Once again, it’s Adam Collyer over at BlackShoeDiaries providing the questions, and we, your humble bloggers, providing the answers. Mine are below, and you can venture off to the remote areas of the blogosphere that are JoePa’s Doghouse and Nittany Lions’ Den to see what those crazy kids have to say.
But enough with the introductions, you know the drill:
Did either QB show you enough to make you confident in our offense for the year? Who’s your guy for this week?
I’m going to be the lone optimist and say yes. I saw enough from Rob Bolden to be confident enough in the offense moving forward. No, his numbers weren’t fantastic–in fact, someone might look at his line and shake their head. 6 of 12 passing for 37 yards is mediocre at best and, well, pretty awful at worst, especially considering the quality of opponent. But the stats never tell the true story, and in the case of Bolden’s performance last Saturday, they do a horrendous job telling it. Had Justin Brown and Derek Moye hauled in perfectly thrown deep ball, all of a sudden, he’s 8 of 12, for 137 yards. If the offensive line holds it together, and gives him time to throw, maybe some of those deeper routes come together. And if the coaching staff calls the screens and curls when Bolden’s under center, like they always have for McGloin, well, the numbers start to look a bit better. The point is, Saturday, I saw a quarterback who put the ball right where it needed to be, despite being under pressure. That throw to Justin Brown, with a defender inches away from his body, couldn’t have been placed better, and Brown dropped it. That’ll happen–a receiver dropping a deep ball–but the poise to stand in there and take the hit, and the ability to put that pass on a string 50 yards downfield doesn’t, not every day.
What’s your preferred offensive game plan headed into this Saturday?
I’d come out throwing. Silas Redd ran over the Indiana State defense, and made everyone forget that he’s replacing a guy who’s #1 in the record books for rushing at Penn State. He was awesome, the offensive line threw around the Sycamore defenders like rag dolls, and in space, well, Redd was electrifying. The obvious thing, then, would be to pound the rock, to not take chances against a fantastic Alabama defense, and to put this game in the hands of your running game. But that’s been Penn State’s M.O. against big-time opponents this past decade, and, well, it doesn’t work too often. The margin of error is just too high, especially when drives flame out in the red zone. When you’re a ten-point underdog, you need to take some chances, and if the Lions can do that effectively, they might just stun the Crimson Tide. Throw the ball down the field, and make your own luck.
Who’s the most important player on our defense this weekend?
Devon Still. Still was pretty solid in that opening game, not only penetrating inside, but generating great push in moving the pocket. But there’s quite a step up from the interior of Indiana State’s offensive line to that of Alabama–and even though that unit struggled a bit against Kent State in their opener, there’s little doubt that they’ll be much improved by Saturday. Still will need to consistently draw double teams against the run for Penn State to slow down Trent Richardson–if Alabama’s offensive linemen can get to the second level, and defensive backs are trying to stop Richardson, they’ll get trucked. And on throwing downs, Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore aren’t great rushers off the edge. A breakdown in the pocket, something Still might be able to accomplish by penetrating, could help create the chaos necessary for Penn State to slow the passing game of Alabama.
How big of an upset is it if Penn State beats the Crimson Tide?
Big, but not huge. It’s not like Penn State is unranked, and picked to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten. We’re not Minnesota, or Purdue. This is a Nittany Lions team that’s going to be competitive, one that plays a brutal schedule, but one that’s talented, if raw. And it’s not like Alabama was infalliable last week–both of the quarterbacks aiming for the #1 job threw two picks against the Golden Flashes, and Richardson ran for all of 37 yards on 13 carries. Yes, that defense is stacked, and there’s a reason they’re ranked in the top 5, but this should be a close, competitive game, and that spread is deceiving. It would be a nice win for the Big Ten to have, and especially for Penn State, to reassert itself as an elite team, but I don’t think it would, or should, send shockwaves throughout the college football landscape.
Predictions?
This, but backwards.
We’ve had this roundtable before. Not for Alabama (though, of course, we have), but one where Penn State took on a more talented, highly ranked opponent, and the smart money was on the other guys. But me, well, I don’t have it in me to pick against the Nits. If I was going to predict a loss, I wouldn’t be spending this week outside Gate A in a tent in the pouring rain. I think it’s a grind-it-out game, and Alabama plays better, but Penn State wins the battle in the red zone. Think the 2010 Capital One Bowl, but without Daryll Clark’s late heroics. I’ll say Penn State 17, Alabama 13, with Bama getting stuffed on 4th and goal from the 1 to end it. Wouldn’t that be something?
Once again, it’s Adam Collyer over at BlackShoeDiaries providing the questions, and we, your humble bloggers, providing the answers. Mine are below, and you can venture off to the remote areas of the blogosphere that are JoePa’s Doghouse and Nittany Lions’ Den to see what those crazy kids have to say.
But enough with the introductions, you know the drill:
Did either QB show you enough to make you confident in our offense for the year? Who’s your guy for this week?
I’m going to be the lone optimist and say yes. I saw enough from Rob Bolden to be confident enough in the offense moving forward. No, his numbers weren’t fantastic–in fact, someone might look at his line and shake their head. 6 of 12 passing for 37 yards is mediocre at best and, well, pretty awful at worst, especially considering the quality of opponent. But the stats never tell the true story, and in the case of Bolden’s performance last Saturday, they do a horrendous job telling it. Had Justin Brown and Derek Moye hauled in perfectly thrown deep ball, all of a sudden, he’s 8 of 12, for 137 yards. If the offensive line holds it together, and gives him time to throw, maybe some of those deeper routes come together. And if the coaching staff calls the screens and curls when Bolden’s under center, like they always have for McGloin, well, the numbers start to look a bit better. The point is, Saturday, I saw a quarterback who put the ball right where it needed to be, despite being under pressure. That throw to Justin Brown, with a defender inches away from his body, couldn’t have been placed better, and Brown dropped it. That’ll happen–a receiver dropping a deep ball–but the poise to stand in there and take the hit, and the ability to put that pass on a string 50 yards downfield doesn’t, not every day.
What’s your preferred offensive game plan headed into this Saturday?
