What is Penn State's football identity? BWI Mailbag
Every Thursday the BWI Daily Edition opens the mailbag to answer questions from the audience about Penn State sports.
What is Penn State's football identity? BWI Mailbag
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Underachieving.What is Penn State's football identity? BWI Mailbag
Every Thursday the BWI Daily Edition opens the mailbag to answer questions from the audience about Penn State sports.www.on3.com
Soft.What is Penn State's football identity? BWI Mailbag
Every Thursday the BWI Daily Edition opens the mailbag to answer questions from the audience about Penn State sports.
Mac, I'm not asking this question for argument, but rather for clarification. Do you mean soft as in
a) weak? That is, lacking strength from the S&C program.
b) meek? That is, not aggressive in attacking opposing offenses and defenses?
c) timid? That is, the term applies more to the decision making by the coaching staff rather than the players on the field.
If it is A, then what has happened to the S&C program that was so highly touted just a few years ago?
If it is B, then is that more a result of young players not knowing their assignments or a result of the numerous changes in coaches?
If it is C, then can the newly hired "analysts" help correct the problems?
I readily admit that I am far removed from a football; expert; however, despite what I think is ample talent, something is wrong on game days.
Part of me sees most of the losses as "if only that 1 play had gone our way ...." Such as defending that late TD by Michigan or Clifford not getting hurt at Iowa or Brisker making the interception versus Illinois in regulation. IOW, my one hand thinks PSU was not that far away from 10-2 pr even 11-1.
Then another part of me sees those same losses as failures to make the "right call" at the "right time" or to have the "right player" in the game. IOW, poor coaching decisions.
That latter view is what I would call "soft"; for example, I think of that game where Saban inserted his true freshman QB in the 2nd half and won the NC. I don't see James Franklin making that move. But I'm not sure I am being fair to Franklin comparing him to Saban.
So, I'd like to hear your views.
As for the strength and conditioning program, Deage was great. Chuck may be better. I talked to 3 players who are starters for a while last week. All 3 said Chuck worked them harder this summer than prior years. All 3 looked great and ready to go.
I once wrote something like this about JoePa and why his team's were getting manhandled.
Joe'd been around so long he'd watch guys in the locker room and marvel at their S&C in the 90s and compare it to the 70s and 80s and be thinking... wow, look at these beasts. Thing was he wasn't in the other teams' locker rooms so he didn't see that his beasts were no bigger or stronger, and maybe actually softer by comparison. Somewhere in the mid 2000's, i think he got it, and we saw physical changes.
Now, I think most top 20 programs put out physical specimens of incredible strength and skill... the key is understanding what you have and how best to utilize it. But more to the point (and the point of the thread) we don't project as rugged like we once did. Once, we were tough SOB sons of coal miners who might not look pretty but dammmmmmmmmmn... the mfer can knock you cold. Had MP stayed and PJ stayed healthy, I think you would have seen much more of that last year.
We need (imo only) to make a decision... do we want to LOOK good and play rather soft, or STFU (iow, deep six the barking and "talk") and knock the other team on its ***. That was our rep back in the day and that is not only the one that wins, it will keep people wanting to watch this team play. We're never going to have the elite athletes osu or usc or ok or bama etc get... but we get our share and provided those dudes are prepared to rattle our opponents ancestors with clean but deadly thumpings we will have an identity we can sell.
We shouldn't (again imo) be selling athleticism as I think we do now... we should be selling 'we are bad mothers' and draw guys who want to clean clocks... their opponent's.
Problem is fussball in this decade ain't your father's gridiron FOOTBALL.... we live in a pussified fussball joke where the rush to hit like hitting is supposed to be done gets you suspended. James Boyd wouldn't last long in today's touchy feely game. To me, Franklin is trying hard to straddle that line. Maybe he's right but I think if he goes all in we might wind up getting the hardest hitting dudes in 'merica... yeah, we'll lose a couple kids every game, but so long as the backup is an asskicker, we should be fine.
