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Inside, Outside: Playing Thin and Bullies In High Places
by Kevin HD
on Jul 2, 2009 4:07 PM EDT
in Football
16 comments
Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman explains to the
rest of us how we just don't get it, man. (AP Photo)
Somehow, "72 64 days until football" seems like a very short time, but it's still ten full weeks until Penn State takes the field against Akron. Either way, football will be dominating every aspect of our lives before we know it, so it's time for your trusty BSD writers to pick at some issues that will not only impact Penn State, but the college football world at large. It's a little something we'll call Inside, Outside.
Inside: Despite the title of 'Linebacker U", Penn State has been just as successful at performing on the defensive line. However, with Evans and Project Mayhem now NFLin', plus additional injuries, is the defensive line a weakness in 2009? And how thin is Penn State at the position, anyway?
RUTS: Pretty damned thin, L.J. Sr.'s unbelievable coaching success notwithstanding. We're not "Defensive Line U" quite yet, but it's hard to argue with the results of the past 5-10 years. For 2009, however, things may be difficult. Jack Crawford is apparently on his way to being the next great Penn State defensive end, but he played very sparingly in 2008 (and didn't always look so great, although he was frequently lined up at DT). His backup appears to be Pete Massaro, who also has next to no experience or not. On the other side, we have Kevion Latham and Eric Lattimore. By the way, if you are asked which of these four players had the only QB sack in 2008, the correct answer is Lattimore. Basically, these four players have done absolutely nothing so far at Penn State. Harsh, but true. Lattimore had seven tackles in '08. Crawford, four. This...this is not good, which is why we're really going to have to count on the returning Jerome Hayes, he of the multiple ACL surgeries. If he can provide some speed from the edge, Penn State might be fine. Otherwise, our only hope is that our defensive tackles are so dominant that offensive lines will have to pinch down to protect against Odrick, Koroma, et. al. and leave guys like Crawford and Lattimore to fight against only the offensive tackle.
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Nitt Picks Will Not Take Those Odds
by Kevin HD
on Jul 2, 2009 10:45 AM EDT
in Nitt Picks
55 comments
The new Heisman Pose? Probably not.
I didn't know they still gave that thing out. The Big Ten Bloggers voted in the unorganized, haphazardly way you would expect. LTP tallied the results, and the main talking point seems to be this:
Heisman Hopeful: Terrelle Pryor
Yes, I know, not much of a shock here. However, as BHGP so eloquently pointed out in his unsolicited essay responses, "This can only go to an offensive skill position player on a high-level team upon whom his team depends at a surreal rate. This necessarily excludes all players but two: Pryor and Royster." It is scary to think we all had the same thought and the ballot box was almost unanimously either Pryor or Penn State's Evan Royster. The only non-Royster/Pryor ballot came from Enlightened Spartan who cast a lot for Juice Williams.
I would argue that Royster doesn't actually qualify; Green gets way too many carries for the former lacrosse player [/you've been espn'd!] to even get a mention.
I like this because it tells me everything I already knew about the Heisman: Clark was named first team All-Big Ten and didn't share snaps in his bowl game, yet he's a distant inclusion and not even BTBers vote getter. Cue the June Heisman odds.
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Commit #11: Levi Norwood
by Run Up The Score
on Jul 1, 2009 10:36 PM EDT
in Recruiting
52 comments
Gimme a team full of Norwoods and a wooo!
A little late-night news, as wide receiver Levi Norwood has officially committed to Penn State:
After spending last weekend at Penn State's senior-only camp and receiving an offer, Norwood called Lion receivers' coach Mike McQueary Wednesday to inform him that he was committing....
Norwood, the younger brother of former PSU standout receiver Jordan Norwood and the son of former Lion assistant Brian Norwood, said there was really never any question about where he would play his college ball....
"Pretty much growing up there and having my brother go there and always being around Penn State, I always wanted to go there," Levi said. "It was easy for me."...
Norwood did not play football at Midway High last fall after transferring from State College High. But he has been working out with the football team at Midway this off-season and reportedly turned in a strong performance at PSU's senior camp. Norwood said no decision has been made on whether he will grayshirt.
Levi is already 6'2", so he's a bigger target than his brother Jordan, and apparently caught everything thrown in his area during the recent camp. And hell, he's a Norwood. Great bloodlines, coach's son, knows what it takes to succeed in a major collegiate program. People will complain and write things like, "zOMG HE'S ONLY A NEGATIVE THREE STAR PLAYER!11ONE!" These people are morons, because (1) there's the strong possibility that Levi will grayshirt, and won't even count against the limited available scholarship count for the current recruiting class, and (2) after what Jordan accomplished here, Levi clearly deserves a lot of slack.
