LB Manny Bowen no longer with PSU
Bowen's had a ton of off the field issues at PSU and was recently reinstated after his 3rd suspension.
Bowen was supposed to start at MIKE for PSU. He started 9 games last year as a junior (missed 4 due to suspension) and 12 in 2016 as a sophomore. PSU'S top 2 MIKEs from last year's depth chart are gone as well as another starting LB. PSU has now lost 8 starters from last years D plus Bowen and the 2 DEs who medically retired this offseason. I can't imagine that D will be too good this year.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:45 PM ^
Michigan lost 10 starters before 2017 and we were pretty good. Just saying!
August 27th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
We weren't "pretty good". Average more like it
August 27th, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^
We had the 10th best defense according to S&P+ last year. Go away.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:55 PM ^
But that stat doesn't fit his idiotic narrative!
August 27th, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
I think he meant pretty good....FOR A DON MF BROWN DEFENSE!!!!!! (EXPLOSIONS!!!!)
August 27th, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^
But they don't have a salty police veteran who has seen 455 murder scenes running the show...
August 27th, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^
True but PSU doesn't have the defensive staff we do, nor did we lose 3 projected starters right before the season started.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
Yes, losing starters unexpectedly before the season is worse. I'm honestly not sure how their defensive staff compares (I just know I love ours!).
August 27th, 2018 at 4:53 PM ^
We knew UM D would be solid because many of the 10 new starters played significant snaps in 2016. Plus we had a wild card in Winovich.
I don't remember PSU rolling lots of D replacements throughout the game. I believe they will take a big step back and will rely on their QB McSorely to score enough points to make up for their D's shortcomings.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^
PSU did rotate quite heavily. Most of the players back were pretty significant contributors and they actually return a guy that was a nominal starting CB before being hurt early last year. They will not have a lot of known depth (they have some good recruits that have been brought in, but are young), but they should still at least be solid unless some injuries hit them.
August 27th, 2018 at 6:47 PM ^
Yeah I don't think they'll be a Rich Rod level defense or anything. They have some good talent with decent playing experience. But projecting 9ish guys with rotational experience into full time players makes me think there will be a noticeable drop off. And considering they were 12th in S&P+ last year, they can drop off and still be a top 30/40 or better unit. But that's going to be an issue and a side of the ball that can be exposed.
Like you said depth is the biggest issues. So any more injuries/suspensions will hurt. But like you said they rotated a lot last year and I don't think they can do that as much this year. So that means more wear and tear, more potential opportunities to get hurt and a reduced ability to rotate in players and matchup based on scheme.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
So they're down to 1 returning starter, Koa Farmer. Cool cool cool.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^
At LB. They still have Shareef Miller and technically Kevin Givens, although if it weren't for the medical retirements I don't think he would have started this/last year.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:59 PM ^
Oh I thought Miller was one of the retirees? Bucholz and Miller?
August 27th, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^
No Bucholz and Torrence Brown. Brown missed all of last year with an injury and while some PSU people expected a retirement, some were hoping he could play/start.
August 27th, 2018 at 6:13 PM ^
Ahhh gotcha
August 27th, 2018 at 4:50 PM ^
But I thought Michigan was the only team that had guys leave.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
I read recently that MSU has had 9 kids transfer since JAN.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Understandably that doesn't demand the same level of attention/freakout given none of them were Jeff George Jr. caliber.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^
Plus "The official Dantonio-ed thread" doesn't have the same ring to it.
August 27th, 2018 at 9:19 PM ^
That and there aren't many around here who need constant validation from anything that happens in East Lansing.
August 27th, 2018 at 4:57 PM ^
They’re gonna be hurtin without Saquon, Gesicki and their old OC.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^
Still, 42-14 loss. Michigan players don't really care they had players leave....they will all still have white Helmets and Jerseys on. Jim will have them chomping at the bit for redemption He will look at Franklin at the 50 yard line and say......
August 27th, 2018 at 6:34 PM ^
Dafuq
And "champing", not "chomping"
August 27th, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^
Seriously? Anyway, never heard it pronounced that way....
Sorry if I cant help but think how ridiculous it is to use "Dafuq" and correct somebodies spelling.
August 27th, 2018 at 9:06 PM ^
I think it's chomping. Picture a horse excited to run and he's biting (chomping) on the metal bit in his mouth. What would "champing at the bit" even mean?
August 27th, 2018 at 10:52 PM ^
I just took 10 seconds to google it and the correct term is champing. The bit fits into a toothless ridge in the horses mouth so it never technically bites down on it but can grind its teeth or jaw against it. And champing is closely related to chomping meaning "to grind teeth".
August 27th, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^
Remember this if PSU loses against Michigan by a bunch, as the common refrain in 2016 was PSU would have been fine had they had their LBs.
Also, three chances plus the guy then leaves feels like something else was going on.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^
They had Paramus Catholic DT Corey Bolds transfer out as well. Word is he was discouraged he wasn't able to come in and play immediately. Apparently the work ethic was lacking. Glad we passed on him in the end.
August 27th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
Looks like a win to me, especially being at home.
August 27th, 2018 at 6:31 PM ^
He's a talent. He's also had some issues.
He was suspended from the 2016 team in between the B1G Title Game and the Rose Bowl.
He didn't play for the 2017 team after the MSU game (last 3 games). It wasn't injury related, it was discipline related. Then he got BOOTED from the team prior to the Fiesta Bowl.
There were various rumors relating to why that happened in each of 2016 & 2017. Weed being the predominant rumor.
Most folk (myself included) assumed all off-season he wouldn't be back for 2018. But he appeared on the roster when camp opened a few weeks ago. Word was he had to "meet certain stipulations."
Evidently, he didn't. In this case: 3 strikes and you're out.
August 27th, 2018 at 7:37 PM ^
With the amount they’re losing from their defense they’re going to have to rely on outscoring almost any team that has a pulse on offense.
They’re just fortunate enough to have an offense that might be able to do that. They’ve just got to worry about days where their offense has an off-day.
August 27th, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
UM - 27
PSU - 14
August 28th, 2018 at 12:18 AM ^
Do we get to 27 on two FG's or b/c of a missed extra point?
August 28th, 2018 at 7:07 AM ^
9 field goals. Quinn is reborn
August 28th, 2018 at 8:01 AM ^
Is Penn State that good? Media seems to have a Flutie like crush on McSorely.