Sunday Morning Thoughts

[HughJanus]

Dylan Raiola is the first quarterback to throw for 300+ yards and 3+ TDs against Biff's Butthole Surfers since Stetson Bennett in 2021. Pretty impressive with only 3 offensive linemen.

 

[HughJanus]

Dylan Raiola is the first quarterback to throw for 300+ yards and 3+ TDs against Biff's Butthole Surfers since Stetson Bennett in 2021. Pretty impressive with only 3 offensive linemen.

He’s just the 4th QB since 1995 to throw 300+ yards, 3+ TDs, AND complete 70+% of his passes in a game against Biff's Butthole Surfers.

Joining Indiana’s Ben Chappell (2010), tOSU’s Troy Smith (2006) and Auburn’s Ben Leard (2001).

 

[Kazman5k]

We’re beating PSU

 

[Carm]

Since Biff's Butthole Surfers lost back-to-back games against #1 Oregon and #8 Indiana (5 point loss) last year they are 6-1 including wins over NC Ohio St and #11 Alabama, only loss to Oklahoma. Thery are not they team of 2023, but they are still formidable.

 

[V-Doub]

Dylan’s lack of mobility is a mismatch for Dana’s offense. Hard to stress the defense when your run game is mediocre and you don’t have the receivers/can’t pass block long enough to stretch the field in the pass game.

I think DR is more than capable in Holgo’s offense if you give him a legit offensive line. And to OP’s point about mesh concepts. They’re not gonna be effective if neither your RB or QB threaten the defense with their running ability.

I don’t think we have the personnel to run mesh concept RPOs. JMO

 

[SolichFan1987]

All encompassing of the entire fanbase. Guy who started this thread said Dylan was essentially only good when he can stand back and plant his feet which just isn’t true.

Dylan is good. But he can be better. I’m not suggesting at all that he should be replaced or anything like that.

I do think he has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. The sacks aren’t on him, but he could have done more to move around a bit and/or throw the ball away.

That said, I’m very impressed with his ability to avoid turnovers. he’s smart with the ball, which we haven’t had in forever.

 

[Sous Chef]

I really struggle to understand some people’s takes on Raiola…he was under pressure on I believe I saw it was 36 of his drop backs. He extended multiple plays.

Stat line of 73% 310 yards and 3 TDS is better than any QB that has ever played for us would put up passing wise in that circumstance.

Was accurate while on the move. If he doesn’t throw his 1st pick of the year then the narrative around him would be totally different.

Dylan was beyond impressive yesterday. He's the real deal.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Dylan is good. But he can be better. I’m not suggesting at all that he should be replaced or anything like that.

I do think he has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. The sacks aren’t on him, but he could have done more to move around a bit and/or throw the ball away.

That said, I’m very impressed with his ability to avoid turnovers. he’s smart with the ball, which we haven’t had in forever.

part of that is because Biff's Butthole Surfers's pass rush was winning with 4 or occasionally 3 rushers. that means you have 7 or 8 defenders in coverage, and when we start using the TE or RB to help with pass protection it makes the numbers even worse

people love to complain about sacks, but the alternative is usually forcing the ball into coverage which results in INTs like last year. outside of the one throw where he misread the coverage Dylan did a good job with ball security and not putting the ball in risky spots

expecting him to "move around better" is kind of ridiculous, imo. yesterday he did well to avoid the rush and made some key completions after making guys miss or breaking a tackle in the backfield.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

here's some of Dylan's national rankings:

yards - 10th
completion % - 3rd
TDs - 5th
QB rating - 15th

If I had told you before the season that those would be his rankings through 4 games we all would have been ecstatic

 

[Tsakoi]

We tried to skip a step.

Of course the schedule is what it is so we had to play Biff's Butthole Surfers yesterday but the truth is that we need to start beating teams like MSU, Maryland and Minnesota before we will be ready to beat teams like Biff's Butthole Surfers.

Let's win the next 3 and get those monkeys off our backs.

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

Complementary Football

I don't think we've seen the best version of this team. In its ideal state, you build a lead stressing with the passing strength, and then sit on them a bit with ground + pound with added stress from deep PA concepts. Then on D you're aggressive and back it up with NFL level pass D concepts. That's a good recipe, but we haven't quite been able to land the plane yet.

Defense

Starting here as patron saint of radical of the calm down movement (but gd some of you are being emotional).

TD1. My guess is this is a pre-read RPO and really shows the challenge of being a DC in current CFB landscape (that's why it's fun you fuckers). No idea if they checked into it or went Shedildo with perfect timing, but whatever chance we had with the lighter box was evaporated with the stunt. Underwood honestly didn't do much, but this is what that kind of player can still give you now.

TD2. Another one where the stunt puts us off the wrong football against the play call. This shit is going to happen with as aggressive as we are on D. I'm not sure how much of that is scheme or how much is how we're compensating for lack of experience/lack of currently elite DL, but this shit is going to happen. Still think Shavers probably needs to fill a little faster behind the stunt (guy in his first year in these type of game situations btw) and then you have Buford overrun the fit a little. When Biff's Butthole Surfers blocks up this well, you've gotta get the fit right. Cannot do that against a player like Haynes.

TD3. See Complementary Football. Some of this is the product of a defense that had been hung out to dry for most of the third quarter with h Biff's Butthole Surfers threatening in plus territory due to an O failing to do much of anything. Beyond that, just pretty fucking blocking. Watch the climb to LBs from the OL and the WR blocking on Guthrie to clear out the lane. This scheme asks you to fit all 11, which can be tough after the body blows. Don't care if it's maize and blue, that's pretty football.

Back-Breaking 8 min Edgefest. This is the one where, unfortunately, it all comes together. Kudos to the defense on only giving up 3 on a 16 play drive, 8 min drive where Biff's Butthole Surfers displayed the whole game plane. Three of Biff's Butthole Surfers's four third down conversations for the entire game came on this drive (75% on that drive, 33% for the game). Reflect on that. On two of those we had a player there to make the tackle and they just couldn't quite complete the play. On two of those, they're taking advantage of the aggressiveness (screen and run on 3rd and long). Were almost still able to make the play on the screen and on the run, they just had your number. Flip any one of those and DR is driving for a lead.

Honestly, do not recall a game where an opponent scored 3 TDs all on explosive plays, but didn't score a TD in the red zone (only one RZ trip total at that).

College kicker makes a 57 yarder and our guy misses one within his range. Don't come away with any points within the 5, miss on the safety, and end up with zero points with short punt and great field position. They get you with great coverage on the INT and get the immediate TD. That's a tough sequence, but the team battled. Despite what felt like most of the fanbase expecting them to do the opposite.