B1G Penn State Training Camp Show

Sheriff Coffee

Sheriff Coffee

Well-known member
I watched this last nigh and the announcers could not have been more effusive in praise of the football team. In fact, Gerry DiNardo said that this was the best team he's seen in 19 years. Why 19, I don't know. At first I thought he meant to say the best PSU team in 19 years but he said specifically, the best team he's seen in 19 years.

They were especially impressed with the OL and DL. Not just the starters and depth, but the frosh. They never really had a single bad thing to say across the board. They were not as excited about the WRs but did say their were an upgrade. If you haven't seen it, here is a link to it.

Jake Butt posted on X:

Simply put- WR will be better. They reload again at TE. Best RB duo in CFB? Certainly one of them. ​
​
Allar has top 10 potential- real chance to prove it with all the weapons this year. Kotelnicki is known for being creative, and now he has a ton of toys to play with. Like Picasso with all the colors and a blank canvas. I expect Art. ​
​
Okay that being said… my opinion based on what I saw. The OL is legit. That’s the strength imo. If I had to choose a formula? With the OL, TEs, and RBs, and understanding having to beat Ohio state and Oregon? I would take a page out of the michigan playbook and heavily emphasize running the ball. Dictate the terms and tempo of the game. Keep OSU offense on the sideline. Wear down those defenses. That will only further open up the passing game. It’s kind of anti what we expect to see with all the fun formations and creativity, but I really believe they can get into big personal and bully teams. Curious to see how that plays out in short yardage and goal line situations. ​
​
Offense is in good hands. ​
​
Def: The speed once again was immediately apparent. Been that way for a few years now. Their speed always stands out. Why #28 Zane Durant doesn’t get discussed more is beyond me. Freaky. The sum of him and Dennis Sutton should add up to a top tier DE/ DL combo in the B1G. Can the other two stay healthy is key bc they look good. LBs are fast… why that matters? You’re playing Ohio state. Facing those WR you have to have split safety cov to help your CB. Problem is Ohio state and Oregon both have elite TEs. Most teams don’t have LBs that can hang. Penn st does. ​
​
Was very impressed by the technique of the secondary. Knowles asks them to be pressed and aggressive. They looked comfortable and technically sound. Frankly, I felt the secondary won the day over the WRs. They also fly to the ball and tackle well. It’s natural. So they’re learning Knowles scheme (complex) and facing a challenging complex offense.. had no issues communicating and getting lined up to execute. They looked prepared and flew to the ball. Will be a top unit once again no doubt. ​
​
Roster is ready… Will not be easy to achieve their goals, but this roster is as capable as any that Franklin has had. Will be fun to watch.​
 
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I don't know how these guys can determine how good a team is by attending a single day's practice but I agree PSU has lots of potential. The question is how much better is this year's team than last year's team.

QB: Allar might be a little bit better as a senior but it's not like he lacked experience last year.
OL: Definitely better because of an amazing amount of depth.
TE: It will be difficult to replace Warren but Dinkins & Reynolds should be very good.
RB: Maybe fractionally better due to experience.
WR: Probably better but we'll have to wait and see. I remember expecting a lot from Tinsley & Cephas.

Overall Offense: The offense should be better because of OL depth and more options at WR. I think it all comes down to Allar's instincts and chemistry with the WRs. I can't get over how Allar threw late Q4 INTs in losses to OR & ND and how we couldn't get into the EZ on 1st and goal from the 3 vs OSU.

DL: Carter will be difficult to replace at one DE spot and we're thin at DT. A lot is going to depend on Ford. This has to be a step down.
LB: I'm going to call this a push. We lose King but maybe offset that with Campbell. Maybe Wylie or Speca will surprise.
DB: Reed was really good for PSU last year and he'll be difficult to replace. Kimber was also pretty good. Harris and Wheatley are proven players but players like Collins, Lane, and Mack are going to have to step up. I have to call this a slight step down.

Overall Defense: Carter, Reed, and Kimber will be difficult to replace so I see this as a slight step back.

Special Teams: All the key pieces are back which is great. They were good last year and I expect them to be good again this year. Not much improved but very solid.

