The Lions' Pride

Pretty much agree with this. Good post.

This. I've grown to dislike him less and less, once he dropped the perfect pass from Bolden (from anybody who is over 5 foot 5) I decided I was done with wanting him on the field (even for returns) then he fumbled and i almost left the stadium.... good to see we did that trick play once we were done "competing"

Positives:

Rob Bolden - welcome to the lead role kid. Let's see how you handle being "the guy"
Silas Redd - For my money the best RB on the field...scary what he could do being Bama's OL
Devon Still/Jordan Hill - You guys earned a good night rest.
LB's - I thought you guys played pretty well.

negatives:

Coaching; 3rd and 2 and you're 8 yards off the ball? 2 QB's when you clearly have a guy who's moving the team, you take him out and put in the other guy who almost throws INT"S on his first 2 passes? Wasting all 3 first half timeouts in the first 5 minutes?
Devon Smith: Moo-Moo, you're fast, but you can't catch, you are too tentative on KR, and you bring nothing to the offense. It's partly the coaches faults because they insist on getting you involved, and you shouldn't be.
Derek Moye: Dude. Until you start making the easy catches that hit you in the hands, you are not an NFL WR. Lift some weights, get stronger.
S&C: Is it me or did Bama make us look like a bunch of boys out there? We were noticeably smaller across the board...don't wanna get started on a HIT debate, but we're about the only team in the country who uses it now.
Coaching x 2: Tom Bradley. You are not an elite DC. You are running this scheme. You are allowing the other team to possess the ball. Great. But by doing so, you aren't rotating your DL..who was EXHAUSTED by end of first half. If you're goign to run this scheme, you need to rotate at least 8 DL guys in the game. I don't know if Still or Hill left the field.

Joe: It's time to go man. If I'm urban meyer, and I watched this game...I can only imagine what I could do with Rob Bolden and Silas Redd for 2 years. Add in the OL recruits, and there's a pretty good foundation. PSU has no idea how to use the talents, and we sure as hell can't develop a gameplan, or develop kids before they are seniors.

I'm sure there's more...Bama isn't 16 points better than PSU. Penn STate literally gave 21 points to Alabama. McCarron is going to be good. he threw 4 50/50 balls in the first half, and Bama won all 4 of them 50/50 balls. We got almost no breaks, but guess what...when you play not to lose (that's what we did when we punted down 17 on a 4th and 6, to gain 19 yards)....you don't deserve breaks.

All I can think to say about Smith is he must be very good in practice, work extra hard, work his A$$ off in fact.. I am not saying this to be derogatory. I respect they way he must go about his business during the week and the off season. From the moment he got on campus they coaches have gone above and beyond to get him involved. His first game as a true freshman, he was back to field kick offs... but its overtly obvious that he is not an offensive weapon, not a return weapon, not a down field blocker, doesnt have sure or steady hands... just nothing. And there isnt a player on the roster than has been given more opportunities. Its a shame really, because if he could convert, he'd be a real weapon because they cant stop going to him over and over again...

ST, as for having Moo back as on the double safety with Brown on punts, they were pretty much just fair catching all day anyway, I think Brown attempted one return... why not stack the line with 11 guys, try and force a block, or even a shank.. worst case scenario, the AU punter gets it off, and the role gets them 15 more yds... what could it hurt once it got to the point where it was obvious the O was struggling to move the ball... Joe talked about the D not creating turnovers, which is true... but he didn't attempt to create them on ST either, which could have swung momentum... if we had a shifty dynamic return man it be one thing... but to have a double safety and fair catching about 10 times is absurd.

I didnt think the DE play was terrible... for as much as they were on the field, I was surprised they didnt rotate a bit more to stay fresh... Daquan didn't see many minutes, and that's a shame, he looks good when out there. Though they didnt get "broken: til late in the 4th on D, the rotation up front could have kept them a bit more fresh and maybe help create a turnover, but for as much as those guys played, they held up pretty well, its obvious the conditioning is pretty good on the group up front.. Obviously, Still and Hill showed up to play and will reek havoc in conference... Jack had two knock downs, and so did Lattimore... they got a little pressure, not great play.. but not invisible either, and going up against Fluker is no easy assignment for either of them. No real complaint there... no real complaint about the D at all... Stupar created energy when he was in, Hull made a nice play when he got a chance... Fortt looked a bit lost in the middle, and I really doubt its his natural position, would rather see him rotate more with Hodges than Carson at this point... Hodges was all over, but also missed on a few plays and still doesnt seem overly comfortable with his assignments. Mauti was a beast, and Powell played pretty physical for a change...

The O line, particularly after having to re-shuffle early played well particularly pass blocking... (relatively speaking). We knew it was going to be tough to run going in, and it was... but they created a few holes and Silas is not afraid stick his nose in there against anyone. I give Pannell credit, I didnt think he had it in him to play Tackle, but he seemed to hold his own (admittedly its hard to watch the OL play in game, so I will be anxious for gemrich's analysis on the OL)

The WR were extremely disappointing... Kersey made a nice catch late... he's got to be given more of an opportunity, they've given plenty of looks to MooMoo and JB... I like JB, but as someone touched on earlier, WR is more than just making a few easy catches, once in a while you gotta make a "big" catch, or catch one you are't suppose to, or bail your QB out on a late throw... JB just has not done that yet... If the first pass of the game had gone to Kersey instead of Moo, you gotta wonder how it would have effected the game early? Would we have won, probably not... but sure would have given it a different feel.

