With Syracuse facing the daunting task of traveling to Penn State to play at noon on Saturday, we thought it would be nice to get a Penn State fan's perspective on the game. To do this, I traded questions and answers with Kevin McGuire who writes about the Nittany Lions over at the Examiner and also at Nittany White Out.
My answers are Kevin's questions can be found here. Let's get started.
Q: Coming into the season expectations for Penn State were high. They are currently 5th in the coaches poll and 7th in the AP poll. How good are the Nittany Lions?
KM: Probably not quite as good as the rankings show right now. The AP poll is more on target with where the Nittany Lions are right now than the coaches poll in my opinion. There are some legitimate concerns surrounding Penn State that can keep them out of the BCS championship picture. Their secondary receives the most scrutiny and while the numbers show that they had a decent season opener against Akron, I tend to credit the field position and pressure being put on by the front seven. The running game should be strong this season but the offensive line needs to gel together. Each member of the offensive line is new to their respective starting positions this season. If they can get some form of consistency going the offense should once again be lethal.
Q: Given the high expectations, what results would make most Penn State fans call this year a success?
KM: At this stage it would seem that anything less than an appearance in the national championship game would be a let down. The schedule is set up for a possible undefeated season and many think it would be next to impossible to have an undefeated Penn State team not play for all the marbles. Whether or not a national championship chance is in the works remains to be seen, but if Penn State makes the Rose Bowl as Big Ten champs and wins against a team from the SEC, Big XII or USC, I think fans will be happy. The future looks bright for the program so this year (and last) could be another stepping stone.
Q: What did you learn from the 31-7 pasting of Akron?
KM: I learned two important things from Penn State's win over Akron. For starters, linebacker Sean Lee is back after missing the entire 2008 season with an ACL injury. Lee was a monster on the field and seemed to be involved with every other tackle. Seeing Lee back on the field is a terrific feel-good story.
Second is that the wide receivers may not be as poor as people thought (and that Derek Moye may be the new go-to guy). Quarterback Daryll Clark helped make a statement perhaps in his career passing day. Everybody had a concern about the wide receivers, but perhaps the offense put those worries to rest.
Q: Did anything concern you about the game?
KM: The running game was underwhelming. Akron's rush defense a season ago was nowhere near unstoppable so I figured Evan Royster would pick up 100+ yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the day the entire rushing offense totaled 136 yards. While it is not exactly chump yardage on paper, 37 of those yards came on a fake punt. Maybe it is the offensive line that needs to work on the run blocking, but it may be the biggest concern going into week two. Personally I would like to see the wide receivers perform well for one more game before I say that they will not be a weakness in 2009.
Q: While the series has been dormant for a long time until last year, Syracuse and Penn State had a long standing rivalry for a very long time. Does this game mean anything to Penn State fans, or is it just another team on the schedule like Akron or Temple?
KM: As one who appreciates the history of the sport I think I appreciate the meaning of the Penn State-Syracuse game more than most fans (perhaps the current students) may. Unfortunately with the current state of each program this game honestly comes off as more of "just another game" before the Big Ten season commences. I wish Penn State and Syracuse played every year, but with Penn State moving to the Big Ten the Syracuse game has lost some luster. Think about it this way. The freshmen at Penn State and Syracuse this year have only been alive for one or two games in this series. It is no wonder that this game is just another game to Penn State fans. How is it looked upon in the Syracuse fan base? ED NOTE: To answer Kevin's question: it isn't looked at like the heated rivalry it once was, due mainly to the disparity in the teams. Thanks Greg Robinson - thanks for nothing.
Q. Besides Daryll Clark, give Orange fans a couple of guys they should keep an eye on during the game.
KM: Derek Moye made a name for himself last week as a possible go-to receiver, so it will be interesting to see if he puts up the same kind of numbers in week two. Obviously the biggest name, aside from Clark, to watch is running back Evan Royster. The kid is a gifted athlete and can bounce out of piles and pick up some big yards, but last week his numbers were lacking. Look to see if he gets back on track this weekend. On special teams you will want to see what kicker Collin Wagner does. He is replacing Kevin Kelly, who was one of the better kickers in Penn State's history, and against Akron he missed a pair of field goals (one from 27 yards and another from 40 yards). Paterno has said he has a good leg but needs to work on accuracy. That was clear as day against Akron.