The biggest difference this year might be that Oregon is at home and they're replacing a lot of people. Maybe we finish 11-1 instead of 10-2 but I'm not looking past @ Iowa or Nebraska.
 
bdroc said:
I don't know how these guys can determine how good a team is by attending a single day's practice but I agree PSU has lots of potential. The question is how much better is this year's team than last year's team.

QB: Allar might be a little bit better as a senior but it's not like he lacked experience last year.
OL: Definitely better because of an amazing amount of depth.
TE: It will be difficult to replace Warren but Dinkins & Reynolds should be very good.
RB: Maybe fractionally better due to experience.
WR: Probably better but we'll have to wait and see. I remember expecting a lot from Tinsley & Cephas.

Overall Offense: The offense should be better because of OL depth and more options at WR. I think it all comes down to Allar's instincts and chemistry with the WRs. I can't get over how Allar threw late Q4 INTs in losses to OR & ND and how we couldn't get into the EZ on 1st and goal from the 3 vs OSU.

DL: Carter will be difficult to replace at one DE spot and we're thin at DT. A lot is going to depend on Ford. This has to be a step down.
LB: I'm going to call this a push. We lose King but maybe offset that with Campbell. Maybe Wylie or Speca will surprise.
DB: Reed was really good for PSU last year and he'll be difficult to replace. Kimber was also pretty good. Harris and Wheatley are proven players but players like Collins, Lane, and Mack are going to have to step up. I have to call this a slight step down.

Overall Defense: Carter, Reed, and Kimber will be difficult to replace so I see this as a slight step back.

Special Teams: All the key pieces are back which is great. They were good last year and I expect them to be good again this year. Not much improved but very solid.

The biggest difference this year might be that Oregon is at home and they're replacing a lot of people. Maybe we finish 11-1 instead of 10-2 but I'm not looking past @ Iowa or Nebraska.
Click to expand...
Mostly agree but I am mystified that people want to drag Allar last year. First, he had crap for WRs. Second, he was only 21. He is being compared to QBs like Howard (23), Gabriel (24) and Leonard (22). The previous year it was Penix (24) and Nix (23). While he was a two-year starter, age maturity is also a thing. He'll be better this year. Third, dude had a GREAT year. He QBed a team that went 13-3 and made it to the quarterfinals. Name me a PSU QB that did that since 1994. He had a 66% completion rate, 3,327 total yards and 24 TDs against 10 INTs. That is one of the best TD-to-INT ratios in the nation. And with better WRs, he had 25 TDs against 2 INTs. That was a record-breaking performance. The difference was that in 2023 he had worse WRs and played only 13 games (16 last year). In 23, his only tough games were tOSU, Michigan and Ole Miss. In 24 he played against USC, tOSU, Washington, Oregon, (playoffs>) SMU, Boise State and ND. These are programs with elite athletes in a playoff environment.

I also don't think the offense is geared to a downhill passing game. But that may have been WR based: AK called plays based on the personnel which was led by a TE and RBs.

So I am very bullish on Drew Allar. I guarantee, if he has a similar season to last year, he'll be a first-round draft pick. And he'll be marginally better this year. However, his stats might not jump off the page because I think we'll run, run, run this year with our excellent OL, TE and RBs.
 
bdroc said:
I don't know how these guys can determine how good a team is by attending a single day's practice but I agree PSU has lots of potential. The question is how much better is this year's team than last year's team.

QB: Allar might be a little bit better as a senior but it's not like he lacked experience last year.
OL: Definitely better because of an amazing amount of depth.
TE: It will be difficult to replace Warren but Dinkins & Reynolds should be very good.
RB: Maybe fractionally better due to experience.
WR: Probably better but we'll have to wait and see. I remember expecting a lot from Tinsley & Cephas.

Overall Offense: The offense should be better because of OL depth and more options at WR. I think it all comes down to Allar's instincts and chemistry with the WRs. I can't get over how Allar threw late Q4 INTs in losses to OR & ND and how we couldn't get into the EZ on 1st and goal from the 3 vs OSU.

DL: Carter will be difficult to replace at one DE spot and we're thin at DT. A lot is going to depend on Ford. This has to be a step down.
LB: I'm going to call this a push. We lose King but maybe offset that with Campbell. Maybe Wylie or Speca will surprise.
DB: Reed was really good for PSU last year and he'll be difficult to replace. Kimber was also pretty good. Harris and Wheatley are proven players but players like Collins, Lane, and Mack are going to have to step up. I have to call this a slight step down.

