What we learned week one

Thoughts on Penn State’s 31-7 win over Akron in a few. First what did we learn from the Big Ten in the opening week of the season. I’ll admit, I tanked on picks, but honestly, who expected Illinois to flatline (outside of Missouri), who expected Michigan to be as focused as they were (besides Michigan)…who figured that Iowa would sweat against UNI (outside of UNI fans).

If one week painted a portrait of a conference, then the Big Ten is a blueprint that is being ripped up and redesigned at the moment.

A very unimpressive weekend all around.

Indiana 19, EKU 13, (Thursday)

What we learned: IU is serious about making offensive changes with that pistol attack, and while it will take some time to work out the kinks, it looks like it will be successful behind QB Ben Chappel.

Verdict: Is EKU good, or is IU just so far down that the rebuilding took a bit of a detour this week? Call it inconclusive, but I think IU will have some success in due time.

Iowa 17, Northern Iowa 16

What we learned: If your opponent is kicking a field goal on first down late in the game and you are on defense, and you block it, it doesn’t matter how much time is on the clock, fall on the ball, OK? Should be common sense.

Verdict: No way Iowa should have struggled, so I think that talk they can compete for the Big Ten title is a little premature right now. This was the son of most unimpressive showing from a conference team of the weekend, which leads me to….

Missouri 37, Illinois 9

What we learned: Ron Zook can recruit, but coach in big spots right now? No. and Juice Williams, though he may have taken two steps forward in the

Juice Williams, shown here against Ohio State in 2007, was not loose against Missouri yesterday as Illinois was blown out 37-9/SI Photo

preseason, he just took five backward. Still a work in progress. A big one.

Verdict: Total flatline. And now that Rejus Benn is down with an ankle injury, which may or may not linger, this offense is taking a major hit. If they don’t rebound next week with a huge performance, questions will hang over this team all year.

Purdue 52, Toledo 31

What we learned: Whoever steps into Purdue’s offense can seemingly take the offense that is already in place and pick up right where the previous team left off. Might be the only team in the country you can say that about.

Verdict: Purdue still doesn’t have a defense (31 points to Toledo? Even if they turn out to be good, still…), so if they are content to win games like this all season then it will be a success.

Ohio State 31, Navy 27

What we learned: You never, ever, EVER, schedule Navy for a season opener if you are a top notch team. Ever. Especially when USC is game number two.

Verdict: I am not on the side thinking that this was bad for Ohio State because Navy is a very tricky opponent, always, with that nasty option game. Was Ohio State lucky? Yep. Did this prepare them for USC? Mentally, it might have.

Northwestern 47, Towson 14

What we learned: If you don’t care about RPI and SOS rankings and want an easy win while paying an opponent to take a beatdown, then this was perfect for Northwestern. How much it helps long term, well it doesn’t.

Verdict: Very inconclusive. It’s not even worth trying to gauge how the ‘Cats are after this game.

Wisconsin 28, Northern Illinois 20

What we learned: Wisconsin can’t take anything lightly these days, up 28-6 at one point they nearly lost that lead. Memo to the Badgers, you aren’t Ohio State, or Penn State or maybe even Wisconsin yet.

Verdict: When you have to rebuild it’s never good to let teams like NIU hang around like that. Mentally, where are the Badgers right now? This is a sign that they may let things snowball like they did last year if they get down in a game.

Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7

What we learned: Michigan, finally, was able to avoid distractions, win a home opener and look impressive in doing so. This was supposed to be a test for them with all of the off-field issues, and plus WMU has a good offense. Michigan put that to rest early.

Verdict: If the Wolverines can play as focused every week as they did this one, they will be back near the top of the Big 12. This was valuable as they prepare for rival Notre Dame next week.

Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20, OT

What we learned: Minnesota still has the best QB-WR combo in the conference right now and that they probably underestimated Greg Paulus and a retooled ‘Cuse offense but they rallied.

Verdict: I think the game said more about Syracuse’s improvement (and believe me, any sign of improvement for that team is a major one right now), than it did where Minnesota is at. But the Gophers took some body blows and responded in the later rounds and that is all that matters in the end. Decent, not great comeback.

Michigan State 44, Montana State 3

What we learned: This was as expected and where some conference teams stubbed their toe against similar teams like Montana State this week, Michigan State didn’t mess around and did what it needed to do to win.

Verdict: Inconclusive. Talk to me in three weeks after they play (BCS bound) Notre Dame.

Penn State 31, Akron 7

What we learned: The talk about PSU’s new receivers was bunk as Daryll Clark didn’t miss a beat. But you can still throw on PSU and the offensive line isn’t where it needs to be right now. Younger players need to learn how to play a full game. There is a lot of depth at receiver and PSU played a lot of young guys who showed promise.