So in a nutshell.. recruit bad mfers, turn em loose, scare your opponents to death. That's my team... I'm not the coach. Let's see how he does with what I think is a 9-3/10-2 type team this year.
Everytime we hit someone they need to feel like they tried kissing the express train. THAT should be our identity.
Again, imo... keener minds probably won't agree and that's cool. Still free speech here although one never knows what's coming lol.
Joe'd been around so long he'd watch guys in the locker room and marvel at their S&C in the 90s and compare it to the 70s and 80s and be thinking... wow, look at these beasts. Thing was he wasn't in the other teams' locker rooms so he didn't see that his beasts were no bigger or stronger, and maybe actually softer by comparison. Somewhere in the mid 2000's, i think he got it, and we saw physical changes.
Now, I think most top 20 programs put out physical specimens of incredible strength and skill... the key is understanding what you have and how best to utilize it. But more to the point (and the point of the thread) we don't project as rugged like we once did. Once, we were tough SOB sons of coal miners who might not look pretty but dammmmmmmmmmn... the mfer can knock you cold. Had MP stayed and PJ stayed healthy, I think you would have seen much more of that last year.
We need (imo only) to make a decision... do we want to LOOK good and play rather soft, or STFU (iow, deep six the barking and "talk") and knock the other team on its ***. That was our rep back in the day and that is not only the one that wins, it will keep people wanting to watch this team play. We're never going to have the elite athletes osu or usc or ok or bama etc get... but we get our share and provided those dudes are prepared to rattle our opponents ancestors with clean but deadly thumpings we will have an identity we can sell.
We shouldn't (again imo) be selling athleticism as I think we do now... we should be selling 'we are bad mothers' and draw guys who want to clean clocks... their opponent's.
Problem is fussball in this decade ain't your father's gridiron FOOTBALL.... we live in a pussified fussball joke where the rush to hit like hitting is supposed to be done gets you suspended. James Boyd wouldn't last long in today's touchy feely game. To me, Franklin is trying hard to straddle that line. Maybe he's right but I think if he goes all in we might wind up getting the hardest hitting dudes in 'merica... yeah, we'll lose a couple kids every game, but so long as the backup is an asskicker, we should be fine.
So in a nutshell.. recruit bad mfers, turn em loose, scare your opponents to death. That's my team... I'm not the coach. Let's see how he does with what I think is a 9-3/10-2 type team this year.
Everytime we hit someone they need to feel like they tried kissing the express train. THAT should be our identity.
Again, imo... keener minds probably won't agree and that's cool. Still free speech here although one never knows what's coming lol.
Make headlines in recruiting, be encouraged about the upcoming season, lose to OSU and at least one game out of nowhere, make the fans wonder why the coach is paid so handsomely for poor in-game decisions.
Pancho Villa......
I believe that our Bob92 would be a great riding companion to Villa, providing Villa with side cars of lattes and scones to complement the strawberry milkshakes.
The cantennas in Jersey are waiting for you two
Everyone believes that Pancho Villa is the stereotype of the "macho" womanizer, brave and drinker. There is only one small detail, Pancho Villa hated alcohol.
He did not drink, not a drop, according to his point of view alcoholic beverages were responsible for most of man's problems. His hatred for these drinks led him to destroy bars and canteens in the towns he visited. He even threatened his troops with shooting if he ever saw them drinking.
Villa was adept at other types of drinks, one of his favorites being the strawberry milkshake. In fact, in many bars they began to serve milkshakes with the sole purpose of preventing Villa from destroying their business.
Despite the fact that Villa did meet several of the requirements to be considered the typical "macho", many people think that he was a drunk. When on the contrary, he rather condemned them.
I think any spread team will find it hard to have an identity, unless they have a great defense.
I think if you want to call the players soft, you should do that face to face.
To do it from behind a keyboard seems, well- soft.
To do it from behind a keyboard seems, well- soft.
Soft - As in having a very lousy Illinois team push you around your home field on homecoming.
Soft - As in being unable to run tbe football in Villanova.
