i keep reading post on pennlive calling for Limegrovers head and I can’t understand why. My goodness just go look at the OL in 2014 and 2015 and then try to prove to me you don’t see a much improved OL. It’s WAY better brother. When you don’t take care of the ball it makes everything look much worse than what it really is. I have as much confidence in Limegrover as I do James Franklin. Looks like the NFL scouts like what they see in our offensive linemen or somebody wouldn’t be telling them to get in the NFL draft. Catch the dang ball and that will fix 90% of our problems just wait and see.
I like Limegrover and think he has done a great job.
i keep reading post on pennlive calling for Limegrovers head and I can’t understand why. My goodness just go look at the OL in 2014 and 2015 and then try to prove to me you don’t see a much improved OL. It’s WAY better brother. When you don’t take care of the ball it makes everything look much worse than what it really is. I have as much confidence in Limegrover as I do James Franklin. Looks like the NFL scouts like what they see in our offensive linemen or somebody wouldn’t be telling them to get in the NFL draft. Catch the dang ball and that will fix 90% of our problems just wait and see.
I think if it is one thing many people don't understand, it is the difference in how skill positions and OL develop. They just aren't comparable.
OL takes a while to get back from where we were, it's not just plug and play like WRs and RBs can sometimes be. Freshman are very rare to see play on the line, even rarer ro see freshman and sophmores make up the WHOLE LINE. In ways it can stunt growth, not having good depth and competition behind them either.
These new guys coming up are gonna keep making the line better, I am not worried.
The improvement of the line is a source of contention for many. There’s no question it has improved since 2014-2015. That isn’t up for debate. Penn St had 5-8 scholarship OL back then and 2 were converted DTs out of necessity. The problem is, the talent brought in to fix it over the course of the last few years has been very good. Looking at last year’s starting line, the lowest ranked OL starter was Fries who was a high ranked 3 star with a very nice offer list. The rest were all 4 stars with experience, except for Menet who was ranked a 5 star OL by many of the recruiting services and was in his 3rd year in the program under Limegrover’s tutelage. We had heard that the OL was going to be the strength of the offense this year..finally. I didn’t see it. It isn’t all about stats either. Obviously, Barkley and Sanders had nice seasons behind this line, however, if you go back and look at the big games against stout DLs, they struggled. The more concerning thing for me is, the inability to exhibit dominance with the game on the line and salting a lead away. The OL has not been able to do this during Franklin’s tenure. We saw it numerous times (USC, Sparty x 2, Ohio St x 2). Those games are the difference between a great OL and an average one. They also prevented Franklin from having 5 more wins in his time here and cost PSU a chance at a playoff berth in 2017. I’m sure Limegrover is a great guy, but he was OL coach and OC at places that ran a traditional offense, not RPO. I think he is still getting acclimated to learning it himself which isn’t ideal for PSU. He’s had 3 years to mold a veteran crew with mixed results. They still can’t identify a stunt. Go back and watch the bowl game. The guards were eaten for lunch by the Kentucky defense. I don’t pretend to be an OL expert, it’s just my opinion from the cheap seats. And as far as the inexperience explanation goes, all the guys on this years OL have been in the program at least 3 years. Oklahoma started a redshirt freshman at center this year in a similar offense and he looked great. I think Limegrover gets one more year to show us something. Let’s hope he does. We Are....
There are many technical components regarding developing the skills necessary to be a successful offensive lineman. Almost all fans have no clue about this position.
Alabama is full of 4* and 5* offensive lineman and man did they struggle against Georgia and Clemson. I think most teams struggle on the OL. IMO the OL just can’t keep up today and when you do get one that can off to the NFL they go leaving early. IMO the big 10 and SEC will struggle on the OL because the defenses are so good. The PAC and big 12 both have garbage defenses and I don’t see it changing anytime soon. Just my opinion though
Everybody struggled against Clemson. They had the best DL in the country. All 4 of their starting DL players could go in the first round of the draft. PSU didn’t struggle against the likes of Clemson. They struggled against less talented Sparty teams and a Kentucky team that had one great defensive player. The thing is, they allowed the other Kentucky LB to clean their clocks. Missed assignment after missed assignment. We can argue all day long, but the video doesn’t lie. The OL looked lost at times this year and that reflects on their preparation and coaching. It was really disappointing with a veteran group. I’m all for supporting our coaches but I can’t wear blue and white glasses and ignore glaring issues either.
Good morning LBER99, Oklahoma has lost 4 of the last 5 bowl games because they run up on teams that play defense. The big 12 defenses are garbage. It’s easier IMO to start on the offensive line in the big 12 than the SEC or big 10. Oklahoma really has struggled the last 15 years in Bowl games because they run up on teams that play better defense. I don’t see it changing.
With the game on the line, Kentucky lined up and ran the ball down our throats to ice the game away? Do any of you have confidence that our OL would have been able to do the same with roles reversed?
Good morning SPF. We all know you hate Oklahoma. It was a reference on my part to point out other teams use young OL and have success with them. This thread isn’t about Oklahoma. It’s about PSU’s OL and their lackluster year. Again.