On defense the main man is Sean Lee and with Navorro Bowman sitting out this week you should also hear the name Josh Hull a bunch of times. Both linebackers have an instinct for the ball and always seem to b in the middle of the tackles on running plays.
Q: In your opinion, what would have to happen in order for the Orange to keep this game close?
KM: Keep the offense off the field. Is this easier said than done? Perhaps, but it can work. In Penn State's three closest games last year (Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa) and you will see that when Penn State wasn't scoring they were losing the time of possession battles. Purdue kept Penn State off the field for ten minutes in the first quarter, but in the second quarter Penn State controlled the ball for ten minutes and put up ten points. If Syracuse can keep the chains moving it will gradually take the fans out of the game and the Orange can keep it close. The flip side is that they need to limit the big plays from Penn State. You saw last year that the Nittany Lions stumbled out of the gates up at Syracuse but recovered with big plays. Fumble recoveries, deep passes, you name it.
Q: What is your prediction for the game?
KM: My official prediction sees Penn State winning 38-13. I saw Syracuse play some inspired football last week and it seems there is a new attitude there, so we'll see if that can carry over to week two on the road. But I think Penn State is built for a run at a championship and I do not see Syracuse standing in the way this time around. Regardless I wish the program the best of luck from this point forward and hopefully the two schools work out a schedule in the future.
Q: One last question, my nephew is 2 years old. When he graduates from high school in 16 years will Joe Paterno still be the head coach of Penn State?
KM: I have always said that Joe Paterno will be the coach at Penn State when my kids go to college, and I do not have any kids at this point. Realistically though I don't think even Paterno will be coaching when he is nearing 100 years old. But anyone could do it, it would be Paterno. Now Jay Paterno (offensive assistant coach) on the other hand...
I want to thank Kevin for taking the time to answer these questions and being a classy guy.
You can read his stuff at the Examiner, at Nittany White Out and follow him on Twitter @krmcguire.
My answers are Kevin's questions can be found here. Let's get started.
Q: Coming into the season expectations for Penn State were high. They are currently 5th in the coaches poll and 7th in the AP poll. How good are the Nittany Lions?
KM: Probably not quite as good as the rankings show right now. The AP poll is more on target with where the Nittany Lions are right now than the coaches poll in my opinion. There are some legitimate concerns surrounding Penn State that can keep them out of the BCS championship picture. Their secondary receives the most scrutiny and while the numbers show that they had a decent season opener against Akron, I tend to credit the field position and pressure being put on by the front seven. The running game should be strong this season but the offensive line needs to gel together. Each member of the offensive line is new to their respective starting positions this season. If they can get some form of consistency going the offense should once again be lethal.
Q: Given the high expectations, what results would make most Penn State fans call this year a success?
KM: At this stage it would seem that anything less than an appearance in the national championship game would be a let down. The schedule is set up for a possible undefeated season and many think it would be next to impossible to have an undefeated Penn State team not play for all the marbles. Whether or not a national championship chance is in the works remains to be seen, but if Penn State makes the Rose Bowl as Big Ten champs and wins against a team from the SEC, Big XII or USC, I think fans will be happy. The future looks bright for the program so this year (and last) could be another stepping stone.
Q: What did you learn from the 31-7 pasting of Akron?
KM: I learned two important things from Penn State's win over Akron. For starters, linebacker Sean Lee is back after missing the entire 2008 season with an ACL injury. Lee was a monster on the field and seemed to be involved with every other tackle. Seeing Lee back on the field is a terrific feel-good story.
Second is that the wide receivers may not be as poor as people thought (and that Derek Moye may be the new go-to guy). Quarterback Daryll Clark helped make a statement perhaps in his career passing day. Everybody had a concern about the wide receivers, but perhaps the offense put those worries to rest.
Q: Did anything concern you about the game?
