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McGloin challenges student section to be on time

Charlie — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:27:35 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Starter or not, you’ve really got to hand it to Matt McGloin. He’s got moxie unseen in these parts since a quarterback by the name of Michael Robinson roamed the sidelines at Beaver Stadium. When he’s not rallying a team from a 21 point deficit or enjoying a friendly game of trashcan football, he’s out there challenging the punctuality of the student section for the big game this Saturday.

PSU student section try to get to the game early on Saturday. This is a big one for us

September 5, 2011 1:09 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@MacQB11

Matt McGloin

Quarterback, field general, bench warmer, cheerleader. Number 11 can seemingly do it all. And once you put aside your own personal opinions of the oft-criticized walk-on, its hard not to agree with his challenge to the student section.

#2 Alabama is the highest ranked opponent to visit Happy Valley since top-ranked Ohio State rolled into Beaver Stadium in 2007. Since then, Penn State fans have seen a few marquee non-conference opponents at home, Oregon State in 08, Syracuse in 09, but none that comes close to the cachet or build-up the likes of the Crimson Tide. In fact, Alabama has not crossed the Mason Dixon line to play an opponent since 1989. If that, by itself doesn’t excite students enough to leave their tailgates a little earlier to work their way through the lines in time for a 3:30pm kickoff, nothing will.

Even the players know full well what a win over a top-5 SEC team on national television would mean for Penn State, and if they can recognize the role the student section would play in pulling the upset, the students should too.

Student section has gotta be loud this weekend #letsgopaternoville

September 5, 2011 1:48 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@alexxxbutters

Alex Butterworth

Now, will they be able to answer the challenge?

McGloin challenges student section to be on time

Charlie — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:27:35 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

PSU student section try to get to the game early on Saturday. This is a big one for us

September 5, 2011 1:09 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@MacQB11

Matt McGloin

Student section has gotta be loud this weekend #letsgopaternoville

September 5, 2011 1:48 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@alexxxbutters

Alex Butterworth

Now, will they be able to answer the challenge?

Redd leads punishing ground attack against Indiana State

Charlie — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:26:44 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Toughness.

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.

The Return of the Blue/White Roundtable

Devon — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:38:08 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

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.

Malik Golden Commits to Penn State

Charlie — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:51:43 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Before a crowd of teammates, coaches and parents, Cheshire Academy athlete Malik Golden announced he was choosing Penn State over Iowa, Boston College and hometown favorite, UConn, finally ending the recruitment of one of the best 2012 prospects out of Connecticut.

Though Malik Golden had originally intended to make a decision as early as last Wednesday when Cheshire Academy would begin practicing for the upcoming season, he decided he just wasn’t ready yet.

It eventually came down to a neck-in-neck, four-way tie between the Penn State, Iowa, Boston College and UConn til the very end. Iowa was the first D-1 program to offer the 3-star recruit and he felt a sense of gratitude to the Hawkeyes. In-state UConn had been in contact with him the longest; former UConn coach Randy Edsall kicked things off from the onset as early as his freshman season, and current coach Paul Pasqualoni continued to foster that relationship with the in-state recruit, but it wasn’t until a final unofficial visit to Penn State just 5 days ago when Golden knew he would become the 17th member of the 2012 Class.

“I couldn’t put the schools in any order until I went to Penn State,” Golden told [ESPN's Roger] Brown. “I went to a camp there, but had never visited. I considered all four right to the end.”

And to think, Golden was on the verge of missing out on his unofficial to Penn State altogether which could very well have derailed his path to Happy Valley. Friday’s visit was actually his second attempt at an unofficial visit following a botched try back in July when miscommunication between Golden and Penn State led to the postponement of his first trip. Reportedly, Golden and his family were already hours into their trip to State College before a mutual agreement to postpone the unofficial visit was made.

Fortunately for Penn State, Malik Golden decided to hold off his decision until after he had a chance to take an unofficial visit to State College last Friday. In fact, Friday’s visit was the first time Golden had been back since he camped in June. He now joins fellow commits Austin Johnson and Derek Dowrey as members of the 2012 Class that earned their offers this summer at Penn State’s Rising Senior Camp.

