Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/703041
and development of our offensive line. If they can't get it done, you might as well go play flag football or seven-on-seven. I don't really look at it in that context, so let's develop the offensive line and make them the strength of the team. BWI I know you did some evaluation before and after the bowl game. Where are they now compared to then? MOORHEAD I think they've taken in- credible steps, and through spring I think Coach Limegrover has done a phe- nomenal job. The coaches have the abil- ity to teach fundamentals and tech- nique, and our scheme can get them to play fast, play physical and play confi- dent. And really, the last part is mentali- ty – the belief that our offensive line can line up and physically dominate a defen- sive line and kick their ass for an entire game. It turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy one way or another. So we're not going to sit there and bemoan the fact that our line has been a perceived weakness for the past two years. That's not how we're approaching this thing. We're going to approach it like our line is going to be our strength and we're going to coach them that way. That's going to be our mentality. BWI Is it a misconception that these guys aren't athletically capable? Are they closer to that position of being a success? MOORHEAD Judging solely off of the work that I've seen since winter work- outs and spring football, I'm very confi- dent in the ability of our offensive line. But now it's not 65 scholarships or 75 scholarships or whatever the number was for the first two years. I think it was phenomenal that the coach was able to win seven games through those years. Now you're looking across the board with a legitimate two-deep or three- deep with talent. So I'm not looking at the offensive line as a weakness or a per- ceived weakness. We're going to view them as one of the strengths of our unit that needs to be successful to get us where we need to be. BWI I was talking with defensive coor- dinator Brent Pry yesterday, and it seems there are two ways to look at your offense and its impact on the defense. One way is to look at it as a positive. The past two years, once Penn State gave up more than 17 points in a game, basically it had lost. Do you see this offense maybe alleviating some pressure on them? MOORHEAD Well, this goes back to one of your original questions. Not only was I calling the plays at Fordham, but I also had to view it with a broad-spec- trum approach, being the head coach, and look at the effect of what you're do- ing offensively and defensively on the special teams or on the team as a whole. And if you look back at our time of pos- sessions at Fordham, I don't think many were below 30. But we were always to- ward the top of the league and the coun- try in first downs per game, as well as third-down conversions. To me, it's the quick three-and-outs that get you. If you're getting first downs, you're mov- ing the sticks, and you're scoring points, it lessens the effect of the tempo on the development. Ultimately, our goal is to score one more point than the defense gives up, but if you look at the landscape of col- lege football right now, teams are scor- ing points in bunches. We want to be the No. 1 scoring offense in the Big Ten and one of the tops in the country, and I think that, from a team perspective, will give us a great opportunity to win foot- ball games. BWI We haven't talked about the tight ends. What do you see there from a per- sonnel standpoint? MOORHEAD They're an absolutely in- tegral part of our offense from a pass game standpoint. They're guys who have to block like a lineman in the run game and have to catch like a receiver in the pass game. And I think that's what's unique about Michael Gesicki's skill set and with the other guys. I think Coach [Ricky] Rahne has done a great job de- veloping their fundamentals and tech- nique in the run game. Certainly they all have the athletic ability to affect the pass game in a positive manner. BWI Is it hard to find guys like that anymore? It seems a lot of tight ends these days are receivers. MOORHEAD I think really it's two- fold. To me, there are two types of tight ends right now. One is an inline/on-the- line tight end with his hand on the ground like you see with a lot of teams utilizing the traditional pro-style sys- tem. They're bigger-body guys. And then you've got heavy run-block guys who do some things with the pass game down the field. We really look for guys who have the ability to do both. We've got guys who can block like a lineman in the run game but can stretch the field out as a receiver in the pass game. But I'd say our guys are more of the hybrid receiver-type tight end than they are a true hybrid tackle/tight end. BWI Last year was a struggle. Catching the ball has been a bit of a problem for Gesicki. It seems like everyone is waiting to see if he's made some strides there. MOORHEAD Well Michael had a tremendous spring, and like I said, we're going to try to let go of our past and cre- ate a future. It's not something we've re- ally addressed with him. It's not about telling someone, "Catch the ball." it's about teaching them the techniques to catch the ball, and I think Coach Rahne has done a great job with Michael and the other guys during the spring. Drops weren't an issue with Michael in the least during practice. BWI It's best then, for you, to not wor- ry about the past and just start fresh? MOORHEAD Yeah, I think it's good on a lot of levels: for the kids, for the coaching staff, for the program, and cer- tainly I wouldn't have left the security of my position at Fordham if I came here to coach on my heels or be scared. We're going to be aggressive. We're going to be the hammer, not the nail, and I think the kids are excited. I certainly didn't leave that position to come here and not be aggressive in our approach, so I think the ability for all these kids to get a fresh start with a new scheme is reinvigorat- ing and I think that's shown in their ap- proach. ■ P R E V I E W