Saturday Night College Football

#3 PENN STATE @ #11 OHIO STATE



THE SCORE:

Penn State, 13
Ohio State, 6

THE PLAYS:

11:03, 4^th Quarter

There was only one really significant play, the Pryor fumble. One of the quarterbacks had to make a mistake eventually, it just happened to be all-everything freshman.

On third and short from a little behind mid-field, Pryor ran right and instead of turning it upfield for the easy first down, attempting to string it out along the sideline for the long score.

Senior Mark Rubin didn’t even look like he was going for the ball. He filled the alley, got an angle on Pryor and the ball came out almost too easily. Navarro Bowman eventually ended up on top of the ball after a lengthy scrap for it.

This came on the heels of a missed field goal that sent all the momentum towards the Buckeyes. Clark had led the Nittany Lions into Buckeye territory on one of the games longest drives. Derrick Williams came down with Clark’s 3^rd down pass out of bounds, and Kevin Kelly pushed the ensuing 45 yard attempt wide left.

Now it was 6-3 Buckeyes from the 27. Chris Wells and Pryor runs a get the offense to the 45 after a two yard Pryor gain on 3^rd and one.

Déjà vu three plays later, only this time Pryor would try to make the highlight reel and all of sudden it’s Penn State’s ball from mid-field.

A 9-yard Royster run on a now tiring Buckeye defense followed by a pass interference on Donald Washington – his second of the game – and now it’s 1^st and 10 Nittany Lions from inside the red zone.

Pat Devlin, playing for the concussed and pissed off Clark, sneaks past the goal line for the first score of the game a few plays later.

Pryor turns the ball upfield instead of going for six and the Buckeyes have first and 10 from the Penn State 45 with a 6-3 lead in the 4^th quarter.

Instead, now it’s Penn State up 10-6 with seven minutes left in the game

THE STATS:

Buckeyes converted 8-15 third downs and did not score a TD. Pryor went 16-25 (64%) for 226 yards through the air, a career high and good for 9 yards per attempt. He only ran for 6 yards on 9 carries though. Beanie Wells only manages 55 yards on 22 carries, he average 6.1 coming into the game.

Dane Sanzenbacher caught 6 balls for 82 yards. His best effort of the season and better than the Nittany Lions top three receivers – Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood – combined – 6 receptions for 20 yards. Graham Zug had more than double that output and also more than double the second biggest play of the day for Penn State in terms of yardage on one 49 yard grab.

Penn State had 11 first downs rushing, Ohio State had 11 passing. Penn State had zero penalties to the Buckeyes’ 4 that netted 48 yards.

THE PLAYERS:

DARYLL CLARK

Tough to think of a more enigmatic player on a title contender than Daryll Clark. Nothing got solved on Saturday night either, as Clark was knocked out the game midway through the fourth quarter at the Horseshoe with an apparent mild concussion.

Clark didn’t play his freshman year in 2005, threw for just 116 yards as a sophomore and only managed 31 yards through the air last season, despite playing in eight games. Those sophomore and junior years Clark couldn’t beat out Anthony Morelli, but now he’s a Heisman Trophy candidate.

It’s really more about what Clark doesn’t do – turn the ball over – than what he does do. He’s never going to take control of a big game and win it by himself.

Most of the significant pass plays came off play-actions where Clark would roll out, including the Nittany Lions’ longest play of the day, a 49 completion to Graham Zug. As has been the case all season, just about every snap he took outside the red zone in Galen Hall’s new “Spread HD” offense was in the shotgun.

Clark directed one scoring drive, right before halftime, and finished with 121 yards passing on 12 of 20. He ran for 39 yards on 8 carries, although watching the game it seemed like more. Most of his runs were physical and up the middle, often taking defenders on his back a few yards down the field.

But this is Clark’s game. He offers nothing that defensive coordinators haven’t seen and dealt with before. Watching Clark, you could substitute him for any mobile, game managing quarterback since 1996.

He’s got 1,652 passing yards on the season, 11tds to only 2 picks and 229 on the ground with another 8 tds. Nice numbers and a decent signal caller, but you’d hardly say Clark’s one of even the ten best quarterbacks in the nation. Despite the fumble, I honestly might take Pryor right now over him. Clark won’t be playing on Sundays.

NAVARRO BOWMAN

Wouldn’t have predicted this game would be his coming out party.

The red-shirt sophomore was all over the field, playing sideline to sideline. He finished with 10 tackles, a pass defended and that key fumble recovery.