This is what he had to say about his unofficial visit,

“I went on a day where everyone was moving in and it really feels like a college town. It’s such a great academic school also and playing for Coach Paterno is an honor.”

The 6’11″, 185 lb recruit is a versatile do-it-all athlete for the Fighting Cats who utilized Golden’s athleticism on both sides of the ball as a receiver, running back, cornerback, safety, punt and kickoff returner.

Golden caught 48 passes for 680 yards and five touchdowns as a junior, and also added over 700 yards on the ground. He returned both a kickoff and an interception for a score in 2010.

And though he was recruited primarily as a receiver by most programs, he is actually projected to be a cornerback at Penn State filling a dire need in the defensive secondary. Prior to the 2012 Class, the Nittany Lions have only picked up 2 defensive back recruits in the last 3 years and by next season, only 4 CBs will be left the roster. Malik Golden should join fellow 2012 commits Armani Reeves and Jake Kiley in adding some much needed depth to the secondary.

Video after the jump…

Position Profile: Receivers

Devon — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:48:47 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

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,

Notes From Media Day

Devon — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:54:58 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

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

New Hampshire DB Jake Kiley Commits to Penn State

Charlie — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:13:41 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

States like New Hampshire are often overlooked by college recruiters scouring the northeast. With a population of a little over 1.3 million (barely 14.5% of the population of New York City), the talent pool in the Granite State is as shallow as it gets when it comes to Division I football players. With so many other recruiting hotbeds in the region, college coaches just haven’t found a reason to stop in New Hampshire

Pittsburgh area ATH, J.P. Holtz commits to Penn State

Charlie — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:00:44 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Penn State has beaten Pitt for another blue chip WPIAL player out of the Panther’s backyard yet again.

John Paul Holtz, or J.P. for short, out of Shaler Area HS will be Penn State’s 12th member for the Class of 2012 verbally committing to Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions Friday. A decision he then announced on his Facebook page reading, “Committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions.”

Holtz was just about a do-it-all athlete for the Shaler Area Titans. Set to start at the inside linebacker position for the third straight season, the 6’4″, 230 lb player also became the Titan’s number 1 ball carrier last season after Shaler’s top two tailbacks went down with injuries. Instead of buckling under the pressure, Holtz seized the opportunity to step up and emerged as a highly versatile threat for the Titans tallying 14 touchdowns both on the ground and through the air. In fact, during a 3 game span last season, Holtz accounted for 6 touchdowns, scored in 3 different ways; 4 rushing, 1 receiving and 1 interception return. Even as a freshman, Holtz displayed incredible versatility, once stepping in for an injured quarterback and guided the Titans to a WPIAL Class AAAA playoff win over Canon-McMillan and current Penn State linebacker Mike Hull. Oh, and by the way, he’s also an exceptional starting center for the Shaler basketball team as well.

Athleticism that caught the attention of numerous programs and as the season progressed, Holtz racked up an impressive offer list that grew to 14 scholarships from regional programs Boston College, Cinncinnati, UConn, Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia and West Virginia as well as B1G foes Michigan State and Purdue. And though he still had a trip to State College scheduled for next month, Holtz felt his mind had been made up. Finally selecting Penn State over Michigan State, Purdue and hometown Pitt in a choice he described as a ‘dream’ decision.

“I wanted to get [recruiting] over with before the season, and [playing for Penn State has] always been like a dream. When you’re from Pennsylvania, it’s a big thing,” said Holtz, who has 14 Division I scholarship offers and picked the Nittany Lions over Purdue, Michigan State and Pitt. “It’s like the perfect place to go to, especially for football, and it’s a really good school, too. I’ll get a good education. I knew it was the right choice.

For Holtz, it came down to the opportunity to play at the next level in a top-notch conference much like how the WPIAL Class AAAA is regarded at the high school level,

“One of the main reasons I picked Penn State,” Holtz said, “is because the WPIAL is like the Big Ten — a lot of big, tough guys.”

