Nitt Picks Is Running Like Hell
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 1:02 PM EDT
in Football
115 comments
Okay, back to football.
Penn State recently held its annual Coaches' Clinic -- this year it was indoors at Holuba Hall due to the windy conditions. For the uninitiated, it's an event attended by hundreds of high school coaches from across the state. There are instructional presentations by the PSU coaches, but the big news always comes out of the live scrimmage.
Last year, the highly unusual news was the offense performing quite well against the defense. This year, things seem to have reverted to the defense just mauling its adversaries. Some reports from across the state:
Mark Wogenrich, Allentown Morning Call (which also has a two-deep depth chart):
On the very first play of the scrimmage, tight end Andrew Quarless jumped offsides. Head coach Joe Paterno was all over him.
Paterno also worked over cornerback Knowledge Timmons, who seemed physical but uncertain when to turn it on and off. He looked like a perpetual pass-interference flag waiting to happen.
Running back Evan Royster is effortlessly smooth. He scored on a 40-yard run that didn’t seem to require much energy expenditure.
Bit of a surprise to see Andrew Dailey at strong safety. Dailey, a 6-2 redshirt sophomore, spent last season at receiver and linebacker. True freshman Gerald Hodges was at third-team safety.
Sophomore receiver A.J. Price is listed at 173 pounds.That has to include pads.
Bob Flounders, Harrisburg Patriot-News:
Penn State is rebuilding an offensive line that lost three first-team All-Big Ten choices to graduation. By the time the Big Ten season rolls around next falll, the unit might be solid enough to hold its own. ... There were few surprises. Senior Knowledge Timmons started at the one cornerback spot opposite A.J. Wallace and sophomore Andrew Dailey -- listed as a linebacker on the roster -- worked at one of the safety spots along with Drew Astorino.
[And from a different Flounders PennLive.com link: Harrisburg High redshirt freshman defensive tackle Brandon Ware, who is rumored to be down to 341 pounds after spending much of 2008 in the 360s, worked with the third-team defense and was a handful when an O-lineman tried to engage him one-on-one. ... Shuler caught a touchdown pass from Clark, one of the rare shining moments for the offense. ... Sophomore Jon Ditto, listed as a wideout on the roster, is working at outside linebacker. ... Other notables who were held out of practice were defensive end Jerome Hayes (knee) and tailbacks Stephfon Green (ankle) and Brent Carter (knee)]
Eric Thomas, Carlisle Sentinel:
Judging by one scrimmage in limited work against the first team defense, it appears redshirt freshman walk-on Matt McGloin may have the edge over Kevin Newsome. Newsome looked tentative under center, had a pass batted down at the line and was mugged by defensive end Kevion Latham and was off on deep balls during the scrimmage. The true freshman from Virginia who enrolled in January also had trouble handling some snaps both with the first and second string offensive line and appeared to be off on his timing when under center. On one play Newsome appeared to have trouble with a three-step drop. At first glance he appeared to throw the ball a lot of like Michael Robinson did, a side-armed somewhat inaccurate style.
The first team offensive line had DeOn’Tae Pannell at left tackle, Matt Stankiewitch at left guard, Stefen Wisniewski at center, Lou Eliades at right guard and Dennis Landolt at right tackle.
First team defense was Latham and Jack Crawford at the ends, Jared Odrick and Ollie Ogbu inside. Mike Mauti, Josh Hull and Navarro Bowman were the linebackers.
Sean Lee was held out of contact during the scrimmage and will do so all spring.
The secondary had A.J. Wallace and Knowledge Timmons at the corners with Andrew Dailey at free safety and Drew Astorino at strong safety.
The second team defensive line had Pete Massaro and Eric Latimore at the ends with Devon Still and Abe Koroma inside. Bani Gbadyu, Chris Colasanti and Nate Stupar at the linebackers and a secondary of D’Anton Lynn and Devin Fentress at the corners and Cedric Jeffries and Nick Sukay at the safety spots.
Jon Ditto, a one-time tight end, worked out with the linebackers.
On the first play the first team offense ran, tight end Andrew Quarless jumped. It appears the starting tight end spot is up for grabs between Quarless and East Pennsboro’s Mickey Shuler. Shuler made a nice grab on a throw from McGloin and later on a beautiful throw from Clark scored. Chaz Powell has inherited the Derrick Williams role, even his No. 2. Powell lined up in the backfield on several snaps.
Harrisburg’s Brandon Ware had a strong showing taking down reserve lineman Jonathan Stewart to pressure the quarterback and later knocking down a pass at the line of scrimmage.
The takeaways? No surprise that the defensive line is going to be amazing, and with the return of Sean Lee, Penn State will probably have the best front seven in the conference. Pray to whatever gods you believe in for the health of Daryll Clark, because Newsome isn't even close to being ready for live action. If Clark goes down, we're officially in "entering a world of pain" territory unless Newsome or McGloin improve greatly. Be afraid, again, about the defensive secondary, although Penn State can (for the second straight year) take comfort in the fact that they won't face many prolific passing attacks in the Big Ten. The coaching staff is quite obviously looking at various defensive back combinations -- let's hope they come up with a winning superfecta by October. Finally, the wide receiver position remains problematic. Zug jokes aside, they're not scaring anybody with a competent pass defense, and that means we're going to need a hell of a lot more from Mickey Shuler and...gulp...Andrew Quarless.
