Good:
-Rushing game looked strong with Singleton and Allen both going over the century mark, and each posting big runs of 30+ yards.
-Generally good offensive play calling all night that created opportunity, and consistently moved the ball. Penn State played aggressively and was able to hang with the #1 team in the country: the exact opposite of what they did against Ohio State where they played scared. This offensive scheme easily wins the Nov. 2 game against the Buckeyes.
Middling:
-It's hard to say that Tyler Warren had a bad game when he notched 7 catches for 87 yards. But he did have a bad drop on a very easy catch. He also ran the ball twice to no effect, and while the 2pca was a bizarre call, Warren wasn't even able to force a throw and give them a chance. He didn't have a BAD game, but it was far from his best game, which is what we needed.
-Drew Allar's weaknesses as a QB were on display in this game. At times, he made surgical throws, and delivered in clutch situations, notably on a late 4th and 10 that kept Penn State's hopes alive-- possibly the greatest play he's ever made, as he was in the process of being sacked.
Still, when all was said and done, Oregon brought pressure, which caused Drew to only complete 20-39 pass attempts on the night. He didn't always exhibit his best mechanics, he was behind his receivers at times (first INT), and overthrew them badly on several occasions (2nd INT).
His low point was Penn State's very last play where they were facing 2nd-and-1. The play call was for a deep sideline pass. The target wasn't open. Instead of tucking the ball and running for the first down, or throwing the ball away, or simply eating it, Drew made the (horrible) decision to force a throw in a situation where no force was necessary resulting in a game ending interception.
Bad:
-I hate blaming the officials. I think it's cheap, and it's excusing your team for not playing well. That said, this was the worst officiated game I've ever seen, and that includes the 2002 Michigan game. This was the kind of game that fuels conspiracy theories.
How are there zero calls for holding Abdul Carter when he was held on almost every snap? How is a personal foul not called on Oregon when a defender is clearly roughing Drew Allar after the play? How is a clear catch ruled incomplete? How is offensive pass interference not called on a TE who flagrantly shoves off his defender as he cuts to get open? How is pass interference not called on defensive backs who are visibly clutching fistfuls of jerseys before the ball arrives? How is holding not called when Nick Singleton is grabbed from behind by a falling defender, preventing Nick from cleanly running his route, and resulting in an "incomplete" pass? How is Tracy's non-fair catch ruled a fair catch when his arm didn't go above his shoulder? "Oh, he faked everyone out, so we have to penalize him for being smarter than everyone else,"?
The refs were embarrassing, and James Franklin should be apoplectic. One or two missed calls is understandable. A handful of missed calls is bad officiating. An entire game of missed calls is... something else.
-The defense got totally exposed in this game. Tez Johnson "Marvin Harrisoned" the secondary to the tune of 11 catches for 181 yards. And they were just leaving him wide open all night.
Tom Allen was ablee to make adjustments in the second half, limiting the Ducks to just 14 points after the break, but Oregon put 30 points on the board in the first half-- by far the defense's most inept performance of the season.
Yes, they were greatly added by one-sided libertarian officiating, but you can't spend the first half letting them carve you up, and saying, "We'll do something about this later." Later, as it turned out, was too late.
Final analysis:
Penn State has been criticized a lot this season for building its ranking off cupcake opponents, while once again losing its only tough game.
That criticism hasn't always been unfair, particularly when you don't play aggressively against a beatable Ohio State squad.
But on Saturday night, Penn State lost to the #1 team in the country... while hanging 37 points on them, and holding Oregon's vaunted offense to just 7 points in each of the final two quarters.
This team probably isn't the best in the country. But they showed on Saturday that can play a very imperfect game, and have the officials against them, and still compete with anyone.
Saturday's loss wasn't the result any of us wanted, but the biggest prize -- the only prize that really matters -- is still up for grabs. Let's lick our wounds and on December 21, the Nittany Lions feast on mustang!
We Are...!
-Rushing game looked strong with Singleton and Allen both going over the century mark, and each posting big runs of 30+ yards.
