FBI PSU (minus the "F")

[Big R]

BI (rather than FBI) – PSU

Penn State - Sept.9, 2023

As many of you know, in my role as media rep for GoHens.net, I have historically written reviews using the acronym FBI (for Field, Press Box, and Interviews). Since Penn State allows media reps in the press box, but only photographers on the field, this account will be shortened to BI, Press Box, and Interviews. I was looking forward to being on the field at Beaver Stadium, but, alas, that wish did not come to fruition.

I always try to write up my observations before reading other GoHens posts, or media accounts so that, right or wrong, what you read are, hopefully, my unfiltered, unbiased observations and opinions that are not influenced by outside factors. This does, however, mean that a lot of what I write may already have been posted, discussed, and dissected. So, if you feel that there is not much here that is new material, that is the reason.

Press Box
Before talking about specifics of the game itself, it would be remiss of me to ignore the game-day atmosphere at Beaver Stadium. Every school has their own unique way of the band and team entering the stadium. I thought PSU’s band and team entrance to the field was a sight to behold and that it rivals “Enter Sandman” at Virginia Tech. I was also genuinely impressed by the student and fan participation and organized cheers.

Anyway, on to the game.

Although the score was not a whole lot different than the 62-0 beatdown at Pitt in 2014, I came away from this game with a totally different feeling and impression about our team and its performance.

In the first place, this PSU team is a juggernaut. More about that in the interview portion, but they are just so damn good and talented that I was proud of how our team competed. The difference in size, strength, and speed was evident. But having said that, we didn’t give up any really huge “chunk” plays on defense. And, on offense, with the exception of having no answer for third-and-long blitzes, I don’t think we embarrassed ourselves.

In fact, I was actually somewhat encouraged by the play of the offensive line against the monsters of PSU’s defensive front. From my vantage point, it appeared that our O-Line was able to open some holes, but the speed of PSU’s back seven (LB's in particular) closed the holes so quickly that what looked like it could be a 5, 6, or 7 yard gain ended up netting only a couple of yards. I also thought that pass protection was better than I had anticipated – it couldn’t hold back PSU’s rush for long, but there was time for the QB’s to complete some passes, had the receivers been open. But what I did not expect was that our receivers would be blanketed as closely as they were – there just were not that many opportunities to find open receivers.

On defense, it was noticeable that our players recognized what PSU’s offense was doing, but it took just a little longer to get off blocks, or to get to the player that had the ball. I noticed Jackson Taylor, for instance, who was our leading tackler (10), got to the right place numerous times, but was just a hair too late to be able to square up the runner and as a result, he was diving to make a tackle and just barely grasping for the PSU player’s feet. Whereas at the FCS level, he would have been meeting the guy head-on in the hole and wrapping him up. And, it was not just him – that happened all over the field.

Having said that, our “D” did run to the ball well, which contributed to the lack of big plays by PSU’s offense. Our tackling in space was not bad, but when PSU’s RB’s got a head of steam, you could see that, even though we might have two, three, or four tacklers there, the whole pile continued to move forward another three or four yards before the runner was dragged down.

What came to mind was watching thick lava flow slowly down hill. Their offense against our defense was just inexorable. You could throw stuff in its way, but you just could never stop its steady advance .

I thought our game plan on defense was sound and our players' recognition of the PSU sets and schemes was good. I thought our team was well coached on both sides of the ball. We just didn’t have the horses to execute against a team and players of the caliber of PSU. However, I think this bodes well for the remainder of our FCS schedule. This was a big concern of mine entering the season – how quickly could our defense gel into a cohesive unit. They still are not completely there, but they are farther ahead than I thought they would be at this point.

Some other observations:
· After Ryan Kost’s second put went awry, I saw RC walk all the way down from one end of the team box area to the other to give him a smile and clap him on the shoulder pad. I have to believe that bit of confidence shown by his new coach may have helped Ryan's mindset, because, after that, his punts were what I think we expected from an All-American punter. (Are you listening Arryn Siposs?)
· Schmoke and Reed reversed FG and KO roles from the first game.
· Nick Ware was active and was second (9) in tackles to Jackson.
· In pre-game warm-ups, Nick Minucci appeared to be taking 3rd team snaps, but when Marker lost his helmet in the 4th quarter, Daniel Lipovski was being sent out to take the next snap before RC decided to call a time out, which allowed Marker to go back in.
· It’s possible that the score could have been held down a bit if RC had decided to keep all the defensive starters in when Franklin sent in his second team offense, but RC decided to also start playing a lot of backups.
· Although I didn’t see it, the only injury that may have occurred was to Zach Marker, according to a brief post-game conversation I had with Bill Bretzger, the News Journal photographer, who had been on the field.
· Marcus Yarns is fast.