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More coverage...
FOS has a few free links up, as well:
http://pennstate.scout.com/2/853780.html
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 1:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
JB Walton Update
The page you linked stated an update on JB Walton, I don’t have access to the article… can someone give me the brief overview of what they said about Walton? I would appreciate it.
by HailState77 on Apr 6, 2009 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Walton
Just that he is not currently practicing with the team due to “personal reasons”.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 6, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh...
for some reason I thought he wasn’t even on the team anymore… I hope he comes back soon we will need some depth… ugh… I’m getting worried…
Thanks again Mike!
by HailState77 on Apr 6, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the offensive line is crumbling,
can you really blame McGloin and Newsome for their performance?
Maybe it’s just the way the information is presented, I dunno.
by Mr. Rosewater on Apr 5, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not really.
It’s no surprise that the QB’s didn’t look good. Newsome apparently has a long, long way to go with his mechanics — the point being that if something happened to Clark, we don’t have much of a safety net.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Newsome was always considered a project, I think.
With high a chance of success and ridiculous potential of course, but still a project. For those of you who enjoy such stories, I see this having major JayPa implications.
Black Shoe Diaries
I BLAME IOWA.
by Kevin HD on Apr 5, 2009 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh,
and learning against the better front sevens on any team is going to make the first couple of steps that much harder.
Black Shoe Diaries
I BLAME IOWA.
by Kevin HD on Apr 5, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Isn't the D usually ahead of the O in the spring?
I’m not too panicky yet because OL cohesiveness takes time to build, and having the two younger QBs take the bulk of the snaps is going to put the Offense at a disadvantage. It’s the first week of spring. Same with recruiting; I refuse to freak out about anything right now, a little later maybe, but not now.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on Apr 5, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And yes, the D is almost always ahead of the O at this stage.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No need to panic yet
We need to remember Newsome is only his fifth practice in college. He’s actually still supposed to be in high school right now. He’ll have all summer to work on his mechanics. And the easy September schedule will give him a chance to get some playing time and gain confidence.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 5, 2009 2:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The scary part is...
…with this awful schedule, unless another Big Ten team gets its collective shit together, this is still a 11-1 team.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know what to think at this point
Here is what I know: The defense front 7 is going to be the best in the country. Nobody is going to run on this team. But the secondary scares me to death right now. I’m having nightmares of teams tossing 60 passing attempts on our secondary and lighting up the scoreboard.
I think the offense is going to struggle. RIght now our opening day wide receivers will feature a walk on, a converted QB, and a converted safety. Having DC under center will help, but this team is not going to stretch the defense and light up anyone in the passing game. But if the secondary comes around the defense will keep us in all of our games. Maybe DC and Royster are all the offense we need if the offensive line is ok.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 5, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It all comes down to the lines.
Clearly PSU has a great DL. The OL just needs time build chemistry and there is plenty of time to do that til August.
Hopefully Wallace plays up to his potential. I think it will be him and Lynn starting with Timmons at the Nickel. Astorino is solid so SS is the only true mystery. The secondary won’t be PSU’s strength but with solid play from the front 7 will help at least through the B10.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on Apr 5, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why this could potentially worry me
is knowing DC will have to fix a lot of broken plays, meaning more hits and, yeah, that whole thing. He’s a tough kid, though, and it’s obviously way to early to worry about anything in particular at this point.
Black Shoe Diaries
I BLAME IOWA.
by Kevin HD on Apr 5, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude...DC is NOT a tough kid...he is like Royster...a little soft.
Kevin Thompson and Zack Mills were tough
by SweepTheLeg on Apr 6, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is this sarcasm?
Soft is harsh. IMO.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on Apr 6, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ER is NOT soft
But he DOES blame Iowa.
I agree Mills was tough (b/c he could get creamed on 20 options plays and still pick himself up to pitch to LJ again), but Thompson? Really?
And DC is tough as nails, but seems to take a lot of blows to the head on his runs – unlike MRob, who dealt them out instead of taking them.
Blame Iowa!
by NittanyTide on Apr 6, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd like this picture more
if I didn’t know which game it was
by dawsonPSU10 on Apr 6, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You are clearly high if you think Royster is soft.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 6, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think........
they mean injury prone.
Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.
"If you hear Ric Flair is in town......WOOOOO........you KNOW things are takin' place".
Ric Flair
by ech2os on Apr 6, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes...injury prone is a better way to put it.
Kevin Thompson took the biggest single season beating ever…dude got killed all the time…same w/ Mills.
