Penn State Gameday Thread
by Sam @ WWAHT on Nov 7, 2009 10:00 AM EST
317 comments
Ohio St. Buckeyes at Penn St. Nittany Lions, Nov 7, 2009 3:30 PM EST
Are the Nittany Lions paper tigers? Are the Buckeyes a bag of mixed nuts? While the loser of today's game will not necessarily be consigned to either fate, it's undeniable that today will tell us roughly as much about both of these teams as the prior nine games for each combined. For Penn State, this is their final shot at national credibility; a loss would, in all likelihood, be a death-blow to their BCS hopes. There are no "season-redeeming wins" for Penn State after Ohio State; for them, this is it. For Ohio State, a loss will officially end the Big Ten title streak, but let's attempt to keep some perspective here. They'll still be right on pace for about where most "rebuilding" Big Ten powers end up: in a January bowl. Not to mention that the Buckeyes will still have the chance to play spoiler when they take on what should be an undefeated Iowa team in Columbus next Saturday.
But let's not make any bones about it: the Buckeyes want and need to win this game just as badly as Penn State does. It probably won't be the prettiest football game you'll see all year, but that never stops us from tuning in, now, does it? Post your pre-game, mid-game, and post-game thoughts right here.
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Nevermind
I see (for whatever reason) you posted 12:30 PST
HD
Founder
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by BlockONation on Nov 7, 2009 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
Just saw Joe Pa on College Gameday on ESPN, props to him for being a class act. Very respectable guy.
This is why I've refrained from "hurr he pooped himself" jokes this week
I’ve never had any particular dislike for JoePa. Sure, it’s funny that such a powerhouse has such an old coach, but hey, he’s still managing to be successful. I know the mantra is that “he doesn’t even coach”, but I’m not sure how much I believe that. I doubt he has as much control over his gameplans as he did twenty years ago, but I don’t think he’s just a living, benign monument to Penn State’s glory days.
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Anyone else feel eerily calm?
I feel like no outcome today would surprise me. Either team big, either team in a close, low-scoring game. I just don’t quite know what to make of today, even after all that statistical crap I trotted out on Friday.
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I know exactly what you’re talking about. Should I be nervous about this game? Because, strangely, I’m not very.
Does this speak to lower expectations? I know that these final three games are going to be the gauntlet for the boys, but it (the gameday experience) seems to not have the same fervor they usually do.
I think the Purdue game caused us all to re-evaluate where this team is right now
After USC, I thought this year wouldn’t be all that dissimilar to 2007; yeah, it’s supposed to be a "rebuilding" year, but a solid defense and a somewhat-consistent offense will be enough to let us skirt by in a bad Big Ten with 10 or 11 wins.
After Purdue, I think I came to grips with the fact that his might just be the most underwhelming Buckeye team since 2004. I honestly have no idea how the rest of the season will play out. I’m rather confident Michigan is a win, but I think we could drop games to both Penn State and Iowa and I just wouldn’t be shocked or angry about it. We could also win both, and look like the 2007 team again in doing so, but I wouldn’t count on it.
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Well overall...
We’re aren’t too bad but yes, it’s kind of a transition/rebuilding year, specifically on the offense. I’d say this is definitely our worst offense since JT has been in CBus.
HD
Founder
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No, 2004 was far, far worse
99th in the country in total offense to finish the season. Comparatively, this year’s offense is 63rd in the country, and if it stays at that pace (not hard, at just 376 yards/game), it’ll be just as productive as the 2007 outfit.
Now, it’s about to face two of the best defenses it’ll face all year, so we’ll have to hold off on any real comparisons. Nevertheless, it is somewhat encouraging, considering the leaps and bounds the offense grew by from the bowl game against Oklahoma State to the win over Michigan in ’06.
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I expect an ugly game
And should be low scoring unless one team gets a lot of defensive scores.
Can we hold a seance to get TP to channel Jeremiah Masoli of last week?
neither team wants to win this game
"yo this is a great sig and imma let you finish, but i've had the lulziest quotes of all time, OF ALL TIME!"
If we can win the last three
I will feel pretty good regardless of the national perception. Also it would be an outright title.
On the other hand if Penn State wins out, who wants to bet that they will start embracing the concept of co-champions?
Welp, that shakes things up a bit
De-facto Big Ten championship game in 30 minutes?
