Iowa: What's The Story?
by KevinHD on Sep 25, 2009 9:00 AM EDT
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PrintThe Curious Incident of the Linebackers In The Line-Up. The story started when the PPG told us (as RUTS pointed out: without sources or bylines) that Sean Lee was "doubtful" for Saturday's game:
Penn State linebacker Sean Lee is doubtful for Saturday's game against Iowa after spraining his left knee this past weekend in the Nittany Lions' 31-6 victory against Temple.
Lee is expected to miss up to two weeks, but could return sooner if his rehab progresses as expected.
That sparked the usual OH NOSE, and some depth chartin': we were all of the sudden looking at Gbadyu & Hull with Bowman added in the best-case scenario.
That was Tuesday.
Then Bowman became a sure thing, which was comforting, and the good news kept on comin':
Lee is rehabbing the knee until he gets clearance to return to the field.
"I definitely feel like he's going to be ready to play," Lions quarterback Daryll Clark said. "That's why he's working on it now."
And from the linebacker himself:
"At first you get worried," [Sean Lee] said. "You think you put in all this work and you might be out again, which is no fun. I think I'm going to be all right."
Right?! No?? Don't do this Thursday:
Coach Joe Paterno said Thursday that team captain Sean Lee is "very doubtful" for fifth-ranked Penn State's game Saturday against Iowa after he sprained his left knee last week.
No! So your Red Pill:
Gbadyu, Hull, Bowman will be the starters at LB if Lee can't go. Second string will be Yancich, Stupar and Colasanti, though Joe said he's bothered by Stupar's injury and, in a round about way, questioned Nate's toughness saying back when he played no one visited the trainer. Ouch.
And now Stupar?
Update: Eric Thomas says Lee is out.
We Must Protect This Quarterback! Your interesting stat of the day: Daryll Clark, who everyone assures you is a dual threat quarterback for reasons I won't speculate on, has exactly zero designed running plays called to him through three games.*
*As far as I can tell, and because my 4th quarter memory is faded by design, I found someone who agrees with me.
But-but-but, dual threat, right? Well dual-concussed, obviously, and that's something you don't want to mess around with against the suck-cakes. But are we going to open things up now that the season has begun? Linked above:
"I think we've shown a touch of the spread, and a touch of the power I," Clark said. "We really haven't shown that much, I think."
Which is the standard line but probably the accurate one, too. Maybe there's a way to keep Clark the healthy pocket passer who is completing 67% of his passes and run under center more often. TINNOMJ thinks just maybe:
Use Kevin Newsome in a Wildcat/option package during portions of the game this weekend.
Why not, right? Newsome has seen far less action than he should have up to this point, and to be frank he's looked exactly as advertised (quick but as of yet completely unprepared to be a college quarterback) during the first three games: only 6 attempts, two sacks, but two 15ish yard runs to help offset.
Bottom line: Clark getting hurt simply isn't an option, it if that means a couple of gimmicks that might keep a defense honest but provide diminished returns, we should all be okay with that trade-off.
It's like The Shining but so much worse. I was at the beach a long time ago with a bunch of friends. We were throwing the football in the water because that's the only fun thing to do at the beach once you're too old to build sand castles, and I places a rocket right in the arms of the diving receiver, just a fraction of a second before the oncoming wave took him down. The problem was the receiver had a pair of brand new sunglasses on, and the ocean took them for keeps.
My friend didn't buy sunglasses for 12 months after that because he was so mad at himself for forgetting to take them off his head. Daryll Clark is the kinda guy that would do the same thing:
"There's nothing that anyone can tell to make me believe that it wasn't my fault, period," Clark said this week.
I like the inner drive, but if there's one thing we don't need it's Clark putting too much pressure on himself to make plays, to think he has to somehow make up for it, and as a result force plays.
Make It STOOOPP! The game is at 8 p.m. There isn't a word I know of that accurately describes the kind of torture we'll be put through tomorrow watching the promotion for the game. Over under for number of times they show The Kick is in the teens. Find the switch button and don't take your finger off of it for even a second.
It's only for decoration. YDR's Headline: "Josh Hull: 'The 'Stache Master'"
Let's do this.
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That remote control
was used by my 20/20 visioned best friend for over a year because he was too lazy to call Comcast to replace his lost remote. I gave him sh..crap for it for a LONG time.
As for the game, how much of this can be chalked up to spin doctoring? “Sure, Lee won’t plan. Neither will Clark, Bowman, Royster, or JoePa.” Then BAM!
All of them?
Joe still holds a record! He set it in nineteen dickety three. They had to say dickety because the Kaiser stole their word for twenty. Joe chased that Kaiser for hours and could never get that word back.
