Linkbacker U Tries to Make Sense of Nonsense, Spring Games Edition

(Photo: PennLive.com)

Talk about a dud of a spring game. Well, for all the fumbles, interceptions, rain, mud and general slop, at least it wasn't a real game. Aaaanyway, today's Linkbacker hands you the post-game punditry from the Penn State football beat. Plus, I threw in at the end a few other links to spring games from around the Big Ten. Enjoy.

Dan Vecellio, OnwardState.com:

In maybe the most gruesome game of football Beaver Stadium has seen since “6-4“, the Blue team defeated the White Team in a rain-shortened Blue-White Game by a score of 10-0.

It gets worse after the jump.

We Don't Care To Recap a Craptastic Blue-White Game, So Here's a Video Instead

Look, I'm going to be blunt with you: I really don't feel like writing a contrived recap of a meaningless end-of-spring practice scrimmage where last year's flag football stars are racking up most of the stats and which millions of message board zombies across the country love to obsess about between now and the first week of the season. The McGloin loyalists surely have more mastubatory statistics in their arsenal (5 of 10 passing for 109 yards and a TD) than the #TeamBolden posse does (0 completions and an interception). This means that we're locked in a perpetual West Side Story-style knife fight between the McGloin and Bolden fan camps until one of them is finally gone. Sad, but true.

Anyway, here is some video I took from my iPhone in the media room during postgame conferences. I had to hold it vertically most of the time to capture the faces of the players, all the while twisting and contorting my phone to avoid getting shut out by the big-ass TV cameras. Given that I was losing my press box/media room virginity, things inevitably got awkward. I had that deer-in-the-headlights feeling that prevented me from working up the courage to ask any questions or to even think up of any question that didn't sound semi-retarded. As Eric Thomas of Patriot-News fame was quick to point out though, most of the questions asked by the media are semi-retarded anyway. I'll make sure to redeem myself next time I'm up in the box (hopefully for a game this Fall).



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Week in Review at LBU: 2011 Blue-White Week

You won't see them this weekend, but this week
Penn State unveiled its "new" uniforms.

Way more of you are probably staying home today from the Blue-White Game due to the atrocious weather forecast for State College and most of the Northeast. Well, you're not alone, as I'll be home recovering from a fever last night. It sucks, but I'd rather not sit out in 40-degree rainy windy weather for a few hours. Not sure that will help me trying to get better. Of course I'd rather be there today. I've braved the elements so many times before. But it isn't like this is Nebraska or Iowa week we're talking about. If there are 10 total completed passes today, I'll be surprised.

Anyway, on to this week's roundup, in case you missed anything.

Blue-White Week

Blue-White Game Previews, by Mike
Part 1: Offensive Backfield
Part 2: Receivers & Tight Ends
Part 3: Offensive & Defensive Lines
Part 4: Linebackers
Part 5: Secondary & Special Teams

Poll Results: 2011 Blue-White Game - What Do You Want To See This Saturday in Beaver Stadium?, by Mike

Clear the Bench: 11 Starters Likely to Miss the Blue-White Game, by Mike

Penn State's 'New' Uniforms Are Official, by Mike

Hoops

Ernie Nestor off to Missouri, Spring Basketball Recruiting Blurbs, by Eric

Recruiting

Friday Recruitin' Penn State Recruiting Update 4/15, by Mike

GOO PUNCH! NY DT Jarron Jones Commits to Penn State, by Mike

New Jersey DL Jamil Pollard commits to Penn State, by Mike

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Catch Mike On TribLive Radio Today and LBU Live Press Box Tweeting Tomorrow

Quick programming note: Mike will be on the air once again with the good folks at Pittsburgh's TribLive radio around 3:00 PM ET today to talk about all things Blue & White Game. Here's the link.

Mike will also be braving the elements tomorrow, taking photos on the sidelines while Yours Truly (Tim) will be sitting up in the press box, warm, dry, and live tweeting with the rest of the monkeys. You can follow it all right here...

