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Topic: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Topic: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

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Valley Cat
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Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 8:00:30 PM

As a fellow obsessed Ohio fan that is on this site 10 times a day and waits eagerly for Arkley's Blog, I was wondering what you will lose sleep over this week as the Cats head to State College? When you are daydreaming at work what worries you about this contest? Here are a few of my anxiety laced ramblings.

1) No Travis Carrie
2) Raw emotion of the Penn State players and crowd
3) Receivers not being able to get seperation
Sorry figured this is the best place to vent.

Paul Graham
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 8:17:30 PM

I think all of those are good. I'm also not nearly as confident as I was going into camp.

1.) The defensive backfield is the #1 concern. No Travis, no Omar and now no Xavier. Not to mention that even Gerald is dinged up and may be limited. I realized that I frequently play the role of chicken little on BA.com, but this is a complete disaster. We returned EVERY starter from last season and no we're left with an empty cupboard.

2.) Special teams, most notably punting and punt returning. We don't return anyone with experience returning punts, which is tricky business. Not to mention that our new punter (whoever it may be) will be booting their first collegiate ball in front of 100,00 people and a national TV audience.

Doc Bobcat
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 8:58:43 PM

i think we survive #1 and #3.....not so sure about #2.

MedinaCat
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 9:09:13 PM

My concern is that the coaches and team(defense specifically) have flimsy scouting on play calling and offensive sets PSU will deploy. One could surmise something that resembles what the Patriots use, but Bill O'Brien had a few more tools to work with there. In game adjustments will be critical.

My Hope is we strike quickly, a la Marshall last year and watch them melt down.

C Money
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 9:41:43 PM

MedinaCat wrote:

The whole secrecy thing O'Brien has had over the offense is really puzzling to me. It's not really a secret what the offense is going to be....as you said, it's the Patriots' offense. And if I'm a head football coach, I take the approach that I don't care if you know what I'm going to run. You still have to stop it. Besides, is Penn State really looking to keep this offense so super secret because they're afraid to tip their hand to a MAC walk-over?

Unless the installation isn't going as well as hoped....
Unless the transfers are having a bigger impact than is being let on....
Unless the players haven't been able to move past the circus.....
Unless O'Brien isn't as confident that he can do this job as he would like you to believe....

Are any of these actually happening? I don't know. O'Brien is in uncharted territory with what he has to do with the program, so if he wants to take an atypical approach to establishing his own identity, I get it. But like I said, it's just puzzling to me.

Ted Thompson
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 10:26:06 PM

I go back to the Rutgers game last year. Defense couldn't get off the field on 3rd down. That's still my concern this year.

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L.C.
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 10:44:44 PM

My biggest concern is a nagging fear that the team has been reading their press clippings. They have the potential to be good, the potential to play well, and the potential to win every game, but to do that will that tremendous focus and effort, and probably a few lucky bounces along the way.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

OhioCatFan
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/26/2012 11:01:10 PM

My biggest concern heading for State College this coming weekend is that the place is going to be full of lunatic crazies. I keep thinking that some of the better class of PSU fans, ashamed over the scandal, will not be coming to the game and will have turned in tickets (some season tickets) and that this will leave an opening for the crazy lunatic fringe element to buy those tickets. So, I'm still expecting a full house but a full house made up of a higher proportion than usual of fanatical idiots. This leads me to fear the possibility of a riot, particularly if OHIO gets a lead. I'm probably worrying about nothing, and it'll turn out to be a very gentlemanly crowd of good sportsmen and sportswomen, but I must admit that I do have this fear in the back of my mind. I do hope that I'm being paranoid.

Last Edited: 8/26/2012 11:02:25 PM by OhioCatFan

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

Cat4ever
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 6:03:00 AM

Valley, Paul, Doc, Medina, Money, L.C., Ted, OCF,

ALL your concerns are my concerns. That's why I don't even want to watch the game with fellow 'Cats! Hell, I'm churned up so much about this that I'm not sure I want to watch the game, period. That's pretty friggin' sad, huh?

What we need to realize is that beneath that veil of secrecy in State College, Pa., Bill O'Brien and the Nits have been dealing with many of the same issues we have ... plus a whole lot more. You can bet on it.