ER is awesome but is like a fine automobile…a bit fragile IMO
by SweepTheLeg on Apr 6, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Royster did not miss a single game last year
The coaches were protecting him his freshman year b/c Kinlaw was running well and there was no reason to aggravate something. He learned the position while reducing the wear and tear.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on Apr 6, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
while he didn't miss the Rose Bowl
he basically did
but yeah, I don’t recall any serious injuries prior to that.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't forget about Green
I expect that he and Royster will be in the game together a lot more this year. He is not a bad receiver and does have the speed we need to stretch the field out of the slot. I think people need to be prepare for the fact that this is going to be a different Spread HD this year. I know that BSD has discussed on variety of occasions that the staff is focusing on the RB’s and TE’s to pick up the slack in the passing game. We have to expect this….but then again……we are not going to know what the receiving corps…..or DB corps is going to look like until the freshman step on campus. I think the big thing with this team is going to be leadership. When DWill and King played as freshman…..MRob and Zemeitis demanded their best and in turn received it. I love DC…..but a couple of times last he would go off an sulk in a corner when things were not going his way. That CANNOT happen this year! Any freshman WR’s that do play need to take their cues from a confident and demanding DC! I am not worried about the DB’s……there is great leadership on the defensive side of the ball…..not to mention that Wallance and Astorino have both played extensively. If Timmons doesn’t get his shite together Lynn will move in quickly!
I thought only safeties played 15 yards off the ball?
by pic15 on Apr 6, 2009 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Coaches know best
but I’m surprised they don’t use Bani’s speed at safety and have Dailey go back to OLB.
by WPIALkid22 on Apr 5, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Even though there are some clear (and expected) weaknesses (WR, OL, secondary), we have arguably the best QB, RB, Linebackers, and defensive tackles in the Big Ten. That’s a pretty big deal and will help cover up those weaknesses. And the worries about those areas are more related to experience than talent, which is a good said. Like RUTS said, with the schedule it’s not outlandish to think we could go 11-1.
Speaking of the schedule-a rumor here in State College is that the Illinois game could get moved to a home game b/c Illinois may not be done with their stadium renovations. It’s very, very unlikely but how crazy would that be? 9 home games.
by speedomike on Apr 5, 2009 3:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't you think
they would more likely play at Soldier Field or something instead of giving up a home game? The Bears kinda owe them anyway for them playing in Champaign while Soldier Field was getting redone.
by whiteoutonly on Apr 5, 2009 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd think so
Or even at some high school field. Like I said-just a rumor and can’t see it happening, but was surprised to hear it.
by speedomike on Apr 6, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought Stupar would be a started, dude produced last year.
Bani at SS…I like it…who ever is the fastest/best athlete out of the you backers needs to be there
by SweepTheLeg on Apr 5, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Stupar is great on ST
and he’d probably be starting just about everywhere else but LB at PSU is just too deep. He’ll likely get playing time but Mauti is legit and Lee and Bowman are going anywhere.
Kath?
by psuphiman80 on Apr 5, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do not know how
to put Zug jokes aside.
Zug be with you.
And also with you.
by NewJackCity on Apr 5, 2009 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"Well, there goes 65% of ReadingRambler's comments"
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Frankly, I’m going to take this in a positive way:
We’ve seen that, with the exception of AM, our coaches have recruited the QBs we need pretty well recently. Robinson was a 4-star, Mills (who WAS good until the shoulder injury), DC was a 3-star, and look at him now… The comparisons between Newsome and Robinson started at least a year ago, but just youtube the kid – he has the tools. He’ll be ready by the time DC leaves, and hopefully the receivers will step up.
To me, though, the good thing is that McGloin is noticeably better. While clearly no Clark, its nice to know we don’t have to throw a true freshman to the wolves in a Big Ten game before he’s ready. Barring Newsome becoming wicked good in the next couple weeks of practice (carrying over to fall), I would expect McGloin to remain our “number 2” on the chart, but Newsome to get more snaps in our OOC games. But McGloin will get some live game experience to ensure we have an adept backup set.
Just my two cents.
by psume06 on Apr 5, 2009 4:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"we don't have to throw a true freshman to the wolves"
You mean like the true freshman that the Wolverines will be throwing? Pun intended?
by PSUJunny05 on Apr 5, 2009 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The best part
is that is an upgrade over the QBs they had playing last year.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No need to get your panties in a bunch, people
It’s spring. It’s early. We’re working in new starters.
Thankfully, we have more practices & all summer to work, and pre-season practice to lock things down. Plus, we have four tomato cans lined up to start (Thanks for sucking, Syracuse!).
This is a 10 or 11 win team we’re talking about. Lock it in.
by Tailgate Shogun on Apr 5, 2009 5:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
The front seven will stop anybody from running on us. The receivers, Zug jokes aside, will be good enough against the cupcakes and the dregs of the Big Ten, as will the rest of the offense.
And, really, who in the Big Ten besides Iowa and Ohio State will beat us?
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Illinois, maybe.
Beyond that……?
by Tailgate Shogun on Apr 5, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe Michigan State
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't think about that one. Good call.
by Tailgate Shogun on Apr 6, 2009 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
we'll see about Michigan State
but they lose their QB (Hoyer) and RB (Ringer), and I don’t see them being able to replace their production (especially Ringer’s) that easily.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
When I look at that schedule...
I really think the most pessimistic thing I can say would be losses to Michigan State, Iowa, and Ohio State. But it’s still too early to make a prediction, IMO.
