McCaffrey's 1st Start

Ya ... That is our point.  91 plays is a lot of plays ... led to 501 yards with 30 first downs.  There errors caused them to only score 23 points and to lose.  Basically, they did with us what we gave to NW.  If you are thinking we should have won that game ... Then perhaps one could conclude that Penn State could have [if not should have] won that game.  

Much improvement needed.  Better to win and "correct" ... But D has much to improve if this is "improvement".  They seemed to have their way in the second half ... That is all that is being implied.

There is no moral victory in comparing the points verses OSU for me.
I'm not anointing the defense as back, but the offense had just as much to do with them getting back into the game as the young guys making young guys mistakes. 4 of 5 drives in the 2nd half were either 3 or 4 offensive plays then a punt. Thats awful when the opponent is trying to play power football

 
Frost gripping and going into "playing not to lose" mode killed our offense in the second-half. Need to stay on the damn gas. We've got athletes, need to get them the ball downfield some. 
And I can’t imagine this approach instills confidence in the team.   

 
One big thing that sticks out to me still - Warner shouldn't have dropped that ball in the end zone. McCaffrey put it right on him.

If we had been at 34 instead of 30 late in the fourth, it wouldn't have felt like a nail-biter, really. I wish for both of those guys that Warner would have caught that pass...


That was tough to watch.  Too much going on between the ears as that should have been an easy catch for a TD.  

 
So. 500 yards a game is acceptable to you?
Drawing parallels to other games isn’t useful.   
How much of this tho is on frost and an inept offense leaving em hung out to dry in the 2nd half?

don’t get me wrong, this defense is still a major work in progress, imho, but it’s definitely shown improvement in areas (more so than the offense has in 3 years)

frankly, I don’t think this defense is going to take a massive jump until we get a guy who can simply get pressure by himself.. the one thing that makes me cringe is chins calls way too many safety/corner blitzes where the guy doesn’t have a shot at the qb because it’s too delayed or he’s too far back in coverage and doesn’t even come close to getting to qb. He’s gotta bring pressure cause we don’t have the guys yet on the d line/olb that’s a beast solo- yet many a times he’s drawing up these plays that don’t put pressure yet opens up more windows in coverage... baffling

 
How much of this tho is on frost and an inept offense leaving em hung out to dry in the 2nd half?

don’t get me wrong, this defense is still a major work in progress, imho, but it’s definitely shown improvement in areas (more so than the offense has in 3 years)

frankly, I don’t think this defense is going to take a massive jump until we get a guy who can simply get pressure by himself.. the one thing that makes me cringe is chins calls way too many safety/corner blitzes where the guy doesn’t have a shot at the qb because it’s too delayed or he’s too far back in coverage and doesn’t even come close to getting to qb. He’s gotta bring pressure cause we don’t have the guys yet on the d line/olb that’s a beast solo- yet many a times he’s drawing up these plays that don’t put pressure yet opens up more windows in coverage... baffling
I agree that they need to identify someone who can get around the OT and  not let the QB think he has all day while our three rushing D linemen are being double teamed.  Basically more of what Deontai Williams did on that sack, scoop and score.   The offense in the second half was definitely partially to blame for the 500yd given up.  

 
Frost needs some serious help to design a definitive O that works against the B1G.  His scheme, talent or not will not win the B1G in its current configuration. 


Dude, Frost ain't even running his scheme! Go back and watch some UCF or Oregon games, what Frost is running right now looks nothing like those offenses. He's running what he can with the guys he's got and where they're at in their development.

And you know he was nervous, even though it wasn't really brought up.


Oh, it was definitely brought up! He said he only got like an hour's sleep the previous night.

 
Ha!  I have known guys that rotate WR's every play, and on each play they just run them deep over and over, just to take the CB out of the play and wear them out.
Just like a "rabbit" in the mile relay. Field a team (burner WR) that just takes off.  No intent to win the relay (as you said run off the CB/draw the safety).  BUT you need to keep up with them in case the team is legit.  Meanwhile your "real" team or "actual players" are dealing with 1-2 less defenders....And every once in a while, the sun shines on that dog and you throw the ball and he gets 6.....