Holtz is considered a 3-star tight prospect by both recruiting services, and the #24 tight end nationally by Scout, but Cory James of Fight on State is reporting that he will be a fullback at Penn State. A fitting move considering the versatility he displayed as the Titan’s top ball carrier last season. His combination of size, 4.7 40-yard dash speed and 325 lb bench press will certainly help him succeed at the fullback position.

“I like running back the best. I know that’s not where I’m going to play, but that’s what I like the best,” Holtz said. “I like having the ball in my hands.”

And with another tight end prospect Jesse James already on board for this class, it will leave the door open for the recruitment of highly touted Florida TE Kent Taylor, nation’s top-ranked tight end.

Hearing new #psu commit JP Holtz will be a fullback at PSU. Therefore, PSU still going after FL TE Kent Taylor

July 22, 2011 12:17 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry

Son of a Football Man: Skyler Mornhinweg Picks Penn State

Devon — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:45:15 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

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

July 19, 2011 1:43 pm via Facebook ReplyRetweetFavorite

@BWIonRivals

bwi.rivals.com

Image credit: MaxPreps

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.

He’s got the intangibles down, too:

It

2011 Penn State football poster misprinted and now available

Charlie — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:16:22 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Fans rejoice!

Penn State has just announced that the 2011 football team schedule poster is now available to the masses at the student bookstore and various downtown locations.

Fans should be familiar with the design seeing it is an exact replica of this season’s football yearbook cover. The design created to commemorate Penn State football’s 125th season features a vintage blue silhouette of its very first All-American, William Thomas Dunn.

A 4 year starter for the Nittany Lions, Dunn was named captain his senior year for the 1906 squad who finished the season 8-1-1. ‘Mother’ Dunn anchored a ferocious Nittany Lion line that held 9 of Penn State’s 10 opponents scoreless.

Walter Camp even remarked how Dunn “persistently broke through and blocked kicks. Able to run the hundred inside of 11 seconds, he was down under his own side’s kicks with the ends” eventually awarding Penn State’s first recipient of the Walter Camp All-American award to ‘Mother’ Dunn. To this day, Dunn is still regarded as one of Penn State’s all-time greatest lineman.

A truly fitting selection to honor Penn State football’s past in its 125th season.

And the timing of the posters’ release couldn’t have been more perfect with Arts Fest looming this weekend and the throngs of fans expected to be in attendance. The perfect storm from a PR marketing perspective.

Except there is just one little problem.

The actual schedule in the football team schedule posters is incorrect. Unless Penn State is indeed playing the Boilermakers the Saturday following Indiana, the Penn State athletics department is now in possession of thousands of inaccurate team schedule posters. The posters’ designers mistakenly switched the Purdue and Iowa logos from where they should be. A simple, but noticeable mistake that tarnishes an otherwise vintage keepsake befitting of an important milestone in the football program’s history.

Ouch.

Though this isn’t the first time the athletics department has dealt with a public snafu. Penn State accidentally mailed thousands of misprinted tickets asking fans to wear white for the Temple game last season. A clear error considering that the White House is usually scheduled for Penn State’s most marquee opponents, the last one held against Notre Dame. A game against an eastern Pennsylvanian MAC opponent certainly did not warrant the honor. But like this year’s football posters, the error escaped proofreaders and wasn’t caught by the time it was sent to the printers and thousands of fans headed to the Temple game were in possession of misprinted tickets asking everyone to wear white.

Neither error should cause mass confusion where fans will miss games, but let’s just keep our fingers crossed that the dates on this season’s tickets will be printed accurately.

Valley View linebacker Nyeem Wartman Commits to Penn State

Charlie — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:30:43 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut - Penn State Nittany Lions Blog. Read more here

Nyeem Wartman with Joe Pa at Junior Day

Penn State has just picked up it’s 11th recruit for the Class of 2012. Valley View HS linebacker Nyeem Wartman has committed to the Nittany Lions over the weekend. A fitting end to a 5 month process that began with the extension of a verbal offer by Dick Anderson to Wartman back in

Source claims Jim Tressel had prior knowledge of Tattoo-Gate

Charlie — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 21:16:03 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here

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.

