Dispensing Thoughts and Opinions: PSU-OSU

FTB’s Rapid Reaction/Stream of Consciousness After Penn State Proved to be More Trick Than Treat Against Ohio State.

• I can’t remember a bigger gut-punch first play to start a big Penn State game than Garrett Wilson’s 62-yard run. Set the tone for the long evening and sucked the air out of Beaver Stadium…oh wait.

•  The ease and regularity of elite quarterbacks transferring is the reason why the gap between Tier 1 Programs and Tier 1A Programs is widening in college football – because you’re no longer penalized for “misses” in recruiting. Don’t have a QB you trust? Grab disgruntled Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray. It’s the ultimate mulligan.

• Speaking of…because I’m gainfully employed (for now, anyway) I don’t spend a lot of time surfing Georgia message boards. But I gotta assume keyboard commandos have been MAULING Kirby Smart for letting Justin Fields slip out of Athens. In 2018, Dabo Sweeney and Smart were presented with the EXACT same scenario: Stick with the established (but limited) winner, or go with the green generational talent?  Dabo chose the latter (Trevor Lawrence over Kelly Bryant), and Kirby chose the former (Jake Fromm over Justin Fields). Kirby chose wrong. Dabo chose wisely.

• I know we’re all ticked and no one wants to hear this, but it seemed Kirk Ciarrocca finally figured out some things in the second half.

• Yeah, the Jahan Dotson one-hander was cool, but the way he bullied a soon-to-be multi-millionaire (Shaun Wade) for position was impressive, too.

• Why is Parker Washington being told to fair-catch kickoffs? Explosive special teams performances are the reason James Franklin lucked out and beat Ohio State in 2016. If Penn State stood a chance to pull the upset, they needed some “pluses” from special teams. But lightning can’t strike twice if you’re too scared to return the damn kick.

• The 4th and 2 on the opening drive was the right decision, but maybe not the correct play call. At the highest level, modern college football is a tennis match. You’re simply trying to hold serve and break your opponent’s serve a handful of times. So, yes, go for 4th and 2 – and hold serve.  But a screen? Kirk, how’d that work out for you last week?

• Penn State offensive line…woof. Seems every year I read how this unit finally is ready to bloom only to see them wilt against elite competition.

• Once the NCAA allows athletes to profit off Name Image and Likeness, Sean Clifford needs an Advil endorsement.

• What was the first half OVER? And how much did the clock operator have on it?

• What was with all the slipping on both sides? Beaver Stadium traditionally has tight, well-rooted grass without much give. It’s grass that plays like turf. Not tonight, though.

• More about grass…one of my roommates in college purposely majored in Turf Grass Management at a Penn State branch campus because those majors were automatically transferred up to Main Campus after one year. First day in State College, he changed his major. Anyone else do this?

• OK ABC, we get it. Last year, fans in the stands. This year, no fans in the stands. Could you be more melodramatic about it? I half-expected to see a CGI’d tumbleweed to blow through the bleachers.

• The woman holding the “James Franklin Steals Halloween Candy” sign at halftime couldn’t be more Ohio if she tried.

• According to Urban Meyer, COVID-19 kept this from being a tight 3-point game…so there’s that.