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It does make it interesting for next week
Stanzi walked off but then was in street clothes afterwards.
I'd be incredibly disappointed if we have to play Vandenberg Iowa next week
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Well he was some kind of high school superstud
But in that game he seemed to throw everything 100 mph inaccurately. Stanzi is an interception machine, but pretty clutch.
I feel like I've resigned to whatever the hell fate this cruel, impartial world dictates.
Let’s Go Bucks!
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LeBron going to New York to play at Madison Square Garden, I don’t think the bulk of the conversation was about Shaq. Very little surprise that the main point of conversation is “native son coming home”.
I was being a smartass, but I understand why this is such a big deal
Especially to media-type people who need a compelling narrative for a mid-afternoon game between two underwhelming teams from an underwhelming conference.
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Well, that would have been a 1st if Carter brought his hands with 'em
First pass: about as bad as possible. Second: Not bad.
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JT's already thinkin' about wrappin' 'er up
Let’s not kid ourselves here.
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Already some chippiness early
Good start by the defense. I thought Penn State was going to try to take advantage of our vulnerability against our mobile QBs (i.e. Gray from Minnesota), and the front responded well.
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I love how we're keeping things fairly simple early on. Lots of screens.
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Alright, this has been fun, but we should really give Alabama its offensive line back
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Okay, this 3rd+8 should be another one of those VY plays
One read; if it ain’t there, run for as much as possible.
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Our style of offense is so paradoxical
Yes, we attempt to limit turnovers and don’t put our defense in bad position, but when those turnovers do happen, they’re so much more damaging because we haven’t put up the points necessary to overcome them.
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It would be nice to see going for it on the occasional forth and short. Aggressive does not always mean bad.
This game is going to punt most of its non-partisan viewing audience as well
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Just looked at Black Shoe Diaries
Worth checking out- they have a photoshop of an arm punt for their open thread.
Could've had a pick.
Penn State will be going for this, btw. And I have no reason to believe they won’t get it.
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Boy, that was predictable.
Now, can we please actually try to score points on offense?
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I really, really don't want to hear bitching about refs after this game.
Looked like the the ball crossed the line. Even if it didn’t, we need to score some fucking points to win this game. If we can’t do that, we don’t deserve it.
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God, I love Sanzenbacher
Terrific catch, terrific job holding onto the ball
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Okay, so Sabino tried to call a timeout...
do you realize how pathetic of an excuse that is if we lose? What guarantee, having watched this Ohio State all year, can you make that it would stop just about anyone on 4th and 1?
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It’s not an excuse for any loss. It happened that it’s all. He called a timeout, but the refs didn’t blow the whistle as simple as that. Interpret it any way you want to. It happened.
*We called a timeout.
Um, okay.
That sucks and all, but it doesn’t actually mean anything. It just means Penn State would have tried again if the refs saw Sabino. And they probably would have got it.
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I am ok with Tressel ball in this game
It’s probably going to be low scoring, we need to just avoid the big mistakes.
Please explain that one, I’d be more than happy to hear how great these officials are.
*We called a timeout.
Explain what?
The illegal contact? It was just a missed call. Same result as an offsides.
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You know why we lose these games?
Because Jim Tressel honestly feels at times that scoring isn’t necessary. This game isn’t going to end 10-7, no matter how bad he may want it to.
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Really? The Wildcat? First time all year? Now?
They knew you were running. What’s the point in getting cute?
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So we don't even try to run a two-minute offense to give ourselves a decided advantage at the half
Instead, we opt for a short, running drive, and give Penn State oodles of time to kick the tying field goal.
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LOL, this is the definition of a cripple fight
Neither team wants to score at all.
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Nathan Williams just got caught way out of position, and still ran down the B10's best RB
Nice work (yet again) by at least one side of the team.
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And to think...
If we had any semibalance of an offense, we would be killing Penn State right now
Be positive
As our offense has been going this year, I’ll take it- no mistakes and we scored the one time in the red zone.
Plus we’re leading at half time at Happy Valley.
I feel ya, man
but I just don’t like putting this much pressure on the defense to totally throttle Penn State for another two quarters. We need points. Touchdowns, ideally.
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LSU giving Alabama all it could handle
SEC? SEC? Anyone?
To paraphrase Steve Earle...
