JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Since the Hawkeyes were on a bye this past week, we gave HawkeyeGameFilm the assignment of focusing on the Hawkeyes next opponent the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Penn State Offense
This is not an offense that strikes fear into the hearts of opposing defensive coordinators. They have no real defined identity at this point and have a QB controversy that really makes it difficult for this unit to be consistent and productive. They only managed 16 points against a rather poor Indiana team last week and a lot of it can be chalked up to sloppy fundamentals. PSU turnovers combined with sub-par line play is what kept that game close. This unit has struggled to score all year and averages 23.2 points per game with their only big scoring days coming against lesser competition. Alabama embarrassed PSU’s offense pretty badly in the national spotlight holding them to 251 yards of total offense, most of it coming in garbage time in the 4th quarter long after the game was decided. Bolden had a QB rating of 72.7 for that game and McGloin’s was 10. They were a combined 12/39 for 144 yards with 0TDs and 1INT in that game. Alabama has an elite defense, and is loaded with NFL prospects, but those numbers are very tough to stomach if you’re PSU’s offensive coordinator, Jay Paterno.
Positional Breakdown
QUARTERBACK
#1 Rob Bolden: In a word: inconsistent. In another word: erratic. You’re never sure what you’ll get with Bolden in any given game. He’s got a lot of natural talent and has a strong arm, but will just completely misfire on open targets way too often. His footwork and mechanics are inconsistent and the QB rotation doesn’t help with that. He can make some plays with his legs but he has been awful throwing on the run so far this year. He’s been the starter up to this point, but McGloin has outplayed him fairly often.
#11 Matt McGloin: He’s not the most naturally talented athlete but he is a guy who can manage an offense and be effective in some spots. Shows sound decision making much of the time and I’d classify him as a pretty cerebral guy. Looks to be a strong leader and he wants to take the reigns of this team and has said so publicly. Will struggle to stay in rhythm as the QB shuffle goes on in games. He had some accuracy issues in the Indiana game, but no where near as severe as Bolden’s issues. He may have earned the starting job, but it’s likely even if he is named the starter the QB rotation will keep going on.
RUNNING BACK
#25 - Silas Redd:This is a talented running back with a balanced skill set. He’s got some very quick feet and will break a fair number of tackles. I really like his acceleration into the seam on the zone plays. He shows solid vision on stretch plays and is decisive when he sees a lane. He always seems to fall forward on these plays and goes at it with a lot of tenacity. He has to make a lot of guys miss with the way PSU's OL performs, so his productivity is hinged on getting his momentum going forward quickly, beating intial penetration and then finishing runs. He’s not quite as scary as Ray Graham of Pitt, but Redd is only a sophomore and is a rising star.
#26 - Curtis Dukes: This guy runs like a guided missle and at his size (6-1/237), it seems to work pretty well for him. Doesn’t appear to have much change of direction skill at this point, but as a change of pace runner it doesn’t present much of a problem for him. He runs hard and will be productive if you give him a decent seam.
#3 Brandon Beachum: Another big back who runs with a physical style. Has been dinged up and may or may not be available this week. Doesn’t appear to have quite the burst Dukes does but runs with a solid pad level for a big guy.
FULLBACK
#9 Michael Zordich: Big physical blocking back who does a solid job on lead plays. Not much of a receiving threat but not a guy you can write off either. Lines up as the FB in the their I-form sets primarily.
#37 Joe Suhey: Not as big as Zordich but still an effective blocker. He is used more like an H-back and often sets the edge on running plays. Will be used as a trap blocker at times as well. He’s got solid ball skills and leaks out of the back-field pretty often and is an effective weapon in the passing game for PSU.
WIDE RECEIVER
#6 Derek Moye:This is the bell cow for the PSU WR group. When PSU needs a 3rd down conversion or a big play they turn to Moye. Both QB’s will look to him when plays break down and he’s good at coming back to help his QB. He’s had a decent year despite the QB woes and his 6’5 frame makes him difficult for CB’s to play man coverage against.
