, becoming the first QB in Penn State history to have a 400+ yd game in the process.

Here's what you need to know about the young gunslinger before he slowly morphs into mythological status.  Hackenberg can be absolutely brilliant.  Everyone already knew this from day one and this game just gave us the statistical data to back it up.  32 of 47 for 454 yds in a single game.  Two receivers with 100+ yds in a single game for the first time in over 6 years.  A superb 79 yd TD pass with the touch of Peyton Manning.  It was all there.  Yet, the decision making was inconsistent at best, and his release seemed slow.  Far too often, Hack would try and thread the ball into windows so tight, it was as if he had gotten cocky and was just trying to show off.  Then there were the 2 interceptions that can only be described as rookie mistakes.  As many have already said about Christian, the potential seems limitless, but for now there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Then, of course, there were the questions at wide receiver.  Who could possibly step up and match or exceed the incredible production of Allen Robinson?  We got an emphatic answer on Saturday morning in Lewis & Hamilton, attorneys at law... or at least they sound like a law firm to me.  Geno Lewis and redshirt freshman Daesean Hamilton torched the supposedly stout UCF secondary, breaking their ankles and making them look silly all morning long.  Hamilton quickly got everyone's attention grabbing 11 catches for a whopping 165 yds and moving the chains early and often.  Not to be outdone, Lewis, the veteran of the receiving corps, pulled in 8 catches of his own for 173 yds, including a bobbled circus-style catch and the aforementioned 79 yd bomb for a TD where he outran 3 Golden Knights by at least 10 yds.  Oh, and if "one picture perfect TD pass... probably to Geno Lewis" sounds familiar, it's because you read my prediction on Friday night.

As for the defense, they looked nasty (in a good way).  The front four, lead by converted DT Anthony Zettel dominated the line of scrimmage, stuffing the UCF running game, while DE Deion Barnes was a consistent presence in the backfield.  There was a very impressive goal line stand in the 1st quarter that epitomized how the defense played all day.  Now some people may be critical of the secondary who, aside from Amos and Lucas, showed definite signs of rust.  However, the UCF receivers are legit and better than most of the teams Penn State will see this year.  I saw a lot of good things given the circumstances and by the time conference teams come calling, I expect this group to ready for prime time.

In the end, and as I predicted, it all came down to a last second field goal by Sam Ficken.  How many times have we seen this scenario play out?  Ficken's underdog story has been well documented.  He went from the goat who missed 4 FGs in a 1-point loss to Virginia back in 2012 to the kid who beat Wisconsin in OT on Senior Day of that same year.  Against UCF, he earned his sometimes ironically given nickname "Mr. Automatic" by putting 4 FGs through the uprights, including the game winner with 3 seconds left.  Once the celebration began, we were treated to the most adorable picture of the day: James Franklin picking up Sam Ficken while saying "I'm so happy for you!"

For anyone watching the game, and subsequently looking at the stat sheet, you would think that Penn State cruised to a week 1 victory over some poor FCS opponent to the tune of 56-0.  Yet somehow, this was actually a game against the reigning Fiesta Bowl champs, and the Lions only squeeked by on a last second field goal.  In classic Penn State form, the defense bailed out the rest of the team on numerous occasions and ensured the victory.  There are plenty of lessons to be learned from this game, but I now have even more trust in this coaching staff to fix the mistakes and have a very successful year.  Much of that success will be dependent on freshmen, both true and redshirt, stepping up.  If yesterday's game was an indication, many of those freshmen players are ready and willing to answer the call.

Oh, and I wonder what happened to that whole “waxing” we were supposed to receive?  Well, Lee Corso, do you have anything to say now?  Didn't think so.

It's time to get back into the season swing of things.  So, be sure to come back tomorrow for the weekly grades, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go State!

Week 1 Prediction

CAN IT BE TRUE?!  IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?!  YES!!!  COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!

Now with that out of the way.. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2014 College Football Season (now with playoffs)!  The wait is finally over and tomorrow morning, bright and early, live from Croke Park Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, the Nittany Lions of Penn State take on the Golden Knights of Central Florida in the Croke Park Classic!  Kick off is at 8:30am (thanks a lot time zones!) on ESPN2.  Oh, and it would appear the names will be staying on the backs of the jerseys for the foreseeable future.

