This is going to be the last Blue-White Roundtable you're going to see for a while. It'll be back for next season and we reserve the right to break it out on special occasions during the off season like letter of intent day and the Blue-White game. But it's just too hard to organize to keep going through the off season. So let's not make this harder than it is. It's not you, it's us. We can still be friends and stuff. Maybe we'll call you sometime.
Run Up The Score
There Is No Name On My Jersey
The Nittany Line
The Nittany Notebook
William F. Yurasko
Let's start off with a positive note. When you look back on the 2007 season five or ten years from now, what will be your fondest memory? It doesn't necessarily have to be Penn State related.
Even though the team was disappointing I still had a great time. Without a doubt my fondest memory will be making the last minute road trip out to Ann Arbor. It was my first away game ever so it will always be memorable for that reason. PSUncle and I had a great time even though the team lost. Now I can cross "Seeing a game at the Big House" off my list of things to do before I die.
What should the Big Ten conference consider as its highest priority this off season?
They need to tighten up the officiating. Some Michigan or Ohio State flamer will come in here calling me a Penn State whiner, but I saw plenty of Buckeyes and Boilermakers complaining about the officiating this season so it's not just us anymore. The Stephen Pamon gambling scandal has the potential to call the ethics of the officials into question if it goes deeper.
Priority number 1.a. would be resolving the differences between the Big Ten Network and Comcast. I've personally made the switch to another carrier that provides the network and I can tell you I love it. Getting the channel into every home in America would elevate our conference to a whole new level.
Clark or Devlin? Whose camp are you in and why?
I'm going to cop out and say right now I don't have a pony in this race. At one time I thought Devlin was our best chance for success. Everyone says he has the physical tools to be a big time passing quarterback. But from what I've heard and what I've seen of Daryll Clark he may have that "it" factor. He certainly looked like it in the Alamo Bowl. So now I'm anxious to see what he can do too. It's going to be a topic of a lot of heated debate over the coming months, but I think Penn State will be ok with either one of these guys. I'm glad we have both of them.
Which position not including quarterback is your biggest concern looking ahead to 2008?
Right now I would say free safety. The results of the Tony Davis experiment are inconclusive since he was injured for much of the year and didn't play. Due to Spencer Ridenhour's transfer we were forced to play Mark Rubin a lot. He did ok, but he's not a very instinctive player. Can anyone remember him breaking up a pass? I can't. But I can remember him making a lot of tackles. I just don't think he gives the type of impact player we need at safety. If these guys get injured or can't get the job done we may have to look at using a couple of redshirt freshmen in Nick Sukay or Chaz Powell.
If Justin King goes pro I change my answer to cornerback.
Lightning Round
Who is the early favorite to win the Big Ten in 2008?
I guess you have to figure everyone will say Ohio State is the favorite. Illinois and Penn State are going to make a run though.
How many Fulmer Cup points for Penn State this summer?
I think it will be much lower. Paterno is going to weed out some bad apples and we'll be hearing about some players being released from their scholarships before April rolls around. I think Lee, Shipley, Williams, Butler, Clark, and Evans will provide a lot more leadership than Morelli, Connor, and Golden ever did. I'll put the over/under at 10. We'll have one fight and one or two underage drinking charges.
Now that the offseason has begun, what will you keep your mind occupied with until fall practice?
Well, we have three more weeks of the NFL playoffs. I just have to survive a few weeks after the Super Bowl until February 17 when Nascar kicks off in Daytona. Then my Sundays will be tied up until September. Of course the men's basketball team is looking like they may make that time between football and racing easier to handle.