Best player on the field Saturday night. His lone pass deflection was a key play too. After a 23 yard completion to Roy Small, Bowman dropped into coverage, read Pryor’s eyes all the way, and tipped a pass that was almost deflected.

Two plays later Pryor was picked off in the end zone to end the game.

CAMERON HEYWARD

Ironhead’s 19-year old son in 6-3, 290, only a sophomore and made a great hit on Royster on 3^rd and 9 to force a field goal at the end of the second quarter.

THE OBSCURE:

LeBron James was all over college football this weekend, despite never having attended college. He was featured on College Gameday – where, it should be noted, he was considerably more tolerable than Lee Corso – making chalk picks for the most part.

Then he was on the sideline of the Horseshoe. Now he has something in common with Bill Murray, Will Ferrell and Snoop Dogg.

The game opened and closed with a touching Joe Pa’ montage, filled with pictures like this, this and this. They omitted vintage Joe Pa’ moments however, such as this, this and of course this.

It seemed like the ABC crew has had this on file for like 12 years and just keeps waiting for his last breath. If you just turned on the television I swear you would have thought that he died.

While on the topic of ABC trying there best to convince us Paterno has one foot in the garve, Brent Mussberger had some interesting comments. During the opening Mussberger said, “For the fourth straight game, Joe Paterno boards the golf cart. He’ll go to an elevator and he’ll coach from the press box again tonight.” And then, again references that Paterno needs a golf after the game while the final play of the game was being reviewed. Joe Paterno is old and about to die, thank you ABC.

Lisa Salters interviews backup quarterback Pat Devlin after the game. When prefacing her question about what happened to Clark she says to Devlin, “They wouldn’t let us talk to Clark,” Salters then awarded Devlin an honorary silver medal.

Why doesn’t ABC announce the full starting lineups anymore? They just list 3 “key players to the game.” Very annoying.

Mussberger mentions that Evan Royster was offered a full ride to John Hopkins to play lacrosse. Not only is does this make Evan Royster the whitest guy on the team, it also reiterates just how much more athletic football and basketball players are than every other sport. Royster is a normal football athlete, but would have been an elite talent in lacrosse.

Matt Garza Loves Tupac: Sunday, October 19th, 2008

THE BIG SCOOP:
Rays Beat Sox in Game 7
- Hello Mr.Price, Welcome to Primetime. Cooperstown's Now Saving You a Spot for the class of 2026

Do you think J.D. Drew would have rather had a 100-pitch deep Matt Garza, Dan Wheeler and J.P. Howell on two days along with Chad Bradford on the mound taking their turns or David Price.

Seriously, you would definitely had rather had all four of guys in the state they were each in rather than the 22-year-old phenom who'd been kept under wraps this whole series seemingly just for this occasion.

Drew had no chance, you could see it in his eyes. More noticably you could see it when he spit and failed to propel it past his chin as it dribbled off his goatee moments before the game 6 hero took ball one on Price's third pitch, a 96-MPH piece of cheese that whizzed just outside the strikezone.

Next pitch.

Boom! 97 on the bottom-right corner as Drew check swings at strike three.

The call was close, but the homeplate umpire was just giving Drew a mercy rule if it wasn't a strike. Drew could have had five strikes and he wouldn't have hit the ball out of the infield.

This was David Price's moment. You could feel it in the crowd, through Price himself and most noticably through the reaction of the Rays' bench. Each player, some of the most talented young players in the game -- Upton, Longoria, Crawford -- leaned with the anticipation that they were about to witness something special.

Price stayed in to record the final three outs, the only drama provided by a Jason Bay leadoff walk. Price mowed down Mark Kotsay and got Captain Varitek looking before inducing Jed Lowrie into a groundball to squash the World Champs hopes of defending their crown.

The best part of the David Price Experience on Sunday Night came after his strikeout of Drew. As he walked off the mound, Price started screaming and then paused for a split second, covered his mouth with his glove and kept what ever he was shouting between him and his leather.

Whether it was curse words or something else, the moment never seemed bigger than David Price for one second on Sunday night, as he proved he was the moment itself.

We can speculate on why Joe Maddon kept running the Howell/Wheeler combo out as long as they did (Note: for anyone that thinks J.P. Howell is a true legit middle-reliver just because he had one good year, you should not that his ERA in 2008 -- 2.22 -- was only slightly better than his WHIP IN 2007 -- 1.76! Players don't just get that much in a 4 month offseason, without having some of that self doubt eventually creep back at some point. And if it has nothing to do with confidence the steroids karma will tear his biceps soon enough) this offseason without mixing in the wunder-kid. But now he's arrived.

