Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
We'll Be Back in Business in No Time
Welcome back to Penn State Minutiae where we cover the College Football season with a distinct interest (and slight favor) of Penn State. Last year when I started this blog I did not anticipate how hard it would be, coming up with material each day along with the long season makes this the hardest non-job I've ever had. As the season is fastly approaching (61 days!) I will begin to issue my season previews of the top 25 as well as the Big Ten, I'll see you all in August.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Big Ten Blogger Roundtable: Week 10
Its roundtable Wednesday over here at PSM! I gotta get this in or I won't be able to so lets get right into it. This week's questions come from those over from Buckeye Lane (www.buckeyelane.com)
1. With the Big Ten season about to be wrapped up, it is a little easier to predict what Bowl games are possible for your school. Tell me what Bowl games would interest you as a fan. Where do you want to go? More importantly, whom do you want to play?
The bowl game that interests me the most is the Outback Bowl. If Penn State wins out and can gets 3rd place outright in the Big Ten this they are going to Orlando, it seems pretty probable: the teams ahead of PSU for 3rd are Purdue and Wisconsin and provided Wisconsin loses to either Michigan OR OSU they are out of it and if Penn State wins out that of course means Purdue gets a loss. The only way this doesn’t happen is if Illinois wins out which should be tough since OSU remains on their schedule. I would want to play an SEC team to prove for one last time that our talent is good and that the team is capable of being a top tier program. If they fail to get to the Outback Bowl then I'm told the Alamo Bowl is where the team would go, this means Big 12 competition which wouldn't be as fun as facing the SEC.
2. In honor of Black Shoe Diaries' question about the Big Ten Moron Coach of the Year Award. Tell me who is the most disappointing player in the Big Ten this season. Also, tell me who is the most disappointing on your team.
Yea BSD love, righteous! To me it has to be Chad Henne, he was a Heisman Hopeful at the beginning of the year and once his team took 2 to the chin in the beginning of the year that was over, to boot he got hurt and hasn’t played outstanding once he’s been back either. I thought he could be a 1st rd pick earlier with his big arm and talent, plus being a starter at Michigan for so long gives you some bigger intangibles than most other QBs, but now I'm not so sure.
As for Penn State it has to be, and I don’t mean to beat a worn drum, Anthony Morelli. We were told that after the bowl game last year he had turned the corner and would come into his own (Mel Kiper even had him as the 5th best Senior QB at the beginning of the year!) but this was obviously false. He has been fine for some time and great in a few instances but overall he has remained inconsistent and ultimately a disappointment.
3. Ohio State is rumored to be building a giant buckeye nut outside the football stadium. This will lead to the new tradition of "rubbing the nut." I'm sure Michigan fans will use that against us. I know it is pretty late to start new traditions in the Big Ten, but pitch me a new tradition idea for your school.
I like any tradition that is interactive, therefore I would love a similar tradition here if the Nittany Lion was moved to the stadium or if once Joe retires that every player touches his statue before he enters the stadium.
BONUS ROUND
You are a big-fight promoter - Talk up your team's mascot and how/why they could kick the living crap out of any opposing team's mascot - inspired by Oregon's mascot.
I wish I had finished this roundtable before BSD did because I loved his idea of showing the video of the Lion running over Sparty, instead I'll do this: Insert inspirational speech and play Rocky music and show Lion doing one-handed push-ups.
Now you're an agent - Convince me that you have the top 2008 NFL Draft pick on your team.
Easy: Justin King is THE shutdown corner of the entire coun....errrrrr ohhhh yea, how about Dan Connor being a mid 1st to early 2nd rd pick.
1. With the Big Ten season about to be wrapped up, it is a little easier to predict what Bowl games are possible for your school. Tell me what Bowl games would interest you as a fan. Where do you want to go? More importantly, whom do you want to play?
The bowl game that interests me the most is the Outback Bowl. If Penn State wins out and can gets 3rd place outright in the Big Ten this they are going to Orlando, it seems pretty probable: the teams ahead of PSU for 3rd are Purdue and Wisconsin and provided Wisconsin loses to either Michigan OR OSU they are out of it and if Penn State wins out that of course means Purdue gets a loss. The only way this doesn’t happen is if Illinois wins out which should be tough since OSU remains on their schedule. I would want to play an SEC team to prove for one last time that our talent is good and that the team is capable of being a top tier program. If they fail to get to the Outback Bowl then I'm told the Alamo Bowl is where the team would go, this means Big 12 competition which wouldn't be as fun as facing the SEC.