Interesting fact; I was actually in Ireland over St Patrick's Day last year and I spent 2 nights at the Croke Park Hotel, directly across the street from Croke Park Stadium (fantastic hotel btw, I highly recommend it).  So I'm quite familiar with the experience that the team is having right now.  I've been to the Guinness Storehouse and seen the view from the Gravity Bar.  I've toured Dublin from atop a double decker bus and I've even stood outside Croke Park Stadium... unfortunately I never made it inside.  There were some hurling matches scheduled, but they got rained out.  What I can tell you is the stadium itself is quite massive and imposing, just like Beaver Stadium.  In fact, it's the 3rd largest stadium in Europe.  So hopefully our boys in blue can feel the immensity of the spectacle.  It looks like they're already having a great time.  Meanwhile, back on the field, they'll be playing against a man whose name suggests he should feel right at home in Dublin; UCF head coach, George O'Leary.  His Golden Knights got the best of Penn State last season, thanks in large part to QB Blake Bortles and RB Storm Johnson (still a great name).  Those two are off in the NFL now, reunited on the Jacksonville Jaguars, ironically along with former Penn State standout WR Allen Robinson.  They might be my new favorite NFL team.  So what can we make of the teams this year?  Let's get to the first break down of the season!

The Good
Last year's UCF team shocked almost everyone, beating both Penn State and Louisville before suffering their only loss of the year to South Carolina by only 3 points (in a game they probably should have won).  They finished the year with a blowout win over heavily favored Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.  The Knights' surprising performance played a big part in Blake Bortles' 3rd overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.  But like I said before, he's gone, and so is Storm Johnson, who admittedly torched Penn State in last year's game.  In their place, UCF turns to a redshirt freshman QB Pete DiNovo, and RB William Stanback... and no, I don't know anything about them either.

As for Penn State, the defense appears to be the strength of the team with a solid 3-deep on the defensive line, a thin but talented linebacking corps, and a vastly improved secondary with significantly better depth.  Standouts include DEs Deion Barnes and C.J. Olaniyan, LB Mike Hull, S Adrian Amos, and CB Jordan Lucas.  Meanwhile, despite serious depth concerns on the offensive line, the offense looks formidable.  It all starts with QB Christian Hackenberg.  I'll fawn over him later, but let's just say he's really good.  If he can stay upright, he'll be throwing to a receiving corps overflowing with elite 4-star talent... most of whom, unfortunately, have yet to play a single down in college.  Lucky for them, receiver is probably the easiest position on the field to make an immediate impact as a freshman.  And besides, you should all be more focused on arguably the best tight end corps in the country.  Even with the injury to Adam Breneman, that just leaves us with Brent Wilkerson, All-Big Ten Kyle Carter, freshman phenom Mike Gesicki, and freak of nature Jesse James.  I'm not worried.  Then of course, there's the 3-headed monster at running back: Zach Zwinak, Bill Belton, and Akeel Lynch.  Yeah, we're good there too.

The Bad
For all the questions about Central Florida's offense, there are an equal number of answers about their defense.  Some "experts" even think this could be the best defense Penn State will face all season.  I disagree with those experts, of course, because I give that honor to Michigan State and maybe even Ohio State.  Still, the Golden Knights bring 9 starters back on a defense that was already a top-20 defense last year.  This includes all 4 starters on the defensive line... you know, the guys who line up opposite Penn State's biggest weakness?  In addition, although it's safe to call newly appointed team captain Christian Hackenberg "experienced" now, as I mentioned before, that distinction doesn't exactly apply to his wide receivers.  Expect a very tough, veteran UCF secondary to take full advantage of the young guys early and often.  Not to mention, you can never count out George O'Leary, as the Nittany Lions learned the hard way last year.  Oh, and jetlag is a thing, although both teams will have to contend with it equally.

It's been stressed all offseason, the offensive line is about as deep as a kiddy pool; a fitting description given the number of freshmen being asked to step in at a position not accustomed to accommodating underclassmen.  Penn State's most famous position, linebacker, is thin too.  Not to mention the entire staff is brand new.  Unlike Bill O'Brien's crew, these guys all coached together at Vanderbilt, but they haven't coached these players in a live game yet, and they have to take their first crack at it in Dublin of all places.  Hopefully James Franklin can summon the luck of the Irish tomorrow morning.