For me, the scariest reality is that Penn State typically hasn't played "pretty." They mainly have beaten the crap out of teams physically on defense. We have 11 games after that season opener. Forget about the "dream season." Pray for the kids to have fun, play their best and not get any more banged up than what they did to each other in camp. If, in the process, we succeed in silencing the morons posting out of Happy Valley, then that's just sweet desserts.

The only thing that is a fact is that nothing is a fact.
If this statement is true, it is also false.
--Dr. Donald Horning, circa 1965

Bobcatbob
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 1:36:41 PM

L.C. wrote:

This.

This could be the biggest and most important game of this year - it certainly will be if we lose because of opportunities that will be lost with the game.

There's no chance to "work into it", to "work out the kinks" or to "get rid of the butterflies". It's on from the coin flip. We better be ready.

The Optimist
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 2:25:18 PM

I've seen crazier things happen.

The Optimist
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 5:40:53 PM

Just passed Peden and they were blaring crowd noise. I've heard them play loud music before, but this is the first time I've ever just heard really really loud noise coming out of the speakers.

I've seen crazier things happen.

Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 8:11:27 PM

As always when you've got a MAC school against a Big Ten school, my biggest concern is getting a semblance of a running game going against a bigger, stronger front seven. If Ohio can't, the pass rush becomes a problem. Penn State is down, but that defense is still stocked.

I think 28 points gets the job done on Saturday.

anorris
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 10:05:07 PM

The Optimist wrote:

Just passed Peden and they were blaring crowd noise. I've heard them play loud music before, but this is the first time I've ever just heard really really loud noise coming out of the speakers.

Fairly sure that was part of prep for OSU and UT in recent memory.

BuddyLee
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/27/2012 10:42:56 PM

conservative gameplan = predictable pistol formation playcalling = 3 and outs = good PSU field position = easy early points = momentum/crowd noise = players pressing = sloppy play = turnovers/penalties = PSU controls time of possession = tired defense = more PSU points = abandoning the run game = receivers not getting separation = forced passes/coverage sacks = more turnovers/3 and outs = big halftime lead = what the **** happened

Last Edited: 8/27/2012 10:47:40 PM by BuddyLee

Cat4ever
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/28/2012 9:16:02 AM

BuddyLee wrote:

Gees, Buddy, shame you aren't down here in FL ... we could find a spot to watch the game together, chewing our nails to the quick in the process. Chill, buddy!

The only thing that is a fact is that nothing is a fact.
If this statement is true, it is also false.
--Dr. Donald Horning, circa 1965

D.A.
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/28/2012 9:27:00 AM

My car, complete with OHIO license plate holder and decals, getting trashed by State Penn fans after we kick their ass.

The Few, The Proud, The Bobcats!

And for the record, I hate tOSU, and Ricordati and Torgerson are DB's.

"This isn't just another walkover from the MAC." Kirk Herbstreit, another DB, on College Football Gameday

Oldcat
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/28/2012 10:46:34 AM

D.A. wrote:

My car, complete with OHIO license plate holder and decals, getting trashed by State Penn fans after we kick their ass.

Nice! Just keeping it real...

Rowdy Rufus
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/28/2012 12:41:08 PM

Last year we were promissed 20-30 additional plays per game thanks to the new Offense and they delivered nicely.. Can we expect to see more this year or will we try to burn as much of the play clock between plays as possible this year.. Last year we still got within 5-10 seconds each play....

Could this strategy vary from game to game....

I'm normally a pessimist but man do I have a really good feeling about this week... Baring the obvious.. (penalties, turnovers)... I think our strengths will more than make up for those concern areas.

I'm getting my bags packed and mapping our my trip as we speak.... Hopefully the Bobcat nation will be loud and proud.... And hopefully they don't separate us like the OSwho game a couple of years ago....

AudioCat'13
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RE: Biggest Concern heading into the PSU game

Posted: 8/28/2012 2:50:55 PM

If I'm the Bobcats I'd learn my lesson from last years MAC Championship game. Put the offensive pedal to the floor until the final minutes. An out of gas PSU defense in the waning moments of the 3rd quarter can only help. I want the PSU defense sucking wind the whole game, and a helpless PSU offense just watching. Sorry, I'm just really pumped for this game...

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