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.

Trib Report: PSU Had a QB Starter Before Spring Game

Will PSU elect to stay the course at QB?

Jay Paterno and the coaching staff could have picked a starting quarterback before the Blue-White Game, according to a report by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said the staff could have identified a starter between Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden at the end of spring drills.

"We had an idea of who would start if there was a game this month," he said earlier this week, "but don`t ask me who it is, because I`m not going to tell you."

Is JayPa just messin' with the media, as his father had done with great fun for the last 50 years? Possibly, but not likely. It's tough to avoid making an even bigger deal out of this than I am right now, giving it its own post and all. But Jay did come out and stay something that he knew very well would inflame the quarterback debate for at least the rest of the summer. Ignoring this or burying it would be almost as dumb as being sensationalist about it.

Jay did offer up another intersting assessment of this spring practice:

"We were more accurate than we were in the spring of `08, and we threw the ball well that season," he said.

If the quarterbacks, AS A WHOLE, are more accurate than Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin were at this stage in 2008, that's damn impressive.

Oh, this summer is going to be fun.

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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.

Linkbacker U is Pumping Quarters Into The Beaver Stadium Jukebox

Because What Beaver Stadium Sorely Lacks Are Drunken Sing-Along Songs

The official Penn State Football Facebook page is looking for music suggestions for this upcoming season. We here at LBU would love to hear Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" so long as they don't have a buffoon pushing the buttons up there in the sound booth who pushes G8 instead of G7...

Penn State Spring Media Day 2011 Recap: Depth, Injuries, and Quarterbacks

It's not really football season until Joe Paterno
blows off reporters in a press conference, right?

The weather is warming (unless you're in State College), the trees are budding (unless you're in State College), and football is in the air (especially if you're in State College). Joe Paterno gave his first press conference today for the 2011 football season, focusing on spring practice, injuries, the quarterback situation, and a few other topics. It was only the average 30-minute Q&A with reporters. But afterward, players were available, who also had some good things to say.

Did Penn State oversign for 2011? Kinda.

Math. While it's a tough concept for those in SEC country, up here in the north it doesn't seem like all that much work to, you know, count. And that's all it took to figure out that Penn State appeared to have oversigned for the class of 2011 by two scholarships. But as I'll explain in this post, the Nittany Lions coaching staff did not, in fact, do anything outside of the Big Ten's oversigning regulations.

Rob Bolden talks, future still not certain beyond spring practice

Penn State's spring quarterback battle
is already getting fired up. (Photo: LBU/Mike)

Sounds like Rob Bolden is still a bit sour (wouldn't you be?) on Penn State's handling of the quarterback situation last season. While more of the juicy stuff is behind paywalls this afternoon, some quotes have been reported free by guys like Ron Musselman:

"Nothing is official," he said today. "I'm just here for the spring. I decided to come back. I'm just here. I'm going to work hard and we'll see what happens from there." [snip] "Hopefully, it will be an open competition," Bolden said.

Not sure if this was a planned move by Bolden to rekindle the fire that raged after the Outback Bowl, or just the media figuring they would egg him on to get spring started with a pop. Regardless, we officially have pop, and it doesn't look like things will go flat any time soon.

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Video: THON 2011 Football Team Talent Show Dance Performance

Rob Bolden got quite a bit of love last night on the Twitterverse for his performance on stage, not to mention the guts it takes to put himself out there in front of 20,000 people in the BJC after what he's been through. But the team dance crew put on a good show, and they all deserve the kudos.

(HT:VBR)

...and, just sayin'.

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Collegian: Rob Bolden Will Stay at Penn State

According to a report by the Daily Collegian today, Rob Bolden plans to stay at Penn State.
(Photo: LBU/Mike)

Rob Bolden will continue his college career at Penn State--at least for now--and compete this spring and summer for the 2011 starting quarterback job, the freshman's former high school football coach told the Daily Collegian today:

Paterno blocks Rob Bolden's transfer (updated w/Bolden comments)

Rob Bolden won't be going anywhere... for now. (Photo: LBU/Mike)

Will this be one of those kinds of off-seasons? It sure is shaping up to be. Joe Paterno has reportedly denied Rob Bolden's request for a release from his scholarship, which would allow him to transfer out of the program. Via Ron Musselman:

Rob Bolden plans sitdown with Paterno

Rob Bolden (left), his dad Robert (center),
and Jay Paterno at the Blue White Game.
(Photo: LBU/Mike)

In what has quickly become the juiciest storyline this side of the Ohio River, Rob Bolden's mom (there's a way to start this post, huh?) told the AP that Rob and his dad are going back to Penn State today, with plans to discuss the freshman quarterbacks' future, inlcuding a request for a release of his scholarship.