Verdict: They didn’t put together a complete performance, at all, but sometimes when a team doesn’t play its best and they can still win with ease, that’s important.

RISE AND FALL

+  Michigan: I can’t stress how important I think it was that this team dusted aside all of the problems off the field and made short work of a team that should have caused them problems. This was Michgian’s best performance under Rich Rodriguez.

– Illinois: Wow. All that talk and hype about the offense (and I believed it too) was for not. And with Rejus Benn hurt, and Juice Williams back to being Juice Williams circa two years ago, it’s not good right now.

BEST PERFORMANCE NATIONALLY

Alabama, easily. Overrated, no way. Underrated maybe. ‘Bama’s defense is lightning fast, strong, they hawk to the ball, the offense has a game manager at quarterback and depth in the backfield. Plus the receivers are tight. This team is going to stay in the top five as long as it wants to this season.

MORE PSU THOUGHTS

• If the offensive line believes it’s one or two “small things” away from being really good, then they have to show that next week against Syracuse.

• Kevin Newsome should have been in the game sooner. They need to understand that he must get snaps these next two weeks just in case.

• Was anyone really surprised that Devon Smith saw the field? Nope. My question is at 5’7, he will not be that over the middle guy, he’s going to be more gimmick than anything this year, so how do they develop  him. I wonder outloud how he’d look in the Wildcat?

• I think that the secondary got the message it can’t take anyone lightly and they better learn quickly that desptie 31-0 leads, you can’t let up.

• I also think that Paulus and Williams will challenge them next week more so than Akron did.

• How different will the receiving corps be if Clark gets into a flow with one guy (Derek Moye?)…as opposed to spreading the wealth among the Big Three like last year.

• That said….I also liked how they got several different players the ball.

• If Daryll Clark keeps playing like this, he will no longer be a Darkhorse with the Heisman talk. ESPN is already pimping him a little bit this morning.

• Clark just looked more at ease in his second season opening start, he has so much command, pocket presence, he needs to adjust to throwing to taller receivers, but man he just looked poised and ready to be the man from the start. Did you notice how he looked off two-three receivers just about every time yesterday?

SUNDAY LINKS

• You can read my recap of the game here and check back to BlueWhiteOnline.com later for my story on Derek Moye.

Weekend mailbag

Another round of select e-mail from the valued reader. By the way, a side note, a lot of you have noted there have been some changes in recent months on my end. I’m not going to get into much here, but the important thing is that the blog has been more popular this offseason than last, so I appreciate all the feedback and views and links, etc. Keep passing the word along.

The coverage won’t cease this fall either. At least that is the plan.

Coming up next week I will have a pretty indepth Big Ten preview for you, as well as some leftovers from Lift for Life.

Onto your questions and my answers.

Michael writes: Why do I have the feeling that Josh Hull will continue to be a JoePa favorite and won’t find his way out of the lineup, which would come at the expense of someone else who deserves to play?

Michael, thanks. You recall Hull was pretty animated this spring and said he is going to fstart when the season rolls around. He very well may start, but starting a game doesn’t mean you will finish it as the starter, if you catch my drift.

Hull played well at times last season, he definitely got better, but facts are facts. Navorro Bowman, Sean Lee, Mike Mauti, Nate Stupar, Hull and others deserve time. Who starts out of the three? It might be Hull when the season rolls around but I expect Mauti, Lee and Bowman to be your core of the linebacking unit. I’m pretty sure everyone else does too.

Eric in E-Town writes: What role do you think Jerome Hayes has this season? DE, LB? And is he healthy?

Eric, thanks for writing. Hayes will be ready to go once the season starts but I could see him being eased back into the rotation. PSU appears set to go with Jack Crawford and Kevion Latham at the ends. Hayes will likely operate as that hybrid standing up end role where he is a LB and DE. If he can stay healthy, he will be fine.

Marty writes: I’m thrilled the quarterbacks keep rolling in, but what’s your take on getting too many? Isn’t the staff setting itself up for another Clark-Devlin ‘problem?’

Marty, yes and no. Too much of a good thing is never bad. You need quarterbacks to have depth and keep the competition for the job healthy and maybe out of that it pushes someone to be better. Look at what Devlin

When it comes to quarterbacks in the Big Ten, it's Daryll Clark and everyone else, right now/SI Photo

ultimately did for Clark last year.

That said, it seems like Kevin Newsome is already forgotten past this year. Everyone is happy Paul Jones and Robert Bolden are on board (verbally), but it’s Kevin Newsome’s job to lose next year, assuming he is healthy.