2. In honor of Black Shoe Diaries' question about the Big Ten Moron Coach of the Year Award. Tell me who is the most disappointing player in the Big Ten this season. Also, tell me who is the most disappointing on your team.
Yea BSD love, righteous! To me it has to be Chad Henne, he was a Heisman Hopeful at the beginning of the year and once his team took 2 to the chin in the beginning of the year that was over, to boot he got hurt and hasn’t played outstanding once he’s been back either. I thought he could be a 1st rd pick earlier with his big arm and talent, plus being a starter at Michigan for so long gives you some bigger intangibles than most other QBs, but now I'm not so sure.
As for Penn State it has to be, and I don’t mean to beat a worn drum, Anthony Morelli. We were told that after the bowl game last year he had turned the corner and would come into his own (Mel Kiper even had him as the 5th best Senior QB at the beginning of the year!) but this was obviously false. He has been fine for some time and great in a few instances but overall he has remained inconsistent and ultimately a disappointment.
3. Ohio State is rumored to be building a giant buckeye nut outside the football stadium. This will lead to the new tradition of "rubbing the nut." I'm sure Michigan fans will use that against us. I know it is pretty late to start new traditions in the Big Ten, but pitch me a new tradition idea for your school.
I like any tradition that is interactive, therefore I would love a similar tradition here if the Nittany Lion was moved to the stadium or if once Joe retires that every player touches his statue before he enters the stadium.
BONUS ROUND
You are a big-fight promoter - Talk up your team's mascot and how/why they could kick the living crap out of any opposing team's mascot - inspired by Oregon's mascot.
I wish I had finished this roundtable before BSD did because I loved his idea of showing the video of the Lion running over Sparty, instead I'll do this: Insert inspirational speech and play Rocky music and show Lion doing one-handed push-ups.
Now you're an agent - Convince me that you have the top 2008 NFL Draft pick on your team.
Easy: Justin King is THE shutdown corner of the entire coun....errrrrr ohhhh yea, how about Dan Connor being a mid 1st to early 2nd rd pick.
Blue White Roundtable Week 10
So with all my work this week I can't find time to do my top 10 in depth or my Picks-Recap, of course I know you readers LIVE for my picks re-cap but unfortunately it will have to wait for next week. Here is my top 10 real quick before we get to the Blue White Roundtable.
TOP 10:
10. Georgia
9. Missouri
8. Kansas
7. West Virginia
6. Oklahoma
5. Arizona State
4. Oregon
3. Boston College
2. LSU
1. Ohio State
Now to the Roundtable brought to you by The Nittany Notebook (http://mvn.com/ncaa-pennstate/)
1. After being embarrassed by Ohio State at home, where does Penn State's program as a whole go from here?
What a loaded question. Well the program can do two things.
A: Continue on this average path and be glad to have a 9-3 or 8-4 season with shoddy play-calling and poor game preparation and let the players run wild with no real discipline to stop them from making dumb mistakes.
B: Drastically change the way you approach this game. The college football landscape is not what it once was, the spread offense is here, it helps you win (see Florida, Boise State, Oregon) so the actual football that is played needs to change, this offensive system is from 1970. Also in order to help the reputation of the school discipline needs to be given to the players, and I mean real discipline, if some players are used as an example in order to show the rest of them how playing football for this school is a PRIVLEDGE not a right. If all of this means firing coaches and nudging a legend to retire then that is what has to be done in order to get this program back on track. Otherwise I see a few more years of just plain average-ness.
2. Following back-to-back poor performances, what do you see as Penn State's biggest problem on defense?
The secondary, when the team had those two good wins against Iowa and Wisconsin one of the common denominators was the secondary, Lydell Sargeant and Anthony Scirrotto played great, King gave up a big play or two but it was the secondary that really shined, that and Maurice Evans. In these two poor performances the secondary disappeared and specifically in the OSU game the D-line did not show up at all, it couldn’t pressure Boeckman and they couldn’t penetrate to get to the running backs either. That could just be an effect of losing Jared Odrick, but I don’t think he was THAT important to the line.
3. What happens against Purdue this Saturday?
Well Purdue likes to throw the ball so that will happen a lot, and they can't play defense that well so the Penn State offense will play pretty well. It will come down to whether the defense shows up for the Lions, otherwise hello lose number 4.
Lightning Round
What bowl game does Penn State end up in?