#19 Justin Brown: There were high expectations placed on Brown before the year began. So far the QB play has made it nearly impossible to live up to them. He’s got a lot of good natural tools to work with. He’s got good size at 6’3, solid speed as a vertical threat, and the soft hands to be a reliable target. If PSU settles down their QB play he’s capable of being an impact guy.
#20 Devon Smith: This guy is a burner but has limited football skills. He has the speed to turn short catches into big plays but PSU has difficulty getting him the ball. Not a guy who is a big target at 5’7 and with the accuracy issues at the QB position it makes it harder to get the ball in his hands. Still a guy to keep an eye on in the screen game and short passing game.
#81 Shawney Kersey: He has not shown much this year. He’s a sophomore and has good size, but doesn’t appear to be prime target in the offense at this point.
TIGHT END
#80 Andrew Szczerba:Great size at 6-6/260 but hasn't been utilized much with only six catches on the year. Doesn’t appear to have great receiving tools but seems to a decent run blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This unit has not played very well in the games I’ve seen so far this year. They struggle to control the LOS and by extension struggle to reach LB’s on zone plays. They appear better suited for a pulling and trapping heavy scheme but PSU has been a heavy zone team so far this year. They have shuffled up their personnel through their first five games, but have had limited success finding a winning combination. They haven’t given up a lot of sacks but I’m not overly impressed with their pass blocking either. Indiana disrupted the pocket often this week despite PSU running primarily 3 and 5 step plays. Much like last year this unit is not coming together very well.
FORMATIONS
Their official base offense is a 311 look, with Redd as the single back, Moye, Brown and Smith at WR, and Szczerba at TE. However, they like to use both full backs early and often. Suhey is often used as an H back and constantly moves around with motion. They showed a lot of 3WR I-Formation sets against Indiana and attacked with FB lead zone on both the inside and outside. They’ll use shotgun formations at times and have shown some zone read out of it as well. Nothing too exotic with their formations but they’ve got two effective FB’s that can catch the ball that gives them some options to throw a wrench or two at a defense any given week.
PLAY CALLS/SCHEMES
Running: This is definitely a running football team at this point. The issues at the QB position make it necessary for PSU to have success on the ground to help set up the passing game for the QB’s. Inside zone and power plays with pulling guards seem to be Penn State's run schemes of choice. They are also pretty effective running draw trap plays and Redd picks his hole nicely on those plays. They’ve shown some counter looks and weak side blast looks on film as well. They’ve got some speed on the outside at WR and that gives them the ability to run some reverses. They will also use the FB's to carry the ball quite a bit. The FB's have 18 carries and 3 TDs, so you know they’re a threat in the red-zone and short yardage situations.
Passing: Tough to put your finger on their overall passing scheme as it seems to vary with whichever QB is in the game. No matter which QB they like to setup play action passes with the power run looks. They like to move the pocket on bootlegs/waggles with both guys and use sprint out actions as well. Both QB's have struggled with accuracy at times, especially Bolden, so most of the passing plays are simple in terms of scheme.
McGloin has shown more ability to go attack vertically this season and he has taken quite a few shots down the field. A lot of short crossing routes and rub routes showed up in the Indiana tape. Moye is the guy they look to isolate outside and take a shot down field. He had a great stutter and go TD of 74 yards from McGloin that was the lone PSU TD against Indiana. Brown is a capable vertical threat as well, but has seen few targets beyond 10 yards on the film I saw.
SUMMARY
Iowa’s soft zone coverage in their base look could give PSU’s QB’s a chance to get comfortable on their home field and play better than they have in past weeks. If they are patient and take what is there and avoid mistakes they could get something going. They’re going to be able to have some success on the ground, but Iowa should adjust quickly and limit the ground game. Iowa will need to force mistakes from the PSU QB’s by applying some pressure. Not sure we’ll see many more blitzes than normal but it’s something Iowa might dial up to kill some drives. Penn State doesn’t lack talent, but they have played pretty poorly up to this point in the season. Iowa would do well to take them out of the game mentally early on.