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Strangely enough
I really don’t like an outdoor game at Minnesota in November.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Me neither
But…
Tim Brewster.
But then again, we lost to Ron Zook. Aw, hell, just forget it.
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Then again
Is Minnesota ready to play an outdoor game in November? This is their first year out of the dome isn’t it?
by dawsonPSU10 on Apr 5, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Game Change
When did the game change to at Minnesota in November?
Its currently list at Rivals as a home game in October.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh...April Fools?
I was apparently looking at the wrong schedule.
09/05/09 vs. Akron University Park, Pa.
09/12/09 vs. Syracuse University Park, Pa.
09/19/09 vs. Temple University Park, Pa.
09/26/09 vs. Iowa * University Park, Pa.
10/03/09 at Illinois * Champaign, Ill.
10/10/09 vs. Eastern Illinois University Park, Pa.
10/17/09 vs. Minnesota * University Park, Pa.
10/24/09 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich.
10/31/09 at Northwestern * Evanston, Ill.
11/07/09 vs. Ohio State * University Park, Pa.
11/14/09 vs. Indiana * University Park, Pa.
11/21/09 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 6, 2009 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good
All of my thoughts for this year were based on that schedule. When you said Minnesota was an away game I got really worried I have no idea what I was talking about.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The doctor is never wrong.
Not even Mom can stop him.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 6, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pre-Pre-Season Wild Speculative Guess on Season Outcome
My first guess is that Penn State should lose to Illinois and Michigan State. Illinois with Juice as a Senior and an improved Benn should be able to carve apart the PSU secondary. MSU will have a QB with a lot of experience by then and I believe they have the best 4 receivers combination in the nation. They will be tough to defend. Most importnatly, they are both away games.
The games that would be close are Ohio State and Iowa. Iowa is really iffy though because of their losses on the interior d-line. Stanzi should improve as a QB and could easily pick apart the PSU secondary. So that is why I see that game as not a guaranteed win for PSU.
Two other interesting games are at Michigan and at Northwestern. Both because they are away games and both teams will spread the field. Using 3 or 4 WR sets will take the LBs off the field and force PSU to play dime or nickel defenses. That would make a weak Penn State secondary weaker.
So, bottom end to me is Penn State finished 7-5. That would require a lot of bad luck. IE pick sixes and fumbles inside their own territory.
If Penn State has good luck, 10-2 is reasonable. I think it will be somewhere in between.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Michigan State
Best 4 WRs in the country? Really?
by speedomike on Apr 6, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As a Combination, not individually
The best 4 WR combo in the country, not the best 4 WRs in the country.
Benn from Illinois will be better than any of the WRs at MSU, but the four guys at MSU are better than Illinois’ 4 best WRs.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Again...
Really? I’ll admit to not knowing much about their WR situation, I just didn’t realize they had that good of a WR corps. Did they bring in some big recruits? Wasn’t their offense pretty much Javon Ringer last year? I’ll trust you on this though-you’re a doctor.
by speedomike on Apr 6, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well......
The WRs had issues with drops last year. I am assuming they will be able to correct that this year. Against Indiana there were two plays where the wideouts looked as if they were playing volleyball and providing a set for a spike.
Mark Dell started last year producing significantly more than Devin Thomas did. Dell had over 200 yards receiving in the opener versus Cal. Injuries slowed him down and he did not play as much for the back half of the year.
Cunningham had a good year and Blair white was the hands guy. Little known Keyshawn Martin played more as the year went on and showed flashes of brilliance.
I am basing this on all of them improving for this year, which I don’t think is far fetched since most of them were Sophomores last year.
by DrDetroit on Apr 9, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure who you think MSU's QB with a lot of experience will be
since Cousins only had 43 pass attempts (2 TD, 1 INT) last year.
Hoyer is gone to the draft, so is Ringer, so even if they do have the best combined fouresome of receivers, I don’t see them being as proficient in the passing game (less experienced QB, no great RB to keep the defense quite as honest). Not sure how their O-line situation is, though.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm assuming its Cousins.
If Michigan State played Penn State in September, yeah, that would be a huge issue of QB experience. However they play in November. So whover the MSU QB is he will probably be starting his 12th game by then. Giving him a significant amount of experience.
Basically like DC for the MSU game last year. I don’t think anyone thought of DC as inexperienced for the MSU game.
Cousins looked good in his limited duty last year. He had 161 yards passing against Ohio State and threw two TD passes. (One of those was to Ohio State though.)
The other option is Nichol who transferred from Oklahoma. Evidently he figured out he would never play because of some other QB there.
MSU picked up some stud recruit for a RB this year and also has AJ Jimmerson and Andre Anderson. AJ and AA are probably not going to be Ringer, but they’ll be serviceable.
The key for this is that MSU will be developing players all year. If the game was in September it would probably massively favor Penn State, since its in November it should be allow MSU to have the players ready to go.
by DrDetroit on Apr 9, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Perhaps
but I don’t know if I’d use the “experienced QB” argument, since he’s about as inexperienced as you can get at that point in the year (barring injury).
