Blue White Roundtable :: Akron

Let's kick off this season right, with the Blue White Roundtable season opener. Questions this week were from yours truly. Usually, the questioner (me this week), doesn't actually participate in the answering, but I'm just too excited this week! I will still do the wrap-up post, where all participants' best answers are compiled, and post it on Thursday morning.

This week's usually unusual suspects:
W. F. Yurasko
Happy Hour Valley
The Nittany Line
We Want the Lion
Zombie Nation
Nittany Whiteout

Blue White Roundtable - Week 1, Akron Zips

1. We all know Penn State is going to beat Akron. But what is it about this year's Penn State team that really scares the crap outta you? Basically, explain what will cause you to throw the tortilla chips across the room more than once this Saturday?

Pass defense. No, not just the secondary, but the entire defense when defending against an opponent's pass attack. I'll admit, I'm ok with the "bend but don't break" scheme Penn State has run forever. But it's a system that has to rely more on the "don't break" part than the "bend" part to succeed.

Saturday against Akron will be a great gauge of how well this defense has come along this summer. If Penn State can hold the Zips under 250 pass yards, consider it a good day.

2. Hopefully, the backups will see plenty of playing time this weekend. Which second-stringer(s) are you most interested in seeing take the field against a living, breathing opponent? What kind of role do you want to see them play this year? (Note: if you say Kevin Newsome, you have to talk about at least one other player, too)

Kevin Newsome. I do not like the two-quarterback systems, ever. There is no need for it, especially when you have a proven comodity like Daryll Clark. However, against the first three opponents, I want to see the coaching staff get Newsome in for some early drives, for about six or seven passes in before halftime

Gerald Hodges. We heard so much about this kid coming out of high school. And a few of his hits in the Blue White Game were a thing of beauty. Hodges is built to play safety, but I want to see him actually do it.

3. So Penn State's non-conference schedule sucks in terms of straight up opponent quality. That aside, tell us why or why not this opening slate will help or hurt this team later in the season.

It can only help the team on the field. Off the field, yes, it could hurt Penn State in terms of rankings and whatnot. But when you have a very young team, easing its way into the tough competition is key to success later.

Look at the offensive line as the best example. What's the one thing you need more than anything up front? Cohesion. You could have five former high school all-Americans up there, but if they don't play well as a group, your team is screwed. That's what the first few games will do for this Penn State team.

4. What will it mean for this team to have Joe Paterno back on the sidelines again, right up in their facemasks, for ALL the games?

This will be huge. We saw why on January 1. Paterno even said later that he would have liked to have been down on the field to get in players' faces more. Even later in the season, at Iowa, Paterno admitted that being up in the press box didn't make him a better coach. Plus, I guarantee that if he were freezing his ass off on the sidelines, he would have gotten his boys some heaters.

Quick Hits

1. Over/Under: Penn State's offense gains 500 total yards. Under

1a. Over/Under: Penn State's defense gives 350 total yards. Over

2. True/False: The student section will NOT fill out, even by the end of the game. True, but it depends on weather

3. Are you going to the game? YES!!!