One of the quotes Franklin said very early this season that caught my ear was that PSU was “playing championship-level defense,” and for the most part, he was right. Brisker, JPJ, Ebeketie, Luketa, Smith, Brooks, Jacobs, Mustipher prior to injury…there will be a ton of guys on this defense that play in the league. And unfortunately a ton of guys that leave after this season. So maybe it’s all on the Clifford injury, but it will be tough to look back at all the defensive talent on a team that is going to end up with a 8-4 or 7-5 season.
PSU kinda wasted a generational defense this year
- Thread starter psupride1997
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Completely agree. I was thinking about this yesterday. Everything was in place for this to be the year. The one thing I hadn't considered was that the 40 transfers for MSU would make them a contender this year. That game is going to be, and would have been, difficult for this team to win.
Losing PJ really hurt this defense, but I do agree for the most part. I do think the secondary has enough depth that they will be ok (Brown will be all-B1G next year I think), and getting Isaac back at DE will be a big bonus (along with bringing in DDS who will likely play right away.
What do we think the 2 deep at each position will be next year, and how does it compare to this season?
DE: Isaac, Vilbert
DE: Tarburton, DDS? McGraw?
DT: Ellies, Mulbah
DT: Izzard, Beamon? Brevard?
WLB: Katshir, King?
MLB: Elsdon? King?
SLB: Jacobs, Buddin?
CB: Porter, Dixon
CB: King, Lytton? Wilson? Wheatley?
Slot: Hardy
S: Ellis, Rudolph? Jennings?
S: Brown, Reed
LB looks scary thin. May need to hit the portal hard for DT and LB IMO.
What do we think the 2 deep at each position will be next year, and how does it compare to this season?
DE: Isaac, Vilbert
DE: Tarburton, DDS? McGraw?
DT: Ellies, Mulbah
DT: Izzard, Beamon? Brevard?
WLB: Katshir, King?
MLB: Elsdon? King?
SLB: Jacobs, Buddin?
CB: Porter, Dixon
CB: King, Lytton? Wilson? Wheatley?
Slot: Hardy
S: Ellis, Rudolph? Jennings?
S: Brown, Reed
LB looks scary thin. May need to hit the portal hard for DT and LB IMO.
Seems to be a theme over the CJF era. We always seem to be missing 1-2 pieces, even when we have some positions that are among the best in PSU history like this years DBs. I don't mean that as a knock on CJF and the coaches, it's just frustrating as a fan. Imagine this defense during the McSorley and Barkley era. We'd have been in the playoff. Imagine a top OL with either this year's team or the same McSorley and Barkley era. Again, that probably adds 1-2 wins and secures a playoff spot. Hopefully soon the planets align and it all comes together in the same season.
This link highlights some of your good defensive plays as well as missed penalties. https://www.dispatch.com/story/spor...s-much/6234236001/?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot
Completely agree. This secondary is as good as any Pemn State has had before.
We also wasted a generational offense in 2017 ... Trace, Barkley, Sanders, Journey Brown (freshman), Hamilton, Blacknall, Hamler (freshman), Gesicki and quite a few OL who are now in the NFL (or at least good college players) ... Bates, Fries, Gonzalez, Mahon, McGovern, Menet, Miranda, etc etc.
Yes, some of these guys were young and not everyone can be on the field at the same time ... but look at that list of names all on the same roster.
Yes, some of these guys were young and not everyone can be on the field at the same time ... but look at that list of names all on the same roster.
You think? It’s going to be very tough for that to happen. If they hunker down vs the run, maybe. But both Michigan schools will see that Illinois film and…
I've always thought that also.
I can't understand since CJF is here his lack of creating depth across the board is questionable. I find it difficult to understand getting a QB through the portal this spring, MAC, AAC, Sun Belt etc. Someone ???
Every year i hear this freshman class is great etc. He saves red shirts when they can contribute now.
I think MSU caught lightning in a bottle this year.
You’re likely right and their coach will likely get a better job because of it. But they still matchup really well against us.
No doubt. As you hinted at in another post, they will line up and run the ball right at PSU. Also, they have a much better passing game that Illinois. I hope I'm wrong but I have a feeling it's going to be a long day in East Lansing.
Do we have room for portal transfers?
The scholarship grid shows 91 players eligible to return.
Has it been determined that Mustipher is moving on? I would think missing half of this season would not put him in the draft and almost certainly he believes that he should be there. Coming back and having a great year next year may put him very high up the draft boards.
I counted 90, but I would think there are several guys who will probably not return/transfer looking at some of the players who have 1 year remaining. I spot 1 QB, 1 if not 2 WRs, and 1 DT of juniors who may decide to move on, if not more.
