SB Nation User Blog: Run Up The Score

Michigan State Preview: Once More, With Meaning

Run Up The Score — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:11:44 -0000

Who Shot Who In The What Now? Michigan State (9-2, 6-1) at Penn State (10-1, 6-1). Kickoff at Beaver Stadium scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The all-time series is tied at 12-12-1.

Kicking Television: YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE AT Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge, and Holly Rowe on ABC/ESPN.

Weather: Perhaps this is better in picture form.

In all seriousness, drunkards: It's a long day, so dress appropriately.

A Fool And His Money: Penn State is a 15.5 point favorite. Looks like Vegas is just begging you to bet on Sparty. The over/under is 47.5.

You'll Get Yours, Delany!: Jim Delany's evil plan has borne fruit. The league mandated rivalry between Penn State and Sparty, which so many of us have resented for so long, finally means something in the grand scheme of Big Ten football.

Dubious Statistical Achievements: Let me understand this correctly. Michigan State's offense revolves around Javon Ringer, yet they're ranked 9th out of 11 Big Ten teams in rushing offense? And speaking of weird Big Ten specific stats, it appears that nearly every statistical category is led by Penn State or...Illinois. Really:

Penn State: Rushing offense, scoring offense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense, scoring defense, kickoff returns, pass defense, sacks allowed.

Illinois: Passing offense, total offense, passing efficiency, sacks, tackles for loss.

Minnesota: Turnover margin (paging Dr. Saturday, Dr. Saturday report to Minneapolis!).

Ohio State: Punt returns.

Michigan: Net punting. Of course.

Lest We Forget: The best sports talk radio meltdown EVER. Sparty, you never let us down. (AGAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN.)

Pickin' On The Big Ten: Come for the midwestern humor, stay for analysis of Cal Poly @ Wisconsin!

A Senior Moment: This particular group of seniors has a chance to be remembered as perhaps the greatest class of the PSU Big Ten years, provided they can nail down another Big Ten championship tomorrow. That would be two conference championships in four years -- not too shabby, considering where the program was when these guys first walked on campus. Derrick Williams isn't going to get his national championship. Perhaps that's appropriate, as his biggest contributions to the program extended way beyond the playing field. He believed in Penn State, and made his present and future teammates believe in Penn State, as well. There are just so many good stories in this senior class -- walk-ons who unexpectedly flourished, five-star athletes who became leaders, and any number of guys who perservered through various physical and emotional difficulties with the help of their friends, families, teammates, coaches, and fans. Gerald Cadogen's humility and class, Mike Lucian's attitude as he was moved from position to position, Kevin Kelly's success in the face of constant sniping, Jordan Norwood's heart, A.Q. Shipley's ability to turn defensive linemen into a bloody pulp.

It's a great group, one that we can be proud of for many reasons.

"The Only Retirement I'm Looking Forward To Is Yours."

Run Up The Score — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:55:14 -0000

That was the quote Joe Paterno dropped on Harrisburg Patriot-News columnist David Jones a few years ago at a press conference, so perhaps it's only fitting that Jones has a new column debunking the current (and annual, for that matter) Joe Paterno retirement rumors:

Paterno is about to have total hip-replacement surgery. It's a procedure that's been done for decades and has a high rate of success, even in octogenarians. That should take some stress off his right knee which has been hurting him like crazy all season.

If it works, trust me, a largely pain-free Paterno is not quitting. The best guess here is, provided reasonable success by his team to supply him the necessary clout to continue, he will coach through 2009 and probably through 2010, as well -- then hang it up.

That's right, Jones is conditionally predicting two more years of Paterno. If that's true, we can play this "will he or won't he?" game a while longer. The rumors flying around are rather silly and speculative. There are eight million former players returning to campus! Sue Paterno reserved every luxury suite for friends and family! If Joe's on the sideline, we'll know it's his last game!

Still, for whatever reason, I can't escape the notion that Saturday will be Paterno's last home game at Penn State. No hard information here, just a hunch.

Poll

Let's keep it simple. Will this be Joe Paterno's last home game in Happy Valley?

Yes

176 votes

No

580 votes

756 votes | Poll has closed

McGuffie, Others Departing Michigan?

