GiveHyzduashot
01-01-2003, 07:23 PM
Though State lost to a very good, and very young team today, I'm still disappointed.
I thought the coaching, both leading up to the game and in game decisions, was questionable at best. I've never seen a Penn State team be less prepared for a bowl game. State looked like they could have taken the next month off and they still wouldn't have been ready. Also, I strongly question the lack of determination to run the ball. For the first few minutes, I'd agree with the approach. Towards the end of the second quarter, LJ was running really hard. PSU got the ball to start the second half trailing only by a point, so why pass, pass, pass? Let LJ pound away and see what he can do. He carried the team the entire season, and I thought it was way too premature to abandon the running game. LJ deserved better, and if the coaching staff is criticized, I can't say I'll support them.
I also am wondering aloud why Robinson didn't come out at QB for a third series. Sure, the second series the offense didn't move the ball much, but how much can you move the ball when you're on the one yard line? The only time the offense impressed me today was when Robinson was at the helm. Further, even if Robinson played the last series, he gives us a better chance to drive the ball down the field than Mills did for the simple fact Robinson has a much stronger arm than Mills has, and we wouldn't need to run a hook and lateral with nine seconds left.
I guess I shouldn't be dwelling on the negative so much. The 18 seniors really turned PSU around, and players like LJ, Bryant Johnson, Gus Felder, Joe Iorio, Tyler Lenda, Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Haynes, Anthony Adams, Bryan Scott, and Shawn Mayer will be sorely missed. All probably will have a shot at the NFL. All in all, this year's team was fun to watch and they had a good year, I just think it could have been better with a few more breaks in today's game. And with a few more breaks/calls in some other games, this year's team would have been REALLY fun to watch.
I thought the coaching, both leading up to the game and in game decisions, was questionable at best. I've never seen a Penn State team be less prepared for a bowl game. State looked like they could have taken the next month off and they still wouldn't have been ready. Also, I strongly question the lack of determination to run the ball. For the first few minutes, I'd agree with the approach. Towards the end of the second quarter, LJ was running really hard. PSU got the ball to start the second half trailing only by a point, so why pass, pass, pass? Let LJ pound away and see what he can do. He carried the team the entire season, and I thought it was way too premature to abandon the running game. LJ deserved better, and if the coaching staff is criticized, I can't say I'll support them.
I also am wondering aloud why Robinson didn't come out at QB for a third series. Sure, the second series the offense didn't move the ball much, but how much can you move the ball when you're on the one yard line? The only time the offense impressed me today was when Robinson was at the helm. Further, even if Robinson played the last series, he gives us a better chance to drive the ball down the field than Mills did for the simple fact Robinson has a much stronger arm than Mills has, and we wouldn't need to run a hook and lateral with nine seconds left.
I guess I shouldn't be dwelling on the negative so much. The 18 seniors really turned PSU around, and players like LJ, Bryant Johnson, Gus Felder, Joe Iorio, Tyler Lenda, Jimmy Kennedy, Michael Haynes, Anthony Adams, Bryan Scott, and Shawn Mayer will be sorely missed. All probably will have a shot at the NFL. All in all, this year's team was fun to watch and they had a good year, I just think it could have been better with a few more breaks in today's game. And with a few more breaks/calls in some other games, this year's team would have been REALLY fun to watch.