Last week, Penn State trainer James Franklin made some feedback all the way through his weekly press convention about scheduling. His remarks captured numerous consideration, principally as a result of they have been perceived as a shot at Michigan’s nonconference slate. But it used to be any other query posed to Franklin all the way through that press convention which garnered a response I discovered much more entertaining, if no longer as highly spiced.
Franklin used to be requested whether or not he and No. 6 Penn State would ever inform Drew Allar to say “screw it” and chuck the ball downfield. His resolution used to be nice.
Once you get previous the amusement issue, regardless that, two sides of the alternate are at odds with one any other whilst each are authentic. The first is the theory of a trainer telling his QB, “just chuck it down there and hope for the best!” is a wild thought and an ordinary query in nature. At the similar time, having watched Penn State’s offense this 12 months, it is a completely cheap query! Penn State’s passing assault is taking dink-and-dunk to extremes.
The Big Ten will get hit with the stereotype of being conservative with its passing video games, however have a look at Penn State’s means when compared to the remainder of the convention. An air backyard is the selection of yards a move travels past the road of scrimmage. Average air yards to the sticks are the selection of air yards in relation to the primary down marker. A backyard previous the primary down line could be +1 and two yards in entrance of it could be -2.
Look the place the Nittany Lions are in relation to the remainder of the league. Now, have a look at the place they’re in relation to Iowa. As a crew, Penn State averages 6.4 air yards in step with strive, 1.2 yards fewer than the following lowest crew in the Big Ten (Wisconsin). Their moderate of -2.2 AY to the sticks is just about a complete backyard at the back of Northwestern’s -1.3.
Drew Allar’s 6.9 yards in step with strive ranks 83rd nationally amongst 113 certified passers. His 6.3 air yards in step with strive ranks 108th.
Why is Penn State being so wary? There are a couple of imaginable causes. One is that it protects the soccer, and with a protection as just right as Penn State’s, the Nittany Lions do not want to be overly competitive in the passing assault to win. Allar hasn’t thrown an interception this 12 months and his Whoopsy Daisy Rate (fumbles and interceptions divided by means of snaps) of 0.26% is the most productive in the country. It’s additionally imaginable Penn State does not believe that they’ve the playmakers at receiver in a position to pushing the ball vertically successfully sufficient to take a look at it.
There’s any other chance price taking into account, on the other hand: Perhaps Penn State hasn’t felt the will to accomplish that. The Nittany Lions have not performed an offense price being petrified of this season. Their 5 FBS wins have come in opposition to West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and UMass. If you had to wager your lifestyles on a kind of groups scoring 30 issues in a sport, who’re you taking?
That adjustments this week with a travel to No. 3 Ohio State, and there have been indicators that Penn State is also ramping issues up all the way through their 63-0 win over UMass on Saturday. Yes, it is UMass, however I don’t believe it is a twist of fate that Allar averaged 9.5 air yards in step with strive in the sport after by no means averaging greater than 7.4 in any sport previously. And the sport he averaged 7.4 used to be Penn State’s earlier matchup in opposition to Northwestern. Allar tried 10 passes of no less than 15 air yards in the ones two video games after totaling 13 such makes an attempt in Penn State’s first 4 video games.
Penn State can not depend on its protection being nice to beat Ohio State, and possibly that is the week it takes the educational wheels off Allar, which might paintings to the Nittany Lions’ get advantages. Allar would possibly not throw deep frequently, however he is been efficient when he does. While no longer at elite ranges, his of entirety fee, passing potency and landing charges are above the nationwide moderate on throws of no less than 10 air yards.
Sing us a tune, Schiano guy
Jim Harbaugh is also en course to his 3rd immediately Big Ten identify and College Football Playoff look. Perhaps Ryan Day gets the Michigan monkey off his again and win the Big Ten once more. Maybe James Franklin will topple them each! We do not know what is going to occur.
But, I’m slightly assured that regardless of the end result between the ones 3, they have already misplaced the race to win the Big Ten’s Coach of the Year Award. We can get started etching Greg Schiano’s title on that trophy.
You may no longer have spotted, however Rutgers erased a 24-6 deficit with 21 fourth-quarter issues in opposition to Michigan State in Saturday’s 27-24 win whilst bettering to 5-2 at the season and 2-2 in the Big Ten. And the Knights nonetheless have video games left in opposition to Indiana, Iowa and Maryland. It’s virtually positive the Knights will pass bowling in 2023 and are in the midst in their best possible season since Schiano’s go back.
It hasn’t been a very easy trip, but it surely additionally hasn’t been too dissimilar from Schiano’s first go-round with Rutgers in the Big East days. The Knights went 12-34 in his first 4 seasons ahead of a step forward of 7-5 in his 5th season. The following 12 months, in 2006, Rutgers went 11-2 and went to a bowl sport 5 instances in six years ahead of he left for the NFL.
I do not see any 11-win seasons in my crystal ball, however after seeming misplaced in the Big Ten wasteland since becoming a member of the league, Rutgers appears to be like to have discovered its footing at the basketball courtroom and soccer box.
Sparty is on Quit Watch
Michigan State introduced it used to be postponing Mel Tucker on Sept. 10. Six days later, it used to be beaten 41-7 in opposition to Washington. Not a lot has modified at the box since. The Spartans are 0-4 since taking out Tucker, dropping by means of a median of 17.25 issues in step with sport. Two of the losses have come to Maryland and Rutgers, department opponents the Spartans usually depend on for wins whilst competing for bowl eligibility.
The Rutgers loss has me involved the ground may fall out quickly. It’s something to lose to Rutgers. It’s any other to blow an 18-point fourth-quarter lead in the method. This week, the Spartans host rival Michigan. If the Wolverines do to them what they have accomplished to everyone else, I may not be stunned to see the Spartans pass winless in the Big Ten.
At least Michigan State fanatics can glance ahead to basketball season.
Gut reads of the week
Every week I pick out each Big Ten sport in opposition to the unfold in accordance with not anything however my intestine response to the quantity. No digging into numbers, simply vibes, child. I even observe my file to embarrass myself publicly. Odds by way of SportsLine consensus.
No. 7 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State: I in reality do not know right here. Both groups are undefeated however have left me short of somewhat extra from each and every. I’ve already written a number of phrases about how conservative Penn State’s passing assault has been, however whilst I think they open issues up right here, I do not know they are going to. Then there may be Ohio State, which turns out ceaselessly banged up on offense and some distance too reliant on Marvin Harrison Jr. What occurs if Penn State’s protection is in a position to forcing Ohio State to to find any other course on offense? It’s instances like those after I merely shrug and take the underdog. Penn State +4.5
- Rutgers at Indiana — Indiana +5
- Minnesota at No. 24 Iowa — Iowa -5
- Wisconsin at Illinois — Illinois +2.5
- Northwestern at Nebraska — Nebraska -12.5
- No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State — Michigan -24.5
Last Week: 3-3
Season: 11-13-1