Outback....they made it last year with 4 losses, and I think they will make it this year with 3.
Who is going to be Penn State's next verbal commitment?
I don't know, the one thing I lack as a blogger is real recruitment information so I will be reading everywhere I can to see who will sign up to put on the blue and white, just like everyone else.
Purdue score prediction.
Purdue: 24
Penn State: 29
TOP 10:
10. Georgia
9. Missouri
8. Kansas
7. West Virginia
6. Oklahoma
5. Arizona State
4. Oregon
3. Boston College
2. LSU
1. Ohio State
Now to the Roundtable brought to you by The Nittany Notebook (http://mvn.com/ncaa-pennstate/)
1. After being embarrassed by Ohio State at home, where does Penn State's program as a whole go from here?
What a loaded question. Well the program can do two things.
A: Continue on this average path and be glad to have a 9-3 or 8-4 season with shoddy play-calling and poor game preparation and let the players run wild with no real discipline to stop them from making dumb mistakes.
B: Drastically change the way you approach this game. The college football landscape is not what it once was, the spread offense is here, it helps you win (see Florida, Boise State, Oregon) so the actual football that is played needs to change, this offensive system is from 1970. Also in order to help the reputation of the school discipline needs to be given to the players, and I mean real discipline, if some players are used as an example in order to show the rest of them how playing football for this school is a PRIVLEDGE not a right. If all of this means firing coaches and nudging a legend to retire then that is what has to be done in order to get this program back on track. Otherwise I see a few more years of just plain average-ness.
2. Following back-to-back poor performances, what do you see as Penn State's biggest problem on defense?
The secondary, when the team had those two good wins against Iowa and Wisconsin one of the common denominators was the secondary, Lydell Sargeant and Anthony Scirrotto played great, King gave up a big play or two but it was the secondary that really shined, that and Maurice Evans. In these two poor performances the secondary disappeared and specifically in the OSU game the D-line did not show up at all, it couldn’t pressure Boeckman and they couldn’t penetrate to get to the running backs either. That could just be an effect of losing Jared Odrick, but I don’t think he was THAT important to the line.
3. What happens against Purdue this Saturday?
Well Purdue likes to throw the ball so that will happen a lot, and they can't play defense that well so the Penn State offense will play pretty well. It will come down to whether the defense shows up for the Lions, otherwise hello lose number 4.
Lightning Round
What bowl game does Penn State end up in?
Outback....they made it last year with 4 losses, and I think they will make it this year with 3.
Who is going to be Penn State's next verbal commitment?
I don't know, the one thing I lack as a blogger is real recruitment information so I will be reading everywhere I can to see who will sign up to put on the blue and white, just like everyone else.
Purdue score prediction.
Purdue: 24
Penn State: 29
Monday, October 29, 2007
3 Reasons Why Penn State Lost on Saturday..Redux
What a heartbreaker, that game finally put an end to the dream this year. And it was our strengths that killed us, I don't even want to do this but you gotta do what you gotta do. Here are 3 reasons why Penn State lost on Saturday to the Buckeyes.
1) Defense- The backbone of the team and it let them down. The defense entered the game as the 7th best in the nation; they did not leave the game that way. Here are some stats: OSU completed 12-16 on 3rd down.... that’s 75%. They also ran for 200 yards on 48 attempts, which shows that they had no fear in running the ball. I recall the defense having a 3rd and 3 or 2 several times in the 2nd and 3rd quarter to get off the field and get the ball back but it seemed like every time (more like 75% of the time) the Buckeyes ran the ball down our throats. Boeckman had a career day on top of all of this and threw for 3 TDs. Putting out an APB on Justin King.
2) Anthony Morelli- I feel like this could be seen as kind of cliché but in every pundits preview of the game and in every periodical I read about the game the one constant was that Anthony Morelli needed to perform well if Penn State wanted to win. Well he didn't. He was 12 of 21 with 1 pic...for a TD. That’s a 57% completion, not terrible but it needed to be a lot better in order for the Nittany Lions to win.
I don’t have a 3rd..I'm kind of beat from this weekend and I have a lot of schoolwork this week. I guess the overall ineptitude of the offense could be a 3rd, I saw somewhere (could have been RUTS) that OSU had 79 offensive plays to Penn State's 49 or something terrible. This just in: the OSU defense is good.
