PSU_Lions_84

Yeah, you got me, Zippy, but I had to use a pic like that to tease about the Panthers mascot nickname. I'm all for the upcoming series. You may recall "84" is my graduation year from State. "48-14" (the score from the game when we knocked off Dan Marino and Pitt from being #1) is like music in my ears and warm mincemeat pie with ice cream sitting in front of me!! On the other hand, the Panther fans try to pretend that their 12-0 victory in the last game we played defines domination -- that is mere puffery. I'm looking forward to the series, and our wins in it, to remove that crutch from them!

Will definitely be cheering for you guys against Pitt (and Marshall, but this is the Pitt thread . . . )!!! Too lazy to learn how to embed a picture here, but this link ties to a story that shows Heinz Field during a Pitt home game. You guys think you have attendance issues? There is a reason the Pitt mascot's nickname is M.T. Yellowseat. (Say it out loud to get the full effect.) http://bleedblackandgold.com/blog/2010/05/26/there-is-hope-for-a-super-bowl-in-steeltown/ Go, Zips! Crush Pitt!!

That's probably pretty fair, Zippy, on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper we've put some strong D-linemen such as Jared Odrick, Devon Still, and Jordan Hill into the pros. We've also produced some LBs the Steelers whiffed on - Bowman for San Francisco has torn it up for a few seasons. Could it be the players coming out of Penn State in a particular season are just not matching the Steelers' needs for those years -- we are graduating D-linemen when they need WRs, for example?

18 on offense is Jesse James, and he IS a beast! 6'7" and close to 270 pounds -- as a tight end. I've seen him run through would-be tackles -- kinda like Yukon Cornelius and his dogs ganging up on the Bumble. (Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, if anyone needs a reference.) But, as you guys are saying, all that WR/TE talent is moo (a BlackShoeDiaries meme) if Hack does not have time to throw. (18 on defense is Deion Barnes, who was B1G freshman of the year season before last; he had a sophomore slump last year, but we are expecting him to have a good year this season.) Here's something to look for: Zwinak (#28) and Belton (#1) are both pretty good blockers; Lynch (#22) is not quite there yet. So odds are good it is a true running play if Lynch is in. Dr Z, the Steelers don't seem to draft many Penn Staters, which has been a mystery to me for some time now. I guess that is a separate discussion, but I would be interested if anyone has any ideas or theories.

Balsy, I'd say you were spot-on about Hack. I think the kid is great and has a high ceiling, but don't think he is "there" yet. That is both good and bad, of course, for us and opponents. His growth will obviously depend on his surrounding cast -- something a few Lions fans have not yet come to accept. He was heavily dependent on Allen Robinson last year, and while I think we have plenty of talent at WR/TE, it's going to take Christian a few games not to scan the field for ARob as his go-to guy. But, imho, Pohl is the key to the game. If our D-line can be disruptive, you guys will suffer. Holman did move the ball pretty effectively, but he also had linemen and blitzers in his face a lot. I think I'm going to disagree that UCF developed a multi-dimensional game when Holman came in -- the Knight rushing game did not dramatically improve, IIRC. BUT, Holman exploited our secondary a lot better than had DiNovo. If we can pressure Pohl like we did DiNovo (which can also throw off the rushing game), then I think Penn State wins by 10 - 14 points. Obviously the same is true for your defense/our offense. In the end, I'm going completely homer and say Penn State wins by 10. Thoughts/counter-arguments? P.S. Balsy and anyone else who visits BlackShoes, I hope you find the BSD folks very respectful. I'll be disappointed if they turn into ass-hats -- we're saving that for Rutgers and Maryland, I think.

How big is your stadium, guys? When I worked at Duke U, Coach Cut made a few phone calls and got Alabama to play at Wallace Wade. They brought in bleachers to push seating to about 45K. Be great if Coaches Bowden or Amato could twist a few arms to bring in a similar team. While the game didn't end well for Duke, that one game really helped Duke's football growth, and got Dukies a little more hooked on attending football games.

Sorry for the three-peat posting, guys, but I am remiss in not pointing you to BlackShoeDiaries.com, which is the premier Penn State sports blog. Most people there are genuinely good people who love sports (esp. football) and are interested in learning about opponents. I am PSU_Lions_84 there also, of course. Best regards, Mark

One of the head-scratchers kinda relates to scoring. In one series, we moved the ball to about UCF's two-yard line. Ran a couple plays and got stuffed. The next play was putting Zwinak in the wildcat, with Hack out on the flank as a receiver. Now Zwinak is a good player, but he is an elephant to Belton's gazelle. Plus, Belton was a HS QB, so at least has an idea of how to throw the ball. The play was a massacre, and Ficken came in for a FG. Obviously that was a potential 4-point diff. Please tell me more about the strengths and weaknesses of this year's Zips' squad.

Thanks for the invite, Johnny! I think UA1987's analysis is pretty good, except about Penn State's running backs. For whatever reason (probably the inexperienced O-line plus some head-scratching calls), they did not perform to expectations. I think the run attack will get extra focus in practice this week.