I’d come out throwing. Silas Redd ran over the Indiana State defense, and made everyone forget that he’s replacing a guy who’s #1 in the record books for rushing at Penn State. He was awesome, the offensive line threw around the Sycamore defenders like rag dolls, and in space, well, Redd was electrifying. The obvious thing, then, would be to pound the rock, to not take chances against a fantastic Alabama defense, and to put this game in the hands of your running game. But that’s been Penn State’s M.O. against big-time opponents this past decade, and, well, it doesn’t work too often. The margin of error is just too high, especially when drives flame out in the red zone. When you’re a ten-point underdog, you need to take some chances, and if the Lions can do that effectively, they might just stun the Crimson Tide. Throw the ball down the field, and make your own luck.
Who’s the most important player on our defense this weekend?
Devon Still. Still was pretty solid in that opening game, not only penetrating inside, but generating great push in moving the pocket. But there’s quite a step up from the interior of Indiana State’s offensive line to that of Alabama–and even though that unit struggled a bit against Kent State in their opener, there’s little doubt that they’ll be much improved by Saturday. Still will need to consistently draw double teams against the run for Penn State to slow down Trent Richardson–if Alabama’s offensive linemen can get to the second level, and defensive backs are trying to stop Richardson, they’ll get trucked. And on throwing downs, Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore aren’t great rushers off the edge. A breakdown in the pocket, something Still might be able to accomplish by penetrating, could help create the chaos necessary for Penn State to slow the passing game of Alabama.
How big of an upset is it if Penn State beats the Crimson Tide?
Big, but not huge. It’s not like Penn State is unranked, and picked to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten. We’re not Minnesota, or Purdue. This is a Nittany Lions team that’s going to be competitive, one that plays a brutal schedule, but one that’s talented, if raw. And it’s not like Alabama was infalliable last week–both of the quarterbacks aiming for the #1 job threw two picks against the Golden Flashes, and Richardson ran for all of 37 yards on 13 carries. Yes, that defense is stacked, and there’s a reason they’re ranked in the top 5, but this should be a close, competitive game, and that spread is deceiving. It would be a nice win for the Big Ten to have, and especially for Penn State, to reassert itself as an elite team, but I don’t think it would, or should, send shockwaves throughout the college football landscape.
Predictions?
This, but backwards.
We’ve had this roundtable before. Not for Alabama (though, of course, we have), but one where Penn State took on a more talented, highly ranked opponent, and the smart money was on the other guys. But me, well, I don’t have it in me to pick against the Nits. If I was going to predict a loss, I wouldn’t be spending this week outside Gate A in a tent in the pouring rain. I think it’s a grind-it-out game, and Alabama plays better, but Penn State wins the battle in the red zone. Think the 2010 Capital One Bowl, but without Daryll Clark’s late heroics. I’ll say Penn State 17, Alabama 13, with Bama getting stuffed on 4th and goal from the 1 to end it. Wouldn’t that be something?
That’s the mantra this squad has adopted for the 2011 season. And on a muggy, 85 degree Fall afternoon, the Nittany Lions put on a display of toughness often lacking from last season’s edition before the 96,461 fans who braved the heat to watch Penn State rout the Sycamores of Indiana State by a score of 41-7.
Sure, the game seemed to be nothing more than a glorified scrimmage on paper, but there was far more riding on the team’s performance against the Sycamores than just the final score. This was finally an opportunity for Penn State to put on their pads, strap on their helmets and answer some unresolved questions surrounding this squad since the final whistle at the Outback Bowl last season.
Specifically, the position battle at quarterback.
In fact, heading into the season opener, Joe Paterno admitted both Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin would receive significant playing time Saturday, a disturbing, but clear indication that neither player has emerged as a clear-cut winner for the starting position. And so 96,461 fans risked heat stroke and packed Beaver Stadium against a subdivision opponent Saturday just for the opportunity to watch the Penn State crown it’s next starting quarterback.
Unfortunately, both Bolden and McGloin offered fans a first-hand glimpse into just how tough the quarterback battle has been all offseason with neither one emerging as a clear cut winner on Saturday. Rob Bolden started the game and managed to lead the Lions to just 1 touchdown drive in 6 possessions. But that number could have easily been 3 touchdown drives, had it not been for first-quarter drops by Derek Moye and Justin Brown on a pair of deep catchable balls that could have easily gone for touchdowns. He eventually finished 6 of 12 for 37 yards.
Drives
Touchdowns
Snaps
Stats
Yards
Rob Bolden
6
1
36
6/12
37
Matt McGloin
4
3
26
6/8
77
McGloin had better stats on the day, completing 6 of 8 passes for 77 yards leading the Lions to 3 touchdowns in 4 drives, though one came on a short field following a turnover. In fact, McGloin’s drives had a better average starting position, at the PSU 43 compared to the PSU 38 for Bolden. Despite recording better stats, McGloin’s decision-making was also suspect at times, including a ill-advised pass attempt right at defensive end Phil Walker while being sacked. Fortunately Walker dropped the ball, but that type of play that could have been a game-breaking touchdown next weekend against Alabama and is reminiscent of of his questionable decision-making when he threw 5 interceptions against Florida in the Outback Bowl. So a virtual dead-heat that puts us back where we started. Even Joe Paterno admitted both quarterbacks played well and suggested the possibility that both will take the field next week. A surprising admission for a coach who is notoriously skeptical about playing multiple quarterbacks.
“I think both of them are going to play, I think both of them can play… They’ve been under an awful lot of pressure because of the media, and everybody else wants to know who’s going to play quarterback… I think that they’re fine. They’ll get better. I think overall they did a pretty good job.”
Aside from the quarterback battle, there were plenty of positives from Saturday on both sides of the ball. On offense, the early development of a punishing running attack was surprising given the early season struggles in the run game during the last few seasons. Even against overmatched early season opponents, the Nittany Lions often struggled to find the right balance on the offensive line, often failing to dominate the trenches as expected. The Lions only managed to rack up 132 yards on the ground against subdivision Youngstown State in last year’s opener. Against the Sycamores, the Penn State run game was absolutely punishing. The Nittany Lions rushed the ball 48 times for 245 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Silas Redd wowed fans Saturday finishing with 104 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 12 carries, an average of 8.7 yards a carry.