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Blue-White Game Preview '11: Secondary & Special Teams

This post is the final part of our week-long series previewing the major position groups heading into the Blue-White scrimmage this Saturday in Beaver Stadium.

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Part 5: Secondary & Special Teams

"Bend but don't suck." Is that how the saying goes?

Penn State's defense has been particularly good at being particularly simple the last, oh, half-century. Playing 8-10 yards off the receivers; blitzing a safety or corner every once in a never. It's all part of keeping the opposing offense on the field as long as possible, without actually surrendering any points in the process. Sounds crazy, I know.

But what Tom Bradley does with the Nittany Lions' pass defense has been actually very impressive. Penn State has been a regular in the top pass defense rankings the last 10 years, with several top-10 appearances along the way. Generally speaking, it's not usually the defensive secondary's fault exclusively when an opposing quarterback torches Penn State for 400 yards.

There have been some really great defensive backs who have come through Happy Valley. Alan Zamaitis, Mark Robinson, David Macklin, Darren Perry, Michael Zordich, Neal Smith, Pete Harris, Kim Herring, to name a few of the best. That story isn't over, though, and it may continue strongly this season. But it all depends on things like injuries, and whether or not certain players with the ability to be great, rise up and meet that potential.

Penn State returns 52 starts from the 2010 defensive backfield. Among those returning starts are six players who started a game last season. But this unit is coming back for 2011 with fewer "issues," like injuries and suspensions. Though the injuries are rampant for this weekend--the entire projected starting secondary will miss the game--they likely will not affect the regular season.

But that doesn't mean there isn't much to look forward to seeing tomorrow on the field. Younger guys, particularly those called into action last season, will have an opportunity to run with the first team defense in a game-like situation in front of a larger crowd than any during the 15 previous practices this spring.

More below the break.

Friday Recruitin' Penn State Recruiting Update 4/15

Jenna Fischer--Scranton native Pam Beesly--
thinks West Scranton can suck it.

It's time to break out the blue and white, folks. And while our celebrity pick this week may be a bit over-dressed for a rainy football game in April, the colors are just right.

This weekend Penn State will host a whole bunch of big time recruits, so much of the news will surely come between now and early next week. But there was some nice movment this week, including two big commitments to Penn State. Of course, one of them will be the source of much tension among Nittany Lions recruitniks--Jarron Jones' "soft verbal" commitment.

But this year's class is already being praised by the main stream pundits, and it's not even close to being wrapped up. As Jeff pointed out last week, there could be more than a handful of commitments following the Blue-White Weekend. So stay tuned throughout the weekend and next week for the usual updates, hopefully from some more big names.

Clear the Bench: 11 Starters Likely to Miss the Blue-White Game

Injuries will for some of Penn State's
best players to sit out of the spring game.

As if the rain wasn't going to ward away enough spectators, Penn State announced the injury report for this weekend's Blue-White Game. It's not pretty:

OUT FOR 2011 SEASON
TE Garry Gilliam (knee)
DE Pete Massaro (knee)

OUT FOR BLUE-WHITE GAME, POSSIBLE FOR SEASON
WR Curtis Drake (leg)

OUT FOR BLUE-WHITE GAME, EXPECTED TO BE 100 PERCENT FOR SEASON
S Drew Astorino (hamstring)
DE Jack Crawford (foot)
RB Derek Day (elbow)
FB Andre Dupree (shoulder)
DT Evan Hailes (leg)
WR Shawney Kersey (head)
WR Christian Kuntz (collarbone, knee)
DE Eric Latimore (wrist)
CB D'Anton Lynn (back)
CB Stephon Morris (head)
WR Derek Moye (head)
LB Nate Stupar (hamstring)
FB Joe Suhey (shoulder)
S Nick Sukay (chest)
TE Andrew Szczerba (back)
FB Zach Zwinak (knee)

At least the guys lower on the depth chart will get a lot more snaps.