Post Game Interviews

You will probably have read, or possibly, watched, the post-game interviews with RC and the players (Dillon Trainer and Marcus Yarns). Overall, RC was not pleased with the result, although he was happy with the competitiveness and attitude of the team. He said the energy was good. The team was with one another the whole game and there was nobody on the bench at the end. It was clear that we got worn down, as one would expect when playing a team of this caliber. He also complimented DC Manny Diaz’s scheme – that they kept mixing up their “looks” on defense and not playing us vanilla “like an FCS team”. On offense, we needed to get in more “3rd and manageable” situations so we could be more unpredictable. That was the situation on Yarns’ TD run, which was 3rd and short.

“Things closed up pretty darn fast out there. There were probably 4-to-5 runs out there that we opened up some holes and they closed pretty darned fast.”

He was asked “Was this a positive experience for the Blue Hens, Ryan?” His answer was short and sweet: “I don’t think getting beat by 60 points is a positive experience for anybody, no.”

When asked about what he thinks about FCS vs. FBS games in the future, he said that’s not his decision, but … “There’s a difference between FCS, FBS, and what that team is.". There’s a whole “Group of Five” that wouldn’t fare too much different against Penn State at Penn State.” “I do know that that team is really, really good. That’s closer to the Cleveland Browns than the Delaware Blue Hens.”

I thought that Trainer and Yarns were more upbeat than RC.
· Dillon Trainer: “One positive is that we made them earn it on every play today, we weren’t giving up any 90 yard bombs, or anything like that … that’s our standard, we want to make everyone earn it. We didn’t get the result we wanted, we didn’t play well enough to win, but there is some satisfaction that they did have to march on every single drive that they had.”
· KT asked Yarns what made it hard to run against them. “They know how to shed blocks, very, very well at the second level – the linebacker position, and they just flow to the ball very, very fast.”

Summary

This was quite an experience for Blue Hens players, coaches, and fans. Personally, since it appears that we escaped with few, if any, injuries, I’m glad we did it – once. Unless something changes dramatically, I don’t think either team should want to play the game scheduled for 2027, and I would like to see PSU buy us out of that portion of the contract.

I was encouraged by the overall effort of the team and their preparedness, which says something about both the players and coaching staff.

I do think the team will grow from his experience and that, as painful as it was at the time, it will pay benefits down the road against the remainder of our FCS schedule.

Did I mention that Marcus Yarns is fast?

I look forward to, hopefully, doing some full-blown “FBI’s” in the future.

As always, I want to leave a reminder that this is just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions ...

[Info Hound]

Rich, that was an excellent write up of your very interesting observations. Thank you!

[UDan]

Just one thing, Rojas, not Diaz.

Rich was referring to Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.

[jd of de]

Great write up BigR ... I saw the same thing with our O-line that you did ... the jury is still out, but we may have the kind of O-line that can give Yarns and company some hole to work with. The Saint Francis linebackers and safeties won't be closing at the incredible speed PSU did.

[wildman]

Rich... Thank you for your reliably excellent observations.

[Big R]

Just one thing, Rojas, not Diaz.

Rich was referring to Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.

Dan is correct. RC was making the point that, just because PSU was playing an FCS team, Manny Diaz, PSU’s DC, didn’t “dumb down” their schemes on defense. He kept mixing their looks and coverages just like he would against an FBS opponent.

[ColoradoHen]

Rich - thank you for all your valued contributions to our BH forum. Your observations are always well thought out, clear, concise, and positive. It takes much time and effort on your part and it is well received and appreciated. Penn State is now in the rear view mirror, it can be a positive IF the team can take away lessons on where they need to grow and work to become better in both their individual assignments and as a team each week. If this team can play its best ball at the end of the season (including beating Villanova), then I feel we’ll begin to see real progress again with the program. Until that happens, talk of moving up to FBS doesn’t solve our current competitive-level issues. We must win where we are, or we are not a peer school of the schools like JMU or Appy State who have already made the move up. Until we can decisively win in the CAA, we have no right to express disparaging comments about how watered down the league has become. I say that even though I personally feel the same way. Only winning can justify those sentiments. I’ve gone off on an unintended tangent so will quit at this point. As my friend Mad Dog Wayne signs off, Go Hens.

[Info Hound]

Oops! Thanks again!

[Hens79]

I am going to go with Carty’s description that there “aren’t any positives from getting beat 63-7”. Some of the write ups I have read here are truly Baghdad Bob stuff.

It is very weak sauce to say this wasn’t the Pitt 62-0 embarrassment and humiliation and that it is somehow a positive that it wasn’t. It better not be like that game. That is no standard at all. The Pitt humiliation happened because the team didn’t even show up and then quit, actually quit right before our eyes. Brock is lucky he wasn’t fired right after the game for such an effort. It was a repeat of the Navy 51-7 no show. I am confident we will never see efforts like those in our future. But make no mistake, the 63-7 happened because of the Hens as much as it did because PSU is really good.

And now the Hens will play a true stiff in SFU. They were supposed to be good last year and didn’t belong on the same field with the Hens. This should be any easy win, 30 plus if the Hens are any good at all. We’ll see. Hoping for a good weather day.