KM: The running game was underwhelming. Akron's rush defense a season ago was nowhere near unstoppable so I figured Evan Royster would pick up 100+ yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the day the entire rushing offense totaled 136 yards. While it is not exactly chump yardage on paper, 37 of those yards came on a fake punt. Maybe it is the offensive line that needs to work on the run blocking, but it may be the biggest concern going into week two. Personally I would like to see the wide receivers perform well for one more game before I say that they will not be a weakness in 2009.
Q: While the series has been dormant for a long time until last year, Syracuse and Penn State had a long standing rivalry for a very long time. Does this game mean anything to Penn State fans, or is it just another team on the schedule like Akron or Temple?
KM: As one who appreciates the history of the sport I think I appreciate the meaning of the Penn State-Syracuse game more than most fans (perhaps the current students) may. Unfortunately with the current state of each program this game honestly comes off as more of "just another game" before the Big Ten season commences. I wish Penn State and Syracuse played every year, but with Penn State moving to the Big Ten the Syracuse game has lost some luster. Think about it this way. The freshmen at Penn State and Syracuse this year have only been alive for one or two games in this series. It is no wonder that this game is just another game to Penn State fans. How is it looked upon in the Syracuse fan base? ED NOTE: To answer Kevin's question: it isn't looked at like the heated rivalry it once was, due mainly to the disparity in the teams. Thanks Greg Robinson - thanks for nothing.
Q. Besides Daryll Clark, give Orange fans a couple of guys they should keep an eye on during the game.
KM: Derek Moye made a name for himself last week as a possible go-to receiver, so it will be interesting to see if he puts up the same kind of numbers in week two. Obviously the biggest name, aside from Clark, to watch is running back Evan Royster. The kid is a gifted athlete and can bounce out of piles and pick up some big yards, but last week his numbers were lacking. Look to see if he gets back on track this weekend. On special teams you will want to see what kicker Collin Wagner does. He is replacing Kevin Kelly, who was one of the better kickers in Penn State's history, and against Akron he missed a pair of field goals (one from 27 yards and another from 40 yards). Paterno has said he has a good leg but needs to work on accuracy. That was clear as day against Akron.
On defense the main man is Sean Lee and with Navorro Bowman sitting out this week you should also hear the name Josh Hull a bunch of times. Both linebackers have an instinct for the ball and always seem to b in the middle of the tackles on running plays.
Q: In your opinion, what would have to happen in order for the Orange to keep this game close?
KM: Keep the offense off the field. Is this easier said than done? Perhaps, but it can work. In Penn State's three closest games last year (Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa) and you will see that when Penn State wasn't scoring they were losing the time of possession battles. Purdue kept Penn State off the field for ten minutes in the first quarter, but in the second quarter Penn State controlled the ball for ten minutes and put up ten points. If Syracuse can keep the chains moving it will gradually take the fans out of the game and the Orange can keep it close. The flip side is that they need to limit the big plays from Penn State. You saw last year that the Nittany Lions stumbled out of the gates up at Syracuse but recovered with big plays. Fumble recoveries, deep passes, you name it.
Q: What is your prediction for the game?
KM: My official prediction sees Penn State winning 38-13. I saw Syracuse play some inspired football last week and it seems there is a new attitude there, so we'll see if that can carry over to week two on the road. But I think Penn State is built for a run at a championship and I do not see Syracuse standing in the way this time around. Regardless I wish the program the best of luck from this point forward and hopefully the two schools work out a schedule in the future.
Q: One last question, my nephew is 2 years old. When he graduates from high school in 16 years will Joe Paterno still be the head coach of Penn State?
KM: I have always said that Joe Paterno will be the coach at Penn State when my kids go to college, and I do not have any kids at this point. Realistically though I don't think even Paterno will be coaching when he is nearing 100 years old. But anyone could do it, it would be Paterno. Now Jay Paterno (offensive assistant coach) on the other hand...
I want to thank Kevin for taking the time to answer these questions and being a classy guy.
You can read his stuff at the Examiner, at Nittany White Out and follow him on Twitter @krmcguire.
1 comment:
It is sad that athletes get labeled with such due to them going down to injuries because of the nature of their profession. My podiatrists will agree that it is painful to tear your ACL.
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