Scouting Stefen Wisniewski and Evan Royster: 2011 NFL Combine

Charlie — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:55:34 +0000

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AP Photo/Darron Cummings

The NFL just concluded their Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday where over 300 top prospects were invited to run drills and showcase their athletic abilities for the upcoming 2011 Draft. And Penn State was once again well represented by seniors, Stefen Wisniewski and Evan Royster at this year’s event. The two invites marked the lowest number of participants from Penn State in the NFL Scouting Combine since 2008 when just 3 players were invited to take part. And when compared to the 6 players invited in 2010 and 7 invited in 2009, it is another stark reminder as to just how young the Nittany Lions were last season. In fact, the Lions return 16 starters (7 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 specialist) and 17 players with starting experience in 2011.

Both Wisniewski and Royster ran drills for NFL scouts during the 6 day event hoping to hear their names called on Draft Day joining the 32 former Nittany Lions that are currently on NFL rosters.

Stefen Wisniewski worked out for scouts as a guard and center, both positions Wisniewski is familiar with from his career in Happy Valley. Despite a lackluster 40-yard dash, a drill pretty insignificant when it comes to offensive linemen, he did finish in the top 10 in every other individual category including impressive showings in the Bench Press as well as the 3-cone drill. Among offensive linemen, Wisniewski tied for 6th in the Bench Press with 30 reps and ranked 8th among OL in the 3-cone drill at 7.51 seconds. The biggest knock by scouts on Wisniewski is the need to increase his lower body strength and weight.

“the fact that he tips the scales at merely 297 pounds could limit him to the center position and make him useful in only certain pro schemes. He may be a master technician, but when he faces 340-pound nose tackles in the NFL his current frame simply won

Nitt Links keeps you updated on National Signing Day

Charlie — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:19:33 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here

It’s finally here. Months of in-house visits, phone calls, text messages, and premature panic has led up to today when Penn State officially welcomes the Class of 2011. We will keep you updated as the Letters of Intent (LOI) roll in throughout the day. Although with one of the smaller classes Penn State will sign in recent seasons (you only have 85 scholarships, and we are not the SEC West), it should be a fairly predictable LOI Day.

But like every Signing Day, there will be some drama involved especially across the Big Ten landscape. For the Penn State faithful, keep an eye out for safety/cornerback Adrian Amos, who is scheduled to make his decision at 3pm. Will he stick with his original verbal at UConn despite Randy Edsall’s departure or choose the Blue and White becoming the 16th member of the Class of 2011?

We’ll have it all throughout the day.

RECAP

[Update 3:35] So barring any stunning surprises, this will be it for the Penn State Class of 2011. As expected, every one of Penn State’s verbals signed with the Lions. The only surprise on Signing Day came from Adrian Amos who decomitted from his original verbal to UConn and chose to play for Penn State. For a class that many fans felt was on the brink of disaster just a few months ago, the coaching staff really wrapped this one up nicely. Sure it would have been nice to pick up Kyshoen Jarrett, Albert Louis-Jean or even Blake Countess, recruits that would propel this recruiting class into the Top 25, but considering how limited the number of scholarships we could have given for this class, and that we just signed the B1G’s top ranked class just last season, this was anticipated.

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. Although Adrian Amos was a nice pickup and fills a key need in this class, CB Shyquawn Pullium was the only other recruit in this class that was projected to play in the secondary. This will make the secondary a critical area of need that the coaching staff will definitely be focused on for next year’s recruiting class.

TIMELINE

[Update 3:16] Donovan Smith – 4 star offensive tackle by both Rivals and Scout just sent in his LOI to Penn State. 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 now joins Angelo Mangiro and Anthony Zettel as highly sought after linemen who have committed to Penn State in this year’s class. The 6-6, 280 pound offensive tackle picked the Lions over fellow finalists NC State and UCLA during a break at the Army All-American Bowl last month. He also held multiple offers from the likes of West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and Michigan State, among others.