I think the other thing is that, and Joe discussed this a little with Rich Scarcella in the Annual that just came out, there is a bit of a shift in how PSU is recruiting quarterbacks, I think. They understand that this spread philosophy works and in order for it to do so, you need the modern style quarterback that presents the run-pass threat.

Think about the impact Michael Robinson and Daryll Clark have had long term for this program. Why would the coaches go away from anything other than that style of quarterback now?

Class of ’74 asks: I’m pleased with this recruiting class right now, but is there an area they should be concentrating on more?

CO74: Yes. Defensive line. They are OK on the ends for now, but they need some interior guys to start coming through. By the way, sign your name next time.

Dave writes: Heard you the other day on the radio…do you really think the quality of Big Ten quarterback is down? How so. Didn’t Ricky Stanzi beat Penn State last year? Didn’t Pryor almost do it? Juice Williams can explode at any second. Come on man, give the conference more credit at the position.

Dave, settle down. Here’s first thing. Daryll Clark is the best quarterback in the conference. No one can or should debate that. Second…after Clark it’s Pryor and everyone else.

Stanzi didn’t beat PSU last year, PSU beat itself by not scoring in the redzone during a dominate first half. And they failed to put the game away in the second. You can’t let a team hang around when you go into their place and dominate like PSU did.

Third, Williams is overrated. Yes he has every bit the explosive potential, but look at his progression over the last four years. While the numbers are better, he hasn’t proven, outside of Ohio State, two years ago, he can win a big money game himself. That and Mike Locksley is elsewhere now too.

After Pryor it’s Adam Weber from Minnesota, then Williams, then I’d put Keith Nichol from Michigan State in there even though we haven’t seen him.

And Pryor hasn’t proven he can be a dominate quarterback. He is a freak athletically, but would you trust him, down seven, 90-yards to go? Not right now.

The bottom line is that no quarterback outright scares me if I am an opposing secondary EXCEPT Clark right now.

Keep sending in the e-mail and feedback.

Contact me at ethomas626@yahoo.com | Twitter me at BetweenTheLions

Saturday mailbag

Every Saturday starting today I will sort out the inbox and pick some of the hot topics and respond here.

Matt in State College writes: “Why is Ohio State getting all the love in the preseason previews. What is so different about their reloading season than Penn State’s?

Matt, I think it’s pretty simple. There’s a proven track record with the Buckeyes than when told they have to reload or a given year is a rebuilding year, they respond to the challenge and compete for the Big Ten title and BCS berth.

And it’s safe to say that the two other times Penn State won the Big Ten title they took a bit of a step back the next season. Now, in 1995, I thought PSU had a pretty good run to the Outback Bowl, but in 2006 they were awful in big games, particularly on offense, with a corps of guys that were holdovers.

As I stated in a previous post, I think Penn State will win the Big Ten title again this season. The reasons are simple; they have  better quarterback, better running back, and a better front seven than any other team in the conference and that will be enough to shoot them to the top of the conference and the Rose Bowl berth again. But I wouldn’t be stunned if both PSU and OSU share the title again.

Dave from Michigan writes: “Love the blog, you give an honest opinion of Big Ten football. What are your thoughts on the Wolverines this year, specifically what are your thoughts on Penn State’s trip here in October?”

Thanks Dave, I think they will be better, but how much, ehh. Last season they

Juice Williams will try to lead Illinois back to the top of the Big Ten Confernece in 2009/USA Today Photo

were picked by some to have a bounce back year but Toledo sent everything in a downward spiral.

This year I think breaking in a true freshman at QB will be OK, the receivers are solid, the defense is solid, meaning I think they can make a move toward the upper tier of the conference. They are still the fifth best team, at best, right now though.

Ryan in Philadelphia writes: “What are your early thoughts on an overrated and underrated team in the Big Ten this season?”

I’ll make this simple Ryan…

Overrated: Illinois. I’m a little unsure of what to expect from them. They could win the conferece and go back to the Rose Bowl and they could also lose seven games and sit out the bowl season. It all depends how Juice Williams is. He’s got plenty of weapons, the most lethal wide receiver in the confernece, maybe America in Regis Benn, so who knows.

Underrated: You’ll be surprised by this. Iowa. I realize they must replace Shonn Greene and there are some off-field issues that could chew at Kirk Ferentz’s ankles, but they have a veteran group on offense and a returning QB in Ricky Stanzi. The Hawkeyes biggest worry is road games at Ohio State and Penn State. And believe me, they aren’t winning at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 26.

Dale in Selinsgrove writes: Eric, I’m getting antsy for football season with all of the PSU talk and preseason magazines coming out lately. What is the toughest test for Penn State on their schedule this season?

