Tennessee game and other College Football Games yesterday

[PSU Soupy 615]

Watched a Jim Knowles Defense attack the entire game as Tennessee beat Auburn. Middle line backer Amari Campbell with 9 tackles and a sack. The best Defensive player for UT is Xavier Gilliam who has 4 sacks on the season and is a Captain for UT. Also Lane starts at Safety for Tennessee. So Tennessee took 3 players from PSU and our Defensive Coordinator and their defense is stout. Tennessee did not look "confused" by the Knowles defense.

At VT they are putting up 300 yards passing a game, Grunkmeyer is a very solid QB and Ty Howle has VT averaging 460 yards per game. VT is also running more of a drop back pro scheme with Grunk as opposed to the Square Peg / Round Hole Offense for Drew Allar.

Not sure why Knowles defense did not work at PSU. Not sure why all of the sudden VT is throwing the ball all over the yard and putting points on the board.

I do believe that it was time for Franklin to leave. He may have been saved if he had incorporated the changes implemented at VT on offense and simplifying the Knowles Defense as UT has done..............

 

[BobPSU92]

I would like to hear more about what went on at PSU last year. It seemed to be as bad a SH|T. SHOW. off the field as on. I‘ve heard that all that mattered was winning and that everything else went out the window. Apparently, some kids weren’t going to class and there was a lack of accountability overall. Perhaps the pressure got to Franklin such that he took the program in a direction that eroded buy-in. It was a mess.

 

[KingLando]

Good post--truthfully, I'm not sure CJF allowed Knowles to run his defense when he was here. Knowles was great before he got here and looks to be pretty damn good now--he didn't just forget how to coach nor were our guys just too stupid to run the defense. But maybe Heupel is just doing a better job of helping Knowles simplify it as you suggest.

Va Tech is definitely running an offense that would have been a better fit for Allar. Grunk's turnovers killed them though--he has to better if he wants to go from "solid" to good.

 

[psu0408]

If Franklin were still here, Knowles would have been gone either way. Franklin should have promoted Howle a while ago instead of burning through his OC rolodex. As far as the UT players, Chaz Coleman was already gone halfway through last season and Campbell wanted paid. It sucks losing Lane and Gilliam, but UT has a top 10 payroll, and I'm not sure any of them stay if Franklin were still the coach.

Campbell made a mistake in not holding onto Grunk, Reynolds and Cortez Harris. VT got them on the cheap, will be interesting to see if they don't chase higher offers in the offseason.

All that said, PSU has an unwatchable team right now. Offense, Defense and Punting are all atrocious. Campbell is learning quickly that his "system guys" aren't good enough to play in the Big Ten, and may have to rethink his emphasis on size over speed. From a recruiting standpoint, there will be opportunities for true freshman to play next year, and they'll have to overpay to land some talent in the portal next year.

 

[psuno1]

Good post--truthfully, I'm not sure CJF allowed Knowles to run his defense when he was here. Knowles was great before he got here and looks to be pretty damn good now--he didn't just forget how to coach nor were our guys just too stupid to run the defense. But maybe Heupel is just doing a better job of helping Knowles simplify it as you suggest.

Va Tech is definitely running an offense that would have been a better fit for Allar. Grunk's turnovers killed them though--he has to better if he wants to go from "solid" to good.

Knowles defense would have fit perfectly with the 2024 defense but 2025 defense had way less talent.

 

[razpsu]

Auburn is going to go 5-7 if lucky. So there is that.
Va tech playing in the weak!!! Acc. Lost to Pitt without heisman candidate qb from Pitt. Tennesee? Not making the playoffs. So let’s not think that these teams are all that.

 

[PSU Soupy 615]

Tennessee's defense is good enough for them to make the playoff. Freshmen QB hurts them. My point was about Tenn's Defense.

True or false: Virginia Tech is running a drop back passing scheme and posting 460 yards....... that is all that I am saying.