Will Penn State go both ways in '08?

Penn State must chose between two very good quarterbacks in Spring practice. Can Daryll Clark or Pat Devlin pull ahead and take the job, or will Joe Paterno get them both on the field in 2008?

Sports Illustrated's college football page lead story today is Penn State's quarterback battle, along with other tidbits about Spring practice in Happy Valley. But hey, it's an AP story, so it is more of a "well, what else are you going to tell us that we already knew?" story.

Not all that long ago, ZN had its own breakdown of the impending quarterback battle at Penn State, and even though it's now outdated and I'm somewhat tempted to take another look at the situation, I'm going to hold off on this one until after Spring practice is over.

When was the last time the Penn State quarterback position wasn't clear going into Spring practice? After Zack Mills went ballistic against Ohio State in 2001, everyone knew he would be the guy, regardless of what Mike Robinson had to offer a year later. Mills came and went, leaving Penn State fans divided on whether it should be Robinson, or that strong-armed kid, you know, what was his name again? Oh yeah, Anthony Morelli. But that didn't last past December workouts. Robinson was the senior, so he was the starter. Through Spring practice, no one was debating who would be the starter. In an even less competitive quarterback race--actually, there was no real chance for the incumbent to be defeated--Morelli took the held immediately following the Lions' 2006 Orange Bowl victory.

Not so clear these days.

Penn State has two passers that can move. (Devlin is underrated as a scrambler, while Clark is a demon with the QB-draw) Both candidates are nearly equal in talents, and right now either could land the job. But why is it so important for Penn State to chose just one quarterback going into 2008? Florida won a national championship on the shoulders of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. Although Joe Paterno isn't nearly as adventurous as Urban Meyer, an arrangement similar to Florida's 2006 team would give Penn State a distinct advantage over opponents: the defense cannot make its call until the ball is ready to be snapped. We saw it used with great effectiveness in the Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M, and I wouldn't doubt it if the Penn State coaches are salivating at the prospect of having two, even better, quarterbacks on the field in 2008.

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