The talent, speed and depth of this Penn State squad was on full display for a national audience to see What do you do coming off a bye week if you are a talented football team striving to get better? For Penn State it meant going on the road to a hostile environment and playing a near flawless game. If it gets much better than Friday night in College…
Zero interceptions and nearly 800 passing yards is a solid start for redshirt sophomore first-year starter There was plenty to digest during this off week for Penn State. Players, position groups, coaching staff all received a three-game analysis during the first of two bye weeks for the Nittany Lions. The reviews for quarterback Sean Clifford have been mixed. Those who think the first-year starter has been below average most likely…
Players and positions were the focus in Part 1, now time to talk about the coaching staff In the first part of my Penn State bye week observations and thoughts the focus was on the players and several of the position groups. Now it’s time for the coaching staff. James Franklin is a very good college football head coach in the modern game. Franklin is an outstanding CEO at the…
A few thoughts after 12 quarters and what it means going forward for Penn State This opening three-game schedule could not have been any more ideal for this Penn State team. Three opponents with less talent than the Nittany Lions allowed the coaching staff to play a ton of players on a fairly consistent basis. Despite the nip-and-tuck affair with rival Pitt, the bottom line is Penn State is exactly…
Aggressive offense, kicking game and defensive line are the recipe for Penn State victory As Penn State and Pitt get set for the 100th and most likely final meeting for the foreseeable future Saturday, I have three keys for the Nittany Lions to make it three straight wins. After watching Pitt lose to Virginia and beat Ohio University at home to start the 2019 campaign, what stands out to me…
After 100 years this game feels more forced than natural in terms of a rivalry For the 100th and most likely final time, at least for the foreseeable future, The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh (Penn State-Pitt) will square off at Beaver Stadium. I’m not a “fan” of either team, but as a military brat who grew up all around the world, I always followed the two…
Three regulars return on Penn State defense There was so much to like from the Penn State defense in the opener. All those sacks, tackles for losses and so many young players seeing the field in meaningful minutes. Coach James Franklin called it the “most complete” first effort by a defense since he’s been at Penn State. And he’s not wrong. Granted it was against Idaho and the Vandals…
Get used to seeing “or” on the running back depth chart So let’s talk about the running backs, the depth chart and the all-important “or” that coach James Franklin uses. Sometimes the Nittany Lions’ skipper uses the “or” for tactical purposes, but more recently he is using it because he actually plans to play those players on a regular basis. Penn State has that kind of depth in spots this…