Newsome likely to start vs Youngstown State

Kevin Newsome (12) is likely to get
the official start on opening day.

You know that huge bubble of media speculation about true freshman Robert Bolden becoming Penn State's starting quarterback on opening day? Well, we may have just seen it burst. Reports came trickling out of Penn State's final scrimmage this weekend, as the team ends the camp portion of practice, and heads into actual game preparation on Monday. Scary, I know.

During Friday's practice, Kevin Newsome apparently looked like the best overall quarterback, something we've heard non-stop the last few weeks... about Bolden. Newsome had apparently run an offense mostly resembling the Nittany Lions' schemes from 2005 and 2008, in which a running quarterback was a very big factor. But the passing game had also hinted at Michael Robinson ca. '05 or Daryll Clark ca. '08, in that a heavy QB-TB rushing attack was supplemented with a devastating pass game that struck just when the defense was fully locked on the ground game.

But why should one practice have such an impact, as to sway conventional and almost uniform belief that Bolden has basically won the majority-time quarterback job? Because during Friday's practice, Bolden was reportedly playing much less like the boy-wonder the media had been making him out to be, and more like a very talented, but very raw true freshman quarterback. It should also be noted here that the coaching staff continued to play the quarterbacks without the protection of red jerseys.

Even if Matt McGloin is out of the race,
he'll still be a valuable backup quarterback.

Matt McGloin, the darkhorse in this race, seems to have now settled in as the official backup quarterback. Earlier in the week there was a rumor out that Newsome and Bolden would each receive 40 percent of the snaps in practice from now on, while McGloin would see 20 percent.

I was really starting to get on the Bolden Bandwagon this season; really, I was. If he does end up starting, and Newsome comes in as the "change of pace" quarterback, that's great. But if Newsome is The Guy for 2010, it's just as good.

How can I say that it's just as good? Because we just don't know which guy will do better when three separate BCS Bowl winners are breathing down his throat. I'm excited for 2010, even with the unknown that is the quarterback position. I'm excited because of the young talent that this team has, yet not forgetting the powerful upperclassmen in the starting lineup as well.

Penn State seems to have been written off this season, by the media, by most of the fans, and by everyone else. They say Penn State is just going to have a "meh" season this year, and hopefully send Joe Paterno out on a winning note in 2011. I'm not buying that. This team, starting with the quarterbacks, has so much raw talent, it is probably more talented than any Nittany Lions team from the last 10 years. The experience will come. Hopefully it can come quickly to the quarterback, or quarterbacks, whoever he or they might be.

Odds 'n Ends...

-Andrew Sczcerba might not see action until week 3, as his back problems haven't gotten any better. That means RS frosh Garry Gilliam will get to start game one of his Penn State career.

-Johnnie Troutman is making a strong push for DeOn'tae Pannell's spot at left guard. Some are saying that if that were to happen, Troutman would go to left guard, Pannell to right guard, and Wisniewski would go back to center. I'm not crazy about that, but if it happens, it wouldn't be crushing; would probably only make the line that much better overall, to have the best five on the field.

-If you're wondering who No. 93 is on the field next week, it's James Terry. He's pretty good, so learn the name-number association.

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