The Cotton Bowl post

It's been a busy holiday season that's cut into any kind of posting around LBU. But I'm not going to leave this season hanging. Here's my Cotton Bowl post.

With KJ Hamler battling a fever and sinus infection, Penn State might have a play or two missing from the game. Whether it be Hamler making a mistake, or the staff just leaving some things out of the gameplan. Not sure. He still has a full day's rest, which isn't insignificant to his recovery time.

Hearing Noah Cain ready to rumble is encouraging, and with all four running backs seemingly hungry, I wouldn't doubt if Penn State has a very run-heavy gameplan ahead. I don't know what kind of game Tyler Bowen will call as the interim OC. But the pieces are in place for a downhill offense that hits some big passes to Pat Freiermuth.

Speaking of the offense--actually, wait, let's touch on the defense first. It'll be Yetur Gross-Matos's last game. He's surely hungry to go out with a big game, and I think he can do it. This Memphis team isn't a pushover, but I have more confidence in the Penn State defense looking to make a statement. Micah Parsons promised as much. Would you want to doubt him?

Anyway, offense. Penn State finally hired a new offensive coordinator. As Franklin has proven time and again, he pulled in another great hire in Kirk Ciarrocca from Minnesota. His offense carved up Penn State with a beautiful gameplan. But the pessimist--i.e. PSU fan from the early 2000s--in me wondered if carving up the Penn State defense was really as impressive as we'd like it to sound. Look, PSU had a great defense. But how many offenses have done to the Nittany Lions what Minnesota did? More than a few, right? Still, getting Ciarrocca is a big move to maintain the consistency Penn State has enjoyed since 2016. He's good at developing quarterbacks, and knows how to utilize pass game with big receivers, all the while grinding down opponents with the run game.

I'm excited. You should be excited. Let's go State.

The pick: Penn State 34, Memphis 18

Penn State is more than just fine

These guys beat Ohio State. But does
no one remember how bad Penn State
sucked the two seasons before that?

Not much went how I'd expected Saturday. There was not much there to believe Penn State would force the Buckeyes into a dogfight, but the Nittany Lions did just that. It was a hell of a performance for a team that was banged up, and eventually lost its starting quarterback during the game. Much more impressive than the offense--which I thought played a really good game against the most destructive defense in college football--was Penn State's defense never giving up, even after allowing some chunk yardage and 21 points before halftime. 

It was an inspired game, played by a Penn State team that apparently is as good as their record suggests. Is Penn State as good as Ohio State, Clemson, or LSU? No. Are they as good as a 10-(likely)win team in a Power Five conference that beat good teams along the way? Yes. That's something to hang your hat on. Fuck all those asshole fans chirping about how this team failed miserably this season and James Franklin isn't good enough to coach at Penn State. 

I've had it. Done. Penn State is a blue blood program, almost certainly winning 10 games for the third time in four seasons. They're headed back to a New Years Six bowl game. This team, under Franklin's direction, is wonderful shape. It's in better shape than it has been since the 1990s, and even then, it wasn't really even as good as we like to remember it being. If I recall correctly, Penn State was blown out by Ohio State and Michigan a few times in the 90s. 

Moral victories go only so far. I get it. But there are some years when performance on the field must be taken into consideration, win or loss. Penn State's two losses, both close, came against teams that are a combined 21-1. And you know the team that caused the "1"? Penn State beat that team on the road. 

There's no point in trying to argue the fact that Penn State is having a great, overachieving season. Stop being so angry. It's no fun. 

This week's pick: Penn State 52, Rutgers 3. Oh, by the way, I did predict last week Penn State would score 17. 

Oh-no-io

Yeah, like this... [sigh]

This just isn't the year Penn State will keep things all that close against Ohio State. Last week's prediction was a field goal away for each team. I hope my ever-shrinking optimism about Penn State's trip to the 'Shoe gives us a game that's not akin to a freight train hitting a Smart Car. Menet is out. Cain is only likely. And Hamler is possible. Combine those with a healthy Buckeyes team that's only growing stronger, and you've got this score...