Overall Defense: Carter, Reed, and Kimber will be difficult to replace so I see this as a slight step back.

Special Teams: All the key pieces are back which is great. They were good last year and I expect them to be good again this year. Not much improved but very solid.

The biggest difference this year might be that Oregon is at home and they're replacing a lot of people. Maybe we finish 11-1 instead of 10-2 but I'm not looking past @ Iowa or Nebraska.
Click to expand...
Disagree regarding the secondary, could be the fastest and most athletic we ever had, especially at corner. I understand your experience concerns, but Lane and Mack have played and we probably have four guys at corner who will play on Sundays. I agree with the rest of your analysis.
 
Sherriff Coffee said:
Mostly agree but I am mystified that people want to drag Allar last year. First, he had crap for WRs. Second, he was only 21. He is being compared to QBs like Howard (23), Gabriel (24) and Leonard (22). The previous year it was Penix (24) and Nix (23). While he was a two-year starter, age maturity is also a thing. He'll be better this year. Third, dude had a GREAT year. He QBed a team that went 13-3 and made it to the quarterfinals. Name me a PSU QB that did that since 1994. He had a 66% completion rate, 3,327 total yards and 24 TDs against 10 INTs. That is one of the best TD-to-INT ratios in the nation. And with better WRs, he had 25 TDs against 2 INTs. That was a record-breaking performance. The difference was that in 2023 he had worse WRs and played only 13 games (16 last year). In 23, his only tough games were tOSU, Michigan and Ole Miss. In 24 he played against USC, tOSU, Washington, Oregon, (playoffs>) SMU, Boise State and ND. These are programs with elite athletes in a playoff environment.

I also don't think the offense is geared to a downhill passing game. But that may have been WR based: AK called plays based on the personnel which was led by a TE and RBs.

So I am very bullish on Drew Allar. I guarantee, if he has a similar season to last year, he'll be a first-round draft pick. And he'll be marginally better this year. However, his stats might not jump off the page because I think we'll run, run, run this year with our excellent OL, TE and RBs.
Click to expand...
The question with Allar is how high do you set the bar? There's no doubt that Allar is a very good QB. The question is if he's an elite QB who can put the team on his back and win games against top opponents. He hasn't done well in those situations so far in his career.

Was Allar better than Will Howard at OSU last year? Absolutely, but Howard had a better supporting cast.
 
Sherriff Coffee said:
Mostly agree but I am mystified that people want to drag Allar last year. First, he had crap for WRs. Second, he was only 21. He is being compared to QBs like Howard (23), Gabriel (24) and Leonard (22). The previous year it was Penix (24) and Nix (23). While he was a two-year starter, age maturity is also a thing. He'll be better this year. Third, dude had a GREAT year. He QBed a team that went 13-3 and made it to the quarterfinals. Name me a PSU QB that did that since 1994. He had a 66% completion rate, 3,327 total yards and 24 TDs against 10 INTs. That is one of the best TD-to-INT ratios in the nation. And with better WRs, he had 25 TDs against 2 INTs. That was a record-breaking performance. The difference was that in 2023 he had worse WRs and played only 13 games (16 last year). In 23, his only tough games were tOSU, Michigan and Ole Miss. In 24 he played against USC, tOSU, Washington, Oregon, (playoffs>) SMU, Boise State and ND. These are programs with elite athletes in a playoff environment.

I also don't think the offense is geared to a downhill passing game. But that may have been WR based: AK called plays based on the personnel which was led by a TE and RBs.

So I am very bullish on Drew Allar. I guarantee, if he has a similar season to last year, he'll be a first-round draft pick. And he'll be marginally better this year. However, his stats might not jump off the page because I think we'll run, run, run this year with our excellent OL, TE and RBs.
Click to expand...
Play Action Passes need to multiply in the playbook this year.
 
sr108 said:
Disagree regarding the secondary, could be the fastest and most athletic we ever had, especially at corner. I understand your experience concerns, but Lane and Mack have played and we probably have four guys at corner who will play on Sundays. I agree with the rest of your analysis.
Click to expand...
Who are the 3 CBs other than Harris that will play on Sundays?
 
bdroc said:
The question with Allar is how high do you set the bar? There's no doubt that Allar is a very good QB. The question is if he's an elite QB who can put the team on his back and win games against top opponents. He hasn't done well in those situations so far in his career.

