General reaction to criticism

Just because it didn't happen doesn't mean it couldn't have. And there was one return that they just needed another block or two to bust a big one.

Again, fair enough. How often do plays like that happen against Iowa?

Just spitballing here, but it sounds like you're still feeling a bit of sting from the Arizona game.
 


The only thing is Jon remember last year when we started out 9-0. Everyone in the media was down on Iowa for winning ugly. Not only do you have to go 12-0, but you have to win impressively as well. If your name is Alabama or USC, then it might be different, but if your name is Iowa or Boise St, you got to be impressive. It sucks, but that is reality. OSU 2002 might be the exception to the rule. But, then again, it is OSU.

Once Iowa goes 12-0 and gets snubbed because they didn't win pretty enough, I will submit to these notions. Until then, what they do is working quite well.
 


Again, fair enough. How often do plays like that happen against Iowa?

Just spitballing here, but it sounds like you're still feeling a bit of sting from the Arizona game.

Not at all, I was actually over that pretty quickly. I'm fine with being conservative, but like I've said, you can be conservative and still move the football. I just feel like there are times where we go UBER-conservative, and I've never liked that. It doesn't happen all that often, but it does happen from time to time.
 


My dislike of laying back stems from the need to develop quality depth and build a complete team.
When you have the ability to make the score such that your #2's get quality time it build strength in the program keeps the kids dedicated to their work and prepares your team to be able to deal with situations like Arizona this year.
Yes we are doing very well and I'm happy where things are at but there is another step and higher plateaus that can be reached.Simply letting them stay on course and not shifting into a lower gear would have given opportunity to get more kids on the field.
The programs that have 20-50 yr traditions of excellence are on another plane and it takes the next step to get there.
 


My dislike of laying back stems from the need to develop quality depth and build a complete team.
When you have the ability to make the score such that your #2's get quality time it build strength in the program keeps the kids dedicated to their work and prepares your team to be able to deal with situations like Arizona this year.
Yes we are doing very well and I'm happy where things are at but there is another step and higher plateaus that can be reached.Simply letting them stay on course and not shifting into a lower gear would have given opportunity to get more kids on the field.
The programs that have 20-50 yr traditions of excellence are on another plane and it takes the next step to get there.

I'll buy this theory.

Scenerio #1--we go up by a score we feel we cannot lose by. Keep 1st-teamers (offense) in, keep playing as before, hone 1st teamers for the upcoming grind. Keep in 1st team defense. This has value added qualities IMO.

Scenerio #2--same as #1, except now you put in 2nd offensive teamers, building the offensive team base. This has value added qualities IMO.

Scenerio #3--same as #1, except you sit on the ball, neither executing the 1st-team offense for future use, or, developing the 2nd teamers. No value added IMO.
 


While I agree with your thinking Jon, I would have to also disagree. Im not saying leave your 1's in the whole game, but run up the score buy 3 TD's maybe, then put your 2's and 3's in and get them more PT. I could care less about style points, ok so maybe I'd like to see that alittle more too, but I fully understand that KF knows just alittle more about Fb than I do. Like I said MY arguement is to get the younger guys more PT, ESPECIALLY since next yr we will be a very young team.
 


I'll buy this theory.

Scenerio #1--we go up by a score we feel we cannot lose by. Keep 1st-teamers (offense) in, keep playing as before, hone 1st teamers for the upcoming grind. Keep in 1st team defense. This has value added qualities IMO.

Scenerio #2--same as #1, except now you put in 2nd offensive teamers, building the offensive team base. This has value added qualities IMO.

Scenerio #3--same as #1, except you sit on the ball, neither executing the 1st-team offense for future use, or, developing the 2nd teamers. No value added IMO.
Obviously KF and the coaches know more about their players than I do and maybe they don't feel thay can do this. But it just seems the great teams can have injuries and just grab the #2 and keep right on going. We can't at most positions.
In my limited coaching I worked very hard to get more kids a chance and inserted 2's with 1's all the time and it made a huge difference in how many kids I couold rely on and alot more kids where happy with their play time.
IMO alot more injuries happen when people are tired as well.
 


I'm not sure Iowa was really that conservative in the second half.

If you will recall, Penn State ate up a huge chunk of the third quarter with a very long drive (which thankfully resulted in no points). We took over on our one-yard line, and then the next few possessions were deep in our end of the field. It is dangerous to throw the ball when you are deep in your own territory (remember Stanzi's injury last year in the NW game, throwing out of his own end zone?).

When our field position improved later in the half, we opened it up again.

I think the play calling was more a function of field position than of philosophy. Why throw passes deep in your end of the field? With this defense and a 14 point lead, run the ball and then punt it out. That is what we did. I'm pretty sure that is what we will continue to do in similar situations.

If we had a porous defense, it would dictate a different approach.

Plus, give Penn State credit; they have a good defense!!!!
 


I'm not sure Iowa was really that conservative in the second half.

If you will recall, Penn State ate up a huge chunk of the third quarter with a very long drive (which thankfully resulted in no points). We took over on our one-yard line, and then the next few possessions were deep in our end of the field. It is dangerous to throw the ball when you are deep in your own territory (remember Stanzi's injury last year in the NW game, throwing out of his own end zone?).

When our field position improved later in the half, we opened it up again.

I think the play calling was more a function of field position than of philosophy. Why throw passes deep in your end of the field? With this defense and a 14 point lead, run the ball and then punt it out. That is what we did. I'm pretty sure that is what we will continue to do in similar situations.

If we had a porous defense, it would dictate a different approach.

Plus, give Penn State credit; they have a good defense!!!!

I'm not a guy who wanted them to go deep in the 4th quarter. But we hardly passed at all. slants and TE dumps, screens, etc. are very safe pass plays to run, and they move the ball. That's all I really wanted. I'm fine with being conservative, that's how we roll every week. But there are times where we're uber-conservative, and don't even utilize the short passing game to help the field position. I will never agree with doing THAT.
 




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