1) Defense- The backbone of the team and it let them down. The defense entered the game as the 7th best in the nation; they did not leave the game that way. Here are some stats: OSU completed 12-16 on 3rd down.... that’s 75%. They also ran for 200 yards on 48 attempts, which shows that they had no fear in running the ball. I recall the defense having a 3rd and 3 or 2 several times in the 2nd and 3rd quarter to get off the field and get the ball back but it seemed like every time (more like 75% of the time) the Buckeyes ran the ball down our throats. Boeckman had a career day on top of all of this and threw for 3 TDs. Putting out an APB on Justin King.
2) Anthony Morelli- I feel like this could be seen as kind of cliché but in every pundits preview of the game and in every periodical I read about the game the one constant was that Anthony Morelli needed to perform well if Penn State wanted to win. Well he didn't. He was 12 of 21 with 1 pic...for a TD. That’s a 57% completion, not terrible but it needed to be a lot better in order for the Nittany Lions to win.
I don’t have a 3rd..I'm kind of beat from this weekend and I have a lot of schoolwork this week. I guess the overall ineptitude of the offense could be a 3rd, I saw somewhere (could have been RUTS) that OSU had 79 offensive plays to Penn State's 49 or something terrible. This just in: the OSU defense is good.
Friday, October 26, 2007
This is OUR HOUSE
We must protect this house! I found this little gem over at the 50-Yard Line, it says it all.
GO STATE BEAT THE BUCKEYES!
GO STATE BEAT THE BUCKEYES!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
College Football Picks Week 9
Another round of games to be picked this weekend and I have to say I've got a pretty good feeling about this set of match-ups so lets get to the picking.
#11 Florida at #18 Georgia- This game will come down to one thing. Timothy Tebow. That is all, which is all that Florida needs.
Florida Wins: 35-20
Nebraska at #19 Texas- It is almost sad to see how far the blackshirts have fallen this year, there was a lot of expectations that they were going to be back this year and their rankings showed it but it is obvious now they had no business being ranked. Texas is not a real contender this year but they are a lot better than the Cornhuskers.
Texas Wins: 45-19
#16 South Carolina at Tennessee- SC stumbled against Vanderbilt last week ending their dreams of a one-loss BCS bid, Steve Spurrier's offense is ranked 93rd in the country and they only managed 6 points against the Commodores! This is what I know, head ball coach will have the Gamecocks ready to play and Phil Fulmer holds a 4-8 lifetime record against Spurrier. Gamecocks will continue to make Fulmer's seat hotter this weekend.
South Carolina: 30-16
#9 Kansas at Texas A&M- So I guess Kansas is for real? I mean they are 7-0 in the Big 12 and they won’t really be challenged until their last game against Missouri. I smell a trap game, Kansas is coming off a big win at Colorado and will be flying high and no matter how upset the alumni are at Dennis Franchione the Aggies are tough to play at home. With all that said I'll take the Jayhawks.
Kansas Wins: 24-20
#7 West Virginia at Rutgers- A word to all other teams in the Big East, NEVER play the Knights on the road on a Thursday or you will lose, lucky for WVU they get to play Rutgers on Saturday afternoon. I saw USF's offense, which is not even close to being as prolific as WVU's, put up 27 points on the Rutgers D. The Mountaineers will have little trouble putting up points and will not have to worry about Ray Rice who will run for over 150 in a losing effort.
West Virginia Wins: 42-24
#21 California at #4 Arizona State-The Golden Bears have killed my picks the last two weeks so I am hoping to avoid that by picking them for the upset. Arizona State seems to be doing this with smoke and mirrors and they have been waiting for a real competitor, well they will get it on Saturday and I see the end of the era coming. Maybe this will bring some sanity back to college football.
Cal Wins: 23-17
#12 USC at #5 Oregon- USC is in desperate need of this win, if they lose this it is over for the Trojans, the same could be said for the Ducks but the real pressure is on SC this weekend. With Mark Sanchez starting it gives the Trojans a better chance to win but Dennis Dixon will be able to pull the Ducks through to victory. I said this earlier this week but it is true, if Oregon had beaten Cal they would be #1 and Dixon would be the front-runner for the Heisman.
Oregon Wins: 36-23
#10 South Florida at #23 Connecticut- UConn is leading the Big East...no this is not basketball season. They won last week on a terrible non-fair catch call. USF was also a victim of some fishy calls but I think they will be able to defeat the Huskies and ending their BCS dream, their D is too quick for the Huskie O.
