| | PSU-Alabama wrapup...September 11, 2010 - Ray Eckenrode Between the Lions: Alabama 24, Penn State 3 TIDE UP Athletic defending champs outmuscle, overwhelm Nits First quarter: Alabama 7, PSU 0 > PSU linebackers invisible again on ‘Bama’s first scoring drive, unable to cover receivers or apply any pressure when they blitz. > Bad decision by Bolden on the first interception, but he sure didn’t get any help from Chaz Powell. > Musburger apoplectic about pressure from Donte Hightower. “Now, you see why he’s one of the best!” Because no one blocks him on a simple stunt? > It’s hard to imagine a defense getting manhandled any more severely that Penn State’s was in the first quarter: No pressure, poor coverage, poor tackling. We said it in the second quarter against Youngstown. This group is S-L-O-W. Second quarter: Alabama 17, PSU 0 > Bama’s offense looks like PSU ‘94 on steroids -- and we mean that figuratively (we think)... > Oh yeah, except that they’re missing last year’s Heisman winner. > Let’s get this clear. The whooping administered in this game was not about scheme or game plan or even execution (although THAT certainly played a part). It was about a systematic decline in the quantity and quality of Penn State’s recruiting over the past five years. Alabama had better athletes at 22 of 22 positions. > Who taught Brent Musburger what an iso is? > Penn State’s formula for staying in this game involved Alabama making a couple of big mistakes. There was, of course, no way that the Lions could compete if THEY made the critical errors. Third quarter: Alabama 17, PSU 0 > Penn State going for it on 4th-and-inches? Joe has definitely ceded some of the decision making. > Bolden has looked fairly calm and collected and moved well in the pocket UNTIL the Lions get inside the Tide 30 and THEN he’s looked like a scared freshman. > Graham Zug. C’mon man! > Wow, three field goals and it’s 17-9, one possession game entering the fourth quarter. > What does it say about this game and this team that they’re being shut out but at this point the offense is the bright spot for the evening. Fourth quarter: Alabama 24, PSU 3 > It’s a tribute to how good Herbstreit is that we’re in the fourth quarter and we can’t think of one stupid thing he said so far. > It’s good to see Davon Smith getting more involved in the offense. > Obviously, Brett Brackett wasn’t able to get the kind of separation against elite athletes that he did against Youngstown State. > Why would you show that reverse pass trailing 24-3? > Evan Royster wasn’t a nonfactor in this game. Penn State’s rushing offense was a nonfactor. Sometimes we forget that they’re not synonymous. The final word: | EZToUse.com |