The pick: Penn State 17, Ohio State 45

#9Windiana will have to wait another week

PSU looked like garbage against Indiana
a week after losing to Iowa.

Let me be clear, the score prediction from last week was for the alternate universe where Penn State didn't turn over the ball three times, because 38-21 seems awful close to what it might have been.... oh well, onward, State.

Penn State hasn't responded well the last few years to its first loss of the season. Even historically, pre-Franklin & pre-O'Brien, Penn State came out flat countless times after disappointment. I'm thinking of course of the 2008 game against Indiana. A week removed from it's devastating loss at Iowa, Penn State looked like crap against the Hoosiers.

I don't know if that'll happen this week. But what does happen will go a long way to proving if this program has the maturity and leadership to make the jump next year and beyond.

No analysis this week, just the pick: Penn State 31, Indiana 24.

Gopher it

I've never shot a PSU-Minny game.
I give you this instead.

Penn State is 8-0. I'm unable to recall a single season prediction that called for an 8-0 start that also didn't denote it was overly optimistic. Usually I'm the one inflating Penn State's chances for a great year, but this year I couldn't see better than 9-3. And now, the second week of November, 9-3 is literally the worst they can finish in the regular season. That's borderline insane. 

The win over Michigan State wasn't very pretty after halftime, but it didn't need to be. The only reason to come way from the game a little annoyed is that Penn State didn't smash the ball and run down the clock faster to get it over with. Beating MSU like that was cathartic no matter how it looked to the average viewer. Hell, the average viewer probably never saw a snap of the second half. Only those of us who will never forget the last two seasons watched it to the end. 

But now, two weeks later, Penn State is seemingly healthy and ready to go to Minneapolis where the Nittany Lions will face the undefeated... yes, undefeated... Minnesota Golden Gophers. Penn State's next three opponents are 23-2, two ranked in the top 15, the other just outside the top 25. If the Nittany Lions are going to take this season from unexpectedly good to magically great, it'll start this weekend against the Gophers. 

Minnesota is a tricky opponent to scout, due to the lack of quality wins so far. The offensive is good at what they do--think Glenn Mason style run game--and the defense is about equal. But you want to know a spot where Penn State could turn this game from a close slugfest into a comfy win? Special teams. Minnesota is not good in the all-too-important third phase of the game. Penn State, on the other hand, is very good. KJ Hamler has been a few holding calls away from two kick return touchdowns. This might be the week he finally has one count. 

The pick: Penn State 38, Minnesota 21

Sparty No

...as in, no, I won't talk about this game until it's over.

As for the Michigan win, I'm probably happier with the performance than many fans. During the game it was stressful as fuck, especially when Michigan answered Penn State's fourth touchdown. That was when I thought "it's happening again." But it didn't.

Penn State finished a game after jumping out to a big lead and watching it melt away. Was Ronnie Bell's drop the difference between winning and losing? Sure, mostly. If Penn State doesn't run up a 21-0 margin, the Nittany Lions probably lose that game, as Michigan had great adjustments that would've been able to overcome a two score deficit.

For the second week in a row, against a ranked opponent, Penn State didn't turn the ball over. That's crazy. Such a young team would surely lose a fumble somewhere, even in garbage time. Sean Clifford even threw a pick against Maryland. The idea that Michigan outgaining Penn State is "Fire Ricky, Fire Pry" bad is ridiculous.

Winning by any method is how a team wins championships. It's purely anecdotal, but Miami outgained Penn State 445-162 in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, including a 93 plays by the Canes to just 59 for PSU. Just saying... win the game, doesn't matter how. Penn State did that against Michigan. Just shut up and enjoy 7-0.

I'm still not going to talk about the Michigan State game. But I will make my pick: Penn State 23, Sparty 20. I honestly have no fucking clue what's going to happen.

