For those that don’t know me on here, I’ll start by saying that I’ve been a UB fan since 2006, turner Gill’s first year. I’ve been a Penn State fan since the time I was old enough to really start following football and knew what the heck I was looking at. And since my Dad’s family is from Central Pennsylvania, in fact I’m going to visit some of them this weekend once we get past the game on Saturday; Penn State was a natural choice. And it just happened that the first season I really started watching and paying attention, was the 1986 season, and Penn State’s 1987 Fiesta Bowl where they trolled the shit out of the Miami Hurricanes and won the National Championship. Ever since then it’s been Penn State as my 1A team, and UB as my 1B.

Traditionally, up until IT (the Sandusky Scandal), Penn State Football was built on two things, Playing great defense and a mauling offense that wears you down allowing them to score just enough points to be one more than the opponent. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t sexy, but it worked, for decades. Is it any surprise that a favorite play of the Penn State faithful is the fullback dive?

Why bring this up? Well, I think there’s a thought process that Penn State is still the Penn State of old. A perennial National Power, a Big Boy, way above UB’s place in college football. I’m here to tell you that they aren’t. They are still trying to get back to that point, but there’s still a hill to climb to get there. Ever since IT hit almost 4 years ago, things haven’t been the same. Bill O’Brien took a group of players that stuck together amidst probably the darkest time a student-athlete should ever have to face, and made a decent go of it. But when it came to re stocking the shelves with limited Scholarships due to the sanctions, BO’B decided it best to go after skill position players and left the offensive line and defensive side of the ball somewhat ignored. Last Season, after BO’B’s departure for the NFL, Franklin comes in. Franklin is a great salesman and a hell of a recruiter, there is no denying that. He has put together some very good classes that are nationally ranked, above average for Penn State, even under Paterno. But this talent has yet to pay dividends or even see the field in some cases. So the Penn State UB is facing on Saturday isn’t necessarily one of the Big Boys that you’re thinking in your head. They are not as far above UB as you think they are. At least not for this one game, this one time.

This brings me to the Temple game last week, briefly. Temple has vastly improved, yes. And to some people, it might not be a shock that they beat Penn State. And some people might think that the Penn State fan base is overreacting to the loss. Ill tell you, the problems you saw aren’t just a one game occurrence. If it was a one game loss, than yes, you could say it’s an overreaction. But, these problems stretch all the way back to last season and that means they haven’t gone away. So kudos to Temple, but the problems run deeper and give UB a glimmer of hope.

Penn State’s depth chart is out this morning, and I’ve been waiting to see it to write this. There are no changes in the depth chart, specifically along the Offensive line.

So you want to beat Penn State, let them beat themselves….

The most important aspect to the game is UB’s Defense vs. Penn State’s Offense.

If UB’s front 4 can exploit an already weak Offensive Line and get pressure on Hackenberg. Penn State’s Offensive Line is still not up to Penn State Standards as a result of the sanctions and is still reeling after the Temple game. It’s been an ongoing problem all the way back to last season. Penn State has made NO CHANGES. It will be the same line that gave up 10 sacks to Temple. UB should concentrate on pressuring Hackenberg. Sacks would be nice, but hurries and knock downs will have the same affect.

This brings me to Hackenberg. Yes, he’s "supposed" to be a first round prospect. The problem is the way there using him and the toll it’s taking on him playing behind this offensive line. With him, they’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, and it’s not working. They want to run a spread option like offense with a pure pocket passer, and they are married to it (Sound Familiar??). And he is taking a beating back there behind this Offensive Line. It almost seems like they are trying to get him killed, as evidenced by them refusing to take him out of the Temple game. If UB can pressure him, he's prone to make mistakes. If UB gets pressure, I would not be shocked to see UB get a pick 6. Through no fault of his own, Hackenberg isn’t playing like a first round draft choice, and they aren’t allowing him to and frankly, he hasn’t been put in a position where he could.

Penn State does have some formidable skill players. But because of the Offensive Line problems and at this point Hackenberg’s play, and just plain scheme wise, I think they can be managed.

Not to mention, seeing there are already calls for the Offensive Coordinators head, Donovan, if Penn States offence remains futile, the native’s are going to be very very restless.

But most of all, if this young bunch of UB defenders can put it all together and stop Penn State’s offense, its going to help out the offense even more.

UB’s Offense vs. Penn State’s Defense

Penn State’s defense is still good, even though they lost their best linebacker to injury and will have to replace him. But, if they see the field a lot because the Penn State offense can’t move the ball, they can and will be worn out, and that’s what Temple took advantage of.

UB’s offensive line, with a slight size advantage, needs to withstand the Penn State defensive line. If they can do that, it will hopefully allow Licata, a senior who should be up to the task in a game like this, to move the offense down the field and make use of all his weapons as the game wears on.

It would be great to see UB strike first on offense. In the back of every Penn State Fan’s mind they’ll be thinking, "Oh no, here we go again" and "There’s no way our offense will be able to keep up.", because in all honesty, Penn States offense has trouble scoring points anyway.

Obviously, this can all go out the window just as quickly as I typed it. Penn State can make changes in their offensive scheme, or change the offensive line up (up till now, they haven’t), or they could just wake up and remember their Penn State. But knowing the offensive line problems go back to last season, and their refusal to change the scheme, the opportunity for UB to actually win is greater than it would usually be in a game like this. They just need to take advantage of it. I can’t bring myself to say UB will win, but I truly believe they have the best opportunity to do just that, Win…

Ill leave you with this. David Brand asked me who I was rooting for this weekend and I said both. And he called me Switzerland. But I also told him when I went to the game in 2007, I wanted Penn State to win, but I also walked out being proud to be a UB fan. This time around, with Penn State already losing to Temple, and knowing they’re still rebuilding after the sanctions, it lessens the "Penn State has to win" for me. Honestly, I’m just having fun this week and can’t wait until Friday, when I leave for the game. Hopefully, both teams make me proud when I walk out of the stadium….

GO BULLS

&

WE ARE….