By Eric G. Stark

Is Penn State Being Too Aggressive?

“Where’s Noah Cain?”
“Put Cain in the game. “

This is what I was yelling after the first possession in the second half of the Penn State game against Michigan Saturday night at Beaver Stadium.

It was obvious Dom Brown and Josh Gettis, Michigan’s defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively, made adjustments and figured out what Penn State was doing on the opposite sides of the ball.

Penn State (4-0 Big Ten, 6-0 overall) held on for a 28-21 victory in a White Out in Happy Valley, but if not for a dropped ball in the end zone, the game likely goes to overtime and Michigan had all the momentum.

Were the Nittany Lions coaches too aggressive in the second half?

Were they dialing up blitzes when rushing four would have been more effective?

Were they throwing deep when moving the chains and putting a string of plays together offensively would have helped run out the clock, squelched Michigan’s confidence and kept the Lions’ D rested a better stratagy?

Yet, Brent Pry, the Nittany Lions defensive coordinator, kept calling for blitzes and Gettis, to his credit, countered by throwing quick passes to the outside, moving yards and moving the chains down field for scoring drives that were 7 plays for 75 yards

“Stop blitzing. Drop guys back and rush four!” I yelled multiple times in the third and fourth quarters Saturday night. The Wolverines offensive line was picking up the blitzes or Michigan quarterback She Patterson was getting the ball out of his hands before defenders could reach him. Penn State only had one sack on the night.

After a touchdown by KJ Hamler on the second half kickoff was nullified by a penalty, the Lions strung together multiple offensive possessions that were maddening.

Three and out followed by three and out followed by … you get the point. Penn State would run a play for a few yards, maybe even get a manageable third-and-3, only to have quarterback Sean Clifford Throw deep for an incompletion. Brown’s blitzes were also forcing Clifford out of the pocket for sacks, hurries or passes out of bounds.

In the second half, the Lions four drives of four or fewer plays and no drive that was more than six plays. This was putting putting Penn State’s defense back on the field without much rest, and you could see they were wearing down. They looked like they were running out of gas.

Yes, the deep ball helped Penn State take a 21-0 lead against Michigan and have the Wolverines looking dazzled, confused and ready for the knock. blow.

Unfortunately, the Lions live and die by the big plays, and the lack of big plays in the second half almost cost Penn State the game.

My son is learning to play saxophone. He can string a long note out and it sounds pretty good, and sometimes, it is effective and just what he needed to play.

Other times, stringing a few notes together sounds better and makes sweet music.

The same applies to Penn State’s offense. Sure, the big plays to KJ Hamler look great and, at times, effective and just what they needed. Other times, especially, when they are not connecting with receivers, the big plays misfires are drive killers.

Enter Cain. The freshman running back, fresh off two straight 100-yard rushing games and closing out the Iowa game last week with strong running, was the perfect player to use when leading 21-0 and later 21-7.

Against Michigan, Cain carried the ball only five times for 19 yard and added a reception. Cain played in one series in the first half. He had a 13-yard run in the third quarter and was not used again until the last drive, where he helped close out the game with two carries for seven yards.

But what if they used him sooner, more? If Cain is in the game sooner this game never would have come down to a dropped ball. It never would have been so close.

I’m all for using four running backs, but there are certain times when you got to go with the back that’s been most effective so far this season. And back is Cain.

He helped the Lions pull away from Pittsburgh earlier this year. He helped drain the clock against Iowa, and it is hard to imagine, when Michigan was reeling, using Cain would not have been the best move for the Lions.

Cain has been effective at the goal line and as a closer. The play dictates you using him – near the goal line and to pounds a defense – forget the four-man rotation and go to Cain.

Pound the ball at a frustrated Wolverines’ defense. Wear them out.

But, instead, Penn State kept using Journey Brown, Ricky Slade and even Devyn Ford.

The LIons only had 80 yards of offense in the second half — 53 came on deep bomb (yes, a big play) to Hamler for touchdown. In the second half, the Lions averaged only 3.2 yards per play.

Short passes to the tight ends, a heavy dose of Cain and putting a long drive together of more than four or six plays would have taken time off the clock, kept the Lions’ D fresh and worn out the Michigan D.

On the contrary, the Wolverine’s confidence grew both on offense and defense, because Penn State was too aggressive, almost costing the Lions the game.

Keep it simple. String some plays together and give the ball to Cain.