You thought last week was important?

Penn State could embarrass Michigan
under the lights... again.

Ok, it really was important. The win at Iowa, the first for a Franklin-coached Penn State team over a ranked opponent on the road, was a big hurdle for the program and its prospects the rest of the season. But if this season were a 110-meter hurdle race, there's still about 70 meters to go, and the rest of the hurdles just get bigger and bigger.

For the second week in a row, I came close on the score prediction. I expected Penn State to put more points on the board. Should have known better.

Moving on to this Saturday night. I won't be there. The pain is real, but I've had to miss big games in the past. Nothing will compare to missing the 2016 Ohio State game. I debated going right up until it was too late to go. Never forgive myself for that one.

All signs point to Penn State over Michigan... big. The trip to Kinnick prepared this very young Penn State team for a dogfight, for which I think they're ready. Michigan looks fragile. The Wolverines got past Iowa, in the Big House, by scoring 10 in the first quarter and riding it out. That will definitely not fly in Beaver Stadium.

As Michigan has struggled all season to find its identity and rhythm, Penn State is now approaching cruising speed. The Nittany Lions were able to overcome a very slow start last week, so anything short of that this week bodes well for the home team. Sean Clifford won't have the same anxiety that showed at Iowa. With Noah Cain emerging as a ball-control beast, the formula seems right for a dominant win. Minimize the turnovers and penalties, and this one could get out of hand quickly.

I just can't imagine Penn State losing this game, at home, in front of a White Out crowd, with GameDay in town, and millions more on TV. The pick: Penn State 45, Michigan 17.

Win and get out of Kinnick

No more cheat codes for Penn State against Iowa.

Will it be a big win, or another cardiac episode under the lights of Kinnick Stadium? Predictions almost never come true when Penn State plays Iowa, so I'm just going with a nice comfy blowout. Everything on paper says Penn State should have little issue handling an anemic Iowa offense while having enough firepower to overcome a good Iowa defense. On paper.

Two years ago, on paper, Penn State was in a similar position, with the best two players in recent memory on offense. The Nittany Lions scored 15 points until the last play. And that's what will determine this week's game: Can Penn State score often and force Iowa to do the same? I think so.

If Penn State scores less than 28 points, I can't imagine this being a smooth ride. What I fear most is that PSU jumps out to a big lead like they did last week vs Purdue (which I actually came close on the score prediction!), then get shut down the rest of the way. Iowa lives for those moments. The Hawkeyes let you feel good about how things are going, then slowly, methodically carve your heart out with a spoon.

For all the talk about how Penn State hasn't played anybody yet, here's the chance to show what this team is capable of. Beating bad or mediocre teams by respectable margins is what a good team does, but it could end up just being a paper tiger when it plays a night game in Kinnick.

The pick: Penn State 29, Iowa 13

On LawnBoyz, White Shoes, and Purdue

You can get this in a few shirt styles.
Buy one for the White Out vs Michigan.

Last weekend was a case where I'm glad I was wrong. It was the most complete game I've seen this team play since James Franklin took over, possibly since well before that. Sean Clifford, despite the pick, is showing us one of the reasons Tommy Stevens transferred. It's a great way for this team to enter the Big Ten schedule.

In victory, particularly when it's that dominant, fans choose to get upset over things that might be obscured somewhat if the team stunk. This time it was the LawnBoyz chain the running backs wear after good plays. I love it. I made it into a shirt (I'm not the only one) and you should buy one. But many other fans who are mostly the "I'm not racist, but..." types, had a big problem with it, including that the chain was "ghetto." We know what that really means, and those people can suck it.

Then came the Generations of Greatness uniforms for this week vs Purdue. Overall I like the throwback mashups they do, but for the white cleats. I hate them on any team. Seeing them on Penn State is of course going to annoy me. Plenty of fans love the look, and the players do, too.