Rob Bolden is Seeking a Transfer: This Story Lacks Moxie



Bye-bye Bolden. Oh, what should have been... (Photo: LBU/Mike)

Just when Penn State fans couldn't imagine a shittier start to 2011, this bombshell arrives in timely fashion (via Lions247.com):

A day after Penn State's loss to Florida in the Outback Bowl, the father of true freshman Rob Bolden told Lions247.com that his son will seek a transfer from the school.

It's true, he's looking to leave Penn State,"said Robert Bolden, Sr. on Sunday afternoon. "He's notified the coaches, that's as far as it's gone so far. We're waiting on the next step now...."

"They're not looking for him to leave, they don't want him to leave, but he no longer wants to play at Penn State. He's not happy at Penn State currently. If it was up to me, he definitely [would leave], without a doubt. He's definitely made it known that he does not want to be there anymore."

I sure hope Joe Paterno is satisfied with that extra-long leash he gave Matt McGloin, because his unwillingness to bench the struggling quarterback and try something different has once again bit him in the ass. With Kevin Newsome already seeking a transfer himself, PSU is now down to two scholarship QBs once again, much like two years ago. This presumably sets the stage now for redshirt-freshman Paul Jones and his five-star talent to take over the reins next Fall.

Your move, Shane McGregor.

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Outback Bowl '11: Inside Penn State

Penn State had some low expectations coming into the 2010 season. And the Nittany Lions managed to meet every one of them, and some. The quarterback situation was scary, the offensive line even scarier. The defense had to replace three NFL linebackers and the defensive player of the year at tackle. The schedule wasn't kind, either, with the defending national champs, Rose Bowl champs, Orange Bowl champs, and some other teams that turned out to be much better than many predicted.

But with all the downs, came the many ups this season. Finding one too many very good quarterbacks. An improving offensive line. Some damn good receivers. Silas Redd. Michael Mauti. And a team capable of beating almost any opponent, if not for the gross inexperience on the side of blue and white.

Now Penn State returns to another post-season exhibition against the SEC. The last two times out between the Nittany Lions and the most powerful conference in college football resulted in victories for the slow-pokes from snowy Pennsylvania. We'll see if they can do it once again.

In this post, we'll take a quick look at the team overall, then have a game-by-game rundown.

Numbers Don't Lie: Rob Bolden Getting a Raw Deal

Matt McGloin

Since coming in to relieve a concussed Rob Bolden at Minnesota five weeks ago, Matt McGloin has been the hottest of hot topics around Penn State football fan and media circles. He's done well; excellent, some say. He should be the entrenched starter, because he's earned it, many others point out.

They call people like me "bitter" or "hating" towards McGloin. They think we're blind to what he's accomplished, while even more blind as to Bolden's struggles when the job was his only a few games ago.

Let me tell you exactly who is the blind party in this equation. For the purposes of this post, I will highlight a column by the excellent columnist Donnie Collins up in Scranton. Please keep in mind that I am not solely picking on Collins, but simply pointing to his column as an example. From Sunday's column on McGloin:

(Ed.- Collins points out just before this passage how Jay Paterno won't commit to one quarterback, saying that it remains an open competition week to week. The column continues with...)

"Bull.

That talk is getting tired, and quite frankly, it's an insult to the intelligence of anyone who has actually watched the games these past few weeks. Penn State has scored 143 points offensively in the 19 quarters Matt McGloin has played. The Lions didn't score more than 24 points against any Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Bolden started against. Outside of the Ohio State game, the Lions haven't scored less than 33 with McGloin under center."

No sir, the insult to intelligence everywhere is that the large contingent of McGloinists will never even hint at the fact that Bolden has been given a raw deal, and McGloin has been set up perfectly for success. How is this possible? McGloin has done exactly what Collins wrote about--he's sparked the offense to 143 points in 19 quarters, while the same unit struggled under Bolden's leadership. That's all true... but it's not accurate; not accurate of what's happened since McGloin has taken over.

Preview: Penn State 'at' Indiana

Penn State and Indiana will face off at the Washington Redskins' home stadium, FedEx Field in Landover, MD. The obvious benefit to Penn State is that this game will surely turn into a virtual home game for the Nittany Lions. The Northeast corridor, stretching from the Washington, DC metro area through to Boston, is home to the highest concentration of Penn State alumni in the nation. If FedEx Field isn't 80 percent Penn State fans, it would be a disappointment.

The Hoosiers come into this game with a potent passing game, but with little ground support. The injury last week to QB Ben Chappell could make things interesting, but he's likely to play, and is good enough to play well while hurt. The Indiana defense is, well... pretty damn bad.