JOE IS OLD!
by Jeff Junstrom on Sep 25, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions
fantastic quote.
Never mistake effort for achievement.
by Esteban d' Amur on Sep 25, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Falling on floor?
Just my guess…
"I thought the kid we were using had the potential to be a good quarterback, and I blew that one." - Joseph V. Paterno
by leeharvey418 on Sep 25, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Or maybe...
Colasanti isn’t that good and they’d rather have an extra schollie in two years instead of a 3rd string 5th-year senior MLB…
or...
They anticipate Lavarro leaving early, they are losing Lee and Hull, have little faith in Bennie Baj and need to get him reps.
Never mistake effort for achievement.
by Esteban d' Amur on Sep 25, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe he's that good
And you have to get him on the field
by PSUinBOSSton on Sep 25, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought I heard he was being switched to FB.
And his redshirt burning came immediately after Zwinak committed…
Let's do this indeed
I’m hoping for a little of the magic we saw last year at the white out against Illinois.
Please No Wildcat
Simply we don’t have the personnel to run it. I don’t think Newsome has the required running power needed to make it worthwhile. There is a reason why most teams that successfully run it have guys like Ronnie Brown and Darren McFadden taking the snaps. Plus it won’t do anything to keep defenses honest. As soon as we return to our base offense, they defense would return to the same old game plan.
Really....
With The Drake and Newsome….. I am pretty sure we have the personnel to run the wildcat. And like the Eagles with Vick (which everyone will see this weekend) both of the aforementioned have the ability to keep defenses honest as they have the ability to throw the ball.
BTW….DC is a dual threat QB because like M-Rob he can run the hell out of the ball……nothing to do with speculation and raising eyebrows!
I thought only safeties played 15 yards off the ball?
I just think he needs to get more credit for his passing.
He really doesn’t run that often, hasn’t run at all this year, and I want people to start realizing the guy is a legit and accurate QB. I feel like his national perception does not equal realty, that’s all. But once we get some games that people will actually watch, maybe that will change.
BSD
Of course
Clark is more of a passer but he’s still a dual-threat. Dual-threat means you can do both. MRob was dual-threat but was a lot better at running. Vince Young was incredible at both.
Joe did say that if necessary they’d let Clark run it starting this game. Apparently he had been told not to run/scramble under any circumstances for the first three games but that changes with Iowa. Hopefully if he has the freedom to run when appropriate he won’t try to force passes into triple coverage.
by PSUMark2008 on Sep 25, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
this might sound terrible
but i have a feeling it is because of the perception that “black qb’s can also run well.” if you look in the past at successful black qb’s (cunningham, mcnabb, vick, etc) and then at (somewhat) recently successful black big11 qbs (m-rob, brad banks, randle-el, and…troy smith?) you can see why ppl might think automatically that he should be a dual-threat, simply because that’s what ppl are used to.
and it’s not just one-way stereotypes, most people don’t think of dual-threat much when they think of white qb’s, but then when ppl like tebow or OMGZ TATE FORCIER can run, it’s like some huge surprise? what? why?
also, i’m not saying this is what i think personally (because i know that clark is an accurate passer FIRST), but i think this is the perception that some people have when they hear about a “successful black qb.” feel free to retort.
We decide when you hear the snap count...
no retort
it’s probably true, and unfortunate
by PSUisMyHeart on Sep 25, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Caucasian Drew Tate surprised a lot with his speed too...
…you’re right, but worst of all is that since DC CAN run it will probably be harder for him to make it to the NFL. You know, cause “black quarterbacks just don’t do well in the NFL” or whatever.
It’s a crock of crap, but it seems like (with a small few exceptions) if a black QB can’t run, then he gets overlooked and under-rated. It’s garbage.
He can help himself though, all he has to do is NEVER RUN against Iowa (wait, that’s just me thinking wishfully). Either way he’s an excellent QB and I’d love to have him on my team CFB or NFL.
by Eyeheartfreedumb on Sep 25, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions
The Wildcat is more about power than speed.
Odds are the Eagles probably won’t run the true Wildcat like how it originated with Arkansas and the Dolphins. Just look back to the Monday Night game, its really all about getting an extra blocker and power running right up the middle. You then throw in some reverses, screens, and deep passes to keep the defense honest so they can’t just line everyone up in the box to stop the power running game. In order to accomplish that you need a power back to take the snaps, who can hit a receiver if he is wide open, along with a strong offensive line, and other capable runners who can make a play if the ball is given to them. Honestly what the Eagles will run with Vick will probably be closer to the spread option that is already popular in college, including our 05 team with MRob.
by VVeRPennState on Sep 25, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Eh, i don't love it,
but it’s a wrinkle. You sneak Newsome in and it makes the defense worry about. Do it once in the first quarter and then it’s out there. I just don’t know how many times you can run Clark considering the drop from QB#1 to QB#2.
