It's pretty hard to NitPick Saturday's results. Some "experts" were calling for an upset. The offense moved creatively. The whole team was fun to watch on both sides of the ball. My concern after game 1 is still the run game. I know the o-line which played well is a work in progress with 3 new starters but I'm still expecting more out of the guards and center. Take away Singleton's 2 long runs and Allar's tuck and runs and we averaged 1.7 yards per carry. Even Singleton's explosive touchdown run was kind of triggered by the right tackle making a great block down the line with the TE sealing the other end of the hole giving Singleton a beautiful lane. But with two backs like Allen and Singleton, we have way too many runs stuffed at the line considering the caliber of those backs. I would appreciate some expert opinion on the issues. I was a player in high school and O-line was always the most complex to me. It just seems that if those 1-2 yard runs become 4-5 yard runs, this offense will really explode. It just seems we can't dominate in the middle (guards and center) and that always bites us against the great teams. One thing I really did like is that when we were 3rd and 7 it felt like the first down was achievable where last year, not so much.
Still Some Concerns With Run Game?
- Thread starter Steelhead52
- Start date
More concerned with the kicking game than the run game.
I think it's too early to start worrying, but here are some other numbers to say what you did. Interesting that in 2023, Singleton/Allen/Potts averaged 4.54 ypc, had a median carry of 4 yards and a most common (mode) carry of 5 yards against WVU. With the 2 long runs this year, the ypc was 4.93, but the median was only 2 yards and the mode was 1. Yea for the explosive plays!
I don't think that you can do that (take the big gains out of your evaluation)
It's too early to make any sweeping observations, but anytime that you have as balanced an attack as we had Saturday, that's a pretty good indication of being on the right track.
It's too early to make any sweeping observations, but anytime that you have as balanced an attack as we had Saturday, that's a pretty good indication of being on the right track.
While you're not wrong per se, last year we had a middling run game and almost no explosive plays.
I will take a middling run game with explosive plays as a step in the right direction.
Typical 1st game - always some good and some that needs work.
The good:
Two long runs from Singleton: Good, yes, thank you! Very much missing last year, for any number of reasons.
The Needs Work:
Other than those two carries: 30 carries by the three RBs - evenly distributed among Singleton (11), Allen (10), and Wallace (9) - for a total of 78 yards: Needs to be better and more consistently productive to have an effective run game.
The good:
Two long runs from Singleton: Good, yes, thank you! Very much missing last year, for any number of reasons.
The Needs Work:
Other than those two carries: 30 carries by the three RBs - evenly distributed among Singleton (11), Allen (10), and Wallace (9) - for a total of 78 yards: Needs to be better and more consistently productive to have an effective run game.
So if ya take out all the good plays, they played like crap. 
Yeah, but the run game is a boxing match; you keep hitting the body and after they’re worn down and sore you go for the knock out. So, prefer to think there is some strategy here. YPC is misleading - it’s about points.
If the opponent plays to stop the run, you
pass. If the pass works, the next opponent plays to stop the pass and runs open up. Then the next opponent has to worry about the run and the pass. The pass and run both open up.
pass. If the pass works, the next opponent plays to stop the pass and runs open up. Then the next opponent has to worry about the run and the pass. The pass and run both open up.
We now have two very experienced RBs back there plus a QB with experience who looks more comfortable and in control. Singleton looks like he actually cares this year, finally. I saw some stat during the game that he didn't have a single run of 40+ yards all of last year. He is way more patient and disciplined now, which will give him the chance to pop a few each game. This may be the case where this season the RBs make the O-line look good. I hate those delayed read/mesh handoff things that we love to do when Saquon was here, but it may not matter against anyone not named OSU.
Singleton may not have had a great year last year but implying he didn’t care last year is ridiculous.
I would have more concern if it was Akron. WVU was not a pushover. The run game will come over the next several weeks.
This ^^^ Once pass was established, run game opened up!
Also …. First time in years that I thought we looked like a well coached team.
By the time that game is played, USC will be battle tested against LSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin. PSU on the other hand plays Bowling Green or something.
True. After watching SC last night they seem much improved. That game will really tell a lot with regard to PSU’s progress.
A couple things. We had some OL that missed parts of training camp, Donkoh for one, and we had a lot of new starters. IMO they did pretty well.
I hate the "just take away his long runs" Yea, you can't do that. They happened, one was a score and the other led to a score. I mean you take away the big runs Barry Sanders wouldn't be in the HOF. Plus those big runs force you to change your defense and maybe not have as many in the box. Also Kayton is not up to full speed yet. So I view it as a very good start but still a work in progress.
The night before… baked beans and hot dogs. The next morning 2 cups of coffee. It never fails… they will have the runs all day!!!
Exactly good point. You can't take away the short runs. Those are a major contributor to the long runs. You pound away and soften up the defense get them tired and you will break a long one. It's why good running teams stick with the run even if its not "successful" in the first half because the 2nd half it will start to pay dividends.
I would recommend a steady diet of Taco Bell. Once that kicks in, nobody is gonna block you from your dash to the porcelain throne..
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It depends what you mean by concerned. This was just 1 game and I think it shows we should be clear favorites to win most of our games. It's not an indication that we're ready to beat USC & OSU.
Run game needs to be more consistent at getting 3+ ypc and pass game needs more than Wallace.