I’m not saying MSU will be weak, I just think they’ll take a step back from last year (probably only a small step).
Going into 2008, I felt PSU was a better team than they were in 2007.
Going into 2009 I also feel that PSU is taking a step back from where they were in 2008 (our issues are just as big as MSU’s, in that we need to replace 2 huge components: the O-Line & WRs).
Obviously no one knows how things will be come late November, but if you are going to give your QB more experience, then I’ll give our O-line and WRs more experience as well, in which case I still think it is a win for PSU. Our defense is just going to be nasty next year, and as long as our WRs are serviceable, and our O-Line can gel by the time the heart of the Big 10 schedule starts, we should be looking at another good year.
If those 2 things don’t happen, then yeah, we can lose to the good schools in the Big 10, and perhaps even some of the middle of the pack ones if we catch each other at the right time.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 9, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A Step Back
I think MSU will take a step back, but I am not sure how much of one. I think their defense is going to be even better than last year and might be able to carry the team while the offense improves. It really is all about the WRs though. If they do improve and play up to their potential, MSU could actually have a better year.
As far as Penn State, even if the O-line can’t figure out how to block anyone the offense will be fine. Royster is an absolute freak of nature running the ball. I think the Rose Bowl would have been significantly more competitive if he had not been injured. Clark’s mobility will give him time to get the ball out to the WRs. If the WRs can catch the ball, PSU will still have a decent offense, even with a terrible o-line. If the O-line does gel, then the offense will only be limited by the WRs.
I think the biggest concerns for Penn State are d-line and secondary. The QBs in the Big Ten might now be good enough to abuse the secondary all year. And if teams are smart, they’ll do everything they can to keep the LBs off the field. I am under the assumpttion that no team in the Big10 this year will pull a Michigan, having two QBs that can’t throw the ball 5 yards downfield with any accuracy.
I think offensively, Penn State will do enough to win games. The defense will decide how many games Penn State wins.
by DrDetroit on Apr 9, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
agree on the secondary
D-line I’m not too worried about. We lost Maybin, which is obviously a hit, and Evans who was solid and will also be a loss, but we seem to be able to reload our D-linemen almost (or maybe even better) than we do LBs. I mean heck, this last year I thought we were gonna be decimated on our D-line with the injuries and dismissals, but they wound up doing quite well
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 9, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
D-Line
I also thought the d-line was going to be sub-par last year until Aaron “the one man wrecking crew Mr. I am football everyone else brings me water” Maybin emerged.
Maybin was simply …..what is better than incredible? He repeatedly beat double teams to make a play. His EA sports rating would have been 95+. The guy was insanely good.
If the new DEs are just ok, it’ll be a massive step back. Which is really just a testament to how good Maybin and Evans were.
by DrDetroit on Apr 12, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Iowa can't beat us, it was luck last year
by xozte on Apr 5, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
TOTALLY
"Breaststroke, free style," Rubin said of his technique, "Let’s see Phelps do that one."
by ReadingRambler on Apr 5, 2009 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I rarely hear it retorted against Iowa
But they BARELY beat us with us playing like shit on both sides of the ball AND with a concussed QB, so we really shouldn’t have any trouble this year.
by dawsonPSU10 on Apr 5, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ferentz 6, JoePa 2
Iowa under Ferentz has handled Penn State the majority of the time. So Iowa is always a question mark on the schedule.
I would say Penn State is definitely favored, but that is far from a guarantee.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That record will change in PSU's favor
Iowa and Ferentz built that record against JoePa during the dark years. He’s not going to enjoy as much success now that we’re on our feet again.
Iowa v PSU 2000-2004
Iowa 5-0
Iowa v PSU 1993-2008(not including dark years for PSU)
2-5
by RNF18 on Apr 6, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
1993-1998 is PRE-Ferentz
If you look at just the last two years, Penn State was the better team both years but is 1-1.
I think the record will shift back to Penn State because Ferentz can’t recruit for crap. In another year the Penn State walk ons will be more highly recruited than the actual recruits at Iowa.
by DrDetroit on Apr 6, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
but that was the point he was basically trying to make
Ferentz may be 6-2 vs Penn State, but one of those wins was last year was the
bq. But they BARELY beat us with us playing like shit on both sides of the ball AND with a concussed QB, so we really shouldn’t have any trouble this year.
2007 we won
2005-2006 we did not play
2003-2004 were dark years
2002 was an OT game that got stolen from us by the refs (see how we have instant replay now in college football. Direct result of that game and the Michigan game a couple weeks later).
2000-2001 were dark years
We won in 1999.
So basically Ferentz owns Penn State when they are fielding one of the worst 4 teams in the history of Paterno’s teams, when the refs make a terrible call to steal a potential win, or when they just barely beat us at home, with 20 MPH winds, when our team is playing a trap game with a concussed QB (and when the refs don’t apparently understand the intentional grounding rule).
Now I’m not trying to say, “oh, Ferentz doesn’t deserve his 6-2 record against Penn State” since he did win the games against us, and may even have won the 2002 & 2008 ones without the bad calls, but I’m just trying to point out that his record isn’t anything special against us, all things considered.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No one is better
Ferentz’s record is the best of any coach against Penn State in the Big 10.
