Blue-White Game Preview '11: Offensive Backfield

This post is part 1 of 5 this week previewing all the offensive and defensive units heading into the Blue-White scrimmage this Saturday in Beaver Stadium.

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Part 1: The Offensive Backfield

Penn State has more talent at the skill positions this spring than I can remember. That doesn't necessarily mean that talent is experienced, developed or realized at this point. A dominating theme last season was that of underachievement by a football team that had arguably more raw talent than at least two of the teams that defeated it (Illinois & Michigan State) and probably another (Iowa).

In the first parts of our preview series heading into the Blue-White Game, we'll start with the offensive backfield--quarterbacks and running backs. Then tomorrow it's on to the receivers and tight ends.

While the quarterback position remains a hot mess this spring, the running backs are surprisingly strong with the loss of Penn State's all-time leading rusher. Even the fullbacks are something to get excited about for 2011 and possibly on the field this weekend.

More on each in the following sections below the break.

Injury Update: Stankiewitch in for Klopacz

True freshman TE Garry Gilliam has been running
with the first team offense this week,
due to Andrew Sczcerba's nagging
shoulder and back problems.

There are probably way more injuries than one can keep track of, most of which are minor dings that sideline a player for a day or two... or three. Since we're almost exactly two weeks away from Penn State's opening kickoff (14 days from now, you'll be watching the first quarter!), I thought it would be good to do some catching up with the injuries on the team, or at least the injuries I could find in the jumble that is preseason football coverage.

C Doug Klopacz missed two days (Thursday and Friday?) with an ankle injury. In his place, backup LG Matt Stankiewitch has been taking reps on the first team offense. I would have thought Ty Howle would have done that, but looks like Stank is the more experienced guy. Plus, there were reports that Stank will stay as Klopacz's backup this season anyway.

FB Mike Zordich sustained a minor knee injury that kept him out of Friday's practice. He's expected to miss a few days into next week. Zordich was apparently lighting people up in practice this month.

TE Andrew Sczcerba has been out with nagging back and shoulder problems, with backup Garry Gilliam running with the first team. Gilliam is a fantastic young player, so there is little dropoff here.

S Drew Astorino is still hampered by that nagging shoulder injury. It's not really expected to force him to miss game time, but keep an eye on this one. Backups Andrew Dailey and Stephen Obeng-Agyapong are very good, if not just as good as Astorino (that's completely my own opinion, FYI), so this is not a major concern.

CB Derrick Thomas banged up his shoulder pretty bad, and was out most of this week. But he should be back for today's scrimmage.

CBs Stephon Morris and D'Anton Lynn returned to practice this week, after Morris was recouping from a nasty stinger, while Lynn had some kind of ankle problem.

DT Jordan Hill, who saw playing time as a true frosh last season, had a concussion earlier this month, but has returned to his spot at nose tackle behind Ollie Ogbu.

LBs Khairi Fortt and Bani Gbadyu both had concussions this month. Both are doing fine, but of course you have to watch these things.

Penn State holds a scrimmage today at 2:30 in Beaver Stadium. I'll have a short update tonight, hopefully with some more good news on the injury front.

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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.