Jan 9 | Penn State

[forkbeard3777]

This is similar to the Georgia game except Penn St. can actually run the ball and their QB has experience. This is going to be much tougher than some people think and can see the game going either way. The injuries and depth worry me more for this game than they did Georgia.

I see it differently. I see them as an inferior version of Georgia.

Now, that said, Penn State is an opponent you should absolutely respect and take seriously, and they can win the game. Notre Dame will have its hands full.

Leonard is going to have to make some plays throwing the ball. Faison, Greathouse, Collins, Evans must make Penn State defend the entire field.

 

[forkbeard3777]

One thing about Penn State is I don’t know a single fan. I live I east Tennessee so it’s dominated with Vol fans and fans of other SEC schools. There are also many Michigan, Ohio State, and Notre Dame fans. Plus random fans of other schools but I can’t think of ever running into a Penn State fan. Do people in Pennsylvania never leave?

They’re awful. I have family in the Philadelphia suburbs and the PSU fans I’ve encountered, while SEC level rabid, are crass, obnoxious and trashy. Hell, I mean, instead of wholly disengaging and separating yourself from the program, these weirdo-fucks doubled down and went to bat for that no good piece of shit, Paterno, after the scandal had leaked. Let that marinate for a minute ….

Fuck their stupid Zombie Nation. Fuck their white out. Fuck Sandusky, “JoePa”, McQueary, Spanier, Schultz, and Curley. Fuck Penn State …. freaking creeps.

Good morning and happy Monday. Game week.

GO IRISH!☘️

 

[NDFAN2008]

This is similar to the Georgia game except Penn St. can actually run the ball and their QB has experience. This is going to be much tougher than some people think and can see the game going either way. The injuries and depth worry me more for this game than they did Georgia.

Georgias DB's are way better than Penn State and their defense as a whole is better

 

[irish4ever]

If I was Freeman I would keep all questionable players out of open practices until the media leaves

Which is what dipshit Franklin is doing. Have the opposing team guessing what their true status is for 'questionable' players.

 

[Rizzophil]

Guys I'm going to need one of you to nut up and buy tickets from me, my current best prospect is a woman from the class of '78.

I MAY

My buyer flaked on me so I have 3 tickets available once again at face value. $235 upper corner.

what section? Would you split?

 

[Ophiocordyceps]

This is something we all thought, but it is refreshing to hear from a national/sec slanted host. Cole cubelic thinks Denbrock downshifted both games and went completely vanilla.

Edit: I put this in the PSU thread because I think things are being held back in the playbook that will come out if/when we need them.

So ND went vanilla vs Georgia. What happens when you go vanilla and you lose in the playoffs?

 

[IrishFanForever23]

Georgias DB's are way better than Penn State and their defense as a whole is better

Maybe so, but it’s not like our WR’s are world beaters. They struggle to get open every single game.

 

[arrowryan]

Interesting take from a PSU fan...He broke down the overall recruiting rankings for each team....
"If you look at the starting player rankings, PSU is higher in 14 out of 22 positions. I would say PSU has more star power also. Better QB, LBs, TE, RB's (if Love is out). WR's equal, offensive line equal, PSU better Dline, ND better secondary and special teams. Overall edge to PSU."

Is that PSU fan Ari Wasserman? Recruit rankings go out the window the second they enroll.

 

[Free Manera]

Interesting… has anyone specified what exactly his arm injury is?

No idea if he is legit (not really an insider type poster) but a dude on 247 said its a torn labrum and he's not playing.

 

[greyhammer90]

Some observations from rewatching the Boise game...

Lots of talk about Denbrock playing complimentary football the last few weeks and keeping the offense in 1st gear once we had a lead. I hope that's true because I think this game will go a lot easier if we can score early and get them throwing to keep up. If Boise State's kicker could've converted some very makeable kicks, it would've been a 4 point game with 5 minutes left in the 4th. He didn't, so Penn State felt comfortable pounding the ball and it lead to chunk plays when Boise started getting sloppy hitting their run fits.

A big reason I want Drew Allar slinging it is that Penn State's OL showed some serious issues with pass protection against Boise's DL stunts. I don't think Penn State has the outside weapons to get us out of cover 1 so I expect that we'll be seeing consistent 5/6 man stunting in the box and hopefully they haven't corrected that.

I really don't want to see Kiser guarding their TE in man coverage.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Georgias DB's are way better than Penn State and their defense as a whole is better

Guys on II said PSU’s CBs are much better than UGA. One (forgot name) is considered ’lock down’. TIFWIW

 

[Dale]

PSU CB AJ Harris is better than Georgia’s best CB. I think Georgia is better at the other 4 spots though. I mean Starks is first round pick


Harris actually transferred from UGA

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

No idea if he is legit (not really an insider type poster) but a dude on 247 said its a torn labrum and he's not playing.

Goolsby says it’s because he’s banged up and saving himself for the draft based on some comments Franklin made

 

[pumpdog20]

I find it hilarious that everyone is now going to go with the narrative that that Georgia team we just beat was trash all of a sudden. Sure they aren't as good as a couple of years ago, but they were good enough to beat a fellow semi-finalist two times. Georgia was better then everyone in the bracket not named ND and Ohio State.

PSU is good, but they aren't as good as ND or Georgia, so therefore, they can get fucked.

 

[IrishWayDomer]

I still think this game is a coin flip but if ND shows up they will win. Looking at this from a talent standpoint, if we can withstand Georgia we can withstand PSU's best. Using 247's player rankings on classes 2021-2023 (Seniors through Sophomores):

Georgia has 32 players on roster rated 95 or above with 13 true 5-stars
PSU has 8 such players, 5 of whom are 5-stars (Drew Allar the highest rated - 100).