Also not to mention that I would expect B Smith and R Walker to declare early, and who knows what Noah Cain will do (recall during his recruitment that he said he would stay here for 3 years and then go to the NFL, well it might not work out the way he had hoped WRT his injury history)
Our secondary has been nearly excellent. I thought some of the dpi was ticky tacky vs OSU but they held them in check with zero pass rush.
LB has been a mixed bag. Brooks has played very good, but nowhere near dominant. Jacobs is improving quickly. Smith yo-yos between good and below average.
DL has been average. They handled OSU's run game way better than anyone would have guessed post Illinois, but zero rush on Stroud. When they got close, he side stepped or got a quick pass off.
Depth will be interesting. Plenty return on the DL. Secondary has played a lot of backups. LB will be crucial.
WRT generational, maybe the best set of starters under JF, but paper thin quality depth.
They have been fun to watch. Hope they can close the season out strong.
I distinctly remember Cain saying that when he announced his commitment to PSU. I imagine he will come back for a fourth year and I hope it proves fruitful for him. Hopefully, it will turn into one of those scenarios where we will look back and understand that he needed another full season to truly get back to his full abilities post-injuries.
I'm sure that some will leave early but we need 6 to do that just to get to 85. That doesn't leave much room for portal transfers unless I'm missing something.
Interesting that you included a guy with 50 career receptions (17 for 289 as a SR) as proof of a great offense. You can't count Brown or Hamler as they didn't even play. There were enough good skill guys on that team (Juwan Johnson, Hamilton, Geisicki, Thompkins, Barkley and Sanders) that you don't need to dip deep looking for players.
That was a very good team that was not wasted.
I really do not believe this year's defense to be championship level. With Mustipher the D was very good. But the depth along the DL was missing. Winning starts up front and even with Ebeketie at DE and the very successful move of Luketa to DE PSU does not have championship level DE depth. Same goes for DT, even with the Duke transfer. Lots of scholarships were used on the DL over that last 4 classes but the development and progress those players have made has not resulted in a defensive front like the one's PSU fielded in 1982 and 1986, or those of the recent Bama and Clemson teams that were clear choices for the playoffs.
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Very funny. What did you smoke/swallow before your 8-4 or 7-5 statement? Horse tablets? Remember my 10-3 prediction.
Hope you are right…not sure what you are looking at that would lead you to believe this is possible. We are very likely to be bullied into submission by the Michigan schools - think Illinois but worse. We may very well be bullied by Rutgers (scary thought). Maryland is a must win and keep in mind they ran roughshod over us on our home field last year.
I'm hoping Brooks and Smith stay. If not yea scary thin and portal time.
I don't see Porter coming back. He's too good.
I agree about finding another Portal DT and about 6 more for the OL.
Oh if only I could. I think I've been waiting for one at PSU for a very, very long time.
I agree. Porter will be playing on Sunday's next year. He'd be crazy not to go. He's ready and and well-prepared for the NFL.I'm hoping Brooks and Smith stay. If not yea scary thin and portal time.
I don't see Porter coming back. He's too good.
I agree about finding another Portal DT and about 6 more for the OL.
MD beat us up pretty good but did ANYONE (in the B1G) have a home field last year?
Do you think our game vs Illinois better portrayed our team than OSU?
I think Illinois is the outlier.
Do you think anyone else is going to try the 7 OL? If anything, it was an abject failure in scoring points. It was a sign of a desperate team.
Why didn't OSU dominate us similarly? Certainly their OL is better than Illinois. RBs too.
Agreed. OL has been the biggest continuous problem in recent memory. They aren't always bad, but I can't remember the last time we had a great one. Typically we only get a good pass blocking team or run blocking team but never both at the same time.
MacNit, seriously, after watching this team all year (scratch Illinois as a very weird aberration) how can you say we will be bullied by the Michigan teams. I’ve watched both of them multiple times and am not worried. Call me Alfred E. Newman if you want. Maybe that will be my new avatar. We have a better than good defense and I’m confident the offense will score more points if Clifford remains healthy. So, ”What, me worry?” Nope, not going there at all. 10-3. Send me your best sativa and I may predict 20-3.
O line development continues to be sub-par. Year after year. Hackenberg had PTSD. Trace and Barkley were constantly under attack in the backfield. For years it has been “second and twelve” as the norm. A total joke from bottom to top.
what would it take to bring Larry Johnson back as co- head coach? Ok stupid question, but still. Let him recruit both lines and take away Franklin from having any control of our linemen.
say what you want - Larry Johnson is one of the best recruiters/coaches of linemen for the past 30 years.
No excuse to be pummeled by Maryland….anywhere. Too many of such losses to weaker teams.
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