Enough? I could go on…
Oh please. Even the Letterman (football player alums) say that the Franklin era teams are soft.
If they can’t handle a middle aged alum, then it is even worse than I thought.
Again, please….do you really think someone is going to say that on that record?…talk to a few…I know several…the feeling is very prevalent…in fact, it’s along the lines of “PSU Football has lost its identity.”
Believe what you want. The facts speak for themselves. Penn State has been pushed around/bullied by teams of lesser and even far lesser talent. And it really catches up to them in games against good to very good (see Arkansas in bowl game)…it’s quite sad to see…it’s time for a change.
Of course faded. That‘s why the uniforms are blue and white.
I like that, "Underachieving" you look at all the 4 star talent and better on this squad and to be 14-13 in the last 27gms is ridiculous.
Interesting fact.Pancho Villa......
I believe that our Bob92 would be a great riding companion to Villa, providing Villa with side cars of lattes and scones to complement the strawberry milkshakes.
The cantennas in Jersey are waiting for you two
Everyone believes that Pancho Villa is the stereotype of the "macho" womanizer, brave and drinker. There is only one small detail, Pancho Villa hated alcohol.
He did not drink, not a drop, according to his point of view alcoholic beverages were responsible for most of man's problems. His hatred for these drinks led him to destroy bars and canteens in the towns he visited. He even threatened his troops with shooting if he ever saw them drinking.
Villa was adept at other types of drinks, one of his favorites being the strawberry milkshake. In fact, in many bars they began to serve milkshakes with the sole purpose of preventing Villa from destroying their business.
Despite the fact that Villa did meet several of the requirements to be considered the typical "macho", many people think that he was a drunk. When on the contrary, he rather condemned them.
Our best teams had tough players, they were physical, played great defense and had great OLs. We need to get back to that. The OL recruiting and game day play has been up and down with CJF. He needs to make a major push to get that to a top 10 level. I think Traut can be the guy. This year needs to be a lot better than last year.
Next line: WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!BRING! BACK! PINK! AND! BLACK! BE! RIGHT! BACK!
We are like the United Kingdom. At one time we were a great power who could take one anyone anywhere and more often than not come out on top. But then the world changed and others leapfrogged us. While we can still whip up on a team like Argentina the reality is we spend most of our time reveling in our glorious past which is unlikely to be repeated.
Until you can run the ball and also rush the passer with some level of consistency and will, you’re a pretender.
Personally....i refrain from blaming players....more i blame coaching for not putting our team in a position to win. How a 3rd year in program can look lost is beyond belief. However....that third year player NEVER played any meaningful minutes.
Get your point but it really isn't relevant. We watch CFB across the land and we observe the difference in hitting. If you've played FB or fought in the ring, you know the difference between a pretty boy hitter and an animal hitter. Few of us could ever match up against our players (or any) and hold our own, but that doesn't mean we can't recognize tough mfers vs "soft" wannabes.
Advice to current group of players: hit the bastard and wrap him the F up.... and pile drive his a$$ into the turf. Do it everytime. You do, you have our respect and can be called a tough guy. We haven't had many like that lately.
You see my photo... that's at 65. i know a thing or 2 about what hitting and throwing weight is about. That said, I have no interest in challenging any player my size on that team... old, not (too) stupid. Those guys are really good... I just want them to be even better.
So why not try responding to the points being made. Do you think we've been as physical (pound for pound) as teams from the late 60's-80's (have you even watched those teams... a bunch of us on this board have been around a long time and recall what those coal mining kids would do). I don't. I'm tired of guys thinking they can bullrush someone with an awesome looking whack that wins the play... when too often the opponent bounces off the hit (that does not include wrap and drop) and moves onward. [Penn State? They dish out some good hits... but we're tougher... we take 'em and keep moving forward.]
I think we were closing in on getting there and the loss of those 2 players really slowed us up... I'm hopeful our guys will STFU (I so despise woofing) and just drill and kill the opposition. THAT is how you get noticed and put others on notice... I think we can be that again. This year will tell us a lot.
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