The Story
Obviously, the story is that this game is being played in Dublin, Ireland.  Thanks to the bowl ban part of the NCAA sanctions, Penn State can't participate in the first ever College Football Playoff.  So, while head coach, Bill O'Brien set up this game as a makeshift bowl trip for the players.  Judging by the pictures of alumni filling the streets for a pep rally today, it sure feels like a bowl game atmosphere, so mission accomplished!  It will be very interesting to see how all the external factors affect the game.  I honestly think it's going to be sloppy.  If Penn State gets a win, though, who cares?

Now, just looking at some of the numbers on paper, it would appear that Penn State is going to have a rough season.  However, I hope you all read this blog for a little more than just some boring numbers.  I tend to look for the little, sometimes intangible things that others seem to miss.  For example, Penn State only brings back one starter on the offensive line (LT Donovan Smith).  Yet, offensive line coach Herb Hand has already been through this exact same situation while on the staff at Tulsa.  He ended that season with one of the best offensive lines in the country.  I trust him.  In fact, I trust this whole staff.  They've brought a magical kind of energy back to a program that desperately needed it and they seem to have infected the entire fanbase.  They're going to have one heck of a debut.  Good luck to them!

The Prediction
Well, the experts don't know what to think.  Vegas has changed its odds multiple times, from Penn State favored by 3, to UCF favored by 5.  There's just too many variables.  UCF is breaking in a new QB, but Penn State is breaking in a whole new coaching staff.  Will jetlag play a factor?  How will the "neutral site" aspect of playing in a foreign country, let alone stadium affect the players?  It's a lot to take into consideration.  To me, it comes down to this: Penn State's starting 22 are better than UCF's starting 22.  Now, if there are some in-game injuries, maybe I can understand giving the edge to O'Leary's crew.  But we can only deal with what's in front of us right now, and given the current rosters, I don't see how anyone can seriously have UCF favored, even by 1.5 points (the most recent line I saw).  It's all about match ups.  The strength of both teams is their defense, and the weakness of both teams is their offense.  So either way it's going to be a close game with points coming at a premium.  In situations like this where the teams are similar, I always bet against the weakest unit on the field.  In my opinion, that's UCF's offense.

Christian Hackenberg doesn't throw for a lot as Franklin elects to play it safe and stick to the ground game.  He does get off one picture perfect TD pass, though, probably to Geno Lewis.  Zwinak's downhill style proves the most effective and he gets the bulk of the carries.  Although no individual RB hits the 100 yd mark, together they put up decent stats.  On defense, the line takes advantage of UCF's young QB and offensive line, recording 3 sacks including one by Deion Barnes, who looks more like his freshman self than last year's incarnation.  Meanwhile, Jordan Lucas pulls down the first of many interceptions this season.  Overall, the offense struggles as predicted, but manages to do just enough to get the victory.  Sam Ficken kicks the game winning field goal and Penn State fans take over the Temple Bar section of Dublin, spending the night trying to convince bartenders to draw a Lion paw in their Guinness foam instead of a shamrock.  Final score: 23-20


Alright folks, get some sleep, we got an early start.  Enjoy the game!  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus throughout the game as I attempt to be coherent at 8:30am on a Saturday.  I'll try to get the Wrap Up done for Saturday night.  Go State, beat Knights!

One Week and Counting!

That's right ladies and gentlemen, you read that headline correctly; there is only ONE week left until the return of Penn State football!  Unfortunately, due to the time differences between the U.S. and Ireland, that return will come at 8:30 am EST next Saturday on ESPN2.  And if you're a Penn State fan living on the west coast for some reason, get ready for a 5:30 am wake up call (I'm sorry).  Still, most fans are so starved for the return of football that I think this will turn out to be only a minor inconvenience.  Besides, sleep is for the weak.  What won't be a minor inconvenience, however, is a volcano in Iceland that may affect the team's travel plans.  The volcano (which I will not even attempt to pronounce the name of) has been causing all manner of seismic activity recently and scientists are afraid it could blow its top at any moment.  A similar volcano in Iceland caused the cancellation of some 100,000 flights around Europe back in 2010, so this would not exactly be unprecedented.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Mother Nature will see fit to not delay our long awaited start to football.  With all of that said, let's get to all the latest happenings.