I'd caution them to chill out when attacking people like me who don't like the white shoes as if we're the same group as those who don't like the LawnBoyz chain. We aren't. Most of the people I've seen who don't like the white shoes say it's purely aesthetic reasons. That's the camp I'm in. I also don't like that they're wearing them to "honor" the 1979 Sugar Bowl team. Let Bama honor that team.

If Penn State wants to wear white cleats, fine. But don't do it under the veil of honoring a team that lost the biggest game to that point in Penn State football history. Just make some alternate uniforms and wear white shoes that way.

I'm still waiting for the truly great throwback design--pinks and blacks. Give me them, and you can have your white shoes.

As for this week, I'm assuming Penn State will win comfortably. Without Rondale Moore, Elijah Sindelar, and others, Purdue can hope to scare the home team a bit, but pulling the upset would be too much for such a depleted starting lineup.

The pick: Penn State 38, Purdue 14

Friday night fight

No deep thoughts on the game tonight. Frankly, I'm not looking forward to this. Two teams Penn State can't lose to, simply because their fans are downright insufferable--Maryland and Rutgers.

Looking at the Syracuse game, Maryland went 11-of-15 on third downs. That screams. Penn State's defense better not come out flat, or this one might get away from them to the point the offense can't claw its way back. I think the game starts out well for PSU, but UMD makes a few plays, maybe takes the lead. It all comes down to whether or not Penn State can maintain its composure. Even if PSU wins, it'll probably really suck for long stretches of the game tonight. I hope I'm really wrong.

The pick: Penn State 34, Maryland 31

Photos & quick thoughts from the Pitt game

It's been almost a week, yet my heart rate is still a little elevated. The Penn State win over Pitt was one of the most exciting noon kickoff games I've experienced in a very long time, if not the most exciting ever. It was frustrating, for sure, but a tough win that Penn State probably needed more than it wanted. Games like that teach a team to take nothing for granted. Let's hope the young Nittany Lions learned from it and use this off-week to get themselves mentally ready for Maryland. 

Since this was the first game in a while that I've shot and have been able to process a few photos quick enough to be relevant, here are some shots of the day. The brightness could've been boosted in most of them, but honestly, I didn't have enough time to finely tune the final photographs. My favorite shot of the day is the one at the top of this post. But the rest are below, including the amazing-catch-that-wasn't by Dan Chisena. Oh man, did I want that catch to be ruled complete. It could've been, but we know the refs weren't giving anything to Penn State that day. 

One final update is that the stadium PA system music is still too loud, too annoying, and kills the atmosphere of the stadium more often than it helps. It even drowned out Dean's voice announcing relevant information about the plays. Not sure who isn't paying attention enough to stop this, but it's getting ridiculous. 

Leaving at halftime

Similar seats to last week. WGU is a good section.

God, what idiot wrote this?

I'm thinking Penn State shows up again looking sharp

That guy needs to find another hobby.

We left at halftime. Not because Penn State looked like garbage, but that was all the four-year-old could handle. He was tired. We can tell because he gets all snuggly. But a soft pretzel got him through the second quarter. The seven-year-old had a blast again. He's now completely engaged with all the cheers and songs. It was only his third game in Beaver Stadium.

He wasn't too upset when I told him we couldn't afford to go as a family to other games, since now the lowest tickets will be 60+ the rest of the season. But he's already looking forward to next year's non-conference games.

But the piped-in music sucked ass, again. It's far too loud coming from the south video board. And I guess because I'm more tuned into how annoying it is already, I'm now starting to notice how stupid the mashup stuff is, too. I'm sick of hearing something blaring over the PA every time anything happens. Even during pregame, when The Lion points to each quarter of the stadium to get them to cheer loud, now the Lion Roar plays over the PA. Why? Why are we not allowing the crowd noise to carry the atmosphere? But that's just one stupid thing I heard.