Run Up The Score — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:12:18 -0000

McGuffie, Others Departing Michigan?

Looks like Sam The Hurdler and some other guys might be transferring out of Ann Arbor.

Until The Ride Comes To A Complete Stop

Run Up The Score — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:09:42 -0000

The moment of truth for a nervous roller coaster enthusiast occurs at the loud clack of the safety harness locking into place. Protest all you want at that point, but you're in for the ride, no matter how harrowing it may be.

Like it or not, this is the point Penn State is at with respect to the quarterback position. Protest all you want, Joe Paterno has officially dug in his heels.

Q: Daryll Clark has three turnovers today, are you worried about his confidence?

A: No, that is one of the reasons I kept him in there. I figured he has to work his way through some of that. We are going to talk a lot about the fumbles. He had the two fumbles and that's just carelessness. Sometime you have those days. He has had some problems, but I think he needs to work his way through it.

Clark's play has clearly declined since the Wisconsin game. However, a case could be made to support Clark in most of those games. Against Ohio State, the offense went conservative in a tough environment. The combination of Iowa's excellent defense and the wind made passing difficult last week. The Indiana game was played in a frigid swamp on Saturday. These things are all true. That said, it's going to be cold next Saturday and Michigan State is ranked 12th nationally in pass efficiency defense. As Daryll (and PSU fans everywhere) learned after the Iowa game, excuses really only fly after victories.

Besides, it's not just Clark's play that has dropped off. We have learned that the Penn State offense does not respond well to pressure. Opposing defensive coordinators know it, too. The offensive line has done a very poor job of picking up blitzes lately, which has led to Clark becoming increasingly jittery when things begin to break down. Receivers have dropped passes at very bad times. Wind. Rain. Faulty protection. Bad throws. Drops. All of that stuff has contributed to decreased offensive production. Does that mean Pat Devlin should stay glued to the bench?

Unless Clark massively screws up in the first half against Michigan State, yes. He is your quarterback, and all of the bitching and moaning will only result in further frustration, because the head coach's mind is made up. Think of the last two seasons. Now, do you really think a guy who has led the team to a 10-1 record is going to be benched?

When the quarterback competition was settled back in August, Joe Paterno told us that Pat Devlin would receive ample playing time. That actually happened for a while, and Devlin was permitted to do much more than handoff to third-team running backs. As the season trudged onward, Devlin's meaningful snaps steadily disappeared:

#7 Devlin, Pat	Comp-Att-Int	Pct	Yards	TD	Long	Sack-Yds	Effic
Coastal Carolina	5-8-0	62.5	83	0	40	0-0	149.65
Oregon State	0-3-0	0.0	0	0	0	0-0	0.00
Syracuse	8-13-0	61.5	130	2	28	0-0	196.31
Temple	5-11-0	45.5	47	0	17	1-9	81.35
Wisconsin	2-5-0	40.0	27	0	19	0-0	85.36
Michigan	1-1-0	100.0	80	1	80	0-0	1102.00
Indiana	2-2-0	100.0	18	0	11	1-6	175.60
TOTALS	23-43-0	53.5	385	3	80	2-15	151.72

Certainly, there's an argument to be made that Devlin could have received more meaningful playing time once the conference schedule started, but remember that Clark was playing at an exceptionally high level until the Michigan game.

It will take an injury to Clark or multiple, brainlocked turnovers for Devlin to get in the game. Devlin is the #2 quarterback, not #1A, not #1B, or whatever half-cocked designation you wish to pin upon him. This will probably not change next season, either. His job is merely to sweep the stage clean after the main performance has concluded, and if you see him taking crucial snaps in either the Michigan State game or the bowl game, something very awful will have already happened to the PSU offense.

Saturday Snowstorm?

Run Up The Score — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:04:03 -0000

(Update: Sorry, folks. Looks like it's just going to be cold on Saturday. The snowstorm fell off the computer models.)

Indiana Preview: Fire Something!

Run Up The Score — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:37:04 -0000

Who Shot Who In The What Now? Indiana (3-7, 1-5) at Penn State (9-1, 5-1, sniffle). Noon kickoff at Beaver Stadium.