Was Allar better than Will Howard at OSU last year? Absolutely, but Howard had a better supporting cast.
Click to expand...
I think you nailed it. Give Allar Howard's fleet of WRs.

As fans, we often think it is "Allar vs Howard" or "Mahomes vs Burrow". There are 23 other guys out there who make a lot of money because their positions are important to the game. (more when you count special teams).

Allar is what he is: a great college QB when it comes to passing, protecting the ball, and who can extend plays with very good pocket presence. He can improve in seeing the field, deep throws, and risk management. None of these would be considered areas to improve if he had Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to throw to.
 
bdroc said:
Or just quick passes that Allar can deliver accurately to receivers who can catch the ball over the middle.
Click to expand...
I think PSU ran slants pretty well last year as well as crossing patterns. IMHO, these are risky passes if the throw is off or the WR bobbles the ball. It is an easy pick for the S. In addition, at least the quick passes, these have to be done to a spot. The QB and WR have to know the spot so the QB can throw as the WR enters the break. Our WRs really struggled with getting off the line of scrimmage and I don't think they were very good route runners. At the Ole Miss bowl game, I counted 8 passes where the QB and WR weren't in synch. And I think PSU had better WRs that year than last year (and a different OC).

I don't feel like that is AK's go to offense although it could have been personnel driven.
 
Sherriff Coffee said:
I think you nailed it. Give Allar Howard's fleet of WRs.

As fans, we often think it is "Allar vs Howard" or "Mahomes vs Burrow". There are 23 other guys out there who make a lot of money because their positions are important to the game. (more when you count special teams).

Allar is what he is: a great college QB when it comes to passing, protecting the ball, and who can extend plays with very good pocket presence. He can improve in seeing the field, deep throws, and risk management. None of these would be considered areas to improve if he had Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to throw to.
Click to expand...
PSU doesn't have Marvin Harrison or Jeremiah Smith but we do have 5* Drew Allar and we did have the best TE in the country. He threw a horrible INT vs ND that turned a win into a loss. He also threw a horrible pass to Singleton that should have been a walk in TD in that game. He threw a horrible INT to end the Oregon game (after throwing a great TD pass to get us back in that game.

Face it, Allar has struggled against top opponents:
ND 51% completion for 135 yds, 0 TD and 1 INT.
OR 51% completion for 226 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT.
OSU 60% completion for 146 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT.
OSU 2023 43% completion for 191 yds and 1 TD.
UM 2023 43% completion for 70 yds and 1 TD.

In order for PSU to win a NC he has to be better than Howard. He has to be elite. We'll find out if he can become elite this year.
 
sr108 said:
Washington, Tracy and Dixon for starters.
Click to expand...
Washington is a safety.

Tracy was a 3* recruit who showed some promise last year but it's far too early to say he'll be in the NFL. Dixon was a 4* recruit with a lot of promise but he's a RS freshman.
 
bdroc said:
PSU doesn't have Marvin Harrison or Jeremiah Smith but we do have 5* Drew Allar and we did have the best TE in the country. He threw a horrible INT vs ND that turned a win into a loss. He also threw a horrible pass to Singleton that should have been a walk in TD in that game. He threw a horrible INT to end the Oregon game (after throwing a great TD pass to get us back in that game.

Face it, Allar has struggled against top opponents:
ND 51% completion for 135 yds, 0 TD and 1 INT.
OR 51% completion for 226 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT.
OSU 60% completion for 146 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT.
OSU 2023 43% completion for 191 yds and 1 TD.
UM 2023 43% completion for 70 yds and 1 TD.

In order for PSU to win a NC he has to be better than Howard. He has to be elite. We'll find out if he can become elite this year.
Click to expand...
fair enough, but the ND game was tied when that pick was thrown. Moreover, you can't say a player is good or bad based on one play. Its like saying Saquon Barkley was a bad RB because he couldn't convert a makable first down against tOSU in crunch time.

