Analyst: Penn State Has the ‘Mindset’ Advantage Over Michigan

Mike Pritchard, lead NFL analyst at VSiN, has had the Penn State-Michigan sport circled for weeks. Pritchard definitely is aware of about large school soccer video games.

He performed a number of positions on Colorado’s 1990 championship workforce and spent 9 years within the NFL. At VSiN, Pritchard scouts the highest expertise within the NFL and school soccer. He likes what Penn State and Michigan will showcase Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

Here is how Pritchard views the sport, who has the benefit, and the keys to a Penn State or Michigan victory.

Query: The place is Penn State at its strongest getting into this sport?

Mike Pritchard: Protection is the secret in relation to successful video games within the Large Ten. I imply, you’ve got to have the ability to cease the powerhouses when you can. And I feel coach [James] Franklin has loaded up on the defensive facet of the ball. Definitely you take a look at the top-10 recruiting class he is received coming in, and that they’d coming in in 2022 as nicely. I additionally suppose to have a come-from-behind victory on the street towards Purdue, which was a prolific passing workforce, was vital. To get that win I believed that was excellent for the Nittany Lions.

After which to enter the SEC territory — I do not care if Auburn is down or not — and to dominate them was spectacular. So their protection, permitting about 15 factors a sport, that offers you an opportunity to win quite a lot of video games within the Large Ten.

Q: What do you want about Penn State’s protection?

Pritchard: If you concentrate on turnover margin, they’re plus-6 proper now. So I feel they’re opportunistic within the secondary, and you must play robust on the line of scrimmage as nicely. And you are going into the Large Home towards Michigan, which needs to run the ball nicely. However I feel angle is essential. To me, defensive soccer is extra about angle and confidence. And I see quite a lot of confidence occasionally with Penn State, definitely within the secondary.

Q: How about Michigan? What stands out concerning the Wolverines?

Pritchard: Michigan appears like they’ll run the ball on anyone. Once I was at Colorado, that was our mentality, too. And it begins up entrance. They’ve a Heisman Trophy-type of operating again in Blake Corum. However while you watch him, he is probably not getting touched that always till he is by way of the road of scrimmage. So the surge on the level of assault from the offensive line could be very spectacular. And coach [Jim] Harbaugh has executed an incredible job implementing that type of mindset. They usually do it very well.

Q: What about every workforce’s weak spots? Let’s begin with Penn State.

Pritchard: I feel Penn State’s weak spot is scoring. You already know, I do not know the way Penn State may be prolific. Operating the soccer and being balanced is one factor, however they’ve to have the ability to put up factors and be explosive. I feel commencement [of players like Jahan Dotson] type of handcuffs that at instances. However in school soccer quite a lot of instances — and I am trying ahead to seeing this hopefully from Penn State after a bye week— the slot receiver instructions consideration in the midst of the sector to open up some vertical passing down the sideline.

Clearly operating the soccer is essential, but when you concentrate on a power of Michigan, that is the line of defense. So can Penn State be explosive sufficient and be constantly explosive on the street towards Michigan?

Q: What about Michigan’s weaknesses?

Pritchard: I feel their weak spot towards Penn State will simply be the truth that I do not suppose Michigan is battle-tested the way in which that Penn State is. Take into consideration Michigan averaging 43 factors a sport, however you even have to contemplate the caliber of their opponents. I imply, Colorado State, Hawai’i, Connecticut, Maryland, Iowa, Indiana. The protection is stout, however there isn’t any offense on Michigan’s schedule up to now that has actually examined them to the restrict. So will probably be fascinating to see what Penn State has in retailer after a bye week.

Q: Who has the sting at quarterback between Penn State’s Sean Clifford and Michigan’s JJ McCarthy?

Pritchard: Watching JJ McCarthy final week, he is respectable, nevertheless it’s extra of the play-action sport. They are going to have designs and they are going to telegraph the place they need him to throw the soccer with the play motion. And when you get singled up on the skin, McCarthy’s capable of get the ball on the market, and perhaps receivers could make a play. But when he has to go and drop again nearly all of the time, like if Penn State is ready to get them in unpredictable passing conditions, I feel McCarthy is challenged that approach. And that is one thing through which, when you’ve got a ball-hawking protection, you search for Penn State to maybe reap the benefits of that.

On the opposite facet, Clifford can do some issues. However from an explosive nature, I need to see one thing that Penn State has labored on [during the bye week]. I feel he must emerge just a little bit extra that approach. From an expertise standpoint, and definitely a big-game standpoint, Clifford is prepared for this most likely extra so than McCarthy in my view.

Q: Michigan wins if…

Pritchard: Michigan wins if they’ll run the soccer efficiently and dominate the road of scrimmage. I feel Corum is unbelievable as a runner. I performed with Eric Bieniemy [at Colorado], and Corum jogs my memory of him. He is like 5-8, 210 kilos, a bowling ball with thick legs, after which with an offensive line that surges and so you must commit our bodies on the line of scrimmage for that. And subsequently, you restrict McCarthy and him taking possibilities.

Q: Penn State wins if…

Pritchard: It has to run the soccer towards that line of defense. It is daunting, however once more, I take a look at Michigan’s opponents, and its nowhere close to the place Penn State is by way of being battle examined. I feel mentally Penn State has the benefit. So I feel the mindset is benefit Penn State there.

Then it is also simply what’s in entrance of them. I imply, that is an unimaginable alternative on nationwide TV on the street. So coach Franklin, coming off a bye week, has each benefit. Be bodily, win the road of scrimmage up entrance offensively after which if Clifford could make some throws, only a few large performs to assist out that operating sport, I feel Penn State can win.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State information, opinion and perspective on the SI.com community. Writer Mark Wogenrich has coated Penn State for greater than 20 years, monitoring three teaching staffs, three Large Ten titles and a catalog of nice tales. Observe him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And take into account subscribing (button’s on the house web page) for extra nice content material throughout the SI.com community.