Kicking Television: YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE AT...the Big Ten Network? Wayne Larrivee, Charles Davis, and Charissa Thompson bring you the words. There is apparently a dispute as to which of the two Charissa Thompsons actually works for the BTN. If you're doing a Google image search, think cute, not whorish. Sorry to hurt your feelings.

Weather: Shitty! 100% chance of rain, as of this writing.

The Magic Bus: If you're one of the thousands of people who cheer the team on their way into the stadium, you may have noticed that the football team has new blue school buses this season. If you have $1,800 burning a hole in your pocket (and who doesn't, these days?), now you can own one of the old buses.

It's a 1980 Ford with 105,173 miles. On a weird note, the eBay listing promises to remove the "Pennsylvania State University" vinyl lettering from the side of the bus prior to the buyer taking possession. Why? Won't the winner immediately put the lettering back on?

So, let's assume you are the winning bidder. What do you do with the bus?

Can we just admit that everybody sucks? I have to agree with the vast majority of this, in that there appear to be so few quality teams in practically all of the major conferences. Honestly, where are all of the great teams this season, besides the lower plains?

Lest We Forget: Indiana was the underdog story last season.

Dubious Statistical Achievements: The Hoosiers rank 90th or higher in rushing defense (#93), pass efficiency defense (#100), total defense (#100), and scoring defense (#101). Oh, and sacks allowed (#100). There are 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

Smoke Signals From Enemy Territory: Here's the fun you're missing by being a fan of a coaching staff with more long-term stability than granite. After guiding Indiana to a bowl game since 1993 -- Indiana! -- one year ago, in the aftermath of the death of their head coach, Hoosier fans are bringing "Fire Bill Lynch" signs to home games. Nice.

Pickin' On The Big Ten: "What are the [TEAM REDACTED] chances in this game? About the same as the fire hydrant's chance against the dog." Who could that possibly be (small hint, not Indiana). He also sees big things for your Nittany Lions. My prediction? Pain, naturally.

Commit #20: Gary Gilliam Is A Very Large Individual

Run Up The Score — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:53:40 -0000

Gimme That Siren WOOOOOOOO.

This time, it's a gigantic tight end. Says FightOnState.com:

Penn State received its 20th commitment for the Class of 2009 recently in towering tight end Gary Gilliam from Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pa.
FOS sources confirmed the commitment Thursday.

Gilliam is a 6-foot-7, 245-pounder who is ranked as a three-star prospect by Scout.com. He plays tight end and along the defensive line.

He may be an offensive tackle at the collegiate level, although you can probably assume he'll get a shot at tight end.

Update: More, from the Patriot-News' Bob Flounders:

Gilliam verbally committed to Nittany Lions' head coach Joe Paterno Wednesday, Milton Hershey coach Bob Guyer told The Patriot-News this afternoon.

Gilliam, a 6-7, 260-pound defensive end/tight end prospect, is the 20th verbal for PSU's 2009 class.

"Garry has felt pretty comfortable with Penn State as his choice for about the past week and that's the direction he's been leaning in,'' Guyer said. "He called Coach Paterno yesterday to tell him he was coming.''

Gilliam picked PSU over three schools -- Virginia, Connecticut and Pittsburgh. He was recruited by Lions defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr. and also had contact with tight ends coach Bill Kenney.

Gilliam is the second Milton Hershey player to join the PSU fold. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Abe Koroma is also a Milton Hershey School graduate.

Grading The Defense: Iowaaaaaaaah.

Run Up The Score — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:49:14 -0000

Time to stop crying. You survived Michigan 2005, Toledo 2000, Minnesota 1999, Michigan 1997, Ohio State 1996, that whole 1994 thing, Notre Dame 1992, and Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. Trust me, you can handle this one. The 2008 Nittany Lions have been playing with house money for a while, mostly due to two very obvious things: the Big Ten is relatively shitty, and Penn State hadn't taken on any proficient passing offenses yet.

