Does Anthony Morelli Look Like He Needs a Hug?

by BSD on Apr 18, 2007 11:38 AM EDT in Football

Since the media was shut out of the coaches clinic this past weekend, some of the players were made available for a press conference yesterday afternoon. Perhaps tipping of the hand of the soon-to-be-announced team captains, the two players addressing the press were Dan Connor and Anthony Morelli. Dan gave some interesting incite into the fight situation and it's effect on the team. But the more interesting interview was with Anthony Morelli.

Normally a second year senior starter takes spring questions along the lines of "What are your expectations this season?" or "How does the arm feel?" Today reporters seemed more concerned about Anthony Morelli's self esteem. I can't share all of the content from this article because it's premium content, but I want to share with you the questions that Morelli had to face.

How important was it to play well in the bowl game?

What is different about you this year and how have you approached this spring?

How have you changed from last spring until now?

Were the negative comments about you through the years a motivating factor?

Has the weight on your shoulders been lifted?

What was the turning point when you started to convey your newfound confidence?

Have you been having fun this spring?

I was waiting for someone to ask him if he cries himself to sleep every night. The coup de grace was this exchange.

In a teleconference Tuesday, a young reporter asked the QB how he felt about reading defenses in the spring.

"You gotta be kidding me, man," Morelli said.

As the reporter tried to respond, Morelli added, "I'll take the next question, please."

I can't say I blame Anthony one bit. This is his fourth spring in the program. You would think after the impressive performance he put on in the Outback Bowl against the "OMG THERE AWESOME!!@!" Tennessee secondary he wouldn't have to face questions about his intelligence. But still people insist there must be some truth to the rumors that have dogged him like demons since his days in high school.

There was a time I was convinced we could never win with Morelli at quarterback.

I was willing to give Anthony Morelli the benefit of the doubt for the longest time. I figured he just needed some experience to get better. But I'm not seeing any improvement. Worse than that, I'm not seeing any motivation or fire in his eyes. Now he's getting into a media war with his former high school coach? This guy is not a winner. I'll keep my mouth shut when he plays well, but from now on when he plays poorly I will be the biggest Pat Devlin fan in Nittany Nation.

After his Outback Bowl performance and weeks of glowing praise from his coaches and teammates, I issued a Mea Culpa.

Yesterday's Outback Bowl changed my perception of Anthony Morelli. He was sharp and showed good judgement completing 14-of-25 for 197 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INT. He looked poised and confident. Most of all he got the monkey off his back of not having a big win on his belt...

So maybe I was wrong. Maybe Morelli does have the right stuff. I think it's too soon to crown him the leading Heisman candidate for 2007. But I think he's answered some of the criticism that was fairly or unfairly heaped on him...For now the anti-Morelli voices, including this one, have been silenced.

They say you're only as good as your last game. If that's the case, Anthony Morelli is a pretty damn good quarterback. Until he proves otherwise, everyone needs to get off his back.

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On the other hand...

For once, it looks like the media was being responsible and asking reasonable questions of someone who performed poorly BECAUSE they performed poorly. I say this after witnessing ridiculous amounts of fawning praise for Darin McSingles Erstad in the Chicago media for the last couple months. Maybe it's because they smell the faintest hint of blood, but at least they're perceiving things correctly and not resorting to calling him a "gamer" or referring to his high marks in Game Management Techniques.

I also wonder how good that Tennessee pass D was anyway. It's not like there were any impressive QB's in that league outside of Russell and Ainge anyway. In any case, from my vantage point, the hero of that game was Tony Hunt. That said, his performance should probably be seen as a revelation considering the flailing hopelessly that went on prior to that game.

PSU could be in a position to have a high powered offense, because its receivers (even if you don't count Williams...which I don't at this point) are very good. The two ifs, as ever, are Morelli and the O-Line.

Argghhhh!Read my blog!

by colintj on Apr 19, 2007 1:33 AM EDT reply actions

Staking a lot....

... on one game. I have to wonder why the PSU faithful are so convinced that the QB has 'turned the corner' with the Orange Bowl game. It certainly could be an indication of better things to come - or it could be one above average game (I watched it and still think Morelli played a just little better than his regular season - mostly on the strength of no interceptions)against a team that was barely ranked in the top 25, and as the poster above has wondered - if the pass defense was as good as advertised.

Should Morelli build on that game and show progression in the beginning of 2007 - which will be hard to gauge with the weak opening month's schedule - then it might be different going into the games against those tough Big Ten defenses. But, nothing in his past has shown he can make a difference against those quality opponents on a continuing basis, if at all. I'll bet a dollar the coaching staff has recognized this and is going into 2007 realizing that should a leap in production occur at the QB position, it will be a bonus, but they aren't counting or game planning on it.

by Reed on Apr 19, 2007 7:53 AM EDT reply actions

Something Simple.........