And that's all that matters.

If the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays will be 2008 World Champions.


SIDENOTES:

1) Jackie Autry presented the AL Championship Trophy (apparently it's called the William Harridge Award for whatever reason). This is her only job the entire year.
No, seriously, she has no other job.
She's the widow of Gene Autry and was one of the former owners of the Angels while they were in LA and is the Honorary AL President. This is her only job requirement for the entire year. It lasted 25 seconds, as she stumbled through Garza's stats like she was giving a grade-school presentation.

2) Matt Garza said shit on national television. Ernie asked him if he ever imagined this game. Garza said "Usually it was game 7 of the World Series, but shit I'll take this." Afterwards Ernie completes his riveting questionnaire, asking Garza what was on his iPod before the game. He answers with, "I love Tupac, that's all I can say," and that is how we are left to remember our 2008 ALCS MVP.

Matt Garza loves Tupac.



jackie autry
garza swears "shit i'll take this"
I'm a big fan of tupac that's all i can say

Contract Talk: Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn

Contract(s) of the Day, 10/8

Brady Quinn

QB, Browns

Signed 5-year $9.25 milllon deal on 8/7/07

-$7.75mil guaranteed

Derek Anderson

QB, Browns
Signed a 3-year $24 million deal on 2/29/08
-$14.5 mil guaranteed


This isn't exactly the decision the Phil Savage and company had foresaw when they drafted Quinn. Having to choose between him and a guy they just handed $14.5 million dollars to.

84% of Quinn's entire contract is guaranteed and has already been paid to him. Over the next two years the Browns only owe him $1.35 million, unless he takes 70% of the snaps in 2009. Then, a playing time incentive kicks in -- one that could have been earned if Quinn took 65% of the snaps in 07-08 -- and Randy Lerner will have to shell out a whopping $11 million for Quinn's first real season as a starter in 09'.

The Browns' brass look foolish now for having signed a sputtering Derek Anderson and his current 49.9 QB rating for nearly a quarter of a hundred million dollars. By way, the Browns passing game is currently netting less yards per game than 10 other NFL teams do rushing.

Anderson looks more like the guy who couldn't win the Ravens third string job in 2005 instead of the next Dan Marino who shred defenses for about 13 weeks last season.

Anderson is due a $5 million roster bonus in 2009, along with his $1.5 million dollar salary. He'll have to win the Super Bowl at this point to justify that kind of salary for 09'.

The Browns have to play the Giants, Redskins, Steelers, Jaguars, Bills, Titans and Eagles in 8 or their next 12 games. Their season is over, and they'll probably be running Anderson out to slaughter for the majority of those games instead of Quinn.

Savage and company mortgaged away there draft for Corey Williams and Shaun Rodgers, re-signed Anderson, wrestled away free agents like Rex Hadnot, Terry Cousin and Donte Stallworth to win now instead of building through the draft.

It was a tough call for Cleveland though. They didn't know Anderson was going to play the way he did before they drafted Quinn. Remember when Crennel thought so much of Anderson that he flipped a coin before the final preseason game to see if Anderson or Charlie Frye would start.

The Browns are in a tough bind. Trading Anderson looks to be next to impossible at this point. They should just bite the bullet and cut Anderson as soon as the clock hits zero in week 17 or at least get a 4th round pick back for him. Keep Quinn, bring in another cheap veteran to compete with him in camp and if he proves himself, which he should, let him start all of 09' and pay up the $11 mil.

Why not? They've already paid Quinns over $8 million just to be clipboard lieutenant.

But that would be too easy. There's no way the Browns will keep Anderson and let Quinn earn that playing time incentive or else they'd pay nearly $20 million just for QBs in 09'.

What I see happening is this; Browns front office being unable to admit they botched the Anderson signing, and keeping him to start 09'. Then once enough plays are called that the incentive can't click in for Quinn, they'll throw him to the lions -- the metaphorical animal, not team -- for his $655,000 salary.

The 2008 Browns season is gone already and instead of developing Quinn for next season and cutting ties with Anderson, the 2009 Browns look like they may as well keep a spot reserved in the AFC North Basement.

But who really suffers here?

The fans.

The Dogpound gets to sit through the rest of this season and observe a "transition team." Correction, one of the leagues' most expensive, "transition teams." The front office botched a number of free agent signings, but none more critical than Anderson.

How and when they can just admit they made a mistake will be the only thing fans can hope for.