[Update 3:11 pm] Adrian Amos – 3 star safety by Rivals, Scout, and ESPN just selected and sent in his LOI to Penn State! Originally a UConn verbal, the Maryland native reopened his commitment following Randy Edsall’s departure for, ironically enough, Maryland. This left less than a month for the Penn State coaching staff to recruit Amos, but it seems as if it has paid off. Amos just announced that he will be trading in UConn’s shade of Blue and White for Penn State’s Blue and White. The first team all-state player, and standout in the Crab Bowl 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.

[Update 2:49 pm] Shawn Oakman – 4 star DE by both Rivals (#20 DE) and Scout (#19 DE) just sent in his LOI to Penn State. The 6’8, 240 lb defensive end out of Penn Woods in Lansdowne, PA was the first recruit the get the recruiting ball rolling following a long arduous offseason for fans when Penn State had just 1 verbal. Also a highly touted basketball recruit, Oakman has a tremendous frame and can also be slotted in tight end, a position he also played in high school. At Penn Woods, he finished his junior season with 136 tackles, 17 sacks and four fumbles caused. Offensively, he had 20 catches for four touchdowns.

“I couldn’t be happier,” said Oakman, who plans on wearing No. 91 at State College. “It came down to what I thought what college should be and also what college coach was going to push from being good to being great. I think Coach Johnson and Coach Vanderlinden can do that. That’s why I choose Penn State.”

[Update 2:22 pm] Bill Belton – 4 star recruit by both Rivals (#25 ATH) and Scout (#13 WR) just sent in his LOI to Penn State. Like Ben Kline, Belton was originally a Pitt verbal but eventually decommitted following the Dave Wannstedt and Mike Haywood coaching fiasco and elected to go with the Lions shortly after. The 5’9, 180-pounder was one of the top athletes on the east coast, and his offer sheet reflects that. In addition to offers from Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Penn State he was courted by programs as far south as Florida and Georgia Tech, and to the west, from Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Oregon. 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, a pure testament to his elite athleticism.

We should now be just waiting on Shawn Oakman and Donovan Smith. If Adrian Amos picks the Lions at 3pm, that would be icing on the cake.

[Update 12:45 pm] Anthony Zettel – #5 DE in the country by Rivals / #8 G by Scout. A longtime Wolverines fan who was considered a lock for Michigan until his verbal back in December has sent his LOI in to Penn State.

“Just a great education there, the family atmosphere that they have and great coaching,” Zettel said when asked what set PSU apart. “They teach their players to be good guys and good football players.”

“I liked Michigan, I just didn’t feel like the chemistry was there as much as Penn State,” Zettel said. “It’s not like I didn’t like one thing (about Michigan), I just liked Penn State in every aspect.”

Word is because of the increment weather the NCAA is actually allowing prospects to email/photo their LOIs. We are now just down to Bill Belton, Shawn Oakman, Donovan Smith, and Adrian Amos who is scheduled to announce at 3pm.

[Update 10:22 am] Shyquawn Pullium – 3 star CB by both Rivals and Scout has sent in his LOI to Penn State. Originally considered an ATH/DB prospect, Mike McQueary recruited Pullium exclusively for the CB position. The 6-1, 178 lbs player out of Cathedral Prep, Erie, Pennsylvania originally verbaled to the Lions last January, but instead of signing last summer as he had hoped, academic issues sent him to Kiski Prep in Saltsburg, PA for a year before he could finally enroll at Penn State. If that sounds familiar, it is because Kiski Prep was also the rout another Lion great, Daryll Clark took before matriculating at Penn State. Kiski’s football coach Marcus Muster said the Lions never gave up on Pullium. Mike McQueary along with Prep coach Mike Mischler stayed in touch with Pullium all throughout the fall to make sure he was on track to join the Nittany Lions.

[Update 10:16 am] Jordan Kerner – 3 star DE out of Fairview, Pennsylvania just sent in his LOI to Penn State. Following an offseason with just 1 verbal for the Class of 2011, Jordan Kerner became the 2nd commit in less than a week to join the Blue and White back in June.

