PSU Preview: Ohio State

Game 9

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Saturday, October 25th. 8 p.m. est. Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Saturday night’s game in Columbus means everything for the Nittany Lions. Win, and the road to “the” major bowl becomes a lot smoother. Lose, and there goes your shot. In short, this could be one of the biggest, most important regular season games in Penn State Football history. What we have on our side is talent everywhere, heart by the ton, and determination to get it done. What we have against us is a cocky freshman QB who burned PSU in the latter stages of recruiting, a big dangerous running back, and an 0-7 all time record in Columbus. Raise your hand if you’re nervous to the point of nausea? My hand is up.

Breakdown...

When PSU is on offense: Here’s the deal…we need a solid Daryll Clark, we need to limit major mistakes/turnovers (especially on our end of the field), and our offensive line needs to get the upper hand against a lack-luster OSU front four. First off, Clark is our key to offensive success; if he gets going, makes good decisions, and manages the offense like he has, then our offense will roll. OSU will definitely load up on the run and force Clark to beat them, so he is a huge key to the game. Seondly, turnovers have killed us against OSU in the past, and the Buckeyes mounted a huge lead last week against Michigan State by preying off of Spartan Turnovers, mostly in Spartan territory. Lastly, our O line could mean the difference between a solid run game and a non-existent one, and a solid Daryll Clark and a QB who never gets into a rhythm. OSU’s d line, and D in general, did a good job against MSU’s run last weekend, but MSU is one-dimensional. When the run failed, they had nothing to back it up. We have the ability to run and pass, but both could prove tough. Although the Buckeye defensive line has played inconsistently, their defensive backfield is very good led by All-American Malcolm Jenkins (who, by the way, has returned 2 INTS for TDs in the last 2 games against PSU). Nevertheless, our O will be ready, and don’t be surprised to see some new formations, new plays, and new wrinkles in the offense; something tells me that the coaches have had plays waiting in the wings just for this game.

When PSU is on defense: Priority #1: Stop Chris Wells (I refuse to call him Beanie). Pryority #2: get after that cocky SOB Terrelle Pryor. Smack him around, confuse him, frustrate him—all in attempt to bring out more of his “freshman tendencies”. Make no mistake about it, these are the top two things PSU must do to win the game. Ohio State’s passing game, although respectable, is nothing without a solid run game, so it’s important to stop the run. Look for D coordinator Tom Bradley to show Pryor/OSU tons of looks in attempt to throw him off; don’t be shocked if we run some 4 linebacker (4-4) sets in order to load up on the run. Look for true freshman linebacker Mike Mauti (#42) to provide athleticism and speed on the outside in order to contain and harass Pryor. Mauti came into the Michigan game midway through the second quarter, and immediately made in impact. Of course, despite our personnel and gameplan, we must tackle well, shed blockers, and eliminate mental mistakes—things that we didn’t do in the first quarter and a half last week. Something tells me this week's PSU defense will be more focused.

When there’s only 4 games left in 2008 (plus a bowl game): enjoy the ride, especially considering it’s probably the last season for a living legend.

Bottom line: This game means everything. The stakes are as big as they can get for a regular season game. On offense, if Daryll Clark can lead us, if we can control the line of scrimmage, and if we can eliminate major mistakes, then we’ll be just fine. On defense, just stop the run and knock around that a-hole quarterback of theirs. Do those things, and the rest will fall into place. Then, the road will become smoother and magical things could be on the horizon.

KNITS pick…

PSU 24

OSU 14

Game notes…

1. Let’s Go State!

THOAD Endorses...Hole in the Wall

Get ready...for the Hole

Phillies Win...BITCHES!