 
Dude, Frost ain't even running his scheme! Go back and watch some UCF or Oregon games, what Frost is running right now looks nothing like those offenses. He's running what he can with the guys he's got and where they're at in their development.

Oh, it was definitely brought up! He said he only got like an hour's sleep the previous night.
His scheme is no scheme.  He still tries to run uptempo, still tries to use the Duck R, motion, etc.....And still no TE (unlike UCF). A lot of teams are crushing it with true fresh....I'm not buying into his guys/development BS.  YEAR 2 at UCF they went undefeated.  New team, new system,.......Look what he did with Shaq in year 2........HIS CRAP WON'T WORK HERE.  

Look at Miami with Lashlee, Clemson with their true FRESH QB, on the road against ND......Double OT.  They lost, but dude balled out.  That's scheming to what you have.  Scheming to the guys you have not those you want.  Frost has yet to show me he can.  Still no red zone O.  If not for the "pass" to Betts we are 3 games with no passing TD......

I'll be the first to eat crow if his Oregon/UCF scheme take root and work.  BUT, that Chip Oregon O has been figured out.  Teams have adjusted.  Even TO's O adapted as did his D.... And the B1G has some talented athletes across the board and good coaches.....Something one couldn't really say about the AAC.

 
He needs to improve his passing or he will just be another Taylor Martinez. Good, but not great and never able to get us over the hump. I dont know if Luke is the answer, but we know Martinez is not. If yesterday is the most we will ever get out of Luke at qb then we are destined to be a 6-6 team for the next couple years. 
 

With that being said, he needs to be on the field in some capacity. If not at qb, then receiver or running back. Hes too good of an athlete to sit the bench if qb is not hos calling. 

 
He needs to improve his passing or he will just be another Taylor Martinez. Good, but not great and never able to get us over the hump. I dont know if Luke is the answer, but we know Martinez is not. If yesterday is the most we will ever get out of Luke at qb then we are destined to be a 6-6 team for the next couple years. 
 

With that being said, he needs to be on the field in some capacity. If not at qb, then receiver or running back. Hes too good of an athlete to sit the bench if qb is not hos calling. 
If yesterday is Luke's absolute ceiling the rest of the way then most likely Smothers will win the QB job, perhaps as soon as next year.

 
His scheme is no scheme.  He still tries to run uptempo, still tries to use the Duck R, motion, etc.....And still no TE (unlike UCF). A lot of teams are crushing it with true fresh....I'm not buying into his guys/development BS.  YEAR 2 at UCF they went undefeated.  New team, new system,.......Look what he did with Shaq in year 2........HIS CRAP WON'T WORK HERE.  

Look at Miami with Lashlee, Clemson with their true FRESH QB, on the road against ND......Double OT.  They lost, but dude balled out.  That's scheming to what you have.  Scheming to the guys you have not those you want.  Frost has yet to show me he can.  Still no red zone O.  If not for the "pass" to Betts we are 3 games with no passing TD......

I'll be the first to eat crow if his Oregon/UCF scheme take root and work.  BUT, that Chip Oregon O has been figured out.  Teams have adjusted.  Even TO's O adapted as did his D.... And the B1G has some talented athletes across the board and good coaches.....Something one couldn't really say about the AAC.
I'm curious what teams are "crushing it" playing a significant number of true and/or redshirt freshmen in their regular rotation.

Just off the top of my head, we have McCaffrey, Benhart, Piper, Scott, Thompkins, Brown, Betts, Fleming.

 
I'm curious what teams are "crushing it" playing a significant number of true and/or redshirt freshmen in their regular rotation.

Just off the top of my head, we have McCaffrey, Benhart, Piper, Scott, Thompkins, Brown, Betts, Fleming.
I should have clarified freshman who are routinely and regularly producing positive results as a full time starter.

If I were Frost, I would be starting Fleming and Betts. I would find a way to get my playmakers on the field as every down guys.  I would find a way to make them productive within a limited offense if needed.  But that's just me. 

 
Back
Top