Doesn’t that make it special?
by DrDetroit on Apr 9, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It may be "special"
but it isn’t really anything special. Swap the 2 years we don’t play from 2005-2006 with 2003-2004, and his record would probably be 4-4
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 9, 2009 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would like to see what Brent Carter can do at Hero also...he wont be playing RB
by SweepTheLeg on Apr 5, 2009 8:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He's coming back from a torn ACL.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 5, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Front 7 raises an interesting question
Yeah, as was expected our front 7 is nasty — LJ reloads the D-line every season — it’s now the one thing we can be sure of. Lost two DE’s to the NFL? No one is even worried about it.
Tom Bradley’s ass should be on the hot-seat right now over his secondary. He is the DB’s coach right now, and the last few seasons they’ve been just OK at best and absent at worst. Even King with all his talent and speed didn’t always live up to his hype. How many big games did Bradley get us lit up when it mattered most — using the DB’s as a glorified safety to just contain the receiver after the catch…
Bradley is a great coach, a great guy, but honestly he hasn’t produced a decent secondary in I don’t know how long. He recruits talent that never develops, and we’re always screwing around with moving kids in and out of that position. We lost a bunch of kids after last season, but it shouldn’t matter: we recruit good DB’s every year.
Here we are yet again scared to death about what the hell Bradley is doing out there. Meanwhile comparable (I might argue worse) losses to the D-line occur and no one is losing any sleep over it. Something needs to change if Bradley can’t get it together this season — there’s no excuse.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 5, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Two things.
1. He’s in charge of the entire defense, and the entire defense has been pretty damned good.
2. There’s one way to beat us defensively — block the front four. When they get blocked, we get carved.
You can go here to look up old defensive stats. We’re pretty good, even in pass efficiency defense.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 6, 2009 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
entire defense
Sure Bradley’s a good DC, I’m questioning his “defensive backs coach” title. Especially when he’s the on-the-field HC, and the DC, maybe being DB coach is over-extending him a little. Maybe his approach is out-dated, or maybe he just relies too much on our front 7 in passing situations…
I think our pass efficiency defense is a reflection of our front 7 getting pressure more than it is our secondary — not to mention the weak-passing we see most weeks in our conference. This is why when our front 4 are well-blocked our secondary melts down: our pass-rush is our primary pass-defense not our coverage.
Let me ask you this: do you think Bradley is doing the best possible job as defensive backs coach? Do you think we’re developing the talent we recruit at DB? Who was the last PSU DB to see the field in the NFL?
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 6, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The defense is what it is.
It’s built to use the front four to generate pressure and for everyone else to keep stuff in front of them. Any defense is going to look like crap if the QB has all day, it’s just going to look a lot worse when we’re facing a team with USC’s talent.
Justin King would’ve been, at the very least, a nickel for the Rams last year before his injury. Calvin Lowry’s been in the league for a few years. Zemaitis hung around for a little while. Hell, that 2005 defense had three fringe NFL players (Lowry, Zemaitis, and Anwar). Besides, I honestly don’t think the NFL thing is that relevant. It’s Bradley’s job to win college football games with what he has — we’re not running a four-year combine here.
We’re winning games. Our defense is consistently among the best in the nation. Considering all of that, I don’t particularly give a damn if we’re sending DB’s to the NFL. I mean, is Tom Bradley more to blame for A.J. Wallace’s career than A.J. Wallace himself?
Ultimately, the situation in the secondary is more of a recruiting issue than a Tom Bradley issue. It looks like that’s been addressed in the last two recruiting classes with guys like Lynn and Hodges. But to say, “Tom Bradley’s ass should be on the hot-seat right now over his secondary” is silly.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 6, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't forget Bryan Scott
He was a pretty darned good CB at Penn State (drafted in the 2nd round).
I think he’s 2nd string safety now on the Bills (though he did have 69 tackles last year), but he was a starter for a few years in Atlanta.
And heck, he made it to the “Monday Night at the Mic” finals with Michelle Branch against Doug Flutie and the Barenaked Ladies.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Defense will be fine.
pass efficiency defense is a reflection of our front 7 getting pressure more than it is our secondary There are lot of teams that base their pass coverages on getting pressure. The Steelers and the Eagles come to mind.
They didn’t match up well against USC. Other than that they did fine.
Who was the last PSU DB to see the field in the NFL? Who cares?
I get your point, but we only need good college football players, not players with outstanding pro potential. There are a ton of great college football players that will be lucky to ever get a sniff at the NFL. Lot’s of those guys play for Penn State. It’s kind of our thing.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on Apr 6, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ok, let's just rephrase that question
People seem really focused on the NFL thing, II should have said ‘all american’ or all-B10. Just to revisit my argument:
1. Line play has been outstanding, kids turn-it-on almost immediately, and it’s consistent. Alford, Hali, Maybin, Evans, Odrick, all developed very quickly, now we’re probably going to see the same from Ware, Lantham, and Crawford.
2. LB’s not much to say except we get a ton of great talent and we consistently produce all-american and all-conference players.
