Rewatching The Iowa Game

I feel like this is something I need to do and I also feel like I'm ready to rewatch this game without being driven mad.

A quick thought on Royster; Royster has a peculiar ability to not only commit to the hole and run with power but he is equally capable of running "skinny" while in in traffic. By "skinny" I mean that he never seems to take direct and punishing contact he just turns his body and takes a glancing blow or spins off. Terriffic.

The offense in general looks great in the first half of this game. I have no idea how the Lions dropped this game.

Offensive line was great last year. Run blocking and pass blocking all members of the line were very solid. You have to figure if the starters were great last year that the younger players have to be pretty good behind them. Right? I mean, the Lions' line will be fine in '09, right?

Shonn Greene was a great college player. I hope he is able to stand up-right by the time he is thirty because Iowa gave him the ball every damn time and he gets hit three times per carry.

By comparison, Stepfon Green is just fucking fast. Stepf seems to have limitless potential to be a game-changer but there was something missing. I don't know if he will improve as he becomes more comfortable with the offense.

This game is the perfect example of missed opportunities costing a team. PSU was dominating Iowa through the first three quarters but the Nits had a really tough time putting the ball in the endzone and it came back to bite them. Sigh. I also think PSU will take heating machines on every road game from now on regardless of the forecast.

I could not be more excited to watch Bowman and Sean Lee get a chance to play together. The Defensive line had to be dominant in 2008, however, in 2009 as long as the D-line can occupy blocks Lee and Bowman will take care of the rest.

One Hiccup Only

Penn State started terribly going three and out and that was a good outcome. It could have been a lot worse, Iowa could have had a safety or the ball on PSU's two. After giving up a quick TD Penn State has looked good on offense controlling both the ball and the clock.

Iowa looked great during Penn State's first possession and then for their next two plays, resulting in a Greene TD. However, since then the game seems to belong to PSU. Iowa, however, is hanging in there and are still only down by 6 points (they will also get the ball to start the second half).

My favorite part of the first half has been all the direct snaps to D-Will. It isn't that PSU hasn't tried this before, however, it was always a pass. Now we have D-Will running the single wing and Iowa is powerless to stop it.

Oh, and PSU controlled the ball for over 75% of the first half.

I am fired up!

GO STATE! BEAT IOWA!