Those stats are alarming but they lack context. How did other teams do passing against ND, OSU, UM and Oregon? ND, specifically, gave up 170 yards per game passing and was ranked #4 in the nation. There is a lot more to it, like what happened after teams got a big lead and the scrubs were in. But Ohio St was the #2 Pass D in the nation. ND 4. Oregon 20. Penn State 28. If you take out the fluff teams, the rankings are much better. (FIU, N ILL, LA Tech, Sam Houston, UL Monroe are all in the top ten).

Allar can't throw it and catch it, as Geiselle said about Tom Brady when a WR dropped a catchable pass.
 
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bdroc said:
Washington is a safety.

Tracy was a 3* recruit who showed some promise last year but it's far too early to say he'll be in the NFL. Dixon was a 4* recruit with a lot of promise but he's a RS freshman.
Click to expand...
I am Positive Washington II is a corner and I believe one of the fastest players on the team. Was named the hardest working cornerback 5 times during winter workouts and is the expected start opposite Harris.True Freshman Dixon is receiving probably the most buzz of all the true freshmen and is expected to see a lot of playing time this year
 
Sherriff Coffee said:
I watched this last nigh and the announcers could not have been more effusive in praise of the football team. In fact, Gerry DiNardo said that this was the best team he's seen in 19 years. Why 19, I don't know. At first I thought he meant to say the best PSU team in 19 years but he said specifically, the best team he's seen in 19 years.

They were especially impressed with the OL and DL. Not just the starters and depth, but the frosh. They never really had a single bad thing to say across the board. They were not as excited about the WRs but did say their were an upgrade. If you haven't seen it, here is a link to it.

Jake Butt posted on X:

Simply put- WR will be better. They reload again at TE. Best RB duo in CFB? Certainly one of them. ​
​
Allar has top 10 potential- real chance to prove it with all the weapons this year. Kotelnicki is known for being creative, and now he has a ton of toys to play with. Like Picasso with all the colors and a blank canvas. I expect Art. ​
​
Okay that being said… my opinion based on what I saw. The OL is legit. That’s the strength imo. If I had to choose a formula? With the OL, TEs, and RBs, and understanding having to beat Ohio state and Oregon? I would take a page out of the michigan playbook and heavily emphasize running the ball. Dictate the terms and tempo of the game. Keep OSU offense on the sideline. Wear down those defenses. That will only further open up the passing game. It’s kind of anti what we expect to see with all the fun formations and creativity, but I really believe they can get into big personal and bully teams. Curious to see how that plays out in short yardage and goal line situations. ​
​
Offense is in good hands. ​
​
Def: The speed once again was immediately apparent. Been that way for a few years now. Their speed always stands out. Why #28 Zane Durant doesn’t get discussed more is beyond me. Freaky. The sum of him and Dennis Sutton should add up to a top tier DE/ DL combo in the B1G. Can the other two stay healthy is key bc they look good. LBs are fast… why that matters? You’re playing Ohio state. Facing those WR you have to have split safety cov to help your CB. Problem is Ohio state and Oregon both have elite TEs. Most teams don’t have LBs that can hang. Penn st does. ​
​
Was very impressed by the technique of the secondary. Knowles asks them to be pressed and aggressive. They looked comfortable and technically sound. Frankly, I felt the secondary won the day over the WRs. They also fly to the ball and tackle well. It’s natural. So they’re learning Knowles scheme (complex) and facing a challenging complex offense.. had no issues communicating and getting lined up to execute. They looked prepared and flew to the ball. Will be a top unit once again no doubt. ​
​
Roster is ready… Will not be easy to achieve their goals, but this roster is as capable as any that Franklin has had. Will be fun to watch.​
Click to expand...
I think my biggest concern is the depth on the DLine. The Starters should be dominant, especially if Ford is 100%, but the rotation guys are going to be young and inexperienced. While the first three games are not great from a fan’s perspective, it’s just what the doctor ordered for developing depth.
 
sr108 said:
I think my biggest concern is the depth on the DLine. The Starters should be dominant, especially if Ford is 100%, but the rotation guys are going to be young and inexperienced. While the first three games are not great from a fan’s perspective, it’s just what the doctor ordered for developing depth.
Click to expand...
DiNardo made a point of saying how "game ready" the freshmen were on the DL. So, yeah, they need some game experience so that they can step in later on in the season. A great thing about college ball is that at least 1/4 of the roster turns over. They also were impressed with the LBer that transfered from NC>
 
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