RhodeIslandBuck said:

I've always been nervous about the "they're saving it for later idea". I think there's more validity to it in the modern context (longer season, can afford a loss or two etc) but still, we've heard that a million times in the past 25 years and it never really turns out to be true.

Still taking down every opponent with relative ease so who am I to criticize really. I just hope they're done with the round holes/square pegs thing we've seen on the offensive side, specifically on Thanksgiving weekend. With our skill set on offense, there's no reason for 13 personnel as much as they use it. Like you, I hope it's part of a grander scheme.

Click to expand...

I agree that we’ve heard that story before… plenty of times. But I would suggest that even with last year’s team, they were working out issues with the run game throughout the season. That’s a LOT easier to do (read: cover up the ugly) while figuring things out with two first round running backs. It really wasn’t until the payoffs that they really figured out gap v. zone blocking schemes. Part of that, I think, was forced by the injury issues we had on the line. Ultimately, the end result was the same.

Net, net. I agree we’ve heard that story in the past… but given what we saw last year as well as what we’re hearing from the beat and the coaches, it does seem like they are taking the opportunity to use some of these games to work through areas for improvement. As you say, ‘taking down every opponent with relative ease…’ With the reduction in physicality in practices, there’s only so much you can really test without the potential for injury. I think this ‘relative ease’ is a luxury for a coach. I can say that I’ve been in both situations… and I’d offer that lacrosse is less reliant on the orchestration that is needed for football… but I absolutely used opponents we would beat with relative ease to work through things that are difficult to do in practice against your own guys.

BuckeyeNation27 said:

I'll save you some time if you want. They're easy.

Click to expand...

So you never wanted an honest, open conversation with an exchange of ideas possibly leading to a greater understanding for both of us.

You wanted rhetorical questions, lack of details and strawmen.

Remind me again why I asked if you were trolling...?

I'll still piece together what was going to be my rebuttal when I get the intermittent free time.

Buckeneye said:

I wanted you to know I'm not ignoring you. Just very busy.

Doing some play and personnel charting to give you a sound and defintive response. Hopefully I'll be back to you by this weekend.

Click to expand...

I'll save you some time if you want. They're easy.

colobuck79 said:

I bet Franklin is sitting in a bathtub full of Benjamins loving every minute of this.

Click to expand...

I think I read somewhere (probably in this thread or his own thread) that in order for him to get his buyout, he needs to have another job with market-competitive pay. He then gets the difference between what Penn State owes him and what the other job pays him.

ScriptOhio said:

Just sayin': Add another one.

Source: PSU loses commitment of 4-star QB Huhn

Four-star Penn State quarterback pledge Troy Huhn pulled his commitment from the Nittany Lions, a source told ESPN on Thursday night.

www.espn.com

PSU loses commitment of 4-star QB Troy Huhn after James Franklin exit​

Four-star Penn State quarterback pledge Troy Huhn pulled his commitment from the Nittany Lions, a source told ESPN on Thursday night, exiting the program's incoming class four days after the firing of coach James Franklin.

Huhn, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound recruit from San Marcos, California, is ESPN's No. 9 pocket passer in the 2026 cycle and had been committed to Penn State since June 2024. He becomes the top-ranked uncommitted quarterback in the 2026 class.

Click to expand...

It might have been the firing of Franklin but it might have been that the kid saw what a pocket passer does in the Andy Kotelnicki offense and thought better of his decision.

gregorylee said:

I thought the creamsicle Marg thing was NDChief?

edit; I should have read on a little more before I replied lol

Click to expand...

I was like, Man, they already dragged me!

Buckeye86 said:

I think we should temper our expectations on the offense going into the game as they continue to do the same thing they’ve been doing all year on the road against a defense that is good enough to stop extremely predictable run plays out of 12 and 13 personnel.

My hope is that they're either practicing to hopefully get better in case they have to use it in a bad weather game later in the season, or they are setting up trends that they’re going to break later in the season. My worry is that they’re practicing doing the exact thing that has resulted in a loss at the end of November for four years in a row.

Click to expand...

I've always been nervous about the "they're saving it for later idea". I think there's more validity to it in the modern context (longer season, can afford a loss or two etc) but still, we've heard that a million times in the past 25 years and it never really turns out to be true.

Still taking down every opponent with relative ease so who am I to criticize really. I just hope they're done with the round holes/square pegs thing we've seen on the offensive side, specifically on Thanksgiving weekend. With our skill set on offense, there's no reason for 13 personnel as much as they use it. Like you, I hope it's part of a grander scheme.

Fuck Bucky

colobuck79 said:

I bet Franklin is sitting in a bathtub full of Benjamins loving every minute of this.

Click to expand...

Glass of 18 yr and a nice cigar

BuckeyeNation27 said:

OK. Now that you're done talking about Fields, those plays with the names.......easy or hard?

Click to expand...

I wanted you to know I'm not ignoring you. Just very busy.

Doing some play and personnel charting to give you a sound and defintive response. Hopefully I'll be back to you by this weekend.

NJ-Buckeye said:

I'm actually anxious to see Sanders

Click to expand...

Don't be. He was handed 8 of the same plays Gabriel was from pre-season game 3 and ended up bailing from clean pockets that Dillon hit those throws on.

NJ-Buckeye said:

because Gabriel's height and batted down passes concerns me.

Click to expand...

If only the front office had felt the same prior to the draft. They could have invested a 3rd round pick into the OL or WR.

pnuts34 said:

This is from Spencer Holbrook at LR:

Coaches dont seem impressed with Donaldson nor Peoples

Convo between Birm and Spencer

Spencer:

Click to expand...

It’s high ceiling vs. high floor. It‘s not about being impressed, it’s about trust. When the staff was repping Bo against lower tier opponents, their intentions were fairly clear. Until we see anyone not named CJ get the rock on 3rd and 1, then I’m a seller on him losing carries in those situations. I’m not disparaging a change, I’m just not seeing any actions even hinting at one.

What was the little touch pass we used to run? Seems perfect for Inniss and getting him involved

heisman said:

I don’t see West taking carries from the guy who gets the majority of his carries in short yardage situations.

Click to expand...

This is from Spencer Holbrook at LR:

I actually think he can help this team in the second half of the season. We've been hearing about Isaiah as a potential under-the-radar star for about a year now. And typically, it's wait-and-see mode with guys who come in injured. Ohio State stayed excited about West through his rehab

Click to expand...

Coaches dont seem impressed with Donaldson nor Peoples

Convo between Birm and Spencer

Birm said:
I'm more and more convinced he's going to end up being RB2 next year.

Click to expand...

Spencer:

Maybe by this November?

Click to expand...

RugbyBuck said:

There's room for more lateraling in CFB... says the rugby guy.

Click to expand...

This guy agrees:

Bill Lucas said:

Nate Ebner

Click to expand...

Word