The defense, much maligned last season for their lack of intensity was even more impressive holding the Sycamores to 170 total yards and forcing 3 turnovers; interceptions by Drew Astorino and Adrian Amos and a fumble recovery by Jordan Hill. A welcome sign for a unit that had struggled to force turnovers (just 17 total; 7 forced fumbles, 10 interceptions) last season. Penn State played a near-flawless game defensively Saturday, pitching a shutout that lasted 57 minutes before Indiana State scored on a 20 yard touchdown pass against Penn State’s third and fourth stringers with 2:16 left in the game.
Aside from the kicking game, still suffering the effects of losing projected starter Anthony Fera to off-field issues, it was a near perfect outing for the Nittany Lions Saturday. However, with the top-ranked Crimson Tide rolling into town next weekend, the Lions can ill afford the distractions of a quarterback controversy. The idea of playing both quarterbacks next weekend does little to aid continuity at such a key position. Penn State fans should remember 1999 and the quarterback-by-committee battle between Rashard Casey and Kevin Thompson, one that started with a #1 ranking and ended with 3 straight regular-season losses. By this point, the coaching staff should just name a starter, give him the opportunity to take most of the first-team reps and let the chips fall where they may.
It’s an institution of the Penn State blogosphere, and sure enough, it’s back for the 2011 season. That’s right, what we’ve got here is a genuine, bona-fide, electrified Blue/White Roundtable. There might be fewer seats, what with Black Shoe Diaries swallowing up half the blogs that used to participate, but we’ll forgive them, since it’s BSD’s Adam Collyer with this week’s questions, and, I assume, the write-up tomorrow. I’m not sure who else will be participating, but I’d say it’s a safe bet that you can check out William F. Yurasko and Nittany Lions’ Den over the next day or two and read their thoughts.
Now, to the fun part:
1. Let’s get this out of the way right now – how does everyone feel about Robert Bolden and Matt McGloin being even on the depth chart? How do you feel about the proposed time sharing plan for Saturday’s game against Indiana State?
Take your pick, Joe.
It doesn’t surprise me, but that doesn’t mean I like it. Granted, I understand the thinking–practice can only simulate a real game scenario so much, and getting Bolden and McGloin on the field in a real, competitive, scenario will be more telling, even if it is a warm-up game against the most delicious of cupcakes. In theory, one could outplay the other, and prove himself “the guy” moving forward, but that’s not likely. While it would be a story if either quarterback struggled, I doubt that’ll be the case, at least not beyond the usually early season uneasiness as a team starts to gel. To me, the bigger issue is just that–a lack of a true starter means a lack of one quarterback getting all the first team reps. It’s even in the little exchanges–getting the ball from under center, handing it off to the running back–not to mention timing plays, especially on passes–where that kind of experience matters, and denying it from the team could be a form of self sabotage. I’m a staunch member of #teamBolden, but at this point, I’d rather see Matt McGloin named the starter tomorrow than head into Alabama without knowing who’s going to be first off the bus.
2. What are you looking for out of the offense this week? Will the offense we see on Saturday set the tone for the rest of the year?
This week, I just want to see crispness and efficiency. We know how Joe Paterno, Galen Hall, and Jay Paterno like to play this early-season matchups–they’re designed to get the pieces moving smoothly, not to run up the score and impress pollsters. We’ll see guys getting extended playing time who certainly don’t figure into Penn State’s greater offensive plans, and we’ll see plenty from others vying for spots. Neither quarterback will have the benefit of the full playbook, and I’d be shocked to see anything more than the most conservative of offensive schemes. That sad, I’m going to be watching the offensive line most closely–if they can’t bully around an Indiana State front seven, they’ll have no chance against Alabama. I don’t just want to see them play well, I want to see the line dominate. Aside from that, I’m excited to see Silas Redd emerge as the #1 running back this year, and to see guys like Brandon Beachum, Curtis Drake, and Andrew Szczerba coming back from elongated injury absences.
3. Do you expect the defense to be significantly upgraded from last year?
This was three years ago. Woah.
Yes, and for two reasons: Bani Gbadyu graduated, and Chris Colasanti graduated. The last time I was this excited for addition by subtraction was when Anthony Morelli moved on, and it didn’t matter which of Pat Devlin or Daryll Clark would be quarterback, because either would be a giant step up from Morelli. In this case, we don’t have unknowns filling in for Gbadyu and Colasanti, we have Mike Mauti, who’s tantalized Penn State fans for three years and, if healthy, is a legitimate All-America candidate. Gerald Hodges, Glenn Carson, Nate Stupar, Khairi Fortt, Mike Hull…does it get any better than Penn State’s simply unreal depth at linebacker? Last year, Penn State’s biggest problem on defense was injuries. The defensive line was decimated, at times, and so was the linebacking corps. Nick Sukay got hurt just as he was turning a corner, and depth there was lacking. The loss of Pete Massaro hurts, but should this unit stay healthy, I expect a significant step up from last year. If the reports are to be believed, this was one of the toughest, most demanding training camps in recent memory. If the coaching staff was able to impart some much needed toughness, maybe the Penn State defense can get its swagger back.
4. Outside of the money earned, these games are no-win situations for major powers. A win is expected and anything less than complete dominance is a cause for concern. How do you define success for Penn State this week?
Success would be both quarterbacks playing phenomenally, the defense pitching a shutout, Silas Redd breaking tackles and running past outmatched defenders, and the offensive line pushing around Indiana State’s front seven. It’s Mike Mauti flying from sideline to sideline, beheading Indiana State’s skill players, and Jack Crawford finally looking like the player we thought he’d be by now. Frankly, this is little more than a glorified scrimmage, but Penn State is a team with significant question marks. Being able to answer even a few of those would make this game a successful one.
5. Predictions?
Penn State wins, 51-10. McGloin outplays Bolden, and that’s all anyone will talk about.
It looks like Coach Chambers won’t be the only new addition Penn State fans can look forward to at Bryce Jordan Center this fall.
