Bad news for the Penn State basketball team before the season even starts. Talented freshman Bill Edwards has partially torn his MCL and will miss 4-6 weeks.

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., Oct. 29, 2009 - The Nittany Lion basketball team suffered its first set-back of the season on Wednesday when 6-6, 235-pound freshman forward Bill Edwards (Middletown, Ohio) suffered a partial tear to the MCL in his right knee during a morning practice.

Team doctors expect Edwards to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury making his scheduled return to the line-up sometime in mid-December. Edwards, who was named the 2009 Ohio Senior Player of the Year after averaging 17.4 ppg and 9.0 rpg as a senior, had been impressive in the preseason with a smooth left-handed shot from the three-point arc and strength taking the ball into the lane and was expected to earn playing time early in the Nittany Lions season.

Curse you, Penn State Athlete Knee-Hating God!

It's been said here at BSD that depth charts are part information, part motivation.  Perhaps now, we can just split it in thirds, because trickeration may have just walked into the bar.

Your starting linebackers, according to this week's Game Notes from GoPSUSports.com:

Outside Linebacker
45 Sean Lee (6-2, 236, Sr/Sr)
9 Michael Zordich (6-1, 225, So/Fr)
33 Michael Yancich (6-2, 223, So/Fr)

Inside Linebacker
43 Josh Hull (6-2, 236, Sr/Sr)
48 Chris Colasanti (6-2, 238, Jr/Jr)

Outside Linebacker
11 Navorro Bowman (6-1,230, Sr/Jr)
34 Nate Stupar (6-1, 236, Jr/So)
15 Bani Gbadyu (6-1, 231, Sr/Jr)
54 James Van Fleet (6-0, 216, So/Fr) 

Lee and Bowman are listed as "possible" on the injury report.  Possible.  Anything is possible, right?  Without Lee, we're probably looking at Gbadyu |  Hull  |  Bowman.  If Bowman is also out, expect Stupar to get the start in his place.  And hold on, baby.  Hold on.  For now, Bowman is expected to play.  Colasanti burned his redshirt last week, so he's available for duty if necessary. 

Elsewhere, Johnnie Troutman is the starter at left guard.  The left cornerback is Knowledge Timmons OR A.J. Wallace.  James Terry has nudged his way up to second team DT.  Graham Zug has been cleared to play on Saturday.

Iowa has its own share of injury news, as stud left tackle Bryan Bulaga, perpetually brittle tight end Tony Moeaki, and all-around villainous turd Derrell Johnson-Koulianos are missing from the Hawkeyes' depth chart:

Here’s what Ferentz said about the three after Saturday’s 27-17 victory over Arizona:

"Day to day. We talked about it a little earlier. Realistically we thought that they would have a shot, outside of Bryan. We knew he was out because he missed practice on Thursday. We were hoping to get some good news sooner or later. The injuries that Tony and Derrell have, they could be fine this week or they might not be. We will know more by Tuesday."

Marc Morehouse, Hawkeye reporter/blogger and BHGP fave, thinks the three will play.

Update:  Lee has a possible ankle injury, too?

Pittsburgh Tribune Review is reporting (without sources or bylines, incidentally) that Sean Lee is doubtful for Saturday night due to a knee sprain:

Penn State linebacker Sean Lee is doubtful for Saturday's game against Iowa after spraining his left knee this past weekend in the Nittany Lions' 31-6 victory against Temple.

Lee is expected to miss up to two weeks, but could return sooner if his rehab progresses as expected.

Lee left Saturday's game early in the fourth quarter and did not return.

No word on Navorro Bowman's return from a groin injury, though he's generally expected to return.  Graham Zug sustained a concussion, and his status for Saturday is unknown.

Update:  Lee's father isn't selling the leg cramp story:

"I think it's sprained," Lee's father, Craig, told The Post-Gazette. "He is getting evaluated by the doctor today. I haven't talked to him.

"I have no idea if he can play or not [Saturday]. I saw him yesterday and he was walking around. He didn't have any swelling, but he was sore."

So sayeth the Flounders:

"He was just running (in practice),'' Paterno said of Ware's injury. PSU's defensive tackle rotation had already been thinned by the loss of Milton Hershey grad Abe Koroma, who transferred to Western Illinois after Paterno said Koroma wouldn't play in 2009 due to personal issues.

Paterno said he spoke with team doctor Wayne Sebastianelli about [Ware's] injury. "He'll be out at least 3-4 weeks,'' Paterno said of Ware.

Puppies everywhere are crying.  FightOnState.com says it's an ACL.  Collegian with some details:

Sophomore linebacker Mike Mauti suffered a knee injury in Sunday's scrimmage at Beaver Stadium, his father Rich Mauti confirmed Sunday night.

While the elder Mauti would not comment on the extent of his son's injury until doctors did more tests, he said the linebacker would probably undergo an MRI Monday for further evaluation.

"It's the ugliest part of football," said Rich Mauti, a Penn State wide receiver in the mid 1970s. "He's pretty disappointed, just trying to figure out what it all means. He needs time just to let this thing sink and digest."

Rich Mauti said his son was pursuing running back Brandon Beachum on a sweep play, and when Beachum cut back, the younger Mauti went to cut and tangled his knee up.

Fight on State is reporting that Joe Paterno is going to coach from the press box against the Temple Owls on Saturday.

See the earlier update for sketchy details.

Several people have noticed in recent weeks that Joe has been jogging only a few steps out of the tunnel and casually walking to the sideline from there. It's subtle, but a noticeable difference from his usual sprint to the sideline we're all used to seeing.  Today the Altoona Mirror suggests there may be more to this story than just a stiff knee.

The most significant big-picture development concerning the Penn State football program so far this season is not the Nittany Lions' 3-0 start.

It's that Joe Paterno is no longer running out onto the field.

In fact, JoePa isn't running anywhere: He's even having trouble walking.

Paterno was not present at the team's practice Monday, and he was in a golf cart Tuesday.

He mentioned to reporters prior to Tuesday's press conference that his right leg was sore. Thirty minutes later, he gingerly left the stage and took awhile to get into his car.

Reading the rest of the article paints a pretty disturbing picture. Joe isn't able to take his daily walks. He was in so much pain during the Oregon State game he was repeatedly seen bent over with his hands on his knees. The team doctors stood close to him for much of the game, so they are obviously concerned with whatever is going on.

When asked about the knees Joe said he was just a little bit sore from standing on the Carrier Dome turf all day. But after the Tuesday press conference he was asked again by a reporter. Joe probably thought he was off the record when he admitted he was horsing around during practice kicking the ball and doing some "stupid things".  Clearly he has aggravated something.

I'm sure Joe is going to do everything he can to hide the pain and prevent this from being a distraction from the team. But if things get much worse the team doctors will have no choice but to keep him off the sidelines for his own health and safety. Don't be surprised if Joe starts working the games from the press box. And don't be surprised if 2008 is his final year.

Yeah, this sucks.

Devon Still's season has been halted before it even began.

Again.

Following a year away from the gridiron due to a torn ACL during the preseason of his freshman season, Still's career will once again be delayed.

This time, it's due to a broken leg that he suffered during a scrimmage this afternoon.

According to BWI writer Sean Fitz's sources, Still was involved in a pile up and got landed on by one of his Nittany Lion teammates.

The extent of the injury remains uncertain at this time.