Skull Session: J.T. Barrett the Same Quarterback, Penn State Wants to Stay on Schedule, and Nittany Offensive Line Could Hold the Key

How is it only Wednesday? I want to sue somebody over this.

ICYMI:

• Keys to Penn State at Ohio State.
• D.C., Virginia, and Maryland have been kind to Buckeye and Nittany Lion recruiting.
• Alt jerseys (and a special shoe) on sale now.
• Come to the 11W Friday Night Banger this Friday.
• Help put a life-size statue of Woody Hayes in his hometown of Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Word of the Day: Slake.

 STILL THE SAME CAPTAIN. J.T. Barrett entered the season on the verge of breaking every other quarterback record that matters at Ohio State.

It switched after Oklahoma. I called for the Dwayne Haskins era. And I wasn't alone, either.

Here's an 11W poll from September 9th:

Now Barrett stands on the brink of reinserting himself into the Heisman race if he dices Penn State. What's changed in the last six weeks? Not Barrett.

From theozone.net:

“That’s the fun part of knowing J.T. behind the scenes that you guys don’t get to see,” said center Billy Price. “That man has not changed. We have complete confidence going into every game plan with him behind me. It’s making sure that the offense is continuing to grow, continuing to develop in different dimensions.”

Barrett may be the same quarterback, but the offense is growing around him and he is taking better advantage of what the offense can do.

“You are starting to see wide receivers run wide open underneath,” Price said. “So those mesh routes underneath and making sure you dump the ball off shorter distances, then you see a post route go to Terry McLaurin for 30-some yards. You start seeing that, and the other thing with J.T. is that against Nebraska there were like 20 MPH winds and he threw a dime. Most people don’t get to see that. The kid has not changed a thing.”

Good to see Barrett is still the same guy despite the early adversity. Nobody has doubted him in games against the likes of Rutgers and Nebraska (imagine putting those two in the same sentence in 1995).

The criticism has stemmed from games against competition like Michigan State, Michigan, Clemson, and Oklahoma.

If Barrett dices Pen State, he'll be the most popular man in Columbus. If not, well, we've already seen how quick the masses have turned.

 STAYING ON SCHEDULE. James Franklin said yesterday a big key for Penn State is to "stay on schedule" and avoid third-and-long situations that would allow Ohio State to deploy its vaunted Rushmen package.

Turns out, Franklin may know what he's talking about. Penn State has not been great on third down against the Buckeyes.

From statecollege.com:

Over the past two games against Ohio State the Nittany Lions have gone 3-of-25 on third down. The Buckeyes, they have converted 14-of-33 attempts.

This season that trend has more or less held for each team. Penn State is ranked 68th nationally on third down, converting 39-percent of its third down chances. Ohio State is 10th, having converted 49-percent. Conveniently both teams have faced the same number of third downs, with Penn State converting 35-of-89 while Ohio State got a first down on nine more occasions for a 44-of-89 clip.

It isn't a hard and fast stat, both teams have had their second and third units on the field and those third downs count for and against the number, but the point remains. Penn State can't face third and long against a Buckeye front that will switch to an all-defensive end look to rush the passer.

Let's hope that trend continues Saturday night. Without a blocked field goal and with Ohio State coming off a bye, holding Penn State to 12% on third down should be enough to put the Nittany Lions down.

 IN THE TRENCHES. Penn State will be the best team Ohio State has played since Oklahoma. Unlike Oklahoma, Penn State enters with questions along its offensive line.

It hasn't been perfect this year—Saquon Barkley and Sober Johnny Manziel can do a lot to cover up mediocre offensive line play—but it seemed to turn a corner against Michigan.

From pennlive.com:

Michigan was held to two sacks and Penn State picked up 25 first downs in the 42-13 victory. Barkley averaged more than seven yards per carry en route to a 106-yard day, and he had plenty of room to run on his 69-yard score on the game's second play.

Two weeks earlier, Penn State's offensive line had issues trying to create room for Barkley against Northwestern. He carried five times for losses and the Wildcats registered five sacks.

It was a different story vs. Michigan and one of the bigger individual matchups involved PSU redshirt freshman offensive tackle Will Fries, who was pitted against Michigan standout end Rashan Gary. It was a relatively quiet night for Gary, who was credited with a half a sack and just two total tackles.

Penn State's offensive line play will go a long way to deciding the game. The good news for Ohio State is its defensive line is deeper and more talented than Michigan's. 

It's also easier to coordinate protection calls in front of a friendly crowd as opposed to one of 105,000 enemies that have been drinking since sunrise. 

 BLACKOUT? GET REAL. I know a bad idea when I see it, and this is a bad idea from Ohio State's beloved student section:

X.XXVIII.XVII#BlackoutTheShoe pic.twitter.com/0Wo11PUTsX

— Block O (@OSUBlockO) October 24, 2017

The only people who black out at 3:30 on a Saturday are professional alcoholics and teens experimenting with their parents' liquor cabinet. 

Secondly, Buckeye Nation just spent a million dollars yesterday purchasing all-gray alternate wear (because Nike is a cold, calculating corporation). They ain't shelving it Saturday.

Block "O" should focus on making sure the students arrive in time for kickoff. The blackout happened in 2015.

 BOWEN ON HIS WAY BACK. Branden Bowen broke his leg against Maryland, and is already back on the comeback trail:

One step at a time. pic.twitter.com/fqpRTWWpkc

— Branden Bowen (@BrandenBowen) October 24, 2017

Rehab is a long, lonely walk for a footballer. Best of luck to the big fella.

 THOSE WMDs. The mind of thru-hiking's most devious con man... Amid fear and guns, polio finds a nursery in Nigeria... Juror too far into trial to ask what "contusions" are now... Americans retiring later, dying sooner, and sicker in-between... Can Iceland regrow the trees Vikings razed?