The 6’5″, 225 lbs DE picked the Lions over offers from Maryland, Boston College, Rutgers, West Virginia, Iowa and Minnesota.

[Update 9:48 am] Ben Kline – 3 star LB out of Dallastown High School, Pennsylvania has sent in his LOI to Penn State. Originally a Pitt verbal, Kline reopened his commitment following the Dave Wannstedt’s dismissal and subsequent coaching fiasco at Pitt. Initially during his recruiting process, Penn State had shown interest but never extended a scholarship offer. Kline eventually received that coveted offer by Penn State which he essentially immediately accepted just 1 day following Wanny’s dismissal. The 6’2″ 220 lb linebacker eventually committed to the Blue and White over offers from West Virginia, Boston College, UConn, Duke, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Rutgers, Pitt and Vanderbilt. He is reported to be able to complete a surprisingly fast 4.5, 40 yard dash considering his size including routinely posting a 100 meter dash in just over 11 seconds on his track and field team.

[Update 9:36 am] Ryan Nowicki – 3 star offensive tackle by both Rivals and Scout has sent in his LOI to Penn State. The furthest recruit in Penn State’s Class of 2011, the 6’5, 275-pound lineman from Arizona picked the Blue and White over offers from Arizona, Arizona State and more than a dozen programs from USC to Syracuse. It’s not often that Penn State snags a commitment from an Arizona native.

“When I went there, I just had a really good experience, I had a gut feeling that I was supposed to be there,” he said. “I liked everything about it. The players were phenomenal, they were great people, the whole town loves them. They had great players, great tradition. I just don’t think you can go wrong with it. I think it’s an amazing place.”

[Update 9:34 am] Angelo Mangiro – #18 G (3 star recruit) by Rivals / #5 G (4 stars) by Scout / #2 G by ESPN. A lifelong Penn State fan even going as far as calling it his dream school, Mangiro was a huge pickup by the Lions at a time when recruiting for the Class of 2011 was struggling badly. But the 6-3, 295 all-conference, all-region, all-county and all-state guard eventually picked the Blue and White over offers from Florida, USC, Boston College, Notre Dame, and just about every other school in the region.

[Update 8:58 am] Allen Robinson – 3 star WR by both Rivals and Scout out of Orchard Lake, Michigan has sent his LOI in to Penn State. He is out of St Mary’s Prep where he played alongside fellow alumnus Penn State QB Rob Bolden just last year. It’ll be interesting to see the dynamic the two will have on the field. The speedster reportedly runs a 4.5, 40 yard dash where he was mainly utilized as a wideout, but also contributed on the defensive side of the ball as a defensive back.

[Update 8:45 am] Deion Barnes – #6 DE (#2 prospect from PA) by Rivals / #31 by Scout. Deion Barnes has sent in his LOI to Penn State, officially becoming the first member of his family to attend college leaving what is considered one of the worst areas of Philadelphia. His pass rushing skills racked up 85 tackles, 35 for a loss including 13 sacks landed him on the second team all-state.

“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.”

[Update 8:15 am] Anthony Alosi is already an early enrollee and does not have to sign an LOI. Matt Zanellato and Sam Fricken have sent in their signed LOIs to Penn State.

Letters of Intent received so far:

Anthony Alosi (Early enrollee)
Matt Zanellato (LOI – 7:46 am)
Sam Ficken (LOI – 8:15 am)
Deion Barnes (LOI – 8:45 am)
Allen Robinson (LOI – 8:58 am)
Angelo Mangiro (LOI – 9:34 am)
Ryan Nowicki (LOI – 9:36 am)
Kyle Carter (LOI – 9:45 am)
Ben Kline (LOI – 9:48 am)
Jordan Kerner (LOI – 10:16 am)
Shyquawn Pullium (LOI – 10:22 am)
Anthony Zettel (LOI – 12:45 pm)
Bill Belton (LOI – 2:22 pm)
Shawn Oakman (LOI – 2:49 pm)
Adrian Amos (LOI – 3:11 pm)
Donovan Smith (LOI – 3:16 pm)

Letters Pending

none

Bill Belton Commits to Penn State

Devon — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 01:27:24 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here

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.

