Week 6: #7 Penn State at UCLA (3:30 PM, CBS) Game Thread

[Nemo]

Paterno also never let the aspirations of one player take precedence over the team's needs, that I recall. I remember Curt Wartner literally crying early in the 1982 season because we'd gone to the air a lot and he wasn't getting the carries he expected. We won a national championship, and both the passing game and Curt Warner were instrumental in the championship game.

It felt like Joe showed favoritism towards Rob Bolden

 

[IANit]

It felt like Joe showed favoritism towards Rob Bolden

McGloin was better, but Bolden seemed to have more potential on paper. I think they actually ruined Bolden by starting him too soon. They also probably slowed McGloin's development, as well. In 1980, Joe picked Blackledge over Hostetler. Hostetler actually won a Super Bowl as QB (also married Don Nehlen's daughter), but Blackledge won a National Championship. The problem here is that it's pretty obvious that Allen is a superior running back. He was more polished from the moment he arrived. We thought Singleton would catch up, but he's actually become a worse running back over time. It's hurting the team. He should be getting about 45 percent of the carries of Kaytron, not 55. Also, snaps. It's infuriating and mystifying to me that Kaytron is being wasted. Singleton will be a UDFA if he's lucky right now, but we insist on putting him ahead of Kaytron, who has just gotten better each year. Is there something going on behind the scenes I'm not aware of?

 

[GregInPitt]

It's not the WRs.

Defenses don't fear Singleton or Allar. And they both start half our plays.

Still believe it's not the WR's?

There were enough plays where the replay showed the WR routes down the field on Saturday to show that the PSU WR's were not getting separation which forced Allar to run. Hudson made a spectaculary play on a relatively long ball, but that was about the whole game highlight for the WR's. Allar ran with heart and did a decent job of trying to lead the team, but with below average WR's that couldn't get open vs a no win team the offense is just not good enough. And it won't likely be good enough until PSU puts better WR's on the field.

 

[LionDeNittany]

Still believe it's not the WR's?

There were enough plays where the replay showed the WR routes down the field on Saturday to show that the PSU WR's were not getting separation which forced Allar to run. Hudson made a spectaculary play on a relatively long ball, but that was about the whole game highlight for the WR's. Allar ran with heart and did a decent job of trying to lead the team, but with below average WR's that couldn't get open vs a no win team the offense is just not good enough. And it won't likely be good enough until PSU puts better WR's on the field.

I am not saying that the WRs aren't able to get open.

To be clear, what I am saying is that it's not the WRs themselves.

It's the scheme, and the coaching.

One of our guys had 1000 yards last season against similar competition.

Definitely at the UCLA level he should be getting open.

But, yes. It's a lot on Allar. Just watch the plays.

LdN

 

[GregInPitt]

I am not saying that the WRs aren't able to get open.

To be clear, what I am saying is that it's not the WRs themselves.

It's the scheme, and the coaching.

One of our guys had 1000 yards last season against similar competition.

Definitely at the UCLA level he should be getting open.

But, yes. It's a lot on Allar. Just watch the plays.

LdN

I don't believe that the schedule Syracuse played last season, the teams Pena got 1000 yards against, was against "similar competiton". Pena is an average slot WR that for some reason Franklin and the coaches can effectively run jet sweeps. But Pena is not a super athlete, doesn't have elite quickness, and does not run strong enough to break tackles.

Ross is a little, weak WR that will mainly be a deep thread and be effective vs the weaker secondaries PSU plays against.

And Hudson does not seem to have the speed or moves to get open, but will make some difficult in traffic catches. but not enough of them to be a #1 WR on a playoff team.

Overall none of them are as effective as Wallace was in 2024 and at this point in the season the coaches having thrown everything behind the 3 of them and not getting much in return in terms of a playoff level passing game it's time to play a couple of the young WR's who would seem to have as good a chance or better of improving the passing game. Unless some significant changes are made in the passing game this looks like PSU could be headed towards being an 8-4 team to me.

 

[LionDeNittany]

I don't believe that the schedule Syracuse played last season was against "similar competiton". Pena is an average slot WR that for some reason Franklin and the coaches can effectively run jet sweeps. But Pena is not a super athlete, doesn't have elite quickness, and does not run strong enough to break tackles.

Ross is a little, weak WR that will mainly be a deep thread and be effective vs the weaker secondaries PSU plays against.

And Hudson does not seem to have the speed or moves to get open, but will make some difficult in traffic catches. but not enough of them to be a #1 WR on a playoff team.

Overall none of them are as effective as Wallace was in 2024 and at this point in the season the coaches having thrown everything behind the 3 of them and not getting much in return in terms of a playoff level passing game it's time to play a couple of the young WR's who would seem to have as good a chance or better of improving the passing game. Unless some significant changes are made in the passing game this looks like PSU could be headed towards being an 8-4 team to me.

Look, having a high pick NFL caliber WR is not the standard for most teams. And yet, their receivers are getting open.

Saying our guys are average, that's ok. They can still get open. And they are open.

We have supposedly two nfl rbs, a first round NFL qb and our wrs can't ger open? That's scheme.

 

[GregInPitt]

Look, having a high pick NFL caliber WR is not the standard for most teams. And yet, their receivers are getting open.

Saying our guys are average, that's ok. They can still get open. And they are open.

We have supposedly two nfl rbs, a first round NFL qb and our wrs can't ger open? That's scheme.

You say they (the WR's) are open. Based on what? The replays I saw showed them blanketed.

Yes, supposedly. But I don't believe it. We really have 1 NFL RB in Allen. And Allar's decision making won't likely make him a first round QB and he's been outplayed at his position the last 2 weeks and likely to be outplayed at least once more this season, and maybe more. The QB's that are outplaying him are not all 1st round NFL QB's so what's that say about Allar's NFL future.......

 

[LionDeNittany]

You say they (the WR's) are open. Based on what? The replays I say showed them blanketed.

Yes, supposedly. But I don't believe it. We really have 1 NFL RB in Allen. And Allar's decision making won't likely make him a first round QB. He's been outplayed at his position the last 2 weeks and likely to outplayed at least once more this season, and maybe more.

I don't believe it either and have been sour on Singleton for two seasons now.