On Saturday, a number of things caught up to the Penn State defense. How badly did they need Sean Lee? Chris Baker, Phil Taylor, and Devon Still? Most frustrating of all, the soft zone you love to hate made a fateful appearance on Iowa's last drive, and it was repeatedly torched on third downs. Oh, and bad luck. Don't forget the bad luck. A sure STANZIBALL turned into pass interference on Anthony Scirrotto, and then Stanzi suddenly morphed in Chuck Friggin' Long. Brian Cook might be correct to label Iowa's effort as Flat Out Heart, but there's another side to that. Sometimes, you just are what you are. You're a team with an average defense. You're a team that starts poorly on the road. Flat Out Heart needs a dance partner, and it found one dressed in white.

Defensive Line: B

If someone told you before the game that Shonn Greene would run for a 4.2 yard per carry average, you'd have been relatively happy, right? Jared Odrick is making his case for Defensive MVP honors this season, but by the end of the game he was gassed. Same with the rest of the defensive line, who got absolutely no push as Iowa took to the air at the end of the game. Could've used a little depth in the fourth quarter, especially once Josh Gaines rolled his ankle.

Linebackers: C-

None of them shed tackles particularly well. Hull and Sales (who made a nice, if easy interception) are still slow to the ball. Aside from a few plays, Bowman was practically silent. Not their best night as a group, after playing out of their minds against Ohio State. That effort in Columbus seems to have spelled the end to any meaningful playing time for Bani Gbadyu and Mike Mauti -- a shame, because they should've been used at Kinnick.

Secondary: D+

At the beginning of the season, most of us knew this day would eventually come. Nobody figured it would be against Iowa. The nightmare scenario for this team has always been the thin defensive line wearing down, and the secondary subsequently faltering. Lydell Sargeant made such a beautiful play on a deflected pass earlier in the game, but he'll never forget the interception he dropped. Same goes for Scirrotto's pass interference penalty -- a 50/50 call if there ever was one, but you have to expect the referee to make that call against you on the road. It was pass interference, the only possible saving grace(s) would be the combination of the awful throw and Scirrotto's play on the ball instead of the receiver. Many people think that Scirrotto hasn't been the same since he was arrested. It's a thought, sure, but he's been living on his interception bonanza of a few years ago. Same as a certain pile-jumper in Columbus, really. He shouldn't be destroyed too much for the pass interference, though. Kid's just trying to make a play to win the game.

Defensive Coaching: C-

Angry. Very, very angry. Angry at the soft zones. Angry at blitzes that practically never work. Angry at the personnel choices. Angry that the team can't generate a pass rush when it's most needed. So while I'd love to write a blistering critique of Tom Bradley, it's a little difficult. Why? What else could he have done? He burned all of his defensive linemen. The linebackers are what they are. Same with the secondary. This defense has been held together by scotch tape and paper clips all season long. Once Gaines and Astorino were taken out of the equation, things slowly fell apart.

Also, how many blatant breakdowns of deep coverage have we seen this year?

Chicago Tribune: Penn State's Loss Is Big Ten's Gain

Run Up The Score — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:29:22 -0000

It always is.

Here's why: If Daniel Murray had missed that 31-yard game-winning field goal, the nation's college football fans would have let out a collective groan loud enough to shatter windows in State College.

Penn State needed what to beat a 5-5 team?

The Nittany Lions would have remained in prime position to scoop up a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game. And if Penn State had got the call over one-loss teams such as Florida and Texas, we would have been treated to weeks of Big Ten mockery.

In other words, to quote the great Homer Simpson, "Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."

Apocalypse, How? Aftermath Open Thread

Run Up The Score — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:48:01 -0000

Photo: DesMoinesRegister.com

Over 700 comments in the previous thread, so here's another for your post-game reactions. Penn State could have done a lot of things differently, but Iowa won the game with their red zone defense and final offensive drive.

Daryll Clark had a nice stretch of completions halfway through the game, but he started and ended poorly*. The playcalling relied heavily on Derrick Williams in the backfield, and I think it's fair to wonder if the coaches were being too careful with Clark in light of his previous concussion.

The Rose Bowl is still within grasp with victories against Indiana and Michigan State, but a weekend of mourning and dissection is more than appropriate. What went wrong, in your opinion?

* - Upon slightly further review, Clark received next to no assistance from his offensive line. They were totally fine on rushing plays, but pass blocking was atrocious. That may not even be a strong enough word, and it was even worse when Iowa unleashed its blitz packages. You know how Penn State's defensive blitzes never work? Think the exact opposite of that.