Penn State has announced that the BJC will be home to a brand new center-hung high-definition scoreboard. ANC Sports Enterprises, the same software firm responsible for the the LED ribbons in Beaver Stadium and the upgraded scoreboards in Rec Hall has once again been selected for the job. ANC Sports will be partnering with scoreboard maker Mitsubishi Electric in manufacturing the $1.2 million center-hung scoreboard that will feature 4 new 10mm Diamond Vision video screen systems. The same Mitsubishi Electric video display system built (PDF) for the the world’s largest 1080p HDTV video board at Cowboys Stadium.
The new boards measuring approximately 12 feet high and 16 feet wide will be significantly taller and wider than the old unit’s displays. The new unit will also feature two 16mm Diamond Vision ribbon displays, one located on top of the video screens and the other at the bottom of the structure.
The new center-hung system will include over 1100 square feet of dynamic video capabilities which will provide real-time statistics, team logos, crowd prompts, animated team introductions, student athlete videos and live footage of events at the arena.
The most significant difference for fans once the new boards are installed will be the unified messaging the BJC will now be able to offer to fans and more importantly, arena advertisors. This new center-hung scoreboard will compliment the digital courtside signs and 960-feet of 20mm LED ribbon boards also installed by ANC Sports back in 2008 finally allowing scoreboard operators at the BJC to integrate the center-hung scoreboard displays with the digital signage around the rest of the arena.
And though this new upgrade should indeed move Penn State past the archaic and static display of player stats and and scores and encourage the use of in-game pump-up videos and animated displays as the athletic department has claimed, somehow I just expect more advertising and brand messaging.
Driven by ANC’s VisionSOFTTM operating system the entire signage system will feature the capability to synchronize together featuring one image, video or animation series. Compelling visuals such as “We Are . . . Penn State” featuring player images walking across the video system, from one display to the next will forever change the game day environment at the venue.
The new boards will be installed in time for basketball season when the Nittany Lions tip off the 2011-12 season with the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament on November 14th.
This new scoreboard marks the latest step in a series of upgrades the athletic department has pursued since 2008 with two HD videoscreens in Rec Hall and the installation of LED ribbon boards in Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. Don’t look for Penn State to stop with the Bryce Jordan Center though, the Nittany Lions are also set to replace the two giant video boards at Beaver Stadium next year. And let’s not forget all the bells and whistles that are planned for the brand new hockey arena currently underway across from the BJC. It’s just refreshing to see the athletic department dig into their coffers and commit to ensuring that our venues remain on par with the best in the nation.
With under two weeks to go until Penn State’s season opener against Indiana State, we’re officially back in football mode here at NittanyWhiteOut. We might be a bit late with this set of season previews, but we’ll be breaking down the roster, sizing up the depth chart, and taking a look at how the Nittany Lions stack up at each position up until kickoff. We start with a look at the receiving corps.
The Starters: Derek Moye, Justin Brown In The Rotation: Devon Smith,
Before I begin, I should probably explain why we haven’t posted in a while. Frankly, it’s just been bad timing. I just got back from a study abroad program in Europe, and Charlie is still working his way back from a late-summer vacation. And let’s be honest, aside from the occasional recruiting commitment, there really hasn’t been much going on in the way of Penn State news. But now that we’re just a few weeks away from the regular season, we’ll be getting right back into the regular swing of things. And though we weren’t able to make it to State College yesterday, here’s what you need to know about these Nittany Lions that we
Remember how, after Pat Devlin’s departure, Penn State was pretty screwed because he was the only scholarship QB they’d signed between 2006 and 2008?
Well, I’m sure the coaching staff does, because they’ve made sure to avoid that same dilemma, securing the commitment of Philadelphia’s own Skyler Mornhinweg.
It’s Official – Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joesph’s QB Skyler Mornhinweg will be a #PennState#NittanyLion
If that last name sounds familiar, it probably is. Skyler’s dad is Marty Mornhinweg, the current offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, and former head coach of the Detroit Lions.
Skyler–sorry, but I can only type out that last name so many times–had committed to Jim Harbaugh and Stanford more than two years ago, when he was a rising sophomore (which probably tells you something about the kid, from both an academic and football perspective). After Harbaugh left for the NFL, taking the job as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Skyler decommitted to explore his options, and Penn State quickly became a leader.
If Mornhinweg isn’t a name you’d become accustomed with over the past few months, don’t feel bad. He’s handled his recruitment pretty quietly, and lacks the stars that makes any player stand out. Rivals grades him as the #29 player in Pennsylvania, and unranked among quarterbacks, rating Skyler as a 3-star prospect. Scout also grants 3 stars to Mornhinweg, listing him as the #44 QB in the class of 2012. ESPN’s slightly more positive, rating him as the #16 QB in the class, awarding the elusive fourth star, and grading him as an 80, which would make him the second highest graded commit to the Nittany Lions thusfar.
But lest you feel that Penn State is taking another flyer on some unknown kid, worry not: Skyler’s offer sheet is pretty impressive. He picked Penn State over national powers like Alabama and Tennessee, and from schools like Illinois and Stanford–who still pursued Mornhinweg. Other interest had come from Northwestern, Miami, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Florida State, and Arkansas. The 6’3, 215-pound Mornhinweg doesn’t appear to be a pure pocket passer–in fact, he was a highly heralded safety for his St. Joseph’s Prep squad last year, named to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s all-Southeast PA team at the position. But he’s no slouch at QB, either, having thrown for over 3100 yards and 31 touchdowns the past two years, en route to a first-team all-Catholic League Class AAAA selection in 2010, even on a team that finished just 4-7.
Ouch. Everyone’s favorite investigative organization largely responsible for the USC and soon to be Oregon NCAA investigations has set it’s sights on the 6-time B1G Champion Buckeye officially declaring open hunt season in Columbus.
The entire mess stems from an violation last December for which the NCAA handed a five-game suspension to the Buckeye Five for selling championship rings, Ohio State memorabilia and autographs mostly to Edward Rife, owner of Fine Line Ink Tattoos in Columbus in exchange for cash and tattoos. The severity of the punishment however, was largely based on the premise that Ohio State investigated and self-reported possible rule violations to the NCAA immediately after being informed by the local US Attorney’s office on December 7, 2010. The NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff concluded its own investigation 16 days later, surprising fast, on December 23rd, 2010, suspending offensive starters QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Dan “Boom” Herron, WR DeVier Posey, T Mike Adams, and backup DE Solomon Thomas for 5 games in 2011 and requiring them to repay money and benefits to charity.
