Dispensing Thoughts & Opinions: Penn State vs. Ohio State
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• Wanna know the sickest aspect of this loss tonight? No? Well, too bad. The sickest aspect of this loss tonight is that it’s the type of “Well, if we gotta lose one” setback we all would have killllled for three weeks ago – a close, hard-fought setback worthy of CFP debate had Penn State finished the season at 11-1. (Inset Aunt/Uncle anatomy retort here).
• No moral victories. Not at Penn State. That’s Rutgers stuff. BUUUUUT…the team backed up all the preseason flowery talk of chemistry and closeness with their effort tonight. With nothing but pride on the line, they showed up. In 2020, the dam bursts and Penn State drowns at 17-7 and 27-17. So Yay!
• No beef with James Franklin going for it on 4th down from midfield in the first half because to beat Ohio State – to win a game you’re not supposed to win – you have to hit on 16 when the dealer shows a face card. Can’t be conservative. Can’t be scared. Can’t wait for breaks, or pray Ohio State “busts.” Gotta hit and hope for a 5. So thumbs up there, even though it didn’t work out.
But, man, big, BIG swollen thumbs down on Franklin’s philosophy to fair catch kickoffs that don’t reach the end zone. Who cares what the analytics say? TAKE A CHANCE! IDK, just seems inconsistent and hypocritical. The questionable spread-making characters in Vegas that enable my gambling addiction (and likely yours) got you as a 3-TD dog – essentially the same spread as the 2016 game when a pair of fortunate special teams plays propelled Penn State to a program-changing upset. Plus, you got a 5th year senior returning kicks! Trust him!
• Let’s talk about the snap infraction, shall we? 1. It wasn’t a snap infraction. It was a fumble with a clear recovery secured well before a whistle was heard in The Big House. Snap Infractions occur when the center flinches his ball-holding wrist but doesn’t let go. That clearly didn’t happen. 2. College football games are already 4 hours long, so what’s another 90 seconds gonna hurt? Can’t quite figure out why the refs let the play ‘play out’ but chose not to huddle after the play to ask, “Hey, what’d you see? What’d you see?” Feels like that sequence – which could have (should have) given Penn State the ball deep in Ohio State territory – was worth a brief pause and discussion.
• James Franklin needs to cut Sean Clifford some slack and not tell the media his senior QB is “100 percent.” He’s not 100 percent. Not close. 100 percent Sean Clifford RUNS. He escapes pressure. He doesn’t hesitate to make plays with his legs. He occasionally carries designed-QB runs. So quit it. He’s playing hurt and he’s playing his hurt ass off.
• Cute wrinkle direct-snapping to Jahan Dotson inside the 5. Guessing that play was drawn up on a napkin between Sunday, Oct. 24 and Friday, Oct 29, because it suuuuuure would have come in handy in Overtime 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 9 on Saturday Oct. 23.
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