PSU Preview: Michigan

Game 8

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Saturday, October 18th. 4:30 p.m. est. Beaver Stadium


Michigan comes to Happy Valley on Saturday for a weirdly scheduled kickoff on Homecoming. Penn State (7-0, 3-0) is looking to beat the Wolverines (pronounced Vulv-er-eeeens) for the first time since 1996, and will try to avoid looking ahead to next weekend's showdown in Columbus. The 3rd ranked Lions are perhaps the most powerful overall team in the country; they are very solid in all phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams--which is a rarity not only in college football but in the history of Penn State football. PSU has outscored its opponents 377-77, and has had 46 plays of 20 or more yards. Conversely, Michigan comes in to Beaver Stadium on a 2 game losing streak, most notably last weekend to Toledo. The Wolverines, coached by the ultimate slimeball snake Rich Rodriquez (not to be confused with that turd Roderrrrio), are not a good team, but are very desperate and won't exactly roll over. So, fire up the ugly-as-shit tissue paper float that's supposed to be Rocky but looks like a fuckin' grisly bear, get drunk as shit, scream your face off for Dear Old State, and enjoy the pounding we're gonna put on Michigan on Homecoming.


Let's break it down, shall we?...

When PSU is on offense: this should be one of the best defenses Penn State will face all year, if not the best. Michigan has a very good defensive line and will get a boost from the return of DE Brandon Graham. Armed with 2 big defensive tackles, Michigan's rush defense ranks 21st in the country, while its pass defense is a crappy 94th nationally. That being said, the Michigan defense has yet to face anything close to the offense that we have. Penn State's Daryll Clark-led Spread HD (ranked 9th) has so many looks, so many options, and so many weapons that Michigan will have its hands full. It's not as if we need to play mistake-free football to get the better of the Wolverine defense, but we must be sure to execute properly and limit costly turnovers.

When PSU is on defense: Our defense, which is very good, is seemingly becoming stronger each week. On the other hand, Michigan's offense sucks. Compound that with the fact that their starting QB, Stephen Threet, is probably not going to play. His replacement, Nick Sheridan is even worse than Threet; he doesn't have a good an arm or running ability. It's possible the Wolverines will also be without true freshman RB Sam Mcguffie. In any case, Michigan's offense (ranked 109th nationally) is in for a long night against our top-ten defense.

When you build a building above the hat of William Penn: how long are you cursed? We'll find out.

Bottom line: 12 years of frustration for Penn State will be avenged on Saturday night. Barring any major mistakes, this one should be pretty easy. The key will be our offensive gameplan and execution; if we can do offensively what we did against Illinois and Wisconsin, then a new streak will begin. Happy Homecoming!

KNITS Pick...

Michigan: 0

PSU: 35


A few game notes...

1. Starting right guard Stefphen Wisniewski may not play on Saturday. He sprained his MCL and the coaches want him better for the OSU game. In his play will be Mike Lucian, who is very good and very capable. After all, Lucian started 8 games last year at right guard.

2. Evan Royster reportedly dislocated a finger in practice; he's said to be fine and will play.

3. Look for a military "fly-by" right after the National Anthem. Lt. Daniel Caffey and Goose in one of them? No sir, Goose passed away and Caffey is having an intense relationship with Iceman.

4. Red Card Weekend, but lime green vest.

LET'S GO STATE!!!

Coming Soon...

"Nailin' Palin" starring Lisa Ann...from your friends at Hustler Video.

PSU Recap: Wisconsin

Penn State smashed Wisconsin on Saturday night 48-7, propelling the Nittany Lions to 7-0 and a number 3 ranking. It was the worst beating that Wisconsin has endured at Camp Randall Stadium since 1989. Everthing from gameplan to playcalling to execution was flawless and terrific.

In fact, Saturday night's game could have been one of the most dominant performances I have ever seen from a Penn State football team against a respectable opponent. The destroyed Wisconsin in every phase of the game, and did so convincingly.

Going a step further, this could be one of the most complete, well-rounded, dominant PSU squads in our history. They can play offense, defense, and special teams. Even better, they can play a variety of ways: Smashmouth? We can do it. Spread? we can do that too. We can pound you on offense and shut you down on defense. And, just when you think you've had enough, we have the special teams to crush you even further. Of Penn State's last 4 "great teams" ('82, '86, '94, and '05) only the '82 team was as complete as this team is. At this point, we are playing lights-out in every phase of the game. Knock on wood.


A more detailed breakdown...


1. We set the tone from the get-go. On offense we threw over the middle and down the field on our first possesion, which showed that our gameplan was to run our Spread HD to its fullest. On defense, Navarro (Lavarro) Bowman's 3rd and 1 smack of Badger running back PJ Hill set the tone for the defense. If you have an opportunity to rewatch that play...do it. It ended Wisconsin's first possession, and it was an amazing play.