Our first story today actually has very little to do with Penn State, at least directly.  Ohio State QB, and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller, reinjured his shoulder this past week and will officially be out for the season.  Miller is the reigning 2-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and was poised to lead the Buckeyes to a potential National Championship run this year.  Most people with a heart probably feel bad for Miller, and rightfully so as no decent person should wish ill upon anyone.  But as a football fan, it's more than OK to engage in a little schadenfreude regarding Ohio State as a whole.  The news isn't exactly great for the Big Ten conference, which was hanging its collective hopes of making the first ever College Football Playoff on the favorites from Columbus, but it is good news for Nittany Lion fans since, with Miller out for the Oct 25th meeting in Happy Valley, the Lions actually stand a chance of winning!  That's why this week's news about a week long campout for the Ohio State game is all the more exciting.  Good luck to all the campers, you may actually get a victory for your efforts!  Now, for anyone still concerned about the conference's perception nationally due to Miller's injury, have no fear.  Michigan State is a very legitimate contender to make the inaugural field of four... unless, of course, Penn State manages to knock them off in their final regular season game like they did to Wisconsin the previous two years.  Oh well, we live in hope.

Moving on.  Have you ever wondered what's it's REALLY like being a top flight college QB, trying to decipher a play call, and then executing it with the precision and grace of one, Christian Hackenberg?  Well if you have, the folks over at Black Shoe Diaries (BSD) decided to delve deep into two plays they heard Hack call at training camp and what exactly all of that jargon means.  If you don't have a lot of technical football knowledge this might go over your head.  But for football nerds like myself, this is wonderful, so enjoy!

Finally, to put the proverbial cherry on top of the "one week left" sundae, here's the brand new, official, 2014 Penn State football hype video!  Get excited!

Well that will wrap it up for this week.  Barring any big news during the early part of the week, this will officially wrap up my offseason coverage for the year (thank the Primes!).  The next time you hear from me will most likely be for my Week 1 Prediction on Friday.  So keep it here on the blog all season long for predictions, analysis, awards, and more.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for all the latest news and notes surrounding Penn State football, and as always, go State!

August News and Notes

Welcome to the weekend everyone.  We are exactly 3 weeks away from the season opener against Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland!  James Franklin can complain about the trip all he wants, but I just want to see some football!  I don't even care that I'll have to wake up at 8:30am to see it.  Anyway, it's time to get caught up on everything Penn State football.

In case you didn't know, in addition to Penn State's new President, last month we got a new athletic director as well.  Sandy Barbour comes to us by way of Cal-Berkley, arguably the best public school in the country, yet Cal football and basketball players were only graduating at a 40% clip under her watch.  Now, I'm willing to give her a chance, but I do question how someone with such a checkered past could even be considered for the Penn State job.  Does she have some incredible skills that we don't know about yet, or is there cronyism afoot?  The people over at OnwardState have a good take on the subject.

On to lighter news... did you know that James Franklin is a great recruiter?  Well he continued doing work recently, and bolstered the 2016 class, by adding coveted 5-star DE Shane Simmons back on July 30th.  Simmons is the first 5-star player to commit to the Lions since Christian Hackenberg in the 2013 class.  But Franklin and company weren't done, as they turned back to the 2015 class by adding 4-star CB John Reid from Philadelphia.  Reid is rated the 2nd best player in PA, and now gives Penn State 7 of the top 10 in-state players.  Coach Franklin continues to back up his "Dominate the State" mantra, and appears to be taking his pick of the Keystone litter.

In uniform news, although numbers on the helmets were shot down a little while back, we still haven't heard officially whether or not the team will be sporting names on the backs of their jerseys again this year.  One thing we do know, however, is that Michigan plans to wear alternate "under the lights" uniforms for the their clash with the Nittany Lions in Ann Arbor on Oct 11th.  I don't know what kind of effect that will have exactly, but Penn State will look as classy as ever for the game in their traditional all white away uniforms.

And finally, we briefly move to the NFL.  It looks like former Linebacker U product Dan Connor is retiring from pro football and will serve as the new linebackers coach at West Chester University.  Congratulations Dan on this new stage in your life, I'm sure you'll be an excellent coach!  As for the other former Lions still in the NFL, many of them were in action this past week as preseason games got under way.  Here is a great recap of how some of them performed.

That's all for this week.  Football will be here before you know it!  Keep it here on the blog for what remains of the offseason for all the latest news and notes about Penn State football.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus, and as always, go state!