USF Wins: 24-10
#1 Ohio State at #25 Penn State- I feel like if this game was played on a neutral field Penn State would probably win 4 or 5 out of 10, but it is not being played on a neutral field, it is being played on OUR field in front of OUR fans who are the best fans in the entire country, we are the BEST student section and we will be the best team on Saturday night. I usually try to refrain from using "we" or "us" but on a game like this there is no reason to hide my pride. The crowd will rattle the Offense and our defense will capitalize on this and force a big turnover and that will swing the game the other way.
Penn State Wins: 17-10
*****UPSET SPECIAL*****
Michigan State at Iowa- Iowa showed some life the other week against Illinois and played great defense against their good running game, Michigan State's niche is also running the ball, Iowa will stop it and be able to score enough on offense to take this game from the Spartans.
Iowa Wins: 20-13
#11 Florida at #18 Georgia- This game will come down to one thing. Timothy Tebow. That is all, which is all that Florida needs.
Florida Wins: 35-20
Nebraska at #19 Texas- It is almost sad to see how far the blackshirts have fallen this year, there was a lot of expectations that they were going to be back this year and their rankings showed it but it is obvious now they had no business being ranked. Texas is not a real contender this year but they are a lot better than the Cornhuskers.
Texas Wins: 45-19
#16 South Carolina at Tennessee- SC stumbled against Vanderbilt last week ending their dreams of a one-loss BCS bid, Steve Spurrier's offense is ranked 93rd in the country and they only managed 6 points against the Commodores! This is what I know, head ball coach will have the Gamecocks ready to play and Phil Fulmer holds a 4-8 lifetime record against Spurrier. Gamecocks will continue to make Fulmer's seat hotter this weekend.
South Carolina: 30-16
#9 Kansas at Texas A&M- So I guess Kansas is for real? I mean they are 7-0 in the Big 12 and they won’t really be challenged until their last game against Missouri. I smell a trap game, Kansas is coming off a big win at Colorado and will be flying high and no matter how upset the alumni are at Dennis Franchione the Aggies are tough to play at home. With all that said I'll take the Jayhawks.
Kansas Wins: 24-20
#7 West Virginia at Rutgers- A word to all other teams in the Big East, NEVER play the Knights on the road on a Thursday or you will lose, lucky for WVU they get to play Rutgers on Saturday afternoon. I saw USF's offense, which is not even close to being as prolific as WVU's, put up 27 points on the Rutgers D. The Mountaineers will have little trouble putting up points and will not have to worry about Ray Rice who will run for over 150 in a losing effort.
West Virginia Wins: 42-24
#21 California at #4 Arizona State-The Golden Bears have killed my picks the last two weeks so I am hoping to avoid that by picking them for the upset. Arizona State seems to be doing this with smoke and mirrors and they have been waiting for a real competitor, well they will get it on Saturday and I see the end of the era coming. Maybe this will bring some sanity back to college football.
Cal Wins: 23-17
#12 USC at #5 Oregon- USC is in desperate need of this win, if they lose this it is over for the Trojans, the same could be said for the Ducks but the real pressure is on SC this weekend. With Mark Sanchez starting it gives the Trojans a better chance to win but Dennis Dixon will be able to pull the Ducks through to victory. I said this earlier this week but it is true, if Oregon had beaten Cal they would be #1 and Dixon would be the front-runner for the Heisman.
Oregon Wins: 36-23
#10 South Florida at #23 Connecticut- UConn is leading the Big East...no this is not basketball season. They won last week on a terrible non-fair catch call. USF was also a victim of some fishy calls but I think they will be able to defeat the Huskies and ending their BCS dream, their D is too quick for the Huskie O.
USF Wins: 24-10
#1 Ohio State at #25 Penn State- I feel like if this game was played on a neutral field Penn State would probably win 4 or 5 out of 10, but it is not being played on a neutral field, it is being played on OUR field in front of OUR fans who are the best fans in the entire country, we are the BEST student section and we will be the best team on Saturday night. I usually try to refrain from using "we" or "us" but on a game like this there is no reason to hide my pride. The crowd will rattle the Offense and our defense will capitalize on this and force a big turnover and that will swing the game the other way.
Penn State Wins: 17-10
*****UPSET SPECIAL*****
Michigan State at Iowa- Iowa showed some life the other week against Illinois and played great defense against their good running game, Michigan State's niche is also running the ball, Iowa will stop it and be able to score enough on offense to take this game from the Spartans.
Iowa Wins: 20-13
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