2. Our D line is sick, and Aaron Maybin continues to play like an All American. He leads the nation in sacks, and his 2 forced fumbles on Saturday were huge. Moreover, DT Jared Odrick is incredible as well. His stats never show has good and disruptive he truly is.

The D line was so disruptive that, of the 4 passing plays Wisconsin tried to run in the 1st quarter, only one of them actually saw the QB throw the ball. The other 3 plays were 2 sacks and a one yard scramble.


3. We couldn't have wished for a better leader and QB for this team than Daryll Clark. He has been incredible. Heisman talk soon? aww, who cares about that shitty award. He's too good for it anyway.


4. Did you notice Tom Bradley had our defense play a 4-4 (4 linebackers) and a 4-5 (5 linebackers) throughout the game. brilliant plan. Wisconsin couldn't handle it, their running game was shut down, and they never adjusted.


5. Lydell Sargeant has made a career out of playing Wisconsin. 3 INTs in the past 2 games against them.


6. The option pitch play on 3rd and goal was an amazing call, and executed phenomenally. Not bad for a play that hasn't been run all season. That just shows you another level of our offensive dominance---when you can successfully run a goal line touchdwon play that no one has seen all year then you're even more dangerous than people thought.

7. Aside from that dropped pass, Derrick Williams is the tits.

8. The nation is starting to take notice of what we've known for some time. This team is special and could be the best in the country. Things are starting to take shape, and the thought of "what could be" is giving me goosebumps.

Let's Go State!

Let's

PSU Preview: Wisconsin

Game 7



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Saturday, October 11th. 8 p.m. est. Camp Randall Stadium, Madison Wisconsin

Well, "season 2" officially begins for the 6th ranked Nittany Lions (6-0, 2-0) on Saturday night against the Wisconsin Badgers (4-2, 0-2). Why season 2? Because it is the next 6 games that will determine the ultimate fate of this year's PSU team. In fact, the next 3 games are enough to do it, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Saturday night's venue is Camp Randall Stadium, a place that has been unkind to Penn State, and a place where we have scored a total of 6 points in our last 2 trips there. Wisconsin is coming off of 2 heartbreaking losses. Two weeks ago they blew a 19 point lead at Michigan, and last week they allowed that prick Pryor to drive down the field and score the go-ahead score with one minute left. In each case, Wisconsin was on the losing end, which begs the question "Can they conceivably lose 3 games in a row?" We'll find out on Saturday night when a different, much better Penn State team comes to visit; a visit that begins Season 2.

What to watch for...

When PSU is on offense: Coming into the season Wisconsin's defense was billed as one of the finest in the Big Ten, if not the land. Things haven't turned out the way people thought they would. Wisconsin is currently 31st in total defense nationally, which is a far cry from what the expectations were for this team. So, what should PSU do? First, we can't afford to play conservative like we have in past road games, and like we did at times last week at Purdue. Wisconsin's defense had a ton of trouble stopping a mediocre spread offense like Ohio State, so they should have their hands full if we run our Spread HD. Secondly, Daryll Clark must not only manage the game, but also not be afraid to take a shot downfield, take off running, or make a play. We have all the tools on offense (ranked #9 natioally) to dominate a lack-luster Badger defense, the question is whether the gameplan allows it to happen.

When PSU is on defense: The Penn State defense is the 8th best and the country and there is no mistaking what its top priority is on Saturday. In simplest terms, we must stop the Badger running game, which ranks 20th in the country. Wisconsin boasts a load of a running back in PJ Hill, and a host of other capable guys who make their ground game formidable. The key seems to be to smack Hill around early and get him out of a groove because if he gets going, that's when he becomes a stronger runner. Look for PSU to load the box, give Wisconsin a variety of "looks", and force shaky QB Tyler Everidge to throw the ball; something he hasn't done successfully or consistently all season. The only other playmaker PSU must account for is TE Travis Beckum, who is big and fast, but was shut down last year in Beaver Stadium. Stopping the run must be our top priority, and I'm sure it will be.

When you see Bonnie in the kitchen holding a spatula: that fuckin' thing's gonna be dipped into some mayo very soon. Just wait.