Speaking of that weather situation, Penn State released this a little while ago:

The recent rain and expected inclement weather on Saturday has led to additional parking changes for the Penn State Blue-White Game presented by AAA.

Fans attending Saturday's Blue-White Game are encouraged to leave their RVs at home this weekend due to the saturated fields that have reduced the number of available parking spaces around Beaver Stadium.

Let's set the over/under for attendance at 20,000.

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Blue-White Game Preview '11: 'Linebacker U' Returns

This post is part 4 of 5 this week previewing the major position groups heading into the Blue-White scrimmage this Saturday in Beaver Stadium.

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"Linebacker U" is back.

Part 4: The Linebackers

Quite the different tone I'll show you today. After all, you are reading Linebacker-U.com. Naturally, even in the down years, this is a position all of us here can get excited about covering. But this is not a down year; far, far from it. In fact, I'll venture to say that this could be Penn State's best two-deep set of linebackers in a decade. Yes, that means it could, could be better than 2009, better than 2005. But that all depends on whether or not this group of 'backers can achieve the level of success on the field as it projects on paper.

Last season was mired by injuries, much as it was in 2009, when Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee went five weeks without playing together. In 2010, Michael Mauti couldn't shake nagging injuries that kept him from going 100 percent for longer than a game or two. Gerald Hodges, who was projected to either start or get very significant playing time, broke his leg in week two on the first kickoff at Alabama.

But something else that 2010 brought was a much lower level of linebacker play overall in the chosen starting lineup. Granted, "Backer" (MLB) Chris Colasanti and "Sam"(SOLB) Bani Gbadyu put in their time and effort with the program. But it doesn't cover the fact that their performance last season left way too much to be desired. Part of that had to do with injuries to guys like Mauti and Hodges. But there were Khairi Fortt and Glenn Carson on the bench. You can't tell me they would have been much worse. At least it would have had some sort of long-term benefit.

Now two starters are gone, but four return with at least one start last season. Enough with what happened last season. Let's dive into what's happening right now at Linebacker U.

Penn State splits its outside linebackers into the "Fritz" and "Sam." The Fritz is the weakside linebacker, while the Sam plays the strongside. The Fritz is the strongest linebacker, playing a combination of inside and outside positions, based on the set. The Sam is the most athletic linebacker, playing a combination of outside linebacker and safety. The "Backer" position should be, according to a copy of PSU's defensive playbook, filled by a "powerful athlete with good judgment," and is referred to as the "Defensive Quarterback."

More after the break.

Blue-White Game Preview '11: Offensive & Defensive Lines

This post is part 3 of 5 this week previewing the major position groups heading into the Blue-White scrimmage this Saturday in Beaver Stadium.

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Part 3: Offensive & Defensive Lines

See this? Yeah, this shouldn't happen.

Oh man, the offensive line? Do I really have to do this?

But alas, here we stand, the final week of spring practice, and both of the two most important groups on this team are in trouble. At least, I guess, they're in different kinds of trouble. Not that that makes it any better.

The offensive line was one of the toughest positions for Penn State to develop the last two seasons, with 2009 scraping by on inexperienced talent, and 2010 pushing along with injuries and even less experienced talent. This season could be better, or it could be the same. The only way it could get worse along the offensive line is if returning starters--there are actually four of them this year--don't make any improvement whatsoever. Then it's time to worry.

Possibly worse than the offensive line, how about the defensive line? I can't believe there would come a day when the defensive line wasn't one of the positions I look forward to writing about.

For a unit like the D-line, it's become much more than just a problem of finding the right combination. The defensive line this season--compared to the downright lethal units Penn State managed to produce for about seven years until 2010--is in nothing more than shambles. Injuries and two years of unexpected attrition have absolutely destroyed the unit's depth, something that was long a critical factor in its success under Larry Johnson. Unless some young bucks really rise to the occasion this spring and summer, it could be another rough season stopping the run and getting to the quarterback.

More after the break.