The "Make some noise!" that's also mashed with the "laughing" bit needs to stop. We're Penn State fans. We know when to make noise, and we dont' need other stupid sound effects played with it. I think the piped in music and effects are hurting crowd noise, because there's no need for the crowd to participate at the level we saw in past years or during the mega games. Let the atmosphere build from the crowd, not artificial bullshit that sounds like a bad FM radio show.

A quick look at the box score left me even more confused that I was during the game. Outside of Sean Clifford, the offense looked incapable of controlling the game. That's not to take anything away from Buffalo, which played a hell of a game. The Bulls' ability to run the ball and control the clock kept them in this one far longer than anyone expected, and they deserve a huge deal of respect for that.

But Penn State needs to get the ground game going like yesterday. If Pitt can get a few stops, especially a three-and-out early on, Penn State will have to fight for a win Saturday. That's not good enough for this team. They're better than that, and better than Pitt. It's up to them to show it and the coaches to put them in positions to succeed.

The one touchdown by Buffalo came directly from KJ Hamler's drop on third down when he was looking where he was going instead of at the ball. Had he completed the catch, the Bulls wouldn't have scored to take the lead before halftime. The coaches should play video of that drop before every practice. It's the perfect example of just how important the little things are, because nothing is little.

The defense was okay, but couldn't get the push I would've expected up front, and definitely wasn't good enough in the pass game. There were more than a few passes that would've been touchdowns had it not been for an errant throw by just a few feet. The backs looked young. They are. But still.

Special teams haven't been tested really in these two games, but already things look better. I'm hoping it can become a weapon not just in field position, but in adding points to the board for Penn State.

I'm going to the game, unless it rains. I'll be taking photos, and it could be my last one of the season. Money is getting really tight now that the four-year-old is in preschool.

The hope this week is that Penn State wanted to keep things close to the vest these first two games. But if the Nittany Lions are going to be one of those "second half teams" again, we'll all be in for a ride this year. Just blow out everyone and things will be much more pleasant. Easy, right?

Update... I guess a score pick would be good. Penn State 40, Pitt 17.

Stupid optimism

Beaver Stadium was surprisingly
full during pregame last week. 

Look, I remember the days when a win like the one over Idaho would give me too much optimism. There's no delusions here. BUT... Penn State looked really good. The first two offensive drives were meh, and that can't happen against any team better than Buffalo. That's not the point. The defense looked as good as we thought, probably better. Yes, even playing Idaho, Penn State looked better than I was expecting.

Sean Clifford appeared cool and confident after he shook off the first-game jitters. He made some throws--again, I know it was Idaho--that only good quarterbacks can make. The most noticeable takeaway from his performance was his arm strength. There were no underthrows, and only one bad overthrow that I could remember. Trace McSorley is the undisputed greatest quarterback to play for Penn State. But no one ever said his arm strength was, well, a strength. Clifford's accuracy and touch left nothing to be desired. We'll see how he does against progressively more stout defenses.

Which reminds me. The other day when we were going over the next few games, my 7-year-old said "well, Pitt is almost as good as Buffalo." I smiled and patted him on the back. He's a good, smart kid. I'm taking the whole family this weekend for the Buffalo game. It'll be the 4-year-old's first time at Beaver Stadium. We are (har har) very excited. Also, I'm thinking Penn State shows up again looking sharp: Penn State 55, Buffalo 0.

I won't get into Penn State's defense, because frankly I'm afraid I'll come out with bruises. What a season it will be if the defense really is this good. It would be a game-finishing defense that, sadly, we haven't seen in the biggest games Penn State has played since James Franklin took over. One more stop in each of the Ohio State (2x), Michigan State (2x), and USC losses would have won those games and Penn State would absolutely have made the playoffs in 2017 and 2018.

If you follow me on Twitter--which I expect all of you do since you're reading this post and no one outside of my twitter following knows this blog is alive again--take a look at the thread on Beaver Stadium's sound levels. It was really annoying during the Idaho game, and I hope they fix it for the Buffalo game.