Now that the regular season is finally done and past us, we can finally look forward to the games that actually matter. For the better part of this season, the Lions seemingly played themselves onto the bubble only to lose it away the following week over and over again. Wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin were negated by sweeps by Michigan, Purdue and Ohio State, often in heartbreaking fashion. The Lions are in no better position today following the conclusion of the regular season than during conference play when they hovered at or around .500 all season long. Now with the regular season finally behind us, the Lions have an opportunity to play themselves into the Dance. If they can’t put together a run next week in Indianapolis, how would it be any different come March against the Top 68 teams in the nation? It’s finally time to put up or shut up.
As of today less than a week before the 2011 Big Ten Tournament, the Lions
appear in 3 of the 66 bracket projects tracked by Bracket Project
and listed as 1 of the last 4 teams out by SI’s Andy Glockner
Not great, but it does suggest that the Lions are teetering right on the edge and could be right back in the discussion for an at-large with a run through the B1G tournament.
The following chart essentially sums up how the selection committee will look at teams still in the discussion. Wins are listed in order of quality in the left column. Teams that projected to be in the Tournament or on the bubble are in bold. These would be squads that bracketologists have considered worthy of the field based on their own criteria so a win against a higher seeded team would be viewed far more favorably than an lower seeded opponent. Teams not projected for the field of 68 are listed based on their RPI. The RPI is really the only way committee members can judge the strength of your opponents and as Andy Staples described following last week’s media mock selection process, it is a stat essentially attached to every piece of data the committee sees in the selection room.
Losses are listed on the right, with the worst losses listed first and upcoming games are listed in the center. The committee isn’t allowed to take margin of victory into account so a 3 point loss to Ohio State is just as bad as a 15 point beatdown by Purdue, but they can and do take notice of where a game is played (home/neutral/away) and whether a game was played without particular players lost to injury (ex: Jeff Brook’s dislocated right shoulder).
Wins (16)
Upcoming (1+)
Losses (13)
4-seed Wisconsin (Home)
#121 Indiana (neutral)
#203 Maine (Home)
9-seed Illinois (Home)
#89 Mississippi (Away)
11-seed Michigan St (Home)
#71 Maryland (Home)
bubble Minnesota (Away)
12 seed Michigan (Home)
bubble Minnesota (Home)
12 seed Michigan (Away)
#57 Northwestern (Away)
12-seed Virginia Tech (Away)
#57 Northwestern (Home)
11-seed Michigan St (Away)
#78 Duquesne (Home)
9-seed Illinois (Away)
#85 Fairfield (Home)
4-seed Wisconsin (Away)
#120 Iowa (Home)
2-seed Purdue (Home)
#121 Indiana (Away)
2-seed Purdue (Away)
#124 Furman (Home)
1-seed Ohio State (Away)
#163 Central Conn St (Home)
1-seed Ohio State (Home)
#182 St Joseph (Home)
#197 Lehigh
#241 Mount St. Mary (Home)
Ouch. The Nittany Lions’s resume seems weaker when compared to 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago, Minnesota was projected to be a 10-seed, Fairfield a 14-seed and Duquesne was projected to be on the bubble. Today, Minnesota is reeling from a 5 game losing streak dropping them back onto the bubble, Fairfield was knocked out by St. Peter’s in the MAAC tournament and Duquesne has lost 6 of their final 8 games. Although they are all still Top 100 RPI wins, they just aren’t as attractive as they were 2 weeks ago. Since then, the Lions have also notched road victories over Top 100 RPI foes Northwestern and Minnesota, but also another loss to top ranked, and projected top seed Ohio State at home. This leaves the Lions exactly where they were 2 weeks ago, teetering on the edge of the bubble needing a run through the B1G Tournament to boost their at-large chances.
Should the Lions make it all the way to the B1G Tournament Final, that would most likely provide the 2 extra conference wins needed to solidify their spot on the bubble. Unfortunately, Indiana with a projected RPI of 121 is our first round opponent providing little or no boost to our bubble hopes by beating them, but losing to them would be devastating and kill any chance of staying in the discussion come Selection time.
Who said signing day would be boring for Penn State fans?
Sure, this year’s crop of recruits seemed to decide early–both for and against Penn State–leaving Joe Paterno and his staff without much to do in the final days of the season. There was no Terrelle Pryor, no Jelani Jenkins, no uncommitted 5-star at least publicly considering the Blue and White. And all 15 verbals faxed in their LOIs, in a timely and orderly fashion.
But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have any excitement, as Adrian Amos will trade one shade of blue and white in for another.
Penn State didn’t have a particularly long time to earn the commitment of Adrian Amos. The Maryland native had announced that he would be playing for UConn early in his senior season, and it wasn’t until Randy Edsall’s departure for, ironically enough, Maryland, that his commitment started to waver. The coaching staff didn’t have more than a month to get Amos on board, but they certainly acted fast, and Connecticut’s loss will be Penn State’s gain. Just minutes ago Sean Fitz of Lions 247 reported that Amos would be a Nittany Lion in 2011, beating out West Virginia, Vanderbilt, and UConn for his services.
He’s rated as a 3-star prospect by pretty much every recruiting service–Rivals, Scout, ESPN, and even 247 Sports. But don’t let the recruiting rankings fool you; Adrian Amos is a player. A first-team all-state player, and standout in the Crab Bowl, Amos racked up 78 tackles last year, to go along with 4 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles. A true safety, Amos is simultaneously a ball hawk and a heavy hitter, combining solid size–he’s listed at 6’1, 205 pounds–and good speed with nice ball skills. His highlight tape is impressive, and he may be instantly able to step in and improve a very thin Penn State secondary. With D’Anton Lynn, Nick Sukay, and Drew Astorino set to graduate after the 2011 season, and Malcolm Willis the only returnee with any experience at safety, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Amos groomed as the hero from day 1.