Dale, you could point to the showdown with Ohio State, that’s a given, but I think PSU wins that game at home. The toughest game by far, is at Illinois on Oct. 3. Last time there, PSU outplayed the Illini with almost ease, especially in the first half and still couldn’t avoid mental breakdowns on special teams. I know I just said Illinois is the overrated team, but they still do have weapons and that is Penn State’s first road game of the year after what should (will) be a 4-0 start and top 10 ranking.

Matt in Waynesboro writes: “I’ve enjoyed your coverage, but I am tired of the non-conferece schedule bashing. How important really is schedule some ‘thunder’ early in the season?”

Matt, facts are facts, their schedule stinks in the non-con portion. There’s no two ways around that and there’s no way that 10 years ago or whenever they put the 2009 schedule together they could have felt that Syracuse, Temple, Akron and Eastern Illinois were going to  be quality opponents.

Joe Paterno will argue that they need the seventh or in this case, eighth home game for the revenue, and there is a point to that arguement, to a degree. That’s the only advantage this type of schedule has.

The advantage is national exposure in a primetime slot, like Ohio State has done with Texas and USC in the last few years. Arguably Ohio State got better after each of those games the years they’ve played them.

Because the Big Ten does not have a conference title game, they sometimes need these games as a benchmark. Ohio State has another one this year hosting USC, and at the end of the year you will hear everyone talk about how playing USC benefits the Buckeyes come bowl season.

Now that said, Penn State isn’t scheduling USC or Florida, but getting Alabama next year cannot hurt, and hopefully a series with Miami won’t either. You want positive attention for who you play, not what PSU is stuck with this season.

Thanks to all for writing, more mail next weekend.

E-mail reaches me at ethomas626@yahoo.com. Follow constant updates via Twitter.

Juice is the POTW in the Big Ten

Shocker, I know…

OFFENSE:

Juice Williams, Illinois, JR, QB, Chicago, Ill./Chicago Vocational

Williams racked up 431 yards of total offense to set a new Michigan Stadium record and lead Illinois to a 45-20 victory over Michigan. The junior quarterback completed 13-of-26 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns, while registering 121 yards on 19 carries with two more scores. He surpassed 400 yards of total offense for the second time this season, after racking up a career-high 461 yards in the season opener against Missouri. Both performances rank among the top-10 single-game efforts in school history. Williams led his offense to 45 points, the most ever for the Illini against the Wolverines and the most allowed by Michigan since 1991. This is the third career weekly accolade for Williams after being honored on Sept. 1, 2008, and Nov. 12, 2007.

LAST ILL OFFENSIVE POW: QB Juice Williams on Sept. 1, 2008.

 

DEFENSE:

Brit Miller, Illinois, SR, LB, Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower

Miller filled up the stat sheet with nine defensive stops, four tackles for loss, two sacks and two pass breakups to lead Illinois to its first win at Michigan since 1999. The senior linebacker set career highs in both tackles for loss and sacks, pushing the Wolverines’ offense back a combined 26 yards. After the hosts compiled 143 total yards and 48 rushing yards to build a 14-3  first quarter lead, Miller and the Illini defense held Michigan to only 21 more yards on the ground, 176 total yards and six more points over the final three quarters. Miller collects his first career weekly laurel.

LAST ILL DEFENSIVE POW: DE Will Davis on Sept. 24, 2007.

 

CO-SPECIAL TEAMS:

Brett Swenson, Michigan State, JR, K, Pompano Beach, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas

Swenson was perfect on three field goal attempts and an extra point in a narrow 16-13 victory over Iowa. The junior kicker connected on boots of 29 and 32 yards in the second quarter and added a 25-yarder in the third period to give the Spartans a 16-3 advantage. Since missing his first field goal attempt of the season, Swenson has made his last 12 field goals, just one short of tying the school record of 13 consecutive field goals set by Paul Edinger in 1998. Swenson picks up his first career weekly honor.

LAST MSU SPECIAL TEAMS POW: KR Demond Williams on Oct. 31, 2005.

 

Joel Monroe, Minnesota, SR, K, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Robbinsdale-Cooper

Monroe’s three field goals were the difference in a 16-7 triumph over Indiana. After missing his first attempt due to a bad snap and hold, the senior kicker connected on a career-high three field goals to provide all of the second-half scoring. With the score knotted at 7-7, Monroe hit field goals of 29 and 42 yards in the third quarter, the latter marking a season long. He sealed the victory with a 38-yarder with less than a minute left in the game. Monroe  collects the first weekly accolade of his career.

LAST MINN SPECIAL TEAMS POW: K Jason Giannini on Oct. 10, 2005.