-Generally good offensive play calling all night that created opportunity, and consistently moved the ball. Penn State played aggressively and was able to hang with the #1 team in the country: the exact opposite of what they did against Ohio State where they played scared. This offensive scheme easily wins the Nov. 2 game against the Buckeyes.
Middling:
-It's hard to say that Tyler Warren had a bad game when he notched 7 catches for 87 yards. But he did have a bad drop on a very easy catch. He also ran the ball twice to no effect, and while the 2pca was a bizarre call, Warren wasn't even able to force a throw and give them a chance. He didn't have a BAD game, but it was far from his best game, which is what we needed.
-Drew Allar's weaknesses as a QB were on display in this game. At times, he made surgical throws, and delivered in clutch situations, notably on a late 4th and 10 that kept Penn State's hopes alive-- possibly the greatest play he's ever made, as he was in the process of being sacked.
Still, when all was said and done, Oregon brought pressure, which caused Drew to only complete 20-39 pass attempts on the night. He didn't always exhibit his best mechanics, he was behind his receivers at times (first INT), and overthrew them badly on several occasions (2nd INT).
His low point was Penn State's very last play where they were facing 2nd-and-1. The play call was for a deep sideline pass. The target wasn't open. Instead of tucking the ball and running for the first down, or throwing the ball away, or simply eating it, Drew made the (horrible) decision to force a throw in a situation where no force was necessary resulting in a game ending interception.
Bad:
-I hate blaming the officials. I think it's cheap, and it's excusing your team for not playing well. That said, this was the worst officiated game I've ever seen, and that includes the 2002 Michigan game. This was the kind of game that fuels conspiracy theories.
How are there zero calls for holding Abdul Carter when he was held on almost every snap? How is a personal foul not called on Oregon when a defender is clearly roughing Drew Allar after the play? How is a clear catch ruled incomplete? How is offensive pass interference not called on a TE who flagrantly shoves off his defender as he cuts to get open? How is pass interference not called on defensive backs who are visibly clutching fistfuls of jerseys before the ball arrives? How is holding not called when Nick Singleton is grabbed from behind by a falling defender, preventing Nick from cleanly running his route, and resulting in an "incomplete" pass? How is Tracy's non-fair catch ruled a fair catch when his arm didn't go above his shoulder? "Oh, he faked everyone out, so we have to penalize him for being smarter than everyone else,"?
The refs were embarrassing, and James Franklin should be apoplectic. One or two missed calls is understandable. A handful of missed calls is bad officiating. An entire game of missed calls is... something else.
-The defense got totally exposed in this game. Tez Johnson "Marvin Harrisoned" the secondary to the tune of 11 catches for 181 yards. And they were just leaving him wide open all night.
Tom Allen was ablee to make adjustments in the second half, limiting the Ducks to just 14 points after the break, but Oregon put 30 points on the board in the first half-- by far the defense's most inept performance of the season.
Yes, they were greatly added by one-sided libertarian officiating, but you can't spend the first half letting them carve you up, and saying, "We'll do something about this later." Later, as it turned out, was too late.
Final analysis:
Penn State has been criticized a lot this season for building its ranking off cupcake opponents, while once again losing its only tough game.
That criticism hasn't always been unfair, particularly when you don't play aggressively against a beatable Ohio State squad.
But on Saturday night, Penn State lost to the #1 team in the country... while hanging 37 points on them, and holding Oregon's vaunted offense to just 7 points in each of the final two quarters.
This team probably isn't the best in the country. But they showed on Saturday that can play a very imperfect game, and have the officials against them, and still compete with anyone.
Saturday's loss wasn't the result any of us wanted, but the biggest prize -- the only prize that really matters -- is still up for grabs. Let's lick our wounds and on December 21, the Nittany Lions feast on mustang!
We Are...!
That's the game, right there. They could have slipped on one of those banana peels, plus all the PFs, and the refs pulling for Oregon, and still won. But they couldn't absorb all three.