This recruiting season, we saw Penn State address two huge areas of need, and that’s reflected in the final commit list. 9 of Penn State’s 16 signees-and most of their highest profile recruits–will play in the trenches, either along the offensive or defensive lines. But that success didn’t carry over to the staff’s other priority–the defensive secondary. Penn State struck out on pretty much everyone they recruited there, from Kyshoen Jarrett to Albert Louis-Jean to Blake Countess. This commitment might not turn too many heads now, but it’s one of the more important ones we’ve received all year.
Penn State’s recruiting class has, slowly but surely, continued to build up steam as we head towards LOI day just two weeks away. Despite a few bumps in the road, and though this class won’t be anything to brag about, the impending destruction of the Nittany Lion program has at the least been staved off for another day. At 8 o’clock this morning, one more top prospect committed to Joe Paterno and crew, becoming the 14th commitment to a steadily improving recruiting class–so many of them players who will do the dirty work in the trenches at the next level.
Getting Deion Barnes is no small potatoes, even if the fact that he’s been considered a Penn State lock for months diminishes the impact of his commitment. Though there’s some disagreement between the recruiting services on his true skill level–Rivals ranks him as the #6 defensive end, the #158 prospect in the country, and the #2 prospect from Pennsylvania, while Scout’s sipping the haterade, slotting Barnes in as the the #31 player at his position–he’s still one of the likelier impact players of this recruiting class.
The 6’5, 225 Philadelphian had an impressive offer list–he had narrowed down his selection to Penn State and Georgia, but could’ve taken a scholarship from Michigan, Pitt, West Virginia, South Carolina, or pretty much any other school in the region. It’s not hard to see why he was so highly coveted–he’s got the kind of frame and athleticism that bode well for development into an elite pass rusher.
Barnes’ high school exploits landed him on the second-team all-state, though he was the Philly Public School player of the year, racking up 85 tackles–35 of them for a loss–along with 13 sacks. And he had a straight-out-of-the-movies moment in his final high school game:
He led Northeast to its first city title since 1983, blocking a punt that set up a touchdown and catching the eventual game-winner off of a fake field goal.
But for Penn State, character is often as important as talent, and in Barnes, they’ve got a great kid. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a great story over the summer, showcasing his heart and determination–he’ll be the first member of his family to go to college. But it’s gut-wrenching, too, chronicling his escape from one of the worst areas of a dangerous city:
Since 2007, the year Barnes entered high school, 130 people have been shot within a half-mile of his North Philadelphia home, and at least 20 have been slain. Tragedy has also darkened his family. Barnes’ uncle was shot and killed at 21. That uncle’s son was also shot and killed at 21, buried this summer. And Barnes and his brothers have friend after friend who have been killed in gun violence.
With that in mind, it’s not hard to understand why Barnes would choose Penn State. He gets to stay close enough to home so his parents–who’ve watched every football game he’s ever played–can keep seeing him in person. And he’s going to a school where he can do more than just play football, where the school is as committed to his education as he is. As he told Sean Fitz, at Lions247:
“I am making this decision because of academics and the comfort level. I am not going to be one of those guys that just stays three years, I want to be there for four. For those reasons, I am going to Penn State.”
For an effort that started as slowly as it did, to salvage respectability as the coaching staff has is nothing short of a significant accomplishment. But we need to remember that these recruits are kids, too, and the story of Deion Barnes may be even greater than the defensive end, himself.
Ishaq Williams may have chosen Notre Dame over Penn State, but that doesn’t mean Joe Paterno and his staff can’t finish up their 2011 recruiting class with a bang. With plenty of Nittany Lion prospects still uncommitted, this year seems downright salvageable. Perhaps the commitment of New Jersey athlete Bill Belton–news first reported by FightOnState’s Cory James–will help re-energize the momentum that seemed momentarily lost.
Belton originally committed to Pitt early in the recruiting process, but we won’t hold that against him. He became one of a number of verbal commits to look elsewhere after the firing of Dave Wannstedt (and the subsequent firing of Mike Haywood), and quickly whittled down his choices to West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Penn State, and today made his intentions clear–he’ll join the Blue and White.
The 5’9, 180-pounder was one of the top athletes on the east coast, and his offer sheet reflects that. In addition to the aforementioned four schools, Belton received scholarship offers from schools as far south as Florida and Georgia Tech, and to the west, from Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Oregon. Rivals ranks Belton as the 25th best “athlete,” as the #8 prospect from the state of New Jersey, and as a 4-star recruit, sentiments echoed by Scout–who calls Belton the #13 wide receiver in this class of 2011.
Belton was a quarterback in his high school days, and his proficiency at that position demonstrates his elite athleticism. He was the Courier Post (a regional New Jersey newspaper) MVP, and his statistics are pretty staggering. He became the first New Jersian to pass for 2000 yards and run for 1000 in consecutive seasons, completing 61% of his passes with 21 touchdowns through the air. And on the ground, he ran for more than 6 yards a pop with another 16 touchdowns, inspiring some pretty awesome quotes:
“He’s an alien. He shouldn’t even be here,’’ Eastern coach Dan Spittal said. “He’s that much better than everyone else.’’
“You just can’t stop him. He’s at a different level,’’ Moorestown coach Russ Horton said. “He’s a man playing with boys. He is that good.’’
“I’ve been coaching for 30 years and he’s the best high school quarterback I’ve ever seen,’’ Spittal said. “He can throw with accuracy, he has poise and he runs when he has to. And when he runs, you couldn’t tackle him in a phone booth.’’
It’s not clear what position Belton will play at Penn State, whether it’s wide receiver or defensive back, but it’s clear that this kid is a football player, and is a big get for Mike McQueary, especially after he whiffed on Bill the first time. Reports were that Belton and his family were enamored with Big Red, and it’s entirely possible that the Penn State WR coach will get 4 or 5 years to work with Bill.
The news doesn’t get better in the midst of one of the toughest television years for college football. Bowl ratings, on average are down 9% from last season including a 11% drop for the BCS title game that went down to the wire between Auburn and Oregon.