Back to ST... small things like punt coverage... I realize some of those punts didnt get favorable bounces, or bounced pretty hard and quick into the end zone...but again, if a punt hits turf at the 10 yd line, I dont care how quick of a bounce it takes, someone should get a hand on it, at least twice they could have downed it inside the 10 and let it scoot into the end zone. Neither were easy plays, but plays that could have been made... and the one Maze fielded at the 4, they need to make him pay for that poor decision, instead it turns into a 50 yd gain. In 2009, there was so much moaning and complaining (rightfully so) on poor ST play, particularly coverage units... then in 2010 it looked like they re-focused on it a bit, and it was much better... this is looking bad again.. I have to rewatch to see the exact personnel on the coverage teams, but whether its the scheme or the players... it needs attention and it needs to be a strong point of the team.. the D is obviously going to be good, we cant let the ST units give up the field position that the D will put us in...

The QB's...its so obvious... I will just say I was sick when McGloin came out in the 2nd and knew that was it for the offense, it'd be amajor struggle the rest of the way, and it certainly was... I dont know why, but i was shocked they make that decision at that time after what Rob had done in the 1st... it literally felt like a kick in the stomach, and exactly what it proved to be... for all that is said about Joe and the staff.. the one thing that really surprises me is at this point in his career, its almost like he doesnt want to hurt McGloins feelings, and I just dont understand why the loyalty... with DC in 08, they played the 2 QB thing against CC, but by the 2nd quarter of Oregon St, it was clearly DC;s team, and that decision showed leadership from the coaching staff and set that team up for a magical season.. they had that opportunity again today, and this time, pissed it away... for all the guys that Joe has pulled, and benched and done whatever to for the good of the team over his 50 years... to completely change his philosphy at this point and continue with charade is unreal to me. Not too mention, for the bone crunching hits Rob takes, its pretty obvious the other guy is gonna get to play.. hope to god he doesn't get hurt seriosully, or a concussion, but man oh man, he takes hits, stands tall in the pocket, runs with it... the next man up is gonna need to be ready to go at some point and I hope he is... but until that time comes out of necessity... please, for the love of all that's holy, just stop its enough already... it really is.

Positives:
1) I didn't kill myself - this game nearly drove me to need psychiatric care.
2) This game was so unbelievably terrible for McGloin, Smith, and the coaching staff that I hope significant changes in philosohpy (and staffing) are made. If I did my job that poorly, I'd not just be fired, I'd be in prison.

Negatives:
1) Any kid who was at the game that thought it would be amazing to play for Paterno would have to be insane to commit now. What a mess.

Wow, you all have taken the time to write up some good reviews of today's game. I agree with almost all of it. It's amazing that message boarders - some of whom have played and coached the game - can make so much more sense than the 70 yr old men coaching our team and scheming for our opponents. I'm so done with expecting anything but mediocrity from PSU football and I feel terrible for these kids.

Very good post LaJolla. Basically agree with all of your thoughts.

I think this loss is encouraging ONLY if lessons are learned and adjustments are made. Bama is a better team but is not significantly better than us. A more imaginative and reactive staff would have kept us in the game today.

We may compete for the Big 10 title, but this MUST be joes last hurrah.

spot on LaJolla. I really feel for the kids, as they clearly are fighting the inept offensive coaching that is in place at PSU. Sad.

Hey, Joe's still having fun and isn't that all that matters.

Correction we have beaten ranked teams recently.

we haven't beaten a top 5 team since 1999, and that team went 6-6.

PSU"s record vs ranked teams since 1990 is absolutely atrocious. If you told Paterno this in the late 70's he'd have said, I'll be done if that ever happens. We are the epitome of mediocrity. We can't compete against the big boys, and it falls on the coaches because they don't develop the players like our opponents do, and we don't recruit anywhere near the talent.

did you see the size of Bama? They made our team look like midget football players. Success begins in the weight room. Once our program catches up with what we should be doing in the weight room, only then will we get back to where we were. We just flat out aren't strong enough. Our lineman can't drive anyone...why? Because their legs are like twigs. We have no power in our blocking. We are upper body strong, but strength comes from your trunk, and we don't do anything with the trunk.

We definitely should get better with this loss, but not if Joe gives the same BS answer on Tuesday and says that both QBs work hard and are capable of getting the "most" out of this offense blah blah blah. "Most" is a superlative. It makes no sense to use that word in that context. Some day we will have a coach capable of not embarrassing us on a national stage year in and year out.

I get the frustration and I also think that a new coaching staff would bring better results on the field however I am not sure we will be happier with what happens off the field. JoePa is not only iconic but he runs a program where PSU is not and has not faced investigation by the NCAA. His players generally graduate and become quality people. He has made PSU football what it is today. It is after all, supposed to be about student athletes and developing men as well as football players.

While I think new blood is needed (and all of the offensive coaches + Bradley appear out of their depth) I worry that the grass is not always greener and we might find out the hard way that winning may have other costs.

I am curious, given that the big 10 appears weak this year, if PSU ran the table and takes the first title game (yes I know, but answer the question anyway...) is everyone here bashing Joe still going to be calling for his head?