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
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.
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
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.
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?
It looks like Big Ten is not about to make it easy for first year head coach Patrick Chambers.
In a complete schedule release, the conference announced today that Penn State will open their 20th season of Big Ten play at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 29th followed by a second consecutive road contest against Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois.
But its the single play opponents the Big Ten has drawn for the Nittany Lions that should have them worried. In spite of expansion, the Nittany Lions, like all 12 members of the Big Ten will continue to play a 18-game conference slate this season; 9 home and 9 away. But each member will now have 4-single play opponents instead of the 2 teams had prior to the addition of Nebraska. This season, the Lions will be facing Minnesota (home), Illinois (home), Michigan State (away) and Ohio State (away) in single-play games.
On the one hand, Coach Chambers could be catching a slight break by facing the Buckeyes and Spartans, two of the conferences perennial top dogs just once this season. That is huge for the win-loss column. But on the other, this setup makes the games against the Gophers, Illini, Spartans and Buckeyes that much more important since the Lions will just get the one shot at a RPI-boosting win against each top-notch opponent. And with both the Michigan State and Ohio State games being away, our odds of winning are that much smaller.
It looks like Big Ten is not about to make it easy for first year head coach Patrick Chambers.
In a complete schedule release, the conference announced today that Penn State will open their 20th season of Big Ten play at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 29th followed by a second consecutive road contest against Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois.
But its the single play opponents the Big Ten has drawn for the Nittany Lions that should have them worried. In spite of expansion, the Nittany Lions, like all 12 members of the Big Ten will continue to play a 18-game conference slate this season; 9 home and 9 away. But each member will now have 4-single play opponents instead of the 2 teams had prior to the addition of Nebraska. This season, the Lions will be facing Minnesota (home), Illinois (home), Michigan State (away) and Ohio State (away) in single-play games.
On the one hand, Coach Chambers could be catching a slight break by facing the Buckeyes and Spartans, two of the conferences perennial top dogs just once this season. That is huge for the win-loss column. But on the other, this setup makes the games against the Gophers, Illini, Spartans and Buckeyes that much more important since the Lions will just get the one shot at a RPI-boosting win against each top-notch opponent. And with both the Michigan State and Ohio State games being away, our odds of winning are that much smaller.
THUR, Dec 29
@ Michigan
7:30pm
BTN
SUN, Jan 1
@ Northwestern
7:00pm
ESPNU
THUR, Jan 5
Purdue
8:00pm
BTN
SUN, Jan 8
Indiana
12:00pm
BTN
WED, Jan 11
@ Nebraska
8:30pm
BTN
SUN, Jan 15
Minnesota
4:00pm
BTN
THUR, Jan 19
Illinois
9:00pm
ESPN2
SUN, Jan 22
@ Indiana
12:00pm
BTN
WED, Jan 25
@ Ohio State
6:30pm
BTN
TUES, Jan 31
Wisconsin
8:00pm
BTN
SAT, Feb 4
@ Iowa
3:00pm
ESPNU
WED, Feb 8
@ Michigan State
6:30pm
BTN
SAT, Feb 11
Nebraska
1:00pm
ESPNU
THUR, Feb 16
Iowa
9:00pm
ESPNU
SUN, Feb 19
@ Wisconsin
TBA
TBA
SAT, Feb 25
Northwestern
9:00pm
ESPNU
WED, Feb 29
@ Purdue
6:30pm
BTN
SUN, March 4
Michigan
TBA
TBA
The Big Ten did Penn State no favors scheduling the toughest 2 of Penn State’s 4 single play opponents all within a span of 14 days, Ohio State (away), Wisconsin (home) and Michigan State (away). Even the Iowa game, a welcome breather during that stretch will be an away game. Anyone remember the last time we visited Iowa City? Ouch.
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.
I guess it’s true what they say: Meet the same boss, same as the old boss. Anyone in Columbus afraid that Luke Fickell would run a clean ship, well, your fears appear to be allayed. You’ll still beat Akron–you could do that without your entire first team offense and defense–but this certainly doesn’t present a good clean start to the Fickell regime.
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.
Stephfon Green, who was dismissed then reinstated to the team by Joe Paterno, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, it’s Brandon Beachum and Curtis Dukes backing up starter Silas Redd at running back.
Shawney Kersey, not Devon Smith, Curtis Drake, or Bill Belton, is listed as the third receiver. Smith is listed behind Justin Brown, and the latter two aren’t on the depth chart at all, in fact. Former walk-on Ryan Scherer is slotted behind Kersey.