Bottom line: Remembering our past failures at Camp Randall could prove to be a blessing on Saturday night. We have to remember all the times that we have tightened up while playing there, and not repeat that same mistake. Beyond that, however, we must remember that this year's Penn State football team is a much better version than those that have played in Madison in the recent past, especially on offense. Sure, we have to stop the Wisconsin ground game, but the key to victory is our offensive gameplan, or our coaches' willingness to run the full extent of our now-famous Spread HD. If we allow ourselves to run that type of offense, the one that we saw against Illinois, the one that involves big-time offensive playmakers, then this one won't be as tough as we think.

KNITS Pick...

PSU: 30

Wisconsin: 13

Game notes...

1. The Wisconsin band may not be attendance for this one. Sounds like they get suspended for their second game for hazing (read: giving out brown-noses).

2. The return of Jordan Norwood? Most likely, and that's a good thing. We're better when he's in there.

3. 2 weeks in a row...the Whites.

Let's Go State!!!

Penn State Forever

Why is my candle not lit?

The Shit List

James Brolin










James Brolin as George Lutz in "Amityville Horror"








James Brolin with his wife, Barbara Streisand.













Josh Brolin, son of James











Josh Brolin with wife, Diane Lane








Josh Brolin as Bran Walsh in "Goonies"










Josh Brolin as Llwelyn Moss in "No Country for Old Men"








Josh Brolin as the title role in the upcoming Oliver Stone film "W"

PSU Preview: Purdue

Game 6

@ (YITBOS Joe Tiller)

Saturday, Oct. 4. 12 noon est. Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

Your sixth ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0, 1-0) travel to Purdue this Saturday for their first Big Ten road game. PSU is coming off of an exhilirating win against Illinois last Saturday night, and will be looking to continue its dominance on offense while improving on an already good defense. Purdue (2-2, 0-0), on the other hand, is coming off a drubbing by the hands of Notre Dame and will be trying to knock the Lions down from their mountain.



What to watch for...

When PSU is on offense: Purdue's defense is not good. Our offense is. More specifically, the Boilermakers are giving up a whopping 439 yards a game, and are 107th in the nation in total defense (99th in rushing defense). PSU, meanwhile, is 9th in the country in total offense (8th rushing) and should have no problem moving the ball on Saturday, especially on the ground. If we limit turnovers, this could be a banner day for the Nittany Lion offense.

When PSU is on defense: Purdue's offense doesn't pose the same challenges that Illinois did, but they can still get it done on. The Boilers are ranked 41st in total offense, and although QB Curtis Painter isn't mobile like Illinois QB Juice Williams, he can sure throw the ball. Purdue will spread us out and make quick passes to negate our defensive speeed, but their offensive line isn't very good, while our D line is. PSU's defense is ranked 14th nationally, and will be more aggressive this week against Painter and Purdue--because Painter isn't a threat to run, they can just collapse things around him. Purdue will need Painter to play much better than he has so far this year (he was a pre-season Heisman candidate), but they may be without their starting running back Kory Sheets, who is a running and receiving threat. That injury won't make it easier on the Boilermakers, and their offense could be in for a long day.

When you toss the entire salt shaker over your shoulder for good luck, and accidentally hit Sea Bass in the booth behind you: buy him and his buddies a couple of Boilermakers to make up for it.

Bottom line: with the early start (11 a.m. Indiana time) and the possible side-effects from last Saturday night, this game has all the makings of a "trap game". Don't count on it, however. Penn State is confident, focused, and hungry. Purdue may keep it close for a little bit, but after adjustments are made, this one shouldn't be a problem.

KNITS Pick...

PSU: 49

Purdue: 13


Game notes...

1. Evan Royster and Navarro Bowman were held out of practice on Monday to rest. Both had minor "bumps" and the coaches wanted them to have a rest day after a high-energy game against Illinois. Both were back practicing on Tuesday, and are fine.

2. Jordan Norwood didn't practice on Monday, and went through light drills on Tuesday. Norwood is still nursing a sore hamstring.

3. Lydell Sargeant didn't practice on Monday. Not sure why.

4. No lime green vest Saturdee, but plenty of white. Look for the ol' 3 quarter-length white sock as well.



LET'S GO STATE!