As I concluded my convention in Columbus, Ohio, last week, I ventured for a post-convention meal to Urban Meyerโs Pint House in nearby Dublin. As I sat down and ordered, I saw all the accomplishments Meyer achieved in his career adorn the walls of his restaurant.
As my eyes scanned, I saw recognition of last seasonโs national championship team on the wall.
My mind began to reflect, and around a year ago at this time, Meyer raised the standards for that Ohio State team.ย
โBut as of now, this is one of the most talented teams rosters in the last decade, maybe ever. I mean thatโs a big statement they gotta play, but you look at the quality of athlete at every position. Iโve never seen anything like it,โ former Ohio State and current FOX analyst Urban Meyer, who coached Ohio State from 2012 to 2018, told WBNS Columbus last June.
Jim Tressel, who coached Ohio State from 2001 to 2010, echoed similar sentiments to Meyer , โI donโt know if Iโve ever seen that many great players in the building all at once. Every position, every place you turn. And so Ryanโs done a great job.โ
Think about the expectations of this group of Nittany Lions as we get into the thick of summer.
Honestly, I donโt think a group of Nittany Lions has had this high of expectations with the shear talent on the roster since the 1986 team.
Thar 1986 team came off a major heartbreak in the 1985 Orange Bowl losing to Oklahoma 25-10. That summer there was a quarterback competition between John Shaffer and Matt Knizner that kept the summer heat boiling.
Last season ended in ultimate heartbreak at the Orange Bowl in the College Football Semifinal to Notre Dame.
Grant you, Drew Allar is the starting QB, so thereโs no controversy. But the microscope is in two key areas: wide receiver and defensive coordinator.
Penn State did everything possible with the transfer portal to restock its wide receivers room. I donโt think anyone can say they could have done any better. Trebor Pena (Syracuse) was the top spring portal target. Pena is complemented by Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy).ย
Beyond the wide receiving room, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is the next biggest question mark. Penn State made him the highest paid coordinator in the sport at north of $3 million per season.ย
First year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles during pregame warmups ahead of the annual Blue White game. (Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
The question will be what impact Knowles can have not just on Penn Stateโs defense, but its offense.ย
Knowles was the defensive coordinator of last yearโs Buckeyes. On the surface, if it wasnโt for the expanded College Football Playoff format, those 10-2 Ohio State Buckeyes would have been relegated to a New Yearโs Six Bowl and plenty of bowl opt outs.
What the biggest lessons this team has to learn is to take control of its destiny when it has the opportunity to.
The other team Penn State lost to in the postseason was Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. Oregon went undefeated in its first season of Big Ten play, but when it ran into Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, they hit a buzzsaw in Ohio State.ย
When I caught up with the Buckeyes at that Rose Bowl and took in Ryan Dayโs comments with the media, it sounded NFL-like. They couldnโt hang their heads on losing once again to Michigan – a team that was 6-5 entering that game in Columbus. They ย had to focus on the task in front of them.
Ohio State qualified for the College Football Playoff, records and outcomes prior didnโt mean anything. It is what they did in the tournament, and they took care of business.
Penn State could well lose the White Out to Oregon along with what seems like a certainty in life, along with death and taxes, to Ohio State and still make the playoffs.ย
Ohio State players didnโt receive their โgold pantsโ for beating Michigan but they did earn the gold trophy they only get from winning it allย
I donโt think thereโs any regret from that team on what they accomplished.
We can debate whether this is the most talented Penn State group since either 1986 or 1994, that specific squad is moot. What is more important is it has been a while since Penn State has been in this position.
The great expectations are here because they have the talent to do something that no Penn State team has down in three decades.
As I enjoyed one of the IPAโs on tap at Meyerโs restaurant, maybe the biggest lesson Penn State has to learn from Knowles, who saw Ohio State achieve the ultimate and overcoming obstacles, is you have to be your best when it matters the most. There is plenty of opportunity to do it, they just got to find a way.
If Penn State does find it, it has to take ownership of its destiny and a gold trophy shall await them at the end if they do.ย