For Penn State, it's a chance to get back on track. The loss last week to Ohio State was crushing in every respect. This game against Indiana should offer some kind of outlet for the pent-up rage the Nittany Lions should be harboring after returning from Columbus.

Here's your weekly preview and breakdown.

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: 400/Northwestern Week

It's a big week for Joe Paterno,
and Penn State football. (Photo: Mike/LBU)

Here's the rundown from today's press conference, JoePa-style.

• The quarterback position is wide open again. Though, this time it sounds (from what JoePa said) like it's only between Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden. A two-quarterback system is being considered, but nothing is set in stone.
• Chaz Powell played well, but still needs work. Stephon Morris is still a good corner, and will play again, but he will have to compete with Powell for the starting roll this week. They'll both play, regardless of what happens. 
• The defensive line is getting better. But the injuries have been tough on the young unit. Jack Crawford hasn't practiced yet, but he may have done something this afternoon (after the press conference). Crawford and Eric Latimore haven't done anything since the Illinois game or (Jack) before. 
• Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa is from Pennsylvania, but Joe Paterno and his staff decided not to recruit him. He's a good quarterback, good student, and has been the difference for Northwestern this season.
• Matt McGloin did play with a lot of enthusiasm. Joe likes that. They had a good practice as a team last week, and were feeling pretty good all week. Joe likes the way the team overall is improving.

Penn State's latest Quarterback Controversy, courtesy of the Media

Yes, Matt McGloin was simply awesome.

Matt McGloin was phenominal in Penn State's 41-31
win over Michigan, but so was the rest of the offense.
(Photo: Mike/LBU)

There is no way for one second I won't tell you that McGloin didn't play the best game this season by a Penn State quarterback.

But I also won't tell you that I think McGloin should start against Northwestern just because of what he did Saturday night.

This will not be a long rant on the quarterback situation. Whoever starts this week against the Wildcats will do fine, and if Penn State loses, it will most likely be the fault of the entire team, not just the quarterback.

Before diving into the all-knowing main stream punditry, let me preface it with a few major points to keep in mind:

Joe Paterno Press Conference Recap: Michigan Week

Here's what you need to know from today's press conference with Joe Paterno.

• Rob Bolden may play, he may not. Joe's no doctor, but if he had to guess by what he's seen/told so far, Bolden probably won't play against Michigan. Still, that was a very conditional statement from Joe. Later in the presser, Joe sounded very concerned that Bolden might not play. Bolden has had a very good year, "all things considered," like injuries at other key positions.
• Mike McQueary didn't exactly come across as caring (ed.-my take) when Bolden first came to the sidelines after the big hit. But Joe must not have seen exactly what went on right there, or remembered it slightly different. Because Joe thinks McQueary was trying to convince Bolden to sit down. McQueary was clearly seen pushing/shoving Bolden back ONTO the field.
• Matt McGloin did a good job in place of Bolden. McGloin didn't have a lot of preparation before the game, considering he was thrown in as the first team quarterback. 
• Silas Redd and Stephfon Green are essentially tied for the second string tailback position. Joe didn't want to grade them against each other or say if one was ahead of the other. He likes what both bring to the game.
• Kevin Newsome will go full strength this week, after dealing with a knee injury and illness last week. 

Review: Penn State 33, Minnesota 21

Silas Redd put on a show for Penn State fans, piling up
73 yards for the Nittany Lions against Minnesota.
(AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

Rah Rah!!! The Nittany Lions won a Big Ten game!

Ok, enough of that. It wasn't pretty, but it was convincing in the end. Reeling from two embarrassing performances, Penn State went on the road and did what it had to do. Minnesota may be the worst team in the conference this season. It doesn't matter. Wins are wins, and Penn State sure needs a few more before the season is done.

The defense bent plenty, but never broke enough to lose the game. In fact, it was a few big defensive stops, efficient passing, a strong running game [gasp!] in the second half, and special teams that propelled Penn State to the victory in Minneapolis. Now, I may be crazy here, but doesn't that sound an awful lot like the Penn State teams of old?

Here the roundup from Saturday.

Review: Illinois 33, Penn State 13

This is a tough one.

Penn State hasn't looked this inept in years, if not decades. Illinois came into Beaver Stadium on a mission. Compounding the issue was Penn State not showing up at all. The injuries haven't exactly helped matters, either.

We all knew this wouldn't be Penn State's year; everything was gearing up for a monster 2011 campaign. That's still my bet. But did this year have to be this bad?

The rest of the season will be addressed later this week. Right now we're focused on the Illinois loss. This should be the last time we speak/write of this, so let's get it over with.

Rob Bolden was bound to come back to earth at some point this season,
but did it really have to happen on Homecoming Weekend? (Photo: Mike/LBU)

Here are some things I liked from Saturday, and some things I wasn't crazy about...