BSD
What about like a triple option scenario?
Devon Smith at WR runs the end around with Royster and Newsome in the backfield. You’ve got three options, all of which are legit threats running, so you keep the defense on their toes
by dawsonPSU10 on Sep 25, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
i really hope it doesn't come down to us needed gimmicks to win
We decide when you hear the snap count...
I'm not talking on every play
I just mean just as a little trick in the games here and there. I’m not talking turning into Navy or GT, just as a little spice to our offensive game.
Screw that
Let’s run the Zug triple option.
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Sep 25, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions
I was thinking
wishbone with both Newsome and Drake on the field.
Let’s see if either one can block…
"I thought the kid we were using had the potential to be a good quarterback, and I blew that one." - Joseph V. Paterno
by leeharvey418 on Sep 25, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Newsome
I hate the idea of using Kevin Newsome as a wildcat QB. Not because he’s inexperienced necessarily or because I don’t like taking Clark off the field, but in watching Newsome the first three games I HATE the way he carries the ball when he runs. Maybe it’s an illusion on the TV screen but it looks like he’s dangling the ball out far away from his body while he’s running. He doesn’t carry the ball close to his body or protect the ball at all running through traffic. That’s the kind of crap that worked in high school but will make for an easy fumble in Division I college games. Until he fixes that I don’t want to see him anywhere near the field.
by catesinator on Sep 25, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
"Daryll Clark, who everyone assures you is a dual threat quarterback for reasons I won't speculate on,"
/raises eyebrow….
Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance
Umm
Am I the only one who remembers this guy crushing two or three Wiscy defenders on the way to the endzone?
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Sep 25, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Dude can pass.
I’ll stop defending the comment now because it’s probably a little unfair. But he’s not playing the same game as Pryor or Nesbitt or Tebow or whoever else pundits would compare his style to.
And he runs a lot less than Colt McCoy, both in total and as a percentage of plays, yet he’s called a “Pro-Style” QB by Rivals.
I don’t need to explain this to anyone here because you all know exactly how good Clark is, but I feel like the general opinion of what makes him good needs a slight shift.
BSD
You're absolutely right
Clark is a passer, and that’s evident not just by the numbers, but by how he runs when it’s called for. Yes, he can move, but he doesn’t have the sheer speed or shifteness of other running QBs.
In terminology, of course, he is a dual “threat,” meaning that, yes, the threat is there. Opposing teams can’t rush blindly without worrying contain, and linebackers have to at least respect Clark running as an option. He can also, as ReadingRambler points out, pick up tough yardage on the ground because of his strength. And all of that is great — it makes Clark a better quarterback, and it makes the offense he captains much harder to defend.
So if by “dual-threat” one means that defenses have to be rather alert to his runnig ability, then I would agree.
But if by “dual-threat” one is trying to compare Clark to quarterbacks such as Tebow, Pat White, McCoy, Forcier, or Michael Robinson (who made an NFL roster as a running back! No way Clark can do that.), then it’s a totally misguided comment.
by tuscaloosalion on Sep 25, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
from Bani
Bani Gbadyu
Starting against IOWA!!! WHITE OUT…..8PM game on NATIONAL TV Abc…no better time to have my coming out party…ya dig (make sure yo check out the festivities!!!)
Josh Hull
Josh Hull and his mustache almost hit me in his truck yesterday
Do you think the ’stache gets off blocks better than Hull does?
DO YOU HAVE PRIDE, DANNY?
by ReadingRambler on Sep 25, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
which one was driving?
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member
by TheMightyErik on Sep 25, 2009 6:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The story is.........
a 110,000 autonomous collective of agitated agents(Fans) that are highly connected to each other, but not to a central hub. The most unexpected things will brew in this bionic hivelike supermind(beaver stadium during white-out)! This marvel is that no one is in control, yet an invisible entity emerges to govern. A Hive(Beaver Stadium) about to swarm is a hive possessed. It becomes Visibly agitated and whines in a loud drone that vibrates the stadium. It begins to spit out masses of electrical signals as if it were emptying it’s soul(years of pent up anger). A poltergeist-like storm of tiny wills materializes over the hive boosted by a tremendous buzzing racket to will it’s way! This is the WHITE-OUT! We are PENN STATE!!
Man,
that took awhile. Ihad to get that off my chest.
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