[HENJOHN]

Forecast SUNNY 77F for SAT

[Henzone]

" Until we can decisively win in the CAA, we have no right to express disparaging comments about how watered down the league has become. I say that even though I personally feel the same way. Only winning can justify those sentiments. "


I'm with you Colorado but you're going to hurt feelings with that kind of talk and the rebuttals will be bouncing off the margins .

The rabid posters on here have never faced the reality of the true direction our program has been headed for close to 20 years. Winning IS the only measure of on field accomplishment and that includes the continuity that comes with a very good program.

Since 2005 we have won our conference exactly twice. Forget everything else and document that specific accomplishment and KC & Dan could only manage it once each.

We make excuses and put up deflecting defenses but the fact still remains. So, should we really care who the heck we play in the CAA when we can't even win the trophy?

[Bluewyn Gold]

Until that happens, talk of moving up to FBS doesn’t solve our current competitive-level issues. We must win where we are, or we are not a peer school of the schools like JMU or Appy State who have already made the move up. Until we can decisively win in the CAA, we have no right to express disparaging comments about how watered down the league has become. I say that even though I personally feel the same way. Only winning can justify those sentiments.

I think the points you make would have been fair in different times - say, 15-20 years ago. However, I think you're seriously underestimating how playing a perceptively - or, if you prefer, actually - weaker schedule impacts current recruiting. "You are who you play" is more than just a phrase without any meaning. The loosening of FBS transfer rules, NIL money, etc. have also dramatically stacked the deck against building a consistently competitive FCS squad. Rebuilding a competitively consistent FCS program certainly isn't impossible In the FCS (see NDSU), but I'd argue it's a much more of rare exception these days.

What's more, dominating at the FCS level offers no guarantees that you'll be competitive at the FBS level...or vice versa. Programs like Boise State, Coastal Carolina, UCF, etc. are examples of the latter. It's more about committing the resources DURING and AFTER reclassification that seems to make the biggest difference.

In short, it would be nice to transport back in time to the early-mid 2000s when Delaware still had one of the strongest levels of fan support and was at its FCS competitive peak, but the odds are seriously stacked against that happening again as an FCS program for a variety of reasons. Too much water under the bridge and too many changes implemented by the NCAA. IMO, it's time to move on and build at the next level.

[Gannonfan]

" Until we can decisively win in the CAA, we have no right to express disparaging comments about how watered down the league has become. I say that even though I personally feel the same way. Only winning can justify those sentiments. "


I'm with you Colorado but you're going to hurt feelings with that kind of talk and the rebuttals will be bouncing off the margins .

The rabid posters on here have never faced the reality of the true direction our program has been headed for close to 20 years. Winning IS the only measure of on field accomplishment and that includes the continuity that comes with a very good program.

Since 2005 we have won our conference exactly twice. Forget everything else and document that specific accomplishment and KC & Dan could only manage it once each.

We make excuses and put up deflecting defenses but the fact still remains. So, should we really care who the heck we play in the CAA when we can't even win the trophy?

Note, you need to start your list in 2005 solely because you're you and that means you get to not count the two other times KC won the conference (in 2003 and 2004).

As for the CAA and becoming a watered-down conference, we also need to remember that's a relatively recent phenomenon. There was no argument that the CAA was the premier I-AA/FCS conference from about 2003 to at least 2010, and after that it was still pretty good until about 2015 or 2016. JMU finally got good and propped it up from then until they left, but there's been a real quickening of diminishing the conference over the past 2-3 years with Monmouth, NC A&T, and Campbell being added, and with Bryant still to come. Hard to ignore those facts.

[BlueHenBobby]

Great post Big R. While I saw nothing positive about the game as did Carty, perhaps individual UD players did take something from that game. Hopefully what ever they did take away will motivate them for the rest of their careers. I think Wayne Hanby made an excellent point in reminding us all of the questionable wisdom of scheduling a game against an opponent of this caliber while residing in FCS football where it seems a minimum 7 wins (more likely 8 wins) will be required to get in the FCS playoffs. Playing against a FBS team which we have zero chance of beating in a 11 game season is just strategically stupid. An additional home game against a FCS opponent should be worth the $400,000 we got for Saturday. Even if Carty takes us to the top of CAA (hopefully the FCS) I doubt we would be able to stay on the field with PSU by 2027. I would love to know where the motivation to play the game came from within the Athletic department. Hopefully Saturday was a learning experience for them or they are gone. I will go into this Saturday's game happy to be back at the Tub for the tailgate and the game. We are where most of us expected we would be 1-1. Oh yeah, I still believe in Ryan Carty and the team he has assembled this year. Go Hens!

[Henzone]

Why would I start with 2003 & 2004 when we won ? Things were happy in Newark then. 2005 is when the drought started. As I forewarned, yours is the first rebuttal to immediately bounce in even if not relevant.