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.

Injuries could force Chaz Powell back to defense

The injury situation has gotten so bad, Penn State actually released a full injury report yesterday (unusual outside of weekly game notes) to members of the media, including us deadbeat bloggers. Here's the official lowdown:

Defensive end Jack Crawford
didn't start Saturday against Illinois
due to a foot injury. (Photo: Mike/LBU)

Out for season:

T Lou Eliades (knee)
TE Garry Gilliam (knee)
Safety Nick Sukay (pectoral)

Out for minimum of two weeks:

WR Curtis Drake (leg)
DE Eric Latimore (wrist)
TE Andrew Szczerba (back)

Possible for Minnesota game:

DE Jack Crawford (foot)
Safety Andrew Dailey (stinger)
LB Bani Gbadyu (calf)
DT Jordan Hill (ankle)
LB Gerald Hodges (leg)
LB Michael Mauti (ankle)

Honestly, that's not as bad as I expected. Of course, "probable" would be much more comforting than "possible," but this isn't the NFL here, so these are very loose terms we're dealing with here.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Kent State Week

Here's the long and short of what happened today at Joe Paterno's Alabama game week press conference. Joe was a bit testy this week, but nothing worth getting all riled up about. I'd be pretty pissed off too if my team, particularly the supposed bell cow defense, played the way it did down in Tuscaloosa...

• This team needs to grow up a little bit. The whole Alabama thing kind of maybe went to their heads a bit, as the first half was played just how Joe was dreading it would be played--poorly, tentatively, with no playmakers stepping up in the clutch.
• Rob Bolden is the No. 1 quarterback from here on out. No question whatsoever in Joe's mind. 
• Gerald Hodges broke his lower left fibula, but the return date isn't yet known. He's going to be out for a while.
  

Review: Alabama 24, Penn State 3

(Photo: GoPSUsports.com/Mark Selders

Penn State fell to Alabama. Unlike many of the traditional media types, I'm not acting like it was Penn State that was ranked No. 1 and beat by an inferior team. In case you haven't noticed, or have tried to stay away from reading the sports columns this Sunday, you would think this loss was as bad as the Cincinnati loss in 1983, or the Toledo loss in 2000. Hell, Alabama lost at home to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007. How do you think that felt?

It's been doom and gloom for the last 24 hours. But, you won't find much of that here. Penn State lost a game it was supposed to lose, to a team that could win a second consecutive national championship.

I struggled through watching the game again today, yet came away from it realizing just how strong Penn State was against the best team in college football.

11th Hour Depth Charting: Alabama Edition

Will the steady Bani Gbadyu hold on
to the starting "Sam" OLB spot, with the uber-athletic
Gerald Hodges pushing from behind?

The latest depth chart (from what we can tell) for this week's game, with some complementary notes...

-Barring some catastrophic meltdown tomorrow, Rob Bolden will be Penn State's quarterback for the foreseeable future. Also, Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin are now apparently the No. 2 and No. 3 QBs, respectively. We'll know more to project the remainder of the season, after this weekend wraps up.

-Glenn Carson is now the No. 3 fullback, behind Mike Zordich. Penn State now has so many great linebackers, even the really frickin' good ones are being pushed to other positions. And who says we're not "Linebacker U"?

-Unless Penn State changed it for this week, there are now dual punt returners--Devon Smith and Justin Brown.

-At left guard, rumors have it that DeOn'tae Pannell and Johnnie Troutman were splitting time this week. But that's what we've heard before. So take that for what it's worth.

-There was a bit of a stir this week, when on the Thursday night radio show, Ron Vanderlinden hinted/suggested/leaned towards the idea that Gerald Hodges would supplant Bani Gbadyu at the "Sam" outside linebacker spot. With all the rotating of linebackers last week, does it even make a difference who starts?

-Michael Mauti was shifting from the "Backer" to the "Fritz" often last week. I figured in my game review that the following would be the order coming off the bench: Mauti, Gerald Hodges (could end up being Gbadyu, if Hodges starts), then Khairi Fortt or Mike Yancich. I was surprised Fortt played; thought he would redshirt.

Blue-White Countdown 2010: Linebackers

We continue our weekly countdown to the 2010 Blue-White Game. In today's edition, we'll take a look at what will be a completely revamped linebacker corps this fall, following all three starters graduating or leaving early for the 2010 NFL Draft. Over the next six weeks, I'll walk through all the major positions, trying to give the most reasoned explanation of who we could see come out big, and why.

Blue-White Countdown 2010: Defensive Backs (updated 3/25)

Previous entries...
1: Special Teams

We continue our weekly countdown to the 2010 Blue-White Game. In today's edition, we'll take a look at a rather unsettled situation in the defensive backfield, as injuries and position shifting could shake things up by the time spring practice concludes on April 24 in Beaver Stadium. Over the next six weeks, I'll walk through all the major positions, trying to give the most reasoned explanation of who we could see come out big, and why.