Disappointing, but understandable considering that the 4 BCS bowls, plus the title game shifted from Fox and ABC to ESPN, who had to outbid Fox by $100 million to carry the games from 2011-14. A drop in viewership is a usual and expected effect of this broadcast-to-cable shift. Old-line networks (ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS) play to 116 million TV homes while ESPN is limited to about 100 million subscribers, just 86% of the broadcast base resulting in 15-16 million viewers that don’t get satellite or cable who are being disenfrancished.
As sports have moved to cable, we’ve seen the viewership fall. It has happened in the N.B.A., the British Open, “Monday Night Football,” the Breeders’ Cup and Nascar. The nine Chase for the Sprint Cup races that left ABC for ESPN last year had a 20 percent drop in viewers, to 4.4 million.
And on top of that, let’s not forget the matchups that viewers were faced with. The Orange and Fiesta ended in lopsided blowouts between teams that struggle to carry a national audience (UConn, Stanford, Virginia Tech), and even the Granddaddy of them All was handcuffed to a matchup between B1G squad Wisconsin and TCU, a mid major without the cachet of most traditional programs, thanks to a BCS rule requiring them to do so once every 4 years.
So, understandably the ratings for the BCS Title (-11%), Rose (-15%), Sugar (-4%), Orange (-1%) and Fiesta (-25%) bowls are significantly lower when compared to last season. And as much as ESPN would like to spin the numbers in a positive light, the ratings decline remains a tough blow in the fight between broadcasters and cable whose ad-supported networks are battling the advantage of subscriber fees that ESPN charges. It’s tough to sell an unattractive yet overpriced product to prospective sponsors.
But it’s not all bad news. Penn State, onceagain, has dominated bowl ratings. In fact, the Outback Bowl between the Nittany Lions and the Florida Gators rank 4th among all bowls, BCS and non-BCS drawing more viewers than the Orange and Fiesta bowls. The 7.05 rating represents an eye popping 101% increase more than doubling the 3.5 rating earned last season during an OT thriller between Auburn and Northwestern. Amidst a bowl season when 23 of the 33 returning bowls drew lower ratings than a year ago, including 13 that plummeted by 20% or more, the Outback bowl emerged as a clear winner.
There was a bit of hesitation back in December when the Outback Bowl selected the Nittany Lions with the #2 pick of B1G teams passing over fellow programs with identical 7-5 records; Michigan, Northwestern, and particularly Iowa who beat the Lions in their conference opener. But, it’s tough to blame the Outback Bowl for making a fiscally sound decision. And based on the 7.05 rating that doubled last season’s OT thriller, the Outback Bowl committee was right all along.
As the college football season heads towards its exciting conclusion, and the focus shifts to offseason recruiting, it’s all too easy to think of the recruiting game as simply that: a game. In many cases, the prospects don’t particularly matter to us as individuals as much as their star ranking or offer sheet does. And it’s not just fans who could care less about the players, apparently: it’s coaches, too. A coach who will be quick to yank a high schooler’s scholarship if he doesn’t qualify academically, and who’s counting on a handful to flunk out. A coach who will usher a player out the door for “undisclosed violations” or tell them to fake an injury. That way, you see, they stay on scholarship, but it doesn’t really count.
What’s the culprit? Oversigning, which turns what should be a glorious rite of passage into a damning cattle call. Joshua has been a lone crusader against the procedure on the internet, writing the insightful Oversigning.com website in an effort to spread the word about the deplorable practice. Of course, it’s not easy: many will defend the act as necessary, as fair, or as acceptable, all in the name of winning a national championship. But we at NittanyWhiteOut can’t stand for that crap. We want our success with honor. Joshua was willing to answer some of my questions, and we think you’ll appreciate his candor, his thoughtfulness, and his insight.
NittanyWhiteOut: Can you explain the process of oversigning? Why would a school engage in such a procedure?
The process of oversigning entails a coach accepting more signed letters of intent on national signing day than he is projected to have room for within the NCAA 85 scholarship limit rules. To best understand this youreally need to look at the Big 10′s model for recruiting and then compare it to the SEC’s; the differences will be apparent.
In the Big 10, coaches determine a recruiting budget number that is calculated by taking the total number of scholarship players they have on the roster at the end of the season and then subtracting the graduating seniors and juniors that declare early for the NFL, and then they subtract what they have left over from 85 and that becomes their recruiting budget, or the target number of players they can sign in the upcoming class.
Here is a quick example: 83 players on scholarship at the end of the season; 18 seniors and 2 juniors leaving early for the NFL. That would be 63 returning scholarship players. 85-63 is 22. Therefore, the recruiting budget would be 22 players for the next season.
In contrast, in the SEC, instead of using this method to determine the recruiting class size, schools are only limited in the number of players they can take by the NCAA baseline rules, which are no more than 25 players per year and 85 total on the roster in August.
SEC schools such as LSU and Alabama basically sign the max limit every year, which until the Huston Nutt rule there was no limit on the of players they could sign, only a limit on the number that can enroll, and then they take from February to August sorting out who they need to cut (push into medical hardships or transfers) in order to get down to 85.
Alabama’s current recruiting class and current roster offers the best example of oversigning. They started the year with 85 scholarship players and currently have 8 scholarship seniors on their roster; 3 juniors have declared for the NFL. By Big 10 recruiting rules their budget would be roughly 11 in recruits. Alabama has 21 verbal commitments and 2 greyshirt obligations from the previous year, putting them at 23 total.
As you can see, Alabama is projected to be over their limit by 12 players. They have from February to August to trim the roster and get down to 85.
This simply doesn’t happen in the Big 10.
What are some of the implications, both for the school and the players affected?
If you watched the Outside the Lines piece on Oversigning you saw first hand the implications on the players. These kids are lied to and discarded, and in some cases with nothing more than a form letter saying they are not being renewed.
(if you didn’t watch the piece, now you have no excuse):
This is a one-way street though because coaches and schools hold all the bargaining power. No one seems to be holding the coaches in the SEC accountable for their actions and for running their football programs like farm teams for the NFL.
Give me another reason to be proud of Joe Paterno–what’s Penn State’s track record been on Oversigning?
