First of all, I'm not trying to be negative. This team is fun to watch, the play calling has been generally good, and we are getting explosive plays. Even yesterday, while being frustrated with 1st half defense and the 3rd down conversion rate, oh and penalties, it was an entertaining game if not more a nail biter than it needed to be. My concerns are still 3 fold. First, lack of interior penetration or push at the D-Line interior. Bowling Green did a great job of blocking and we could not push the center of the pocket or penetrate enough to allow the D-Ends enough time to make plays with their QB's quick releases. I didn't think our pass coverage was too bad but the BG reads, play calls, and execution were excellent for sure. BG did a great job of doing what it could to keep PSU off balance. I'm still concerned about guard and center play in being able to get push and get to the 2nd level, and completions to just two receivers with none to Wallace is just unfathomable. It seems our receivers are still struggling to get separation on 3rd down situations. I do believe the bye week will help and I am excited that Omari Evans is making plays and stretching the defense even with the push off and the dropped ball. Those two plays alone would have made the score look a lot different. It did seem like we stopped ourselves more than BG did. I think the backs look great and are making nice plays when given the chance. Overall, I know we are all happy we escaped that game and have a chance to work some things out but those 3 areas will all have to improve if this team is to fulfill its hoped for destiny.
Some of the Same Concerns as Last Year?
- Thread starter Steelhead52
- Start date
The concerns about the WR are valid. I was thinking the same thing after watching yesterday. Warren is going to cover up a lot of issues with the WR until teams realize they have to key on him more than Wallace/Evans/whoever.
Both RBs ran for over 100 yards. Allar was sacked twice. Several times they got pressure, but only sacked twice. I have a bigger concern with LB play. I’m not sure moving Carter was a wise move and when they put Elsdon and DeLuca on the field at the same time, they look slow and exposed in the middle of the field. DeLuca is a great story, but I don’t see it as others do. The DL as a whole didn’t get much pressure and the veteran QB from BG picked them apart. Their TE is really good.
Not just some of the same. Far more. If we don’t have more concerns than the year before, then we aren’t doing our job. And if we aren’t doing our job, then we aren’t going to get better.
It appeared, mostly in the first half, multiple defenders did not know the D play call at the snap. They were looking to the sideline or toward each other trying to figure out the call when the play started. Don’t know if that was due to it being game 2, the constant rotation of players, or because of the injuries and backups getting more reps. Didn’t appear to happen in the second half where the D played much better. There has been a ton of rotation which I get frustrated with especially when slow backups are in during key moments but it does help with depth which will be key later in the year. The more I watch CFB, and I’ve been doing it for 60 years, the more I realize the good teams are better due to better depth (which is why they pull away in the second half) and that every weekend there are crazy upsets. The D had a bad first half and they still won and held position in the rankings. By Dec, no one will remember this game except as a W.