3. DB and Safeties: well, we had Zemitas, he was our only all-american from the secondary in recent years. We had King, who at times was great but was inconsistent. We have a bunch of kids who play disciplined and steady, but nothing that scares offenses. This bunch in the last 4 seasons just hasn’t really shown what the other two parts have.
So I’ll ask again: Are you happy with the way our DB’s develop and perform from season to season? Do you see a disparity between our front 7 and secondary? Are you satisfied with Bradley’s job as Defensive backs coach? I just think it’s an interesting discussion, not trying to be confrontational.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 6, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Our DB's blow in recent years by major D1 standards.
The real question is, which of our guys in recent years would start at USC, Fla, OSU, TX, LSU, etc
Maybe 1 or 2.
by SweepTheLeg on Apr 6, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, I agree since 05
The defensive backfield led by Zemaitis in 05 was pretty solid, I just think we have had bad luck with some of our higher rater prospects since then, and It seems like Scirrotto’s play dropped off as his career grew on. I dunno if this is a result of poor coaching up or the players just not being what we want them to be, or a combination + offfield stuff.
Also, as was mentioned above, we typically don’t need a stellar secondary becasue our front 7 is always dominant and the pressure we get on the QB balances it out.
Then again, imagine if we had the same quality secondary as front 7, WOW, its be like OMG USC’s defense LuLz…
"They ain't got the tradition to hold our nuts." - Deon Butler
by Roland86 on Apr 7, 2009 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except Zemaitis was the guy who got beat
on the final play of the scUM game that year (remember, the play they ran :01 AFTER the game was over?)
I bleed Blue and White.
by Horse N Buggy on Apr 7, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Weren't we in zone that play?
Have a "great HD day!" - Jay Paterno
by ReadingRambler on Apr 7, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure
But I remember that we were in zone, and I think Zemaitis drifted too far to his left.
Anyway, Zemaitis was still a good corner.
Have a "great HD day!" - Jay Paterno
by ReadingRambler on Apr 7, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okay, let's look at it your way.
There’s absolutely no comparison between our DB’s and the rest of our defense. That’s totally true. I think part of the reason you don’t see a ton of NFL players (or even All-Americans…don’t know if we’ve even had one back there) is the scheme. They’re not called upon to play a lot of bump and run coverage, so their skills only translate to teams playing that Tampa 2 scheme (or something similar) in the NFL. That’s a philosophical thing, and it’s not changing.
Am I happy with the way our DB’s develop from season to season? I mean, for the most part, it’s not like they’re getting worse. A.J. is a mystery — all the talent in the world, but he doesn’t seem to know what the hell he’s supposed to do half the time. Scirrotto was an all-conference guy in his sophomore year, but I think we can all agree that was due to the interception stat. He was good, not great.
Like I said above, I think it’s more of a recruiting issue than a Tom Bradley issue. Let’s take a look at the recent DB recruits:
2004: Rubin ended up being decent enough. Butler and Norwood were listed as CB recruits and obviously switched sides of the ball. Spencer Ridenhour left town.
2005: Scirrotto, King, Timmons, Harriott, Fentress. Scirrotto was a three-year starter, King’s in the NFL. We’ll see if Timmons pulls it together this year. Other two guys are basically wash-outs.
2006: Wallace, Jeffries, McBride. Wallace remains an enigma, basically a more talented version of Timmons. McBride had academic issues. I’m not sure what they ever really expected from Jeffries.
2007: Sukay, Suhey, Green, Astorino, Powell. Three of those guys are on offense now. I don’t think we can really argue with Green’s move to offense, which took even the coaches by surprise. Astorino has proven to be a very good player, even early in his career. Powell looks like he’ll be better on offense. Sukay’s always hurt, nothing Bradley can do about that one.
2008: Lynn. That’s it. But he should be a starter by the time B10 rolls around.
2009: I think Kuntz ends up at safety, but we’ll see. Then there’s SOA, Hodges, Givens, Thomas, Morris, Willis, and Wallace. That’s a big group to keep your eye on, and it’s going to take me about three years to tell them apart — too many common, six-letter last names in there.
So, yeah, you could say that a lot of these players haven’t developed to be great defensive backs, but many of them ended up being pretty good players at other positions. That’s left our secondary thin, and it’ll stay that way this season. It’s a recruiting problem that the coaching staff finally addressed with this most recent recruiting class.
"Never. We would never shoot nuclear weapons at Decepticons." -- Gen. Jack Jacobs
by Run Up The Score on Apr 7, 2009 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never looked at it that way
That makes sense why our secondary isn’t standing out: if you stand out at DB you end up on offense… If you’re managing to play steady and reliably, you stay at DB. I bet our issues recruiting not only DB’s, but also skill position players in general is a big factor: if we had more talent at WR we wouldn’t need to switch all our good DB’s over to offense. Then again, that’s probably where you want all your most outstanding players anyway — I guess the key really is recruiting, as you said.
Good points, thanks for indulging me.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 7, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
WRs
Im really not worried about the wide receivers. Brown and Kersey will come in and step up immediately. And if Smith is allowed to play this year, with his speed we have another Butler-type deep threat.
by RitterPSU on Apr 6, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ditto
at LB?
have we ever had a TE converted to LB? Joe’s taking crazy pills.