Outstanding – to the best of my knowledge this is not and has never been an issue at Penn State. Obviously, the Big 10 Conference has additional rules in place that make oversigning illegal so this is really not an issue anywhere.
What kind of rules are in the books to prevent oversigning? What further regulations would you propose?
At the NCAA level there is nothing in the By-Laws to stop oversigning. To be honest, when they created the 85/25 limits I don’t think they ever really considered the topic of oversigning or thought that it would be an issue. This is where the Big 10 has been out in front on addressing this issue. The Big 10 allows its schools to sign 25 players per year and as many as 3 extra with the following provisions: if a school plans to sign more than 25 players they must petition the conference office and get approval to do so they must have 3 player enroll early and count towards the previous class – this also means that the previous class had to be under the 25. In addition, schools are required to prove the Big 10 office that no one will be pushed out of a scholarship in order to make room for the 3 extra players. Simply put, the Big 10 Conference watches this closely and schools are not going to get away with oversigning.
I would propose that the SEC and the other conferences in the country simply adopt the Big 10′s recruiting rules. It’s a working solution that has been in place ever since the 85/25 limits were put in place and the Big 10 has never had a problem with oversigning. I would like to see the NCAA crack down on the SEC and force them and everyone else to adopt the recruiting rules of the Big 10.
Why is oversigning so important to you that you’ve kind of spearheaded the campaign to get this into the public consciousness?
There are several reasons that this is important, but for me personally, I see it as a social injustice and I believe the practice of oversigning is misleading, sends the wrong message to kids, and has no place in college athletics. In the Outside the Lines piece by ESPN, legal attorney, Donald Jackson referred to the actions of oversigning where kids are not told up front about the possibility of a greyshirt or being cut as being very close to satisfying the elements required for common law fraud.
The thing that pisses me off the most is that the coaches, athletic directors, university presidents and the NCAA should all know better and should do a better job of looking out for the best interests of the student-athlete, not looking for the best way to cut them in order to make room for the next big time recruit.
Thanks again to Joshua for helping us out. I strongly recommend that you check out Oversigning.com for more information, no matter which side of this argument your loyalties lie on.
Just moments ago, during a break in the action at the Army All-American Bowl, Donovan Smith made his college decision public. As expected, he will join the Blue and White, choosing Penn State over his other two finalists, UCLA and N.C. State. In choosing Penn State, the 6-6, 280 pound offensive tackle becomes the 12th member of Penn State’s 2011 recruiting class.
“”It looks like I’m going to be playing in State College.”
In addition to those three schools, the Maryland native Smith received scholarship offers from West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Michigan State, among others. Rated a 4-star prospect by both Scout and Rivals, Smith is a good get for Joe Paterno and his staff, even if this was one that most saw coming from a mile away. Penn State hasn’t typically had much success in snagging commitments at these nationally televised all-star games, but Smith has been reported as a Nittany Lion lock for a while.
Given Penn State’s struggles along the offensive line in recent years, it’s encouraging to see them focus on that position in this year’s recruiting. Smith joins Angelo Mangiro and Anthony Zettel as highly sought after linemen who have committed to Penn State. Since the regular season ended, Penn State’s recruiting efforts have certainly picked up, and with a number of other, key, undeclared prospects still available, one can only hope this momentum continues into Signing Day.
I’m going to be the lone optimist and say yes. I saw enough from Rob Bolden to be confident enough in the offense moving forward. No, his numbers weren’t fantastic–in fact, someone might look at his line and shake their head. 6 of 12 passing for 37 yards is mediocre at best and, well, pretty awful at worst, especially considering the quality of opponent. But the stats never tell the true story, and in the case of Bolden’s performance last Saturday, they do a horrendous job telling it. Had Justin Brown and Derek Moye hauled in perfectly thrown deep ball, all of a sudden, he’s 8 of 12, for 137 yards. If the offensive line holds it together, and gives him time to throw, maybe some of those deeper routes come together. And if the coaching staff calls the screens and curls when Bolden’s under center, like they always have for McGloin, well, the numbers start to look a bit better. The point is, Saturday, I saw a quarterback who put the ball right where it needed to be, despite being under pressure. That throw to Justin Brown, with a defender inches away from his body, couldn’t have been placed better, and Brown dropped it. That’ll happen–a receiver dropping a deep ball–but the poise to stand in there and take the hit, and the ability to put that pass on a string 50 yards downfield doesn’t, not every day.
Devon Still. Still was pretty solid in that opening game, not only penetrating inside, but generating great push in moving the pocket. But there’s quite a step up from the interior of Indiana State’s offensive line to that of Alabama–and even though that unit struggled a bit against Kent State in their opener, there’s little doubt that they’ll be much improved by Saturday. Still will need to consistently draw double teams against the run for Penn State to slow down Trent Richardson–if Alabama’s offensive linemen can get to the second level, and defensive backs are trying to stop Richardson, they’ll get trucked. And on throwing downs, Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore aren’t great rushers off the edge. A breakdown in the pocket, something Still might be able to accomplish by penetrating, could help create the chaos necessary for Penn State to slow the passing game of Alabama.
Toughness.
Getting Deion Barnes is no small potatoes, even if the fact that he’s been considered a Penn State lock for months diminishes the impact of his commitment. Though there’s some disagreement between the recruiting services on his true skill level–Rivals ranks him as the #6 defensive end, the #158 prospect in the country, and the #2 prospect from Pennsylvania, while Scout’s sipping the haterade, slotting Barnes in as the the #31 player at his position–he’s still one of the likelier impact players of this recruiting class.
With that in mind, it’s not hard to understand why Barnes would choose Penn State. He gets to stay close enough to home so his parents–who’ve watched every football game he’s ever played–can keep seeing him in person. And he’s going to a school where he can do more than just play football, where the school is as committed to his education as he is. As he told Sean Fitz, at Lions247:
Just moments ago, during a break in the action at the Army All-American Bowl, Donovan Smith made his college decision public. As expected, he will join the Blue and White, choosing Penn State over his other two finalists, UCLA and N.C. State. In choosing Penn State, the 6-6, 280 pound offensive tackle becomes the 12th member of Penn State’s 2011 recruiting class.