Jordan Norwood - Cleveland Browns - Draft Video Profile (via Draftguysdotcom)
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Now Contains Football-Like Substance!
by Run Up The Score
on Jul 1, 2009 3:19 PM EDT
in Fun Stuff
31 comments
31 comments | 0 recs
[Fine work by AdamShell, who obviously told SOA the "Aristocrats" joke. The legend, in case you didn't know, started here. -- RUTS]
I can make Stephen Obeng-Agyapong smile... for real!
3 days ago
AdamShell
53 comments
29 recs
Nitt Picks Is Sold Out
by Kevin HD
on Jun 30, 2009 9:30 AM EDT
in Nitt Picks
85 comments
Tickets. With the shift from paper tickets to virtual ones, there was destined to be a bit of a drop off as the ebay crowd was gotten rid of. And while we've gone over the lackluster non-conference schedule here in detail, it's worth pointing out that the former scalper-types could have gotten more than their money back out of the Ohio State game alone. Throw in the Iowa revenge match-up and it's not a bad package.
Anyway, it was slower this year but corner seating is now unavailable. There was this interesting chest-puffing line from GoPSUSports:
The nation's largest full-season student section in college sports again will be filled to capacity in 2009.
It makes me curious what a "full-season student section" is, although I can guess. I suspect it's to differentiate from the Ohio State system, which is much more lame. Buying "Student Tickets" means tickets to every game as long as they are these five:
vs. Illinois
vs. Wisconsin
vs. Minnesota
vs. New Mexico State
vs. Iowa
A list that is clearly missing USC, although Trojan tickets still appear to be available in a much more limited number to students.
Over-rated Linebackers BEGONE. WWAHT details this year's version of the Ohio State linebacking corps, and you know Penn State's group is going to be special when even Buckeyes are saying things like:
Overall, there is nothing to suggest that this unit will be anything other than a solid Big Ten linebacking corps, perhaps even good enough to be the 2nd best in the conference behind Penn State's dynamite group.
So Woo Wooo LBU and all that. It's actually a great breakdown, although I couldn't help but snicker a bit at this:
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Have You Seen DaQuan Jones Anywhere?
Nitt Picks momentarily. First, we need your help locating the Penn State offensive line recruit in this picture.
He must have been home sick that day.
3 days ago
Run Up The Score
6 comments
0 recs
Nitt Picks Brings You Back From The Dead
by Run Up The Score
on Jun 29, 2009 11:39 AM EDT
in Nitt Picks
43 comments
Some items to ponder while mourning the tragic loss of a worldwide cultural icon who brought millions of people joy with his unique voice and unusual stage performances. Billy Mays, you'll be missed.
As you've seen, recruiting is the main source of news right now. It appears that Manheim Central defensive end Dakota Royer seems close to making a decision:
Royer has well over 20 Division I-A college offers, thanks to a process he largely initiated himself, by making his own highlight DVDs and going off to combines (and winning position-group MVP awards at the combines) as early as his freshman year. "I still remember sitting at home, waiting for that first letter [from a college]," Royer said Wednesday. "Now I get 20 letters a day."
He's created a monster.
"You'd think it would be awesome getting recruited," he said. "I thought it would be, even though guys told me you get tired of it. You do get tired of it. It's so stressful."
There's also a little background on the swimming pool stunt, which Royer nailed on the fourth take.
As for those who have recently joined PSU's recruiting class, their local papers have had a day or two to provide the full write-up. First, Evan Hailes:
Hailes, a two-time all-state and two-time All-Tidewater selection, said he chose the Nittany Lions over such schools as Tennessee, LSU and Virginia Tech because he liked what Penn State had to offer.
"The thing I liked most about them is that they emphasized academics more than football," said Hailes as he drove from State College on his way back to Chesapeake following his visit to the school.
What also helped was his relationship with defensive line coach Larry Johnson. This is his 14th season on the staff and ninth year coaching the defensive line. In that span, he has been instrumental in the development of five first-team All-Americans, including three first-round NFL draft choices.
"He's a real good guy and everything he says is backed up by the players," Hailes said. "He sealed the deal for me."
A chance to play for Penn State coach Joe Paterno was icing on the cake.
"It's like playing basketball with Michael Jordan," he said. "You're with a legend. A lot of people wish they could play for him but I'm going to get a chance to do it."
And then there's DaQuan Jones:
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I can make Stephen Obeng-Agyapong smile... for real!](http://cdn2.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/58180/5174_934541469334_9378261_59290710_3749447_n_small.jpg)
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