I still believe our problems we dropping and fumbling the football. We started the Kentucky game off with 2 drops, the Ohio st game Boobie’s fumble cost us from putting the game away and we dropped the INT that would’ve won the game for us I the Michigan st game. Drops and fumbles cost us 3 wins this year.
No question the losses are from a multitude of mistakes. However, for the second year in a row against the Buckeyes, they had a double digit lead with about 7-8 minutes left in the game and the offense couldn’t sustain a drive to put the game away. Same with the USC Rose Bowl game. If the OL was as good as everywants it to be, they run the ball, salt the clock and possible score at least another field goal to extend the lead. It didn’t happen and I don’t think anyone has the confidence in the OL to do it. That’s what I would like to see. Flex your muscles at crunch time and inflict your will. I haven’t seen it yet.
We should’ve gone for the win down on the 15 yard line and I said so during the game. I thought we had a better chance picking up 6 yards that stopping Kentucky and i was right. Caven even freaked out when I said go for it lol because I usually take the points but I hadn’t seen anything all day that would’ve made me feel we could stop Kentucky with the game on the line.
Your statement actually shows it doesn’t matter what psu did. If they get the td Kentucky would more than likely drive to field goal range and win the game. However, psu gets the field goal and takes a chance at MAYBE stopping them. Then it’s less yards to gain for psu after the punt to get the tying field goal.
Obviously as a fan I know very little about what it takes to make a great O-line. I somewhat agree with LB99 and the RPO scheme. If you read all my game day posts that was the biggest concern I had. When the coaches said with absolute certainty that WE DO NOT line up under center I just about hit the roof. That's like a guy saying no matter what, I will not date a Brunette! I was taught that you do whatever it takes. Everyone knows I do not like the RPO system, that being said, there is still no reason why ANY play still couldn't be run if that is the type of play that is needed to win. Getting back to Limegrover - when O-line players are whiffing and just being confused in general - I say it's time for a new OL coach or its time to get back to smash mouth football. They always talk about converting the offense to the type of players you have on the team, ie QB and RB. How bout we run the type of system that best suits the OL!
I feel like they hired Moorhead and switched to the RPO to compensate for the ineptness of the OL at the time. However, I agree with BOB, if that’s not the strength of the OL players now and they are more like traditional maulers, which Limegrover has coached in the past, perhaps switching to more traditional types of blocking schemes and playcalling is a better option. However, Franklin is somewhat stubborn and unwilling to change so I don’t see that happening unless they move on from Rahne at some point and the new OC says it’s time to change. I don’t see that happening either. I’m just hoping for Miranda and Walker to be nasty and effective.
Donavan’s offense worked pretty good in the tax slayer bowl when McSorely was QB. Rahne im sure still knows the plays and IMO I think he would be good calling plays in that offense I just think the RPO is the offense of the future. It works for Clemson but I think Alabama is going back to smash mouth football because Saban brought Sarks back. I’m like you 99 run what will win games.
Murray I just think had we gone for the win it would’ve put more pressure on Kentucky especially had we scored. If we didn’t score Kentucky would’ve had the ball on their own 15 and that would put more pressure on Kentucky’s QB. The Kentucky QB wasn’t that good under pressure. I think the team will learn a lot from this season and will be better this year. Can’t wait for the spring game to see the QB battle. Who do you like to be the starter? I like Stevens if he can stay healthy.
I'm only a fan too and I get confused very easily. I just can't understand why we can't run the RPO as base offense but go under center and play smash mouth when the situation calls for it. My God, maybe even insert a full back (even if he's only a walk-on). That is my only real criticism of Franklin, his ego won't let him compromise his stated position.
I agree Bob. You have to run the plays and offense that the game and your personnel dictate. There are some NFL teams now running RPO plays mixed in with their base traditional offenses. I’d love to see Penn St do that. And, yes, Franklin is stubborn.
BTW I’m for keeping the same offense we’ve been running we just need to keep getting better. I still believe had we not had 40 drops we would’ve won 3 more games. Take care of the ball and 90% of our problems are fixed. Sorry I just didn’t want to sound like I wanted a new offense because I don’t I just want to execute the one we have. Now if James Franklin decides to change offenses then so be it.
Executing the offense starts with the OL.
This conversation has come full circle. Lol.
Good morning LBER99, Oklahoma has lost 4 of the last 5 bowl games because they run up on teams that play defense. The big 12 defenses are garbage. It’s easier IMO to start on the offensive line in the big 12 than the SEC or big 10. Oklahoma really has struggled the last 15 years in Bowl games because they run up on teams that play better defense. I don’t see it changing.
I disagree with this Southern, because Oklahoma embarrassed Georgia's vaunted defense last year and this year (after the first quarter) put up a lot of points and yards on Alabama.
In 2016 they put up good numbers on Auburn too. it's not that they run up against good defenses, it's that they don't play defense and the SEC teams just usually run right through them.
With many either not liking the RPO, or having issues with it...
...let me point out that all 4 playoff teams ran the RPO offense this year. Clemson and Oklahoma almost exclusively, Alabama for most of it's plays, and Notre Dame about half the time.
