Blue and White Roundtable: Ohio State
October 23, 2007 by Run Up The Score!
This week’s questions are from the guys at The Nittany Line. Don’t forget about everyone else:
Black Shoe Diaries
There Is No Name On My Jersey
The Nittany Notebook
William Yurasko
1) Will the loss of Hahn and/or Odrick have a big impact on either the offense in Hahn’s case, or the defense in Odrick’s case?
In Hahn’s case, the dropoff will come in terms of rushing and receiving yards. Dan Lawlor is a possible upgrade in terms of blocking, although nobody really knows yet. With Odrick, the defense will certainly be hurt in terms of interior quickness and depth. Still, Abe Koroma recently returned from an injury and Tom McEowen is working his way back to 100%, so it’s not a total crisis.
2) Has Anthony Morelli redeemed himself in your eyes?
It’s possible that Morelli needed his job to be threatened. He’s playing so much looser now, and it’s been a blessing for Penn State over the last three games. He’ll have a much tougher time against Ohio State.
By the way, when do we have to give Jay Paterno credit for Morelli’s short-term turnaround?
3) Is the offensive play calling where you want it to be now or do we still need help?
It’s good. They’ve shown a willingness to throw on first down, they’re using both running backs equally, and a different pair of receivers seem to be featured every week. However, don’t expect Penn State to be very risky on Saturday. Sometimes it’s okay to be a little conservative.
Lightning Round
-Are you lucky enough to have scored tickets this week?
Sold ‘em. That’s right, sold ‘em. Unfortunately, the 8:00 p.m. game combined with trying to get home on Route 322 to Harrisburg means I wouldn’t get back here until 4:30 a.m.
(And yes, I know I had an offer to sleep on an air mattress, but I’m traveling all day Friday and I’M SORRY, OKAY?)
I’ll be watching the game here in the bunker with bottle of scotch and somewhere between five and seven ice cubes. Maybe I’ll do a live-blog.
-Which Ohio State offensive player scares you the most?
Ray Small scares the crap out of me for some reason.
-For the game Saturday are you : giddy, apprehensive, or on suicide watch?
Given those choices, giddy. What’s the possible downside of this week? Even if Penn State gets destroyed, the takeaway of the game for me will be “Okay, Ohio State is for real after all.” This is also known as denial. Still, Penn State is going to have a real, legitimate chance to take down the top ranked team in the country.
“(And yes, I know I had an offer to sleep on an air mattress, but I’m traveling all day Friday and I’M SORRY, OKAY?)”
Oh yeah?
Turd.
Playcalling was excellent against indiana. Get the ball to norwood in open space, he’s our best offensive player, very elusive, catches more stuff than a michael vick hookup.
Ray Small isn’t listed on the two deep on ozone
http://www.theozone.net/football/2007/PennState/depthchart.htm
Sleep? Sleep? There’s no sleeping during football season. No bother, it’s so much better watching the games at home - safely tucked in with your Restoration Hardware lap blanket and a cup of hot Twinings tea (make sure it’s decaffeinated!).
-Are you lucky enough to have scored tickets this week?
Sold ‘em. That’s right, sold ‘em. Unfortunately, the 8:00 p.m. game combined with trying to get home on Route 322 to Harrisburg means I wouldn’t get back here until 4:30 a.m.
A good example of why I groan whenever I see that there is a night game on the schedule. I’m making it to this one, but had we not scored a pull-out couch in Bellefonte, I’d be selling my tickets too.
In one of the great injustices in the world, I have easy access to near-campus sleeping quarters from which I could walk back from the game with Paterno, if’n he still did, but I can’t get to State College, would never be able to get any tickets, and no, you guys can’t stay with my grandma anyways.
This is the reason (well, one of them) we spend $5600 / year for 2 hotel rooms each game weekend.
It’s ridiculous bucks, I know. Once the check is written, tho, it sure is comforting to know that game times become irrelevant.
That said, I wouldn’t make a day trip on an 8 pm game either. Especially having to drive back to scenic (and historic) Chester County.
No offense to PSUgirl, but no - it isn’t so much better not being there. I realize you’re just rationalizing the situation, but still……
RUTS is a big boy. No need to make him feel better about missing the Lions knock off the #1 team in the country….
Who moves from Colorado to Pennsylvania and still sits on his couch to watch the games?
weak sauce, dude.
RUTS will actually not be watching the game, he has a big weekend full of Madonna videos & appletini’s planned.
StL - CLASSIC!
I think they’re going to be virgin appletini’s though. Not sure he can handle having vodka in his fruity cocktails.
Oh, I wasn’t rationalizing - I was mocking. And I think RUTS will definitely be spending the weekend watching Madonna and Wham! videos and replaying his well worn copy of Take That’s reunion during the Concert for Diana (I know. I cried too.) - while flipping back to the Style Network’s “Clean House” marathon (Niecy will not have you living in foolishness).
Yes, a place to stay in State College is really the main reason that I’m still nice to my mother. That and her penchant buying me Penn State jewelry from Moyer’s Jewelers - plus, she’s pretty darn cute.
PSUgirl - thanks for that. I just blew coffee out my nose. Hot coffee.
Mom’s are great, for a kazillion reasons. And a place in State College is a great one to start with.
I’m not, however, making the 40 mile trip to Philly for the Temple game. Lame? Perhaps. I will, however, find a bar with the BTN and go all RUTS on their TV’s ass.
good call on ray small