Interestingly, ND only has 10 such players and zero 5 stars. Only 6 of those 10 are still on the team. Obviously none of this accounts for transfers in/out but gives a signal of the talent discrepancy between GA/PSU

 

[Dale]

I think if Leonard can have an effective passing day, ND should expect to score 3 offensive touchdowns. They gave up 40 or whatever to Oregon. 30 to USC and 20 to OSU but that could have been much worse (Howard fumble, ran out clock on most of 4Q)

PSU has more talent than past on D for sure but Diaz to Allen was a large downgrade

 

[DillonHall]

I find it hilarious that everyone is now going to go with the narrative that that Georgia team we just beat was trash all of a sudden. Sure they aren't as good as a couple of years ago, but they were good enough to beat a fellow semi-finalist two times. Georgia was better then everyone in the bracket not named ND and Ohio State.

PSU is good, but they aren't as good as ND or Georgia, so therefore, they can get fucked.

Georgia is better than Penn State, but that doesn’t mean anything. As we all know, the transitive property doesn’t apply in sports

 

[DillonHall]

I think if Leonard can have an effective passing day, ND should expect to score 3 offensive touchdowns. They gave up 40 or whatever to Oregon. 30 to USC and 20 to OSU but that could have been much worse (Howard fumble, ran out clock on most of 4Q)

PSU has more talent than past on D for sure but Diaz to Allen was a large downgrade

Leonard looked hesitant against Georgia but seemed to get better as the game progressed. Hopefully he’ll be more comfortable after facing an elite defense in consecutive weeks

 

[stlnd01]

No idea if he is legit (not really an insider type poster) but a dude on 247 said its a torn labrum and he's not playing.

I read it described as a "stinger," which can be code for a wide range of shoulder injuries up to and including a dislocation, which would be a season-ender. Now, he was at the postgame trophy presentation, right?, so it's probably not that bad, but could be a mild separation or something like that for sure.

 

[Rizzophil]

Upper corner, 328 I think. I might split depending on what happens with other interested buyers. Loads of people interested but nobody seems ready to pull the trigger.

My dad is 80 so trying to see if he can handle it. I’ll keep you posted

 

[Me2SouthBend]

My dad is 80 so trying to see if he can handle it. I’ll keep you posted

Tell him there’s a 78 yr old cougar he’ll be sitting w and you’re in.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I still think this game is a coin flip but if ND shows up they will win. Looking at this from a talent standpoint, if we can withstand Georgia we can withstand PSU's best. Using 247's player rankings on classes 2021-2023 (Seniors through Sophomores):

Georgia has 32 players on roster rated 95 or above with 13 true 5-stars
PSU has 8 such players, 5 of whom are 5-stars (Drew Allar the highest rated - 100).

Interestingly, ND only has 10 such players and zero 5 stars. Only 6 of those 10 are still on the team. Obviously none of this accounts for transfers in/out but gives a signal of the talent discrepancy between GA/PSU

Wait you think the games a coin flip but IF ND shows up they will win? Has this team given you any indication they won’t show up? ND will show up, book it.

 

[IrishWayDomer]

Wait you think the games a coin flip but IF ND shows up they will win? Has this team given you any indication they won’t show up? ND will show up, book it.

I think both teams will show up and I think PSU is capable of beating us, yes.

 

[Fbolt]

Pics of the cougar... I may be in on that.

 

[Irish#1]

This is something we all thought, but it is refreshing to hear from a national/sec slanted host. Cole cubelic thinks Denbrock downshifted both games and went completely vanilla.

Edit: I put this in the PSU thread because I think things are being held back in the playbook that will come out if/when we need them.

Jamie also mentioned that Denbrock kept thing pretty vanilla. Denbrock is good enough that if vanilla isn't cutting it, he'll open things up.

 

[thekid33]

The one thing with the Freeman era in big games is that I am confident we will show up. That doesn't mean we are a lock to win. The margins are pretty small in big games at this level. But, he will have the team ready. It's so refreshing to not go into a big game and be terrified of being blown out (looking at you, BK).

 

[IrishFanForever23]

I read it described as a "stinger," which can be code for a wide range of shoulder injuries up to and including a dislocation, which would be a season-ender. Now, he was at the postgame trophy presentation, right?, so it's probably not that bad, but could be a mild separation or something like that for sure.

Just because he was at the trophy presentation doesn't mean the injury isn't that bad. Go back and watch that and he barely moves that arm and holds up the trophy with only his right/non-injured arm.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Jamie also mentioned that Denbrock kept thing pretty vanilla. Denbrock is good enough that if vanilla isn't cutting it, he'll open things up.

To be honest, I dont think we have had to show too much to offensively to win the games which is remarkable. If you told me that we would have only 90 passing yards and Love would only have 4-5 carries, and we won Id have laughed. Were in control of IU from the start and the game was never really in question against UGA the way our D was playing. Incredible stuff.

 

[Rizzophil]

Jamie also mentioned that Denbrock kept thing pretty vanilla. Denbrock is good enough that if vanilla isn't cutting it, he'll open things up.

Denbrock called the game against Georgie like he did vs Texas AM. He didn't want to get into 3rd and long so they defensive line would exploit our freshmen left tackle. You can call it vanilla, conservative, base, or whatever but it's smart and it worked.

 

[NDPhilly]

Indiana second half as well. Denbrock knows our D is good enough to win the game. When we needed a drive late in the 4th to ice it, we did just that.