Penn State Offense
This is not an offense that strikes fear into the hearts of opposing defensive coordinators. They have no real defined identity at this point and have a QB controversy that really makes it difficult for this unit to be consistent and productive. They only managed 16 points against a rather poor Indiana team last week and a lot of it can be chalked up to sloppy fundamentals. PSU turnovers combined with sub-par line play is what kept that game close. This unit has struggled to score all year and averages 23.2 points per game with their only big scoring days coming against lesser competition. Alabama embarrassed PSU’s offense pretty badly in the national spotlight holding them to 251 yards of total offense, most of it coming in garbage time in the 4th quarter long after the game was decided. Bolden had a QB rating of 72.7 for that game and McGloin’s was 10. They were a combined 12/39 for 144 yards with 0TDs and 1INT in that game. Alabama has an elite defense, and is loaded with NFL prospects, but those numbers are very tough to stomach if you’re PSU’s offensive coordinator, Jay Paterno.
Positional Breakdown
QUARTERBACK
#1 Rob Bolden: In a word: inconsistent. In another word: erratic. You’re never sure what you’ll get with Bolden in any given game. He’s got a lot of natural talent and has a strong arm, but will just completely misfire on open targets way too often. His footwork and mechanics are inconsistent and the QB rotation doesn’t help with that. He can make some plays with his legs but he has been awful throwing on the run so far this year. He’s been the starter up to this point, but McGloin has outplayed him fairly often.
#11 Matt McGloin: He’s not the most naturally talented athlete but he is a guy who can manage an offense and be effective in some spots. Shows sound decision making much of the time and I’d classify him as a pretty cerebral guy. Looks to be a strong leader and he wants to take the reigns of this team and has said so publicly. Will struggle to stay in rhythm as the QB shuffle goes on in games. He had some accuracy issues in the Indiana game, but no where near as severe as Bolden’s issues. He may have earned the starting job, but it’s likely even if he is named the starter the QB rotation will keep going on.
RUNNING BACK
#25 - Silas Redd:This is a talented running back with a balanced skill set. He’s got some very quick feet and will break a fair number of tackles. I really like his acceleration into the seam on the zone plays. He shows solid vision on stretch plays and is decisive when he sees a lane. He always seems to fall forward on these plays and goes at it with a lot of tenacity. He has to make a lot of guys miss with the way PSU's OL performs, so his productivity is hinged on getting his momentum going forward quickly, beating intial penetration and then finishing runs. He’s not quite as scary as Ray Graham of Pitt, but Redd is only a sophomore and is a rising star.
#26 - Curtis Dukes: This guy runs like a guided missle and at his size (6-1/237), it seems to work pretty well for him. Doesn’t appear to have much change of direction skill at this point, but as a change of pace runner it doesn’t present much of a problem for him. He runs hard and will be productive if you give him a decent seam.
#3 Brandon Beachum: Another big back who runs with a physical style. Has been dinged up and may or may not be available this week. Doesn’t appear to have quite the burst Dukes does but runs with a solid pad level for a big guy.
FULLBACK
#9 Michael Zordich: Big physical blocking back who does a solid job on lead plays. Not much of a receiving threat but not a guy you can write off either. Lines up as the FB in the their I-form sets primarily.
#37 Joe Suhey: Not as big as Zordich but still an effective blocker. He is used more like an H-back and often sets the edge on running plays. Will be used as a trap blocker at times as well. He’s got solid ball skills and leaks out of the back-field pretty often and is an effective weapon in the passing game for PSU.
WIDE RECEIVER
#6 Derek Moye:This is the bell cow for the PSU WR group. When PSU needs a 3rd down conversion or a big play they turn to Moye. Both QB’s will look to him when plays break down and he’s good at coming back to help his QB. He’s had a decent year despite the QB woes and his 6’5 frame makes him difficult for CB’s to play man coverage against.