World F#$king Champions
by psudrozz on Apr 6, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Call me crazy
But moving Ditto to LB is Joe’s way of telling the kid he’s not going to be a contributor at Penn State. We’re thin on WR’s this spring, and though there is talent at TE, none of them have locked down first string status. But we’re absolutely loaded at LB. It makes no sense to move him to defense at this point unless Ditto has proven to the coaches he will never make the cut on offense. Consider this Ditto’s last chance to make an impression. Don’t be surprised to see him leave the program when spring practice is over if he wants to see playing time.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 6, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's one heck of a message to send
but you think you’d at least put him where he has the best chance of success and/or chance to contribute to the team. I mean what if we do wind up needing him at TE.
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If we need him at TE
He can always go back. He’s been playing there for the past two years now.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 6, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess what I'm saying is that we KNOW we have ZERO need for him at LB
if anything we should be taking some of the LBs and converting them to other positions.
I’d much rather him get the reps at TE just in case (unless he’s so bad that any time wasted on him at TE is going to negatively impact the program).
by The JuggerNitt on Apr 6, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Further conspiracy theory
Move a tight end over to defense and suddenly the depth chart looks more attractive to any tight ends we’re looking to recruit with Quarless and Shuler graduating this year and only Wedderburn and Szczerba coming back.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Apr 6, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like them
french fried purtatoes. and I like the way you talk too.
"You are a tenacious little monkey!"
by rahpsu92 on Apr 7, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
is there a list of recruits expected at the Spring Game available anywhere? Thanks
by Orlandomagic20 on Apr 6, 2009 10:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Sounds........
to me like Ware needs to be on the field. I don’t care how heavy he is.
And much like Michael Vick will never be able to throw a screen pass less than 100 mph, apparently Quarless will never be able to trick his mind in to paying attention to the count.
Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.
"If you hear Ric Flair is in town......WOOOOO........you KNOW things are takin' place".
Ric Flair
by ech2os on Apr 6, 2009 10:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Quarless
I don’t know why we put up with him anymore, he should be 3rd string. He’s just a liabililty on that offense, and to the team in general.
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 6, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
After all the shit he's done
I can’t imagine why he even saw the field last year, normally his shenanigans would not only land you in JoePa’s doghouse, but your own personalized nameplate on the bench. Sczerba looked really good at TE and the BW game last year, I always wondered what happened.
by dawsonPSU10 on Apr 6, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hate to rag on a kid...
… but it looks like Joe’s finally had enough of Quarless. He’s had more than enough chances to prove himself and live up to his potential, but just can’t seem to pull it together. Penalties, dropped passes, missed blocks and off the field issues have finally done him in. It looks like he’s behind Shuler on the lineup now (which is probably for the best).
Still, it would be nice to see a kid contribute in his last year on the team. Let’s just hope he can put it in gear in a season that really needs some consistent pass catchers out there.
by smashtheguitar on Apr 7, 2009 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its Sad
His freshman year I was thinking " Wow, I hope we can keep this kid for all 4 years, he is going to be one of the best TE’s we’ve had" and we have had a lot of good TE’s, there are about 3 or so of them still aroun on NFL rosters. It always is a shame to see such great potential become unfulfilled, but he has no one to blame but himself. As was said, he has had ample chances, and its not like Shuler is not a quality guy enough to be starting.
"They ain't got the tradition to hold our nuts." - Deon Butler
by Roland86 on Apr 7, 2009 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It will.......
be interesting to see how his draft goes next year. He has all the measurables. I have a feeling when/if he is drafted, you won’t confuse him with one of the PSU / Paterno cheerleaders.
Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.
"If you hear Ric Flair is in town......WOOOOO........you KNOW things are takin' place".
Ric Flair
by ech2os on Apr 7, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I blame Curley
I blame Iowa
I blame Quarless
I bleed Blue and White.
by Horse N Buggy on Apr 7, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, I really do blame him
It’s just the sum of his career is an endless string if disappointment: dropping that pass in the endzone at Illinois late in the 4th quarter after all the charges he got off the field — that was the begining of the end. Then at Iowa he may have been one of the single worst performers on the field, he whiffed on blocks, and he dropped that critical pass that could have won us the game (again). Oh and then he finished off the season by tripping and letting USC get an easy interception. Mix in the many offsides and missed blocks…
"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.
by millzners on Apr 8, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trenches
That Defensive Front Seven: I’ve loved Ollie Oliie Ogbu the past few years, but I see Devon Still wreckin serious shite this season and starting by week 4 alongside Odrick. Ollie Ollie and Top Hat and Brandon Ware spelling them will be a fine, fine rotation.
That Offensives Line: Love to see Eliades at RG, between Landolt and Wiz. You’re my boy, Lou! And Stank getting first nod at LG, how bout it? Must be bringin some serious stank to his workouts!
by jtothep on Apr 6, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think I've refreshed this post about a million times.
The season can’t come soon enough.
by rbz14 on Apr 7, 2009 3:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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