DeOn’tae Pannell, Matt Stankewitch, and John Urschel will start at left guard, center, and right guard, respectively, bookended between the already known tackles, Quinn Barham and Chima Okoli. That means the offensive line will feature four seniors.
Eric Shrive is the third team left guard, Johnnie Troutman the backup to Urschel. (Remember when people bitched about Urschel being a late offer, and went gaga over Shrive? Stars aren’t everything?)
Predictably enough, the starter at QB isn’t yet named. Listed at that position is “Rob Bolden OR Matt McGloin.”
The only other OR comes at fullback, where Joe Suhey shares first-line duty with Mike Zordich. And behind them is listed Zach Zwinak.
Andrew Szczerba is your starting tight end, ahead of Kevin Haplea, who swapped in his #82 for Andrew Quarless’ old #80. The depth behind them is non-existent, though, as Nate Cadogan shifted back to tackle–it’s walk-ons Brian Irvin and J.D. Mason.
Defense:
Predictably enough, the starting defensive line will feature Eric Latimore and Jack Crawford on the ends, with Jordan Hill and Devon Still inside. Of course, given Larry Johnson’s tendencies, that’s mostly meaningless.
Anthony Alosi, listed as a third-string defensive tackle, is the only true freshman on the depth chart. Redshirt freshman Kyle Baublitz is a second-team defensive end.
Despite rumors of a lingering knee injury, Glenn Carson is your starting middle linebacker, flanked by Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges.
The second unit at the position is Mike Hull (#43), Khairi Fortt, and Nate Stupar. Fortt at middle linebacker is intriguing, he’d always seemed like more of an OLB.
Chaz Powell is going to be starting opposite D’Anton Lynn, with Stephon Morris your likely nickel. Derrick Thomas is buried behind Mike Wallace on Lynn’s side of the depth chart, but at least he’s made it back on the depth chart. No Adrian Amos.
Drew Astorino has held on to his starting spot at hero–Malcolm Willis, somewhat disappointing, is listed behind Nick Sukay at free safety. Astorino’s backup, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, will don number 7 this year.
Special Teams:
Looks like Anthony Fera is back in the doghouse after another alcohol-related incident. Alex Butterworth is the first team punter, and Evan Lewis, who at last glimpse was a walk-on wide receiver, is the first-team kicker.
That means a potential redshirt for Sam Ficken, though for all we know he could be the guy booting the opening kickoff on Saturday.
Chaz Powell and Devon Smith are listed as the kick returners, so no Stephfon Green or Alex Kenney at those positions. At least not yet.
Justin Brown and Smith are your punt returners, though I’m sure we’ll see plenty of Astorino there, too.
Check out the full three-deep here and make your own observations in the comments.
Stephfon Green, who was dismissed then reinstated to the team by Joe Paterno, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, it’s Brandon Beachum and Curtis Dukes backing up starter Silas Redd at running back.
Shawney Kersey, not Devon Smith, Curtis Drake, or Bill Belton, is listed as the third receiver. Smith is listed behind Justin Brown, and the latter two aren’t on the depth chart at all, in fact. Former walk-on Ryan Scherer is slotted behind Kersey.
DeOn’tae Pannell, Matt Stankewitch, and John Urschel will start at left guard, center, and right guard, respectively, bookended between the already known tackles, Quinn Barham and Chima Okoli. That means the offensive line will feature four seniors.
Eric Shrive is the third team left guard, Johnnie Troutman the backup to Urschel. (Remember when people bitched about Urschel being a late offer, and went gaga over Shrive? Stars aren’t everything?)
Predictably enough, the starter at QB isn’t yet named. Listed at that position is “Rob Bolden OR Matt McGloin.”
The only other OR comes at fullback, where Joe Suhey shares first-line duty with Mike Zordich. And behind them is listed Zach Zwinak.
Andrew Szczerba is your starting tight end, ahead of Kevin Haplea, who swapped in his #82 for Andrew Quarless’ old #80. The depth behind them is non-existent, though, as Nate Cadogan shifted back to tackle–it’s walk-ons Brian Irvin and J.D. Mason.
Defense:
Predictably enough, the starting defensive line will feature Eric Latimore and Jack Crawford on the ends, with Jordan Hill and Devon Still inside. Of course, given Larry Johnson’s tendencies, that’s mostly meaningless.
Anthony Alosi, listed as a third-string defensive tackle, is the only true freshman on the depth chart. Redshirt freshman Kyle Baublitz is a second-team defensive end.