If the game slows down just a bit with the experience he now has......he'll be an improved QB. And as we know all too well....if you have resigned yourself to playing close games won in the trenches and on D, then you NEED your QB to make a play here or there. Seeing things just a half step quicker can be the difference between back to back sacks for -26 yards and a 7 yard out that DW takes the distance. Ask Florida...its the little things that win championships. All their speed wouldn't have gotten them diddly had they not blocked an XP and FG against South Carolina. That is one of the many reasons football is so great.

Eric Watters
Atlanta, Ga.

Eric Watters Atlanta, Ga.

by ech2os on Apr 25, 2007 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed...

A lot of judgement on and hope for AM came after that outback bowl game. Even then, like much of the rest of the season, it seems like the play calling was uber conservative. Uber-conservative without many Deep throws. He did show some better touch on the ball though. Hopefully the coaches loosen up the shackles on the play book so we're not such a predictable "run first" offense.

by Artiefufkin on Apr 19, 2007 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

It will depend on...

... how well Austin Scott performs, and I think that will be very well. Some fans think if that happens it will open up more of the passing game, but I'm more of the mind it will allow the coaching staff to keep on with their 'uber-conservative' approach.

With the defense PSU had last season, and all indications are that it will be as good, if not better this year, the coaches might not have to try to get 21-35 points on the board to win. It'll be a continuation of historical PSU football (which IMO is how football should be played) where the run game controls the clock and scores at the end of long drives while keeping the other offense off the field. The passing game will be as a change of pace and for long yardage needed for first downs - much like last year. This keeps the mistakes to a minimum (Morelli's throwing INTs) and keeps the QB from having to do more than he might be able to (less audibles and on the fly decision making).

Some fans think the opposite of course, and point to past JR to SR year progressions of other PSU QBs, and that might just happen also. I don't see great passing stats being thrown up by Morelli, especially because the team probably won't need them to win.

by Reed on Apr 19, 2007 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

Tennessee and Morelli's Stats

I agree with you that Morelli may not put up huge numbers this year, due in large part to the fact (read: hope/expectation) that the team may not need them to win. Coach Paterno's not one to throw downfield any more than he needs to. Such was not the case in 1994 with Kerry Collins; PSU needed his skills to win because the defense wasn't as good.

I disagree with your previous thoughts on Tennessee's defense and overall strength. The polls didn't give them much love after the bowl, but they were #10 in the Sagarin ratings going into the Outback bowl. They held JaMarcus Russell to a very average 6.9 yards per attempt and picked off 3 passes. They held the same Vanderbilt QB (Chris Nickson) who threw for 298 yards and 2 TD on Florida (how'd Heisman winner Troy Smith do against Florida?) to 97 yards and 2 INT. I'm not saying Tennessee's pass defense was awesome; I'm just saying that it was much better than average and that Morelli had a better than average day against them (the numbers may not show it, but I was at that game, Morelli looked great).

by ckmneon on Apr 19, 2007 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Good football talk....

All the talk on the team has been very objective and fair, which is refreshing.

I think the varying predictions of Morelli's success (and that of the entire offense) are due to the lack of consistency last year. There were times when Morelli was looking great...the UT game, even the UM game he made some nice throws when he wasn't being pancakced.

Other times he looked lost and made terrible decisions which got him in trouble(MSU, end of OSU).

Then there were the games when the offense just plain sucked on all cylinders: play calling and execution (Illinois and NW come to mind, two games which I had paid for great 40 yd line seats and was thoroughly angered!).

I didn't think the UT defense was as bad as some people think. I think their biggest weakness was a weak DL, which Hunt dominated. They also got smoked by McFadden earlier. Hunt may have been the 1st or 2nd best RB they faced all year. ESPN was pointing out Russell's weaknesses and UT's DBs got him good in that game so I don't think you could say their entire D was bad.

I think the OB lingers as hope in most PSU fans' minds because everything finally clicked. The staff exploited the weak UT DL, so their DBs probably felt that they had to cheat up to stop Hunt. That let Butler get in some good one-on-one situations, the guys so shifty hes hard to cover (if only he didn't tend to fall for his catches so much!). Our D was ready for the "pass first" attack and stepped up big. 1" was probably the only difference in Coker slipping by Sean Lee, and you've got to live with that.

I'm optimistic for the season and I'm glad there's a swagger, but I won't be chugging the blue Kool-Aid just yet.

by Artiefufkin on Apr 19, 2007 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree with the good football chat -

and thanks - because it is so much better than sifting through 100 garbage posts on a message board to find something well written to read. Also, I've found I can express a differing opinion on this site and not be called names, or have my school slurred - which is refreshing also.

This is one of the better college football sites around and it's fun to check in daily to see what Mike has to say.

by Reed on Apr 19, 2007 6:07 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks Reed

I appreciate the kind words. I'm glad to have you as a regular reader as well. I don't get paid for doing this. It's the comments from the readers that makes this all worth while to me.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

Hail to the Lion!

by BSD on Apr 19, 2007 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions