Game Thread: Penn State

[Brookside kid hen]

Gladly this game is over with and we look like we came out relatively healthy, and we can get on with our real season. We had no business being on that field with Penn state, I thought that we would score a few more points, but the 63 they put on us isn't surprising in the least. I'm not putting our kids down in any way, but they made us look like my grandsons pee wee team, that was the difference in the talent gap. It's embarrassing to get beat that bad on national TV, I see no value in it at all. Please Crissy, if you're going to schedule any more FBS games whether we move up or not, schedule navy, Maryland, Rutgers, Army, Wake, UNC, Ga. Southern, teams we can at least compete with on the field. In other words, stay in our lane, and stay out of the fast lane of the Autobahn and keep us from getting run over. Let's forget this game ever happened, and come out next Saturday and put another whipping on the red flash and then the New Hampshire game in my opinion is the biggest game of our season.

[Section J]

Second half put out guys who are still competing for spots (there should be quite a few) and evaluate what you have. No lie or exaggeration I would like to see what we have in Sanders. O’Connor is gonna be a Trent Hurley type player. He will beat the bad teams, go 50/50 against hood teams, and not be able to beat the really good ones (FCS). Why UD after the last decade has continued this cavalier attitude towards a position so vital to the game and once engrained in our DNA is beyond me.

Carty should look at how that position has cost the previous 3 coaches and take that NIL $ and get a QB next year.

I took you seriously until this post.

[Section J]

Gladly this game is over with and we look like we came out relatively healthy, and we can get on with our real season. We had no business being on that field with Penn state, I thought that we would score a few more points, but the 63 they put on us isn't surprising in the least. I'm not putting our kids down in any way, but they made us look like my grandsons pee wee team, that was the difference in the talent gap. It's embarrassing to get beat that bad on national TV, I see no value in it at all. Please Crissy, if you're going to schedule any more FBS games whether we move up or not, schedule navy, Maryland, Rutgers, Army, Wake, UNC, Ga. Southern, teams we can at least compete with on the field. In other words, stay in our lane, and stay out of the fast lane of the Autobahn and keep us from getting run over. Let's forget this game ever happened, and come out next Saturday and put another whipping on the red flash and then the New Hampshire game in my opinion is the biggest game of our season.

Most thoughtful & reasonable post in the thread.

[Warrior Hen]

The game against Penn State is just a preview of what we can expect against a strong FCS team with a hard core running offensive attack. This was just déjà vu from the South Dakota State game. Runing a 3-3-5 as your base defense is a losing strategy unless your opponent is mainly passing the ball. Why would any competent coaching staff utilize a defensive scheme that disadvantages your defense especially against a power running team?

Carty spent many years with Keeler and therefore he should know the type of defense that is needed to win in the postseason. Sam Houston certainly did not run a soft 3-3-5 defense hoping to defeat the “top dogs” of the FCS (NDSU, SDSU, JMU, etc.). A big reason we lost last year against William and Mary and Elon was because they ran the ball and we do not utilize a defense that is designed to stop the run. The blame is on the coaching staff not the players.

The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result.

[Hens79]

I think it is fine to play games like this. If the Hens were better, they wouldn’t get beat 63-7 by anybody. It’s the Hens fault they got embarrassed today. They just aren’t good enough. Hopefully, Carty will get them better.

[Hensfansince03]

I think it is fine to play games like this. If the Hens were better, they wouldn’t get beat 63-7 by anybody. It’s the Hens fault they got embarrassed today. They just aren’t good enough. Hopefully, Carty will get them better.

We are maybe a good (top 20 FCS team) not an FCS national title contender and haven’t been for 15 years. There is a big difference between the top 5 FCS teams and everyone else. SDSU or NDSU would not lose by 55pts ever to anyone.

To get to that level a lot of work needs to be done and adjustments need to be made. Defensive philosophy and some more emphasis upfront. We need to get to that level before we speak of FBS moves.

It’s fine to play games like this. When we were actually good decades ago it would have been fun.

[BlueHenBobby]

Don't we have another game scheduled with PSU say 2027- Chrissi should wipe that off our GD schedule. This was beyond a total embarrassment.

I disagree.

If Carty can’t build us up into a really good program by 2027, then we have the wrong leader.

I believe Carty has moved the program forward and will continue to do so. However I don't believe he will take us to the level we need to be in order to be on the field with PSU and compete with them in four years. I believe any ascendancy will be a bit slower. For the rest of this season he needs to show us that he can win in the CAA (especially given the creamy puff nature of our schedule). A win against Nova (or NH) and beating the teams on our schedule we should beat will go a long way to proving Carty is the future. No matter what I don't think we will be ready to be on the field with PSU again in 4 years. PSU has been on top of the heap for a long time. They don't settle for any coach who doesn't keep them in the top 10 consistently. Even now Franklin is on the hot seat to beat OSU and Michigan.

[Cluck U]

And…the CAA shows how it measures up against the FCS big boys.

Maine 7
NDSU 44

[Cluck U]

Decent game going on in the UNI dome.

Weber St #9 FCS 24
UNI #20 FCS 17

5:00 left in the 3rd



Holy Cross loses 31-28 versus Boston College.

Campbell destroys The Citadel 56-7.

[Cluck U]

SDSU just 91 yards of offense in the first half…trailing Montana State 10-0 at half.

Weber runs away from a turnover prone UNI team. Lead is 34-17 with a few minutes left in the game.

[HensRock]

I've heard it said, "When you have 2 QB's, you have none." I believe this is a football truism.
Why do we keep thinking we are the exception to this rule??
We are not. This rule ALWAYS holds true.
Whenever you hear we have a QB 1A and QB 1B,... start worrying.

It seemed to me in this game that we had just kinda settled in to the game speed with PSU with O'Connor - and then we switch to Marker and have to start that learning curve all over.

[bluehenbillk]

Back from the game.

Part of me is it’s exactly what I thought we’d see. Two teams at two different levels and UD showed almost all day they didn’t belong. Best thing is I don’t believe there were any serious injuries.

On the other hand- QB play was terrible. The Hens defense was pretty soft. I assume the strategy was give big cushions and force PSU to dink and dunk. Well that’s exactly what they did and PSU moved right down the field all day.

I won’t get too worked up but Carty and the staff plan today leaves much to be desired. UNH I heard played well today. Campbell is better than people thought. We’ll know more in two weeks if this is a playoff team.

[Cluck U]

I've heard it said, "When you have 2 QB's, you have none." I believe this is a football truism.
Why do we keep thinking we are the exception to this rule??
We are not. This rule ALWAYS holds true.
Whenever you hear we have a QB 1A and QB 1B,... start worrying.

It seemed to me in this game that we had just kinda settled in to the game speed with PSU with O'Connor - and then we switch to Marker and have to start that learning curve all over.

Montana State did a lot of damage with two QBs…but on average, you are correct.

My bet is that Carty settles on O’Connor.

In the meantime, SDSU takes the second half kickoff and marches down the field to score a TD. 10-7 Montana State, early in the third.

[Cluck U]

Back from the game.

Part of me is it’s exactly what I thought we’d see. Two teams at two different levels and UD showed almost all day they didn’t belong. Best thing is I don’t believe there were any serious injuries.

On the other hand- QB play was terrible. The Hens defense was pretty soft. I assume the strategy was give big cushions and force PSU to dink and dunk. Well that’s exactly what they did and PSU moved right down the field all day.

I won’t get too worked up but Carty and the staff plan today leaves much to be desired. UNH I heard played well today. Campbell is better than people thought. We’ll know more in two weeks if this is a playoff team.

UNH looked good. Saw a stat that they have almost everyone back on D, O and Special Teams.

Davis and the SDSU O-line getting back on track.

[Hens79]

While I am totally excited about the move up to FBS and CUSA, as I frequently do, I allow myself to peak back.

I didn’t think the Hens lost to a top 5 team, and probably not even a top 10 team that September day. PSU lived down to my expectations this season. At least when the Hens go Happy Valley in 2027, they will be paid much more and will likely put up more of a fight.