Eff the Ess Eee See
by Big Red Dog on Nov 7, 2009 5:13 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
So, sigh
This is looking just like last year’s game. Ohio State is going to cling to this lead until it doesn’t exist anymore. How much faith do you have in the offense to rectify that situation when it comes?
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ND down by 14 to Navy
Looks like Brian Kelly will be the coach of the golden domers in no time!
I thought the USC game saved his job?
I mean, it’s the second signature loss vs. USC of his career.
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C'mon guys
You really want to see Pryor dropping back and flinging it from our own 20 with 2 minutes in the half after what we’ve seen this year? Pick your battles.
Perhaps.
I just look at the two-minute drives we’ve successfully run over the courses of the season (there aren’t many, but there are far more of them than completed Pryor deep balls against reasonably good coverage) and wonder what might have happened if we actually tried.
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I love that Purdue play against Mich
Where the guy is so wide open deep, he is running backwards for a while.
FTR, Shugarts hasn't done half-bad tonight
I mean, he hasn’t been Browning from last year against these guys, at any rate
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Every wideout except sanzenbacher is fucking atrocious
"yo this is a great sig and imma let you finish, but i've had the lulziest quotes of all time, OF ALL TIME!"
Hey, Posey has been good.
He’s come on the last month. That drop was a little rough.
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I think our only hope of actually scoring again is another incredibly short field
resulting from a turnover or return.
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By the way, have we run much play-action yet?
I think we did once, but it resulted in a Pryor scramble.
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Wait, did we just complete a pass for a first down?
WHEN DID WE BECOME FUCKIN’ TEXAS TECH, GUYS?
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Ray is in the Teddy Ballgame mindset right now
Trying to do everything by himself. You ain’t that fast, kid.
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Whoops, I was mistaken. That was just a standard pass.
And a good one at that.
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i just sharted
"yo this is a great sig and imma let you finish, but i've had the lulziest quotes of all time, OF ALL TIME!"
I'm not going to lie, I would go gay for Ross Homan and Thad G after that play
That was perfect.
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i thought they were gonna bring it back cause the punter got creamed
"yo this is a great sig and imma let you finish, but i've had the lulziest quotes of all time, OF ALL TIME!"
I was noticing that too, but can you blame them?
Most teams can’t block them anyway.
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Nice play by Pryor
Don’t turn the damn ball over, and I’d say the cosmic karma realigns with Pryor driving a dagger into the heart of Nittany Nation.
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Lions fans are already filing out?
Dude, come on. This isn’t over. Might be close, but there’s no reason to abandon your team when there are 9 minutes left.
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Allow me to apologize, partially, for bitching about Jim Tressel's first half conservatism.
If this score holds, he’ll really make me look like an idiot.
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Damn
we are kicking their ass! I’m lovin it!
One of you has absolutely got to find any pictures of sad Darryl Clark
and flood the whole damn internet with them after this.
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T. Pryor : 8-17, 125 yrd, 2 TDs, 0 INT
D. Clark: 9-21, 109 yrd, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Hmmmm…. yeah I’ll take Pryor any freakin’ day.
Don't forget to include Pryor's rushing stats
I’m pretty sure Clark is rocking the goose egg in that comparison.
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Alright guys, I'm off to write the re-cap
I did not think tonight could possibly be this fun, but it was.
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I'll be honest guys
I’ve been keeping some tabs on how you guys were reacting over here.
On the bright side – you guys are hilarious, and I needed a good laugh watching this game.
On the down side – I needed a good laugh watching this game….
Anywho, good work by your team today. (Sure it’s not over. But it is.) Like the rest of college football this year, it’s not a perfect team, but it can get the job done when it’s so inclined. I’m gonna go back to BSD to lick the wounds and berate my team. Just wanted to give you your kudos so it doesn’t look like I’m “disrespecting”. Is that enough ass-kissing? :)
"In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
It was a
“one bad apple spoils the bunch” ordeal. That and it might be helpful – sometimes the opposing fans aren’t always welcomed with, uh, open arms after a crushing loss.
"In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Haha...
he’s still an arm punter. Our secondary just decided not to cover on one multiple plays.
And he’s also a winner-winner-chicken-dinner, which I guess is the more important piece.
"In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Thanks for the comments, Penn State fans.
I know today was tough, but the future is very bright in State College.
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Well, that went well, if I must say
Thank you Cam Heyward and all the defense. Ray Small. And the offense did just what they needed
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