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December 27, 2006
Outback Bowl Preview
By Mike from Black Shoe Diaries
When asked to comment on the Nittany Lion defense, Tennessee Quarterback Erik Ainge said, “Penn State’s defense is not as athletic as some of the defenses we’ve seen this year.” Where have I heard this before? Oh that’s right. The mythical “southern speed” that was drilled into our heads before the Orange Bowl last season. Any time a Big Ten team plays a team from the SEC or ACC we have to hear about how the speedy southern school will run circles around the stodgy northern school. How did that Orange Bowl thing go again?
If Penn State and Tennessee were meeting in a track meet I might agree the Lions have a disadvantage. But this is a football game, and football is just as much about strength and anticipation as it is about speed. Speed is only one third of the equation. This is why the Nittany Lions are going to surprise a lot of people in the Outback Bowl.
The Volunteer passing game features the high flying act of Erik Ainge, All-American Robert Meachem, Jayson Swain, and Brett Smith. Ainge rolled up over 2700 yards and 19 touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury. Running back LaMarcus Coker is a lightning bolt in cleats. These guys are used to playing defenses that try to match them step for step in speed. But again, this isn’t a track meet. It’s a football game and they have to deal with a heat-seeking wrecking ball wearing a #31 jersey when they cross the middle. We’ll see how they respond to getting hit in the mouth unlike anything they experienced in the SEC.
If Penn State gives up anything in speed, they make up for it in preparation and anticipation. If there is a set of linebackers that anticipate better than Poz, Connor, and Lee, I don’t know who they are. The Volunteers could have Carl Lewis in the backfield. If Poz beats him to the hole he’s going down.
The Volunteer offensive line is an excellent pass blocking unit (1.4 sacks per game), but they can’t run block. It’s not that they don’t try to run. They ran the ball 359 times this season versus 378 passing attempts. But despite Coker’s blazing speed Tennessee sports the #94 rushing attack in the NCAA. The Nittany Lions should easily stuff their running game using the front seven allowing the defensive backs to play the pass first. Don’t be surprised if the Lions play nickel defense on second down and long situations. If Tennessee completely abandons their running game or it looks completely futile, Penn State may play in the nickel defense on every down much like they did against Michigan State.
The Lions will have to get pressure on Ainge to be successful on defense. Ideally they would like to do so with the front four, but they will blitz the linebackers if they have to. If they allow Ainge to sit in the pocket with time to check down to his second or third receiver, Lion fans will have flashbacks to Brady Quinn and wake up shivering in the fetal position when the game is long over. The Nittany Lion secondary is fast enough to run with the Tennessee wide receivers, but no secondary can keep everyone on this offense covered for more than five or six seconds.
On defense the Volunteers have plenty of team speed. Three players were named to the All-SEC team. Of course none of that matters with the Penn State offense which has proven to be as flexible as a lead pipe this year. The color of the jersey doesn’t matter to the Nittany Lions. They just do their thing. Run Tony Hunt between the tackles. Quarless over the middle. Five to ten yard out patterns to the wideouts. Mix in some screen passes, an end around or two, and an occasional deep throw to Deon Butler. That’s the Penn State offense this year. When opponents stop these things Penn State struggles. But there is reason to believe the Lions will have some success on offense.
Tennessee’s defense gives up 144 rushing yards per game. Seven of their opponents rushed for over 160 yards. They may have tons of speed, but evidence suggests they can’t hold their ground against teams with respectable running games. The Penn State offensive line and Tony Hunt should be able to grind out four and five yards at a time. Once they get the running game going, play action will open up the passing game and the rest of the offense can function.
Penn State’s cornerbacks are just as fast as Tennessee’s wide receivers. And Penn State’s wide receivers are probably just as fast as the Vols’ defensive backs. But put Poz and Connor in a foot race with Coker and I will concede Penn State probably loses. Likewise I suppose Tony Hunt would probably lose a 100 meter dash against Jared Mayo. But Penn State isn’t a team that tries to just outrun you. They overpower you and they outthink you. Is there anyone who believes Tennessee, an SEC team, will be bigger and stronger than Penn State, a Big Ten team? Does anyone think Phillip Fulmer can prepare his players better than Joe Paterno? I doubt it, and that’s why for the Nittany Lions, two out of three ain’t bad.
I have read your preview column for all 13 games this season, and sadly it adds up to about an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back. In all the time I’ve spent reading this column I can only come to one conclusion...you’re an idiot!!! Through the entire season I don’t know that you have made a single point that I would say was a valid one, you never support any of your ideas or opinions with any type of real facts, and your attempts at clever humor are not funny. Most of your columns run on like a theme that was written by a third or fourth grader. I understand that this is a Penn State web site, but you one sided optimism and partialarity are a bit much, and this is coming from a diehard who always looks at the glass as being half full.
As far as the game, it will be close for a while, but in the end it will be the same old same old: defense on the field for three whole quarters because the offense is terrble, and everyone talking about what a huge waste of speed and talent this years team was. A change must come and it must come soon. Like it or not you just have to admit that this year 1) the SEC is a far superior conference from top to bottum than the big 10 and 2) the nittany lions just have not been a very good team this year, and that isn’t going to change between november and now ...... final score vols 20 PSU 9
Thank you for your commentary. Please disregard the guy who called you an idiot. If you had already given an hour and a half of your life away, and resented it, why would you add to that number by writing a comment?
Also, there is no such word as “partialarity.” It appears the comment is more irritated with the Penn State offense than you.
Posted on December 28, 2006Serious Dave, there was no need to call the author an idiot. Like they say, if you don’t like it, don’t read it. Plus the article is not all peaches and cream. I think it is a fair and objective article.
Good job, Mike!
Posted on December 28, 2006Dave, do I hear an apology coming to the author or what?! :)
Posted on January 01, 2007Well Dave, you almost had the score dead on. Just the teams switched.
Posted on January 01, 2007Well Dave, open mouth insert foot.
Posted on January 02, 2007the vols were not ready for smash mouth football in the 4th gt. they were just worn out and i beleive afraid
Posted on January 07, 2007Your Comments
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