#19 Justin Brown: There were high expectations placed on Brown before the year began. So far the QB play has made it nearly impossible to live up to them. He’s got a lot of good natural tools to work with. He’s got good size at 6’3, solid speed as a vertical threat, and the soft hands to be a reliable target. If PSU settles down their QB play he’s capable of being an impact guy.
#20 Devon Smith: This guy is a burner but has limited football skills. He has the speed to turn short catches into big plays but PSU has difficulty getting him the ball. Not a guy who is a big target at 5’7 and with the accuracy issues at the QB position it makes it harder to get the ball in his hands. Still a guy to keep an eye on in the screen game and short passing game.
#81 Shawney Kersey: He has not shown much this year. He’s a sophomore and has good size, but doesn’t appear to be prime target in the offense at this point.
TIGHT END
#80 Andrew Szczerba:Great size at 6-6/260 but hasn't been utilized much with only six catches on the year. Doesn’t appear to have great receiving tools but seems to a decent run blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This unit has not played very well in the games I’ve seen so far this year. They struggle to control the LOS and by extension struggle to reach LB’s on zone plays. They appear better suited for a pulling and trapping heavy scheme but PSU has been a heavy zone team so far this year. They have shuffled up their personnel through their first five games, but have had limited success finding a winning combination. They haven’t given up a lot of sacks but I’m not overly impressed with their pass blocking either. Indiana disrupted the pocket often this week despite PSU running primarily 3 and 5 step plays. Much like last year this unit is not coming together very well.
FORMATIONS
Their official base offense is a 311 look, with Redd as the single back, Moye, Brown and Smith at WR, and Szczerba at TE. However, they like to use both full backs early and often. Suhey is often used as an H back and constantly moves around with motion. They showed a lot of 3WR I-Formation sets against Indiana and attacked with FB lead zone on both the inside and outside. They’ll use shotgun formations at times and have shown some zone read out of it as well. Nothing too exotic with their formations but they’ve got two effective FB’s that can catch the ball that gives them some options to throw a wrench or two at a defense any given week.
PLAY CALLS/SCHEMES
Running: This is definitely a running football team at this point. The issues at the QB position make it necessary for PSU to have success on the ground to help set up the passing game for the QB’s. Inside zone and power plays with pulling guards seem to be Penn State's run schemes of choice. They are also pretty effective running draw trap plays and Redd picks his hole nicely on those plays. They’ve shown some counter looks and weak side blast looks on film as well. They’ve got some speed on the outside at WR and that gives them the ability to run some reverses. They will also use the FB's to carry the ball quite a bit. The FB's have 18 carries and 3 TDs, so you know they’re a threat in the red-zone and short yardage situations.
Passing: Tough to put your finger on their overall passing scheme as it seems to vary with whichever QB is in the game. No matter which QB they like to setup play action passes with the power run looks. They like to move the pocket on bootlegs/waggles with both guys and use sprint out actions as well. Both QB's have struggled with accuracy at times, especially Bolden, so most of the passing plays are simple in terms of scheme.
McGloin has shown more ability to go attack vertically this season and he has taken quite a few shots down the field. A lot of short crossing routes and rub routes showed up in the Indiana tape. Moye is the guy they look to isolate outside and take a shot down field. He had a great stutter and go TD of 74 yards from McGloin that was the lone PSU TD against Indiana. Brown is a capable vertical threat as well, but has seen few targets beyond 10 yards on the film I saw.
SUMMARY
Iowa’s soft zone coverage in their base look could give PSU’s QB’s a chance to get comfortable on their home field and play better than they have in past weeks. If they are patient and take what is there and avoid mistakes they could get something going. They’re going to be able to have some success on the ground, but Iowa should adjust quickly and limit the ground game. Iowa will need to force mistakes from the PSU QB’s by applying some pressure. Not sure we’ll see many more blitzes than normal but it’s something Iowa might dial up to kill some drives. Penn State doesn’t lack talent, but they have played pretty poorly up to this point in the season. Iowa would do well to take them out of the game mentally early on.