What we’ve won after the jump

Amid ratings decline, Penn State still top 2010-11 bowl ratings

Charlie — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:57:51 +0000

Article from NittanyWhiteOut. Read more here

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, once again, 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.

	Matchup	Ratings*	Change	Last Year’s Matchup	Last year’s rating
BCS Title Game	Auburn / Oregon	15.29	-11%	Alabama / Texas	17.2
Rose	TCU / Wisconsin	11.26	-15%	Ohio St / Oregon	13.2
Sugar	Ohio State / Arkansas	8.2	-4%	Florida / Cincinnati	8.5
Outback	Florida / Penn State	7.05	+101%	Auburn / Northwestern	3.5
Orange	Stanford / Virginia Tech	6.75	-1%	Iowa / Georgia Tech	6.8
Fiesta	Oklahoma / UConn	6.15	-25%	Boise St / TCU	8.2
Cotton	LSU / Texas A&M	5.81	+29%	Oklahoma St / Ole Miss	4.5
Chick-fil-A	S Carolina / Florida State	4.32	-2%	VA Tech / Tennessee	4.2
Music City	N Carolina / Tennessee	4.24	+152%	Kentucky / Clemson	1.7
Capital One	Alabama / Michigan St	3.69	-46%	Penn State / LSU	6.8
Holiday	Nebraska / Washington	3.48	-6%	Arizona / Nebraska	3.7
Las Vegas	Utah / Boise St	3.26	+46%	BYU / Oregon St	2.2
Sun	Miami / Notre Dame	3.01	-9%	Oklahoma / Stanford	3.3
Liberty	Georiga / UCF	2.96	-21%	Arkansas / E Carolina	3.8
Alamo	Oklahoma St / Arizona	2.84	-41%	Texas Tech / Michigan St	4.8
Texas	Baylor / Illinois	2.65	+24%	Navy / Missouri	2.1
Poinsettia	San Diego St / Navy	2.26	-7%	Utah / California	2.4
Pinstripe	Kansas St / Syracuse	2.26	New Bowl
Insight	Iowa / Missouri	2.24	+460%	Iowa St / Minnesota	0.4
BBVA Compass	Kentucky / Pitt	2.20	+38%	S Carolina / UConn	1.6
Champs Sports	W Virginia / NC State	2.12	-84%	Wisconsin / Miami	3.9
Hawaii	Tulsa / Hawaii	2.11	+24%	Nevada / SMU	1.7
Meineke Car Care	Clemson / South Florida	1.98	-50%	Pitt / N Carolina	3.9
Beef O Brady	Louisville / Southern Miss	1.97	+21%	UCF / Rutgers	1.6
Humanitarian	Northern Illinois / Fresno St	1.84	-11%	Bowling Green / Idaho	2.1
New Mexico	BYU / UTEP	1.82	-24%	Fresno St / Wyoming	2.4
GoDaddy.com	Middle Tenn / Miami (OH)	1.75	-27%	Central Michigan / Troy	2.4
Gator	Miss State / Michigan	1.71	-57%	Florida St / W Virginia	4.0
Kraft Fight Hunger	Boston College / Nevada	1.61	-65%	USC / Boston College	4.6
Military	Maryland / East Carolina	1.48	-22%	UCLA / Temple	1.9
Independence	Georgia Tech / Air Force	1.44	-41%	Texas A&M / Georgia	2.0
Little Caesars	Florida Int / Toledo	1.41	-82%	Marshall / Ohio	2.6
Armed Forces	Army / SMU	1.33	-15%	Houston / Air Force	1.6
New Orleans	Troy / Ohio	1.32	+103%	Middle Tenn / S Miss	0.7
TicketCity	Northwestern / Texas Tech	N/A	New Bowl

* Nielsen Media Research