Congrats on a strong win in the inaugural game at your new stadium!! Laying a 41 - 0 score on anybody is an accomplishment -- outstanding football.Good luck in the reason of the year; I look forward to seeing you guys in, and winning, the MAC championship.

STZ, you win the "channeling James Joyce" award for 2009!!Thank you all for the support!! Dang, I love college football!!!!!!!And, CPT K, if I am messing up your site, please let me know. You guys have been fun to talk with and while our paths will diverge at some point, I was looking for an excuse to keep in touch. You have my support against Morgan State, for what that is worth. Take the MAC championship, too!!

Just FYI, this is how I broke it down on the ESPN Syracuse-State conversation:My $0.02. (BTW, whatever happened to the "cents" key on the keyboard? Or am I just remembering my typewriter days, too?)Joe said after the Akron game that he wanted even more passing -- maybe to really establish those inexperienced WRs. With the passing game on track and the rushing game not so successful, I look for more focus on running. That will limit the number of scoring opportunities for Penn State's offense, and I also expect Wagner will be given more kicking opportunities, to bolster his confidence.Penn State -- 34On the other hand, the Orange generated 167 yards passing and 90 yards rushing against a decent GG defense. Our front seven looks stout -- again -- so I think their running game will be non-existent for at least three qtrs. This in turn puts pressure on Paulus, who had a decent game until his error in judgment in OT. If he gets any kind of protection from his line, I look for him to have 40+ attempts, with somewhere around 18 - 24 completions (and two INTs). Inevitably, that will result in one or two TDs because of blown coverage by our secondary, and I think Cuse will get close enough to punch in one FG.Cuse -- 17Halftime score: Lions -- 24, Orange -- 7.If the liquid sunshine (LOL USN Kologi!) appears, along with some wind, I reserve the right to subtract one TD from the Cuse, as Paulus' rust shows thru even more in a non-dome environment.

First, a celebrity endorsement for Zips football: Mr. T sez, "Fear the Roo, foo'!!!!"The Akron-Penn State game has been played and then dissected, and now the two teams move on to other opponents. As it turns out, we have a common opponent on our skeds: The Syracuse Orange, led by former Duke PG Greg Paulus. The Orange took the Minnesota Golden Gophers to overtime last week, losing 23 - 20 in a game where the Cuse generated 257 yards in total offense while allowing 360 yards.I would welcome your predictions -- mainly on the final score, but if anyone wants to estimate other stats, feel free. (I know Akron is an excellent engineering school, so figure a lot of you are into numbers.)And as a second point-of-curiousity, will you root for Penn State, Syracuse, or stay neutral? And, why?My personal prediction: 34 - 14. After establishing the passing game, I think the Penn State offense will try to get the running game going more consistently. If they do, that will throttle back on the number of scoring opportunities.On the other hand, the success of the Zips passing game in the second half strengthened some fears about our defensive secondary. Giving Paulus his due, he had a decent passing day: 19-31 for 167 yards. I look for the Orange to be pass-happy.

We need more fans like PSU_Lions_84, he seems motivated.Honored, Doc, thanks very much! Spent seven years on Army Special Forces A-teams: Motivation was NOT optional. Hoo-ahhh!P.S. Don't dis each other's ideas, guys -- you never know when one speck of badly needed pepper will fly out from a pile of bird crap. I spend my days trying to separate the pepper from the fly spit; it's always nice to find that one grain of finely ground seasoning.

Joey sung "Puuuurfect Sleeper" like nobody elseAnd if her goal was to get me to sleep, she failed miserably . . . .I suppose it's a good thing the assailant's name wasn't Jugular.+1 Hysterical!!!

It's funny that the Cap'n brought up Morganna in this thread. Look what happened at the US Open today ESPN LinkKeeping in line with the "old timer" theme, "the times, they are a changin'" Looks like Morgan Fairchild to me, Johnny. Do you recall Joey Heatherton doing Serta mattress commercials? Oooo, la-la. The US Open assailant's last name is "Aorta" -- guess you could say he went to the heart of the matter. 3 points to everyone who gets that reference.

It was the Capt., not me, who posted the pic. Apparently we are the only two guys who know who they er I mean she was. Morganna went into retirement at the end of 1999 and now lives in Columbus, Ohio. She no longer grants interviews or does appearances. Since she was in her prime in the 1970's, as Martha would say, that's a good thing.Thx for clarifying, Zip, and for most of the update about Morganna. I think you could have safely ended your news somewhere around, "She retired at the end of 1999 and now lives in Columbus, Ohio." It's going to take me awhile to flush away the mental image generated by the remainder of your note . . . .