Don't do it, Mike

Last season was, uhh, rough.
Surprisingly, I didn't burn the SD card after this game.
Photo: Mike Pettigano

What. What? Why am I back here?

It's football season. That's why.

But you haven't heard from me in this form in, well, literally years. It's something like six years I've gone away from the blogs. That also just happens to be how long it takes for your kids to get old enough where you can have 10 minutes to yourself for stuff like this.

Don't get too excited. This isn't going to be a reboot--as trendy as that is nowadays, for some stupid reason--of the old LBU.

What you'll see from me is a few posts here and there, mainly my picks for the week and a few thoughts. Basically, this will be my Twitter timeline without so much misery.

That said... Penn State vs Idaho.

So, they're still playing football, huh? Funny, last time I was around these parts, Penn State was going to be relegated to the MAC or whatever.

But I'm excited. My history as a fan tells me to never get excited. That's when things hurt the most come the cold weather. Still, there's something about this team that I really like and want to buy into.

Trace, Saquon, and all those guys took the program back to where it should have been even before It happened. With them gone, it's easy to wonder how the Nittany Lions could possible get better than when they were in the starting lineup.

They can, however, and will get better as a team. Guys like Trace and Saquon were cheat codes for Penn State. It was fun to have them until the team got stronger at the bottom. Now it's time to play on Heisman mode without any cheats. And I think Penn State can do that starting in 2019.

There's not much to say about this week, except that I think Penn State will win by a solid margin considering the opponent. Let's say PSU 52, Idaho 3.

All the years I've predicted Penn State to start out the season with a sharp offense and smothering defense, I'm feeling pretty good about this one.

Of course that means it won't happen. It's just how things work here.

I'll be going to the game tomorrow. Maybe I'll take photos, or maybe I'll hang out with my son and my dad, who are going with me. I snagged them some good seats for $30 a pop, on the west side, too. No sun in their faces. As the season progresses I'll let you know how obsessed my elder son is with football, specifically (and thankfully) college football.

Have fun tomorrow. Enjoy the good weather we're supposed to get. And Let's Go State!

LBU Video: OMG, You Mean The Latest Recruiting News Is Only a Phone Call Away? Get Out!!

Life really did suck before the advent of the Internet, and we have the video evidence to prove it. This particular commercial I found from my DVD copy of the 1991 PSU-Cincinnati game provides a stark reminder of just how fortunate we are to be only a few mouse clicks away from gathering information about JoePa's latest press conferences or to keep tabs on how the current recruiting class is shaping up. Twenty years ago, you had to dial a 1-900 number to obtain the very same information that we take for granted these days, and you paid a hefty price of $1.25 per minute in order to do so.

Think about how often your average PSU fan goes to Scout, Rivals, or 247 Sports. Now, imagine said average fan dialing said 900 number just as often...yeah, we're talking about quite the phone bill being racked up. For those of you who are old enough to recall 900 numbers, consider this a whiff of nostalgia. Also, if any brave soul out there is willing to dial the 900 number that the commercial flashes at the end, we would love to hear your story about whatever phone sex hotline that number probably leads to.







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Penn State's Biggest Trouble Spots for 2011, Part 2

Silas Redd

It's that time of the year when college football offers NOTHING of substance to talk about. That's why God invented bloggers like us. This may be the ump-teenth time you've read a breakdown of what Penn State will or won't do, where it could fail or succeed. But it's still fun. Why? Because no one seems to have the same take on where the chips may fall this, umm, fall.

As mentioned last week, there are four big sections in the off-season: post-bowl (Jan-Feb), pre-spring (Feb-Mar), pre-summer (May-June), and pre-season (Aug). Usually during these inter periods it's a good time to gauge the depth chart situation. 

Today, we'll wrap up this two-parter by looking at the backup running back spot, quarterbacks (ugh!), and as one of our followers on Twitter suggested (which I'll modify a bit), the weather and schedule. I'm absolutely sure we'll have a schedule-related post in the coming weeks. But just one quick glance as the murderers row Penn State must face in 2011 will tell you that schedule could end up being the deciding factor in whether or not Penn State is playing in a top-tier bowl game.