Despite rumors of a lingering knee injury, Glenn Carson is your starting middle linebacker, flanked by Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges.
The second unit at the position is Mike Hull (#43), Khairi Fortt, and Nate Stupar. Fortt at middle linebacker is intriguing, he’d always seemed like more of an OLB.
Chaz Powell is going to be starting opposite D’Anton Lynn, with Stephon Morris your likely nickel. Derrick Thomas is buried behind Mike Wallace on Lynn’s side of the depth chart, but at least he’s made it back on the depth chart. No Adrian Amos.
Drew Astorino has held on to his starting spot at hero–Malcolm Willis, somewhat disappointing, is listed behind Nick Sukay at free safety. Astorino’s backup, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, will don number 7 this year.
Special Teams:
Looks like Anthony Fera is back in the doghouse after another alcohol-related incident. Alex Butterworth is the first team punter, and Evan Lewis, who at last glimpse was a walk-on wide receiver, is the first-team kicker.
That means a potential redshirt for Sam Ficken, though for all we know he could be the guy booting the opening kickoff on Saturday.
Chaz Powell and Devon Smith are listed as the kick returners, so no Stephfon Green or Alex Kenney at those positions. At least not yet.
Justin Brown and Smith are your punt returners, though I’m sure we’ll see plenty of Astorino there, too.
Check out the full three-deep here and make your own observations in the comments.
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.
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,
<< Hopefully this’ll make up for my 2 week long hiatus. It was a much needed vacation. A video recap of the highlights in the 2011 Outback Bowl. Enjoy!
Penn State (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) vs Florida (7-5, 4-4 SEC)
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Final
Penn State (7-5)
7
10
7
0
24
Florida (7-5)
0
14
6
17
37
2011 Outback Bowl Box Score: January 1st, 2011
FIRST QUARTER
FLA
PSU
TD
09:12
Derek Moye 5 Yd Pass from Matt McGloin (Collin Wagner Kick)
0
7
SECOND QUARTER
FLA
PSU
TD
13:00
Omarius Hines 16 Yd Run (Chas Henry Kick)
7
7
TD
06:58
Lerentee McCray 27 Yd blocked punt return (Chas Henry Kick)
14
7
TD
04:15
Michael Zordich 1 Yd Run (Collin Wagner Kick)
14
14
FG
00:49
Collin Wagner 20 Yd
14
17
THIRD QUARTER
FLA
PSU
FG
09:13
Chas Henry 30 Yd
17
17
TD
04:50
Matt McGloin 2 Yd Run (Collin Wagner Kick)
17
24
FG
02:50
Chas Henry 47 Yd
20
24
FOURTH QUARTER
FLA
PSU
TD
13:10
Mike Gillislee 1 Yd Run (Chas Henry Kick)
27
24
FG
07:36
Chas Henry 20 Yd
30
24
TD
01:11
Ahmad Black 80 Yd Interception Return (Chas Henry Kick)
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
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
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
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.
In the beginning, scientists say, all matter and energy in the universe was focused into the tiniest of possible concentrations. From that incredibly hot, dense state, came a rapid expansion outward, and after enough time, I’m here to write this post, and you’re reading it, all thanks to the Big Bang.
Well, I wasn’t really around back then, but Mike over at Black Shoe Diaries, though he’d probably hate the analogy, was the Big Bang of the Penn State blogosphere. A better part of a decade ago, he was one of the first pioneers into the blogosphere, at least for Nittany Lion fans, and it’s in no small part due to the impact he made that, for so many years, Penn State has been one of the best-represented schools on these interwebs. For a long time, you’d need to use both hands and maybe a foot to count how many PSU-centric blogs there were, and
That is, if the game is actually scheduled to takes place.
The Delaware County Times is reporting that Dominick Dawes, head coach of Division 3 team Neumann University, has confirmed that Penn State and Neumann University are currently working on plans for an outdoor game at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park that would be scheduled for January 4th, 2012.
When word that the Nittany Lions would be playing hockey in South Philadelphia first broke yesterday, Penn State fans were sent into a frenzy. The timing couldn’t be more perfect for Penn State fans in the Philadelphia area with the game scheduled to take place just 2 days after the hometown Flyers and Rangers square off on the same rink for the Winter Classic.
But as details surrounding the game continue to surface, it is starting to look as if the news and excitement over the potential outdoor game may have been a tad premature.
Although the deal is described by Neumann University men
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.
