Michigan Does Just Enough to Win
The #6 Michigan Wolverines (9-1, 6-1 B10) prevailed over a game bunch of Nittany Lions (6-4, 3-4) in chilly, windy Beaver Stadium. Final score was 21-17.
As expected, Penn State mustered only 109 yards rushing, but the passing game was well controlled by the Michigan defense, who sacked Sean Clifford seven times to hold him to 205 yards passing, going 23-43. Jordan Stout, pressed into service now as a quintuple threat, was 1-1 passing for 18 yards.
Stout’s fake punt so titillated James Franklin that he had to try a fake field goal, this time using Stout as a receiver. This resulted in a loss of 18 yards on the ground, thus leveling Stout’s non-traditional offensive output at a big fat zero. ????? ????? As if that wasn’t bad enough, he coughed up the ball for a turnover.
Stout’s final stats: Field Goals 3-4; Passing 1-1 for 18 yards; Receiving 1-1 for -18 yards; Punting 4 for 204 yards.
Questionable Decisions
I shouldn’t have to write much other than the heading above, as we all know Franklin sucks at calling crucial plays. But let me say it: he sucks at calling crucial plays. In the fourth quarter after Keyvone Lee had started enjoying some success, having run for 88 yards on 20 carries, Franklin suddenly abandoned the run and reverted to the passing game, getting top receiver Jahan Dotson injured in the process and making him unavailable to play in the ill-advised 4th-and-two play that followed. Penn State had been bottling up the Michigan offense at that point, but hindsight is always 20-20, as “they” say.
Stout was three for four kicking field goals on a windy, crappy day. The overly aggressive fake probably took the place of a makeable field goal. Of course, fanboys being what we are, if the fake had succeeded, we’d be singing praise. Franklin said they had been practicing the fakes a lot. ??? ???? ???? ????? Of course, they weren’t practicing them against the Michigan defense. But WHY were they spending all that time practicing trick plays when the fundamentals are so lacking? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???????
(I’ll reluctantly return for my take on the rumble with the Piscataway Pretenders.)
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Big Al says
That game had to be a deflating loss for the players. They could have quit after blowing those scoring opportunities in the 1st quarter and Michigan scored a touchdoiwn on the 1st possesion of the 2nd half. However, they kept playing hard, tied the game, and, when Ebekatie’s strip sack gave them the ball in the red zone with six minutes to play, I hoped that they were FINALLY going to complete a 4th quarter comeback to win a game. And that win might give them enough momentum to finish the season 9-3 and avoid the Toilet Bowl.
Unfortunately, that play was probably the high water mark for this season (and maybe the rest of CJF’s tenure at
Dear Old State). The team played like crap for the rest of the game and experienced yet another 4th quarter collapse. (Penn State’s SI hacks should consider replacing their “Penn State Football – Unrivaled” marketing gimmick with “Penn State Football – 4th Quarter Collapse”) I don’t see how the players can recover emotionally from this loss. And I don’t expect them to be ready to play Rutgers or Moo U – even if Clifford and Dotson are healthy enough to play.
The Nittany Turkey says
It’s too bad we seem to be stuck with Franklin. It’s a vicious circle: he can’t win big games, so he doesn’t get job offers, so he stays at PSU using the leverage he somehow has with Sandy, and here, he doesn’t win big games — a self-perpetuating nightmare.
More to come on Rutgers. (Nothing very enlightening, though, as usual!).
—TNT
Thomas Wilson says
I knew it was over when the defense gave them the ball deep in Michigan territory and they came away with a field goal. Even if all Michigan got on the next drive was a field goal I’m sure they would have won in OT, if not outright. I think any opportunities for Franklin at USC or LSU are, as Cheech and Chong once said, “up in smoke”.
The Nittany Turkey says
Yeah, I would agree. Even if they think Franklin is hot shit, their boards of truetees or whoever are the powers that be would undoubtedly balk at hiring a 7-5 or 6-6 coach (4-5 last year) for the big bucks. So, we’re stuck in Franklin Mode, methinks!
—TNT
Diesel says
Like quarterbacks, great coaches win games they shouldn’t, good coaches win games they should, and average coaches win most games they should but lose some games they shouldn’t. Based on his body of work I’d say Franklin is an average to good coach (good because he is a pretty good recruiter). If Franklin is serious about the football program going from good to great he needs to only look in the mirror.
The Nittany Turkey says
I have no idea what Franklin sees when he looks in the mirror. Perhaps he sees a good family man who wants to be closer to his kids in Florida. I doubt that UF will hire him. They need another five-loss coach like they need open season on Gators.
—TNT
psudrozz says
Maybe they should have spent more of their practice time on goal line situations than fake fgs.
Another winnable game lost.
The Nittany Turkey says
Fourth and two … more balls than brains… a distant echo….
—TNT