Enjoy.

PSU Softball Earns 2011 NCAA Tourney Berth

What a way to celebrate the inaugural season at Nittany Lion Softball Park. Penn State softball will return to the postseason for the first time in four years:

The Nittany Lions (29-22-1) will serve as hosts in the University Park Regional during the opening round of the tournament and will open against Fordham on Friday. Albany and No. 13 seed Oregon will travel to State College as the regional’s other two squads.

The 64-team tournament field is divided into 16, four-team double-elimination regionals, beginning Friday. The 16 regional winners advance to super regionals, where eight will emerge as Women’s College World Series participants.

The University Park Regional will be this weekend, May 20-22. Penn State will face Fordham, while No. 13 Oregon will take on Albany. If you're in the area, it would be really great to get out on hopefully a nice weekend to support the team and enjoy a really, really nice new ball park.

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Friday Recruitin' Should've Posted This Morning...

*This week's post was scheduled for its normal early-morning time slot. But Blogger's spasm this week really took a hammer to everything we were trying to do the last 48 hours or so.

Jeff had this week's gal all picked out, and I'm sure as hell not going to disagree with the selection. Unfortunately, there won't be any real intro for her--though she deserves one very much so--because I'm absolutely pressed for every minute right now. Damned Friday the 13th. --Mike

Well the big news this week is the commitment of Maryland (Gilman School) lineman Brian Gaia. A three-star recruit, Gaia is a two-way player that was recruited by Larry Johnson to play defensive tackle. Gaia said that Penn State is one of a few (if not the only) schools to recruit him on the defensive side of the ball, which is the side he prefers. He also said that he grew up watching Penn State football and is thrilled to join the blue and white. As Mike from BSD pointed out, we're getting to the point where the kids we're recruiting are almost too young to remember the "Dark Years" so hopefully the worst of that era is behind us. You can view Gaia's rundown sheet here, though the videos require a subscription.

Penn State's Biggest Trouble Spots for 2011, Part 1

A few big story lines stick out from Penn State's depth chart heading into this summer. The quarterback battle is on everyone's mind, but that's only part of what could possibly make or break the entire 2011 season. The running backs, tight ends and defensive ends are among and handful of trouble spots, though none of them are worrisome for the same reasons or to the same degree. For instance, the running backs aren't necessarily a problem, but the situation is still more unsettled than most other positions.

You know one thing that isn't all that unsettled this summer? The offensive line. Yup, that perennial message board fodder in the trenches is still getting a lot of ink, but almost because it's supposed to be a problem for Penn State practically every year. But it's not rainbows and jellybeans, either. More on that in a minute.

There are four big sections in the off-season: post-bowl (Jan-Feb), pre-spring (Feb-Mar), pre-summer (May-June), and pre-season (Aug). Usually during these inter periods it's a good time to gauge the depth chart situation. That's what I will begin today, though it was something I had originally planned for a week or two ago.

This week and next week, I'll look at a couple positions that are the most troublesome going into the summer and fall camp season. Today starts with the trenches, mainly the defensive ends, tight ends and a very specific look at the right guard position on the offensive line.

Enjoy.

Friday Recruitin' Loves Stars, Hates Brady Hoke's Linebacker Recruiting Prowess

I stumbled upon this week's Friday Recruitin' Babe accidentally; while searching IMDB for information about a completely unrelated matter, I caught a poster of one of her recent movies and I re-fell in love with her. If you're like me, you probably met her in "Superbad" but now know her as that Hollywood young starlet that isn't addicted to coke or drama. I give to you, Emma Stone. (NOTE: The 2011 Maxim Hot 100 was released recently; debate surrounded the Maxim list, but suffice it to say, you'll be seeing some of these beautiful women on Friday Recruitin' in the future).