Hey, guys, I posted this on another thread -- sorry for the repetition, but wanted to share some things on generating buzz for the team and stadium.(1) E-mails (cheaper and faster than paper mailings) to your alumni, both to get them to attend and to donate and/or sell some of the other promotional stuff.(2) T-shirts that say something such as "InfoCision Stadium -- Inaugural Season" and list your home games/dates. (Sorry if I misspelled the Stadium name.)Here's one vendor, pulled at random from Google: http://www.customink.com/categories/short-...hirts/16/styles(3) Hats or visors or something similar with "Akron Zips" and your kangaroo logo. (Solicit donations from alumni/local businesses to defray costs.)(4) Shoot, go back to high school and get the cheerleaders to throw (mini) footballs into the stands. Watch in case you spot one of them with a good arm. (Not knocking CJacq -- just suggesting there may be two benefits for one promotion.)(5) Noisemakers such as http://www.motivators.com/Promotional-Cust...acas-22577.htmlIMHO, you want "take-aways" so that when you are wearing your spiffy T-shirt or hat in other venues, people approach you and ask, "Where did you get the spiffy T-shirt/hat, and how do I get my hands on one?"Someone let me know if you come up with ideas that need $$, and I'll donate $50 to the cause. ONE of you (LOL!) e-mail me at nomad733@msn.com.P.S. Zipmeister, thanks for the memory of the "kissing bandit". I wonder where they -- I mean, she -- is now . . .

(1) E-mails to your alumni, both to get them to attend and to donate and/or sell some of the other promotional stuff.(2) T-shirts that say something such as "InfoCision Stadium -- Inaugural Season" and list your home games/dates. (Sorry if I misspelled the Stadium name.)Here's one vendor, pulled at random from Google: http://www.customink.com/categories/short-...hirts/16/styles(3) Hats or visors or something similar with "Akron Zips" and your kangaroo logo. (Solicit donations from alumni/local businesses to defray costs.)(4) Shoot, go back to high school and get the cheerleaders to throw (small) footballs into the stands. Watch in case you spot one of them with a good arm. (Not knocking CJ -- just suggesting there may be two benefits for one promotion.)(5) Noisemakers such as http://www.motivators.com/Promotional-Cust...acas-22577.htmlIMHO, you want "take-aways" so that when you are wearing your spiffy T-shirt or hat in other venues, people approach you and ask, "Where did you get the spiffy T-shirt/hat, and how do I get my hands on one?"Someone let me know if you come up with ideas that need $$, and I'll donate $50 to the cause. E-mail me at nomad733@msn.com.

From small acorns mighty oaks grow, ZipsMan. Pick something(s) and start spreading the word -- on this site, in student/fan media, etc.The Duke students make up chants for each opponent and circulate them amongst the attendees for games at Cameron. (Don't ask me how -- I can't get within 10 miles of Cameron on game nights.)

Morgan State averaged 270 yards of total offense in 2008, including games against Winston-Salem State and North Carolina A&T, two of the worst "traditionally black" teams in the country. (I live just south of Greensboro, NC, -- these teams get extensive coverage in the local media, so I know of what I speak.) They averaged 20 points per game and gave up an average of 19.5 ppg. Not saying they couldn't dramatically improve, but I look for you guys to beat them handily. Say, 31 - 10. Your passing game started to come together, your D played lights out in the second half against the Lions, and as long as the coach loses the "up the gut" play I bet your running game develops also.Plus you guys are breaking in a beautiful new facility, it sounds like it will be a sell-out, and your team is hungry after losing to us. Hmmm, maybe 38 - 7.What traditions do you fans have for home games? Despite one sour post after our game that claimed we ripped off Marshall, the "We are . . . Penn State" chant has been around in Happy Valley since the 40's. (I heard it as a kid in the 1960's.) The Lion roar can be obnoxious to opponents, but that is the point, isn't it? And maybe the ____-out didn't start with Penn State, but you have to admit we have raised it to an art form. Having over 100,000 people, all in white under the lights, sends a strong message of support to the players. So, get some T-shirts, form clubs like the "Blue Royster Cult" (soon to be followed by "Blue Royer Cult" in honor of Dakota Royer, an outstanding 2010 commit), make up signs, etc. -- find some things that rock Info Stadium, and make it a fearsome place for opponents to visit. Please, tho, stay away from cow bells and shaking keys -- those are annoying, not fear-inspiring.I expect to hear noise from your stadium all the way down here in North Carolina!!!

I was sort of hoping for a tie in the football game! Your second half was great, Johnny -- kind of a moral tie, esp. after a demoralizing first half. The Zips didn't quit, that's for sure!

I don't know how to say this without sounding arrogant. It is not my intention to convey that, so please accept apologies if my comments offend: It is hard to explain to other teams' fans what "Penn State defense" means -- i obviously failed to help you guys understand that in the weeks leading up to the game. Penn State coaches look for defensive players who motor until the whistle is blown, who want to dominate their opponent, and who want a shut-out every game. The D is what the rest of the team is built around.And what is great for Akron is that YOUR defense manifested many of those attributes in the second half. I expect your D will win a few games for you, and could lead to the conference championship. As Joe says, "Offense wins games -- defense wins championships." Will be cheering you on going forward.Best!