Tom Allen: "A healthy Penix is our best option"
Early in BTN's broadcast of Indiana's 40-31 loss to Michigan State on Saturday, Tom Allen had this to say about why he chose to go with banged-up QB Michael Penix Jr., who missed the OSU game and had been listed as week-to-week:
"A healthy Penix is our best option."
I agree that a healthy Penix is always the best option. It is always unwise to insert an unhealthy Penix.
In all seriousness though, Penix was spectacular. At one point, he had completions on 20 (!!!) consecutive passing attempts against the vaunted Spartan defense. It seemed like much of what Penix and the IU offense did could be replicated by the M passing attack. Has IU provided the rest of the B1G with a blueprint for how to attack to MSU defense, or was this simply a spectacular outing for Penix?
September 30th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
So true those words
September 30th, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^
Username checks out
September 30th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
I feel like Saturday provided you with a few new avatars.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
My wife is sick of me calling for naked bootlegs on the goal line. Watching Patterson and Milton waltz into the end zone last Saturday on bootleggish runs from the 1 yard line was...satisfying.
September 30th, 2019 at 9:17 PM ^
Username definitely checks out.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:58 AM ^
Username absolutely checks out. Never has a username checked out more...
September 30th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^
Oh lord, here we go.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
Has IU provided the rest of the B1G with a blueprint for how to attack to MSU defense, or was this simply a spectacular outing for Penix?
It's not really news that MSU is soft in their secondary. They were vulnerable there last year and they are again this season. The trick is to handle the considerable talent they have on their front seven, but teams with effective QB's that get good pass blocking should be able to pick MSU apart.
I'm sure we'll see an excellent example of that this weekend when Sparty travels to Columbus. Justin Fields may throw for 500 yards.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
I think MSU will easily play them closer than any team has thus far. Going to Columbus at night and winning is certainly a tall order (one that Michigan State has actually done before), and I don't expect them to win the game, but nor do I think OSU is just going to trounce them like 2 years ago. Merk will slow-play this into a competitive game for at least a good half, IMO. I also think that Darrel Stewart is going to become a problem for everybody and he will break out as a primetime target for Lewerky this week. OSU 34 MSU 21.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:13 AM ^
I mean, yeah, MSU has the most talent of any team that OSU has played thus far so it would make sense that it will be their closest game to date. At the same time, Lewerke (like most QBs) is wildly inaccurate when facing pressure and doesn't project to have many clean pockets on Saturday. While MSU appears to have found an RB in RS freshman Elijah Collins, they still have the same lousy OL and will be facing an OSU defense that is night-and-day different from last season.
September 30th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
Considering that OSU has blistered everybody so far. . . okay. But MSU is going to get stomped.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
As far as the blueprint to beat MSU, it seems like NW did it the past couple years with the quick short passing game, just like IU, but we haven’t seen other teams have the same success so who knows.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:32 AM ^
You're right. Penix never really tried to touch the bottom of the MSU defense. Instead, he just hit short passes and attacked the sides. I don't know f that's because he just doesn't have the length to touch the bottom, or if the IU OC just decided to go side to side and see if they could finish off the defense that way.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:35 AM ^
That guy has a cannon for an arm that is also pretty accurate. IU likely wins if their receiver stretched out just a little more to catch that long bomb. Even if he had to leave his feet to get it and therefore couldn't score then, I think they ultimately would've done so and salted away the game.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:37 AM ^
I will never get tired of Penix jokes. I hope he's the next Tom Brady so we can tell them for 20 more years.
Penis.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
Mr. Osato believes in a healthy chest....
This thread reminds me of every sexual innuendo made in early Bond movies.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:39 AM ^
Nice.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
I was listening to that game on the radio and the MSU radio color commentator pronounced his last name wrong a few times with the long "e" sound and said "Peenix"
September 30th, 2019 at 10:45 AM ^
The key to a healthy Penix is being able to keep him erect for the entire game (but not longer than 4 hours)
September 30th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
Is it safe to say you'd rather Penix penetrate the defensive holes than allowing the penetration to sac him?
September 30th, 2019 at 11:36 PM ^
Too right you are... An unhealthy Penix must have protection.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:48 AM ^
+1 informative
September 30th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
when Penix gets tired is it best to keep plugging along or take a break?
September 30th, 2019 at 11:07 AM ^
Never take a break. You never know when your last game will be.
September 30th, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
You rest Penix. Don't want him to peter out.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
This has been the blueprint to have success against MSU for years. MSU plays soft in the flats, usually because that's the LBs job to get out there AFTER stopping any run.
MSU banks on when you try screens or short routes to the flats 15 times in a row, you'll screw it up a few times and MSU can get you into longer down and distances where you can't do it again. Since Indiana kept completing them, they kept being able to try them.
Indiana tried 41 passes for ~310 yards, before the last pass officially went for like -40. That's still not a great YPA, and included several MSU coverage busts for bigger plays. (Couple missed deep shots could've really helped that tho)
September 30th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
Look, you don't want to mess with a banged up Penix. Give Penix sufficient time to heal before you put him back out on the field.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:13 AM ^
False. Put Penix in a dark cave and make him do push ups until he pukes. He will be tired, maybe slightly sheepish, but ultimately satisfied. Unless it makes him go blind.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:40 PM ^
And never try to "protect" him or constrict his "explosiveness", gotta keep him free, let him go deep and make a big splash.
Ahhhh ...double entendre how i love thee.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
you should never judge an offense by their penix
September 30th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
He speaks the truth for all of us.
September 30th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
It is nearly impossible to score with a broken Penix.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:03 AM ^
Penix was good but he completed 20 passes in a row because he was largely throwing easy WR screens and quick passes near the line of scrimmage. Which was a great idea that was almost enough to win.
Raise your hand if you think Michigan will avoid the murderous MSU front 7 with quick passes to the flats and sidelines to take advantage of speed in space with their alleged NFL WR. Given that Michigan appears totally resistant to such plays, I am not getting my hopes up. I would love to be wrong but suspect we will watch Michigan plunge repeatedly and futility into the teeth of the MSU defense followed by slow developing drop backs that eat the pass rush.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:23 AM ^
Mine is raised.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:37 AM ^
I mean they literally just did that exact thing on Saturday. It would be a fair bet on this point that maybe they will fall back on old habits, but it is clear that Gattis at least sees Michigan doing exactly that as of this moment.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
It's true that a lot of his throws were screens, but even so, to complete 20 consecutive passes is impressive. And there were a fewer higher-difficulty throws in there.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:08 AM ^
He was huge and managed to exploit every hole in the defense.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
5-15 yard short, quick passes have worked well against the MSU defense for quite a while now.
Mysteriously, opposing teams still want to smash the football right up the middle or drop back and throw deep against MSU, giving their D time to deliver hits and/or sacks to the QB.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:45 AM ^
They made a good decision not to pull him out prematurely.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
Of course he didn’t play against OSU. Still wouldn’t have mattered, but just seems like OSU catches almost every break possible.
September 30th, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
It’s good to see that Tom Allen has a Penix and knows how to handle it.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
I agree and I'm glad we are finally talking about important men's health issues around here as opposed to jorts, etc.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
When was Penix inserted? Was he pulled out and then reinserted? Did this happen again and again?
BTW, was this game on broadcast or cable?
September 30th, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
Healthy Penix penetrates gaping holes for 69!
September 30th, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
Indiana always looks good to me.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
Yeah, me too. They've got some nice receivers and Penix was getting the ball out quick. Though not prematurely.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
Thank God his first name isn't Richard.