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
Missouri St. will have a long week on the bubble after its MVC Title Game loss
Take a deep breathe folks – it is March! The madness is officially here, and will only get more ridiculous starting tomorrow in New York City for the Big East Tournament. So far Indiana State, Belmont, UNC-Asheville and Morehead State all clinched automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament. Only one of those teams, Belmont, was the 1-seed in their respective conference tournaments. What exactly does this mean? It means that after only four conference tournaments we already have witnessed some surprise outcomes. Missouri State thought it had a clear path to the NCAA Tournament, but their loss to the Sycamores of Indiana State has made them a lock for the bubble between now and Selection Sunday.
With one of the “softest” bubbles in NCAA Tournament history, these next six days will be wild for teams that are hanging on for dear life in terms of their NCAA Tournament hopes. There will be no write-ups attached to these daily bracketologies, but expect numerous blog posts. There will be one tonight previewing all of the remaining conference tournaments.
Nittany Whiteout Exclusive -
Well, well, well – looks like Penn State has managed to stick around the bracketology a little longer. The “also considered” list is slowly growing shorter and shorter, and fewer teams are being considered for NCAA Tournament slots. Amazingly enough, with their win over Minnesota (on the ROAD – yeah I know, a little shocking) the Nittany Lions kept their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Last week I said that even with a loss to Ohio State that Penn State would still have a chance at making the NCAA Tournament. Their first game is against Indiana on Thursday, and they take on Wisconsin if they win. Penn State will most likely need to make a run to the Big Ten title game, much like Minnesota last year, in order to make the NCAA Tournament. If Penn State can end the conference tournament with a 19-14 record, then they might find themselves in the NCAA Tournament. Well, sort of. If Penn State wants in the field of 64, they’ll most likely need to make the NCAA Tournament and then win one of the new “first four” play in games. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though people. Penn State needs to take care of business against Indiana on Thursday first.
Read more after the jump
Who made the bracket:
Conference
Conference Bids
# of Teams last week
Teams
American East
1
1
Boston University
Atlantic Coast
5
4
Boston College, Duke*, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Atlantic Sun
1
1
Belmont
Atlantic 10
3
2
Temple*, Richmond, Xavier
Big East
11
11
Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh*, St. John’s, Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova
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.
Congratulations are in order to Cael Sanderson and the #4 Nittany Lions for winning the first team Big Ten title in school history. For a program that won the first national championship awarded to a team outside of the Midwest, this marks another important milestone for the wrestling program, one that fans have been eagerly awaiting since joining the conference just over 2 decades ago. And to think, all it took was 2 seasons for Cael Sanderson to achieve what John Fritz and Troy Sunderland could not.
When Cael Sanderson was first introduced as the next head coach for the wrestling program 2 years ago, he made a statement most people would usually just consider empty rhetoric. He wanted to turn Penn State into a wrestling powerhouse. And considering Penn State’s inability to even capture the Big Ten title since joining the conference, most fans could have easily dismissed such a bold statement as pandering. But this wasn’t just anyone chosen to run the program. Cael Sanderson wanted to turn Penn State into a wrestling powerhouse and the fans ate it up. But who could blame them, virtually anyone who follows college wrestling is aware of his accolades. As an athlete Sanderson was sensational; an undefeated 159-0 collegiate record at Iowa State and an Olympic gold medal, but he was even better as a coach. At Iowa State, Sanderson never had a wrestler not qualify for nationals, sending 30 of 30 grapplers through to the championship tournament and his teams never finished lower than 5th at the NCAA Championships. For Penn State fans, the question was not whether he could replicate that success at Penn State, but how long it would take?
Photo Credit: Tony Mancuso
Just 1 season later, Cael Sanderson has his squad ranked #4 in the nation, compiled a near-perfect 17-1-1 regular season record, and has them cruising into the NCAA Tournament riding a wave of momentum following the program’s first ever Big Ten Championship. But more importantly, left in the wake of this program defining win, was Iowa, the 3-time defending national champions and only squad to hand Penn State a loss during the regular season. To avenge that loss feels great, to do it at the conference Championships only makes it better.
Penn State was nearly perfect on the final day of the 2011 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, going 5-0 in title matches. Andrew Long (133), Frank Molinaro (149), David Taylor (157), Ed Ruth (174), and Quentin Wright (184) were all crowned Big Ten Champions, while
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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
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.
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
For Holtz, it 
Outdoor hockey fever is sweeping Penn State.
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.
