Blue White Roundtable Wrap: Akron

It was a great turnout for the kickoff edition Blue White Rountable. Although, once Nittany Whitout says they're in, it's always a big turnout. So, rather than bore you with my pathetic attempts at humor, let's dive right in, with this week's "best of" from each of the participants.

W. F. Yurasko on the schedule:

"Akron appears to be an ideal first game...that will give the secondary an early test that they need. Temple should hang in there more this year and actually cross the goal line. I have pretty low expectations for Syracuse visit and the Eastern Illinois game is just inexcusable scheduling. They might as well have brought in an good Ivy League team." (ZN: emphasis mine)

Let me interject for a sec. I fully endorse that option, if it becomes absolutely impossible to avoid scheduling FCS opponents. If Penn State must play lesser talent, at least make it smarter talent. Continuing...

WFY on Joe Paterno being back on the sidelines this year:

"I think the players will realize they had it pretty easy last year, but more than anything, I think the officials will realize they had it really easy last year."

WFY's Quick Hits: PSU over 500 yards... Akron under 350... the student section will fill up... and he and the family (awww) are going to the game.

I didn't incorporate my own entry into this week's wrap up, since I'm the one wrapping. But, you can go see what I had to say here.

Happy Hour Valley on what could get under his skin on Saturday (props for a very current-eventsy answer, too):

"[I]f I see our offense stalling because our O-line is getting mangled, I’m going to blow my top like a town hall spectator."

On which second stringers he wants to see play, besides Kevin Newsome:

"I’ll go with true freshman Devon Smith. At 5’7” 150 lbs, the kid is practically a replica of myself..except Black and with sprinter’s speed. Nowhere do I see his name though on the kick/punt returner depth chart and that’s a damn shame."

HHV even backs it up with this insane video of Smith returning two CONSECUTIVE kickoffs for touchdowns (shame on me for not seeing this earlier):



HHV's Quick Hits: PSU offense under 500 yards... Akron over 350 yards... students won't show up... and he's going to the game.

The Nittany Line on what could make him throw the tortilla chips this Saturday:

"[K]nowing the odds at hand and knowing that Akron has a tissue paper defense, our defense will probably go into the famous "bend and then break our hearts" formation that we've all come to love. The defensive gurus running the show will have our inexperienced secondary lining up somewhere in the numbered reserved parking lots at the snap of the ball. (ZN: emph mine) I won't throw the tortilla chips I'll throw the tortilla chips up if that happens."

TNL also wants to see Devon Smith, and thinks the refs will have it rougher with Joe back than the players.

TNL's Quick Hits: PSU offense over 500 yards... Akron under 350... lazy ass students... not wasting money on a crappy game.

We Want the Lion on the creampuffiness abound on this year's schedule:

"Beating up on low-tier programs might give the team time to mesh, but it doesn't really offer much in the way of overcoming adversity... [it's] almost impossible for a team to reach the national title game without going undefeated, at least in the Big Ten. If you have a ranked opponent early on your non-conference schedule, it can be a big boost. If you win, it will definitely help you in the polls. If you lose, a lot of voters will downplay an early season loss if it was against a good opponent. With a weak non-con schedule, it's win them all or else."

WWTL also likes Joe's presense on the field once again, mainly to keep on top of the younger guys.

WWTL's Quick Hits: PSU offense under 500 yards... Akron under 350... more lazy ass students... and he's one of them.

Nittany Lounge on getting pissed off at something this Saturday:

"If I see the corners lined up eight yards off scrimmage on a third-and-four, then I’ll be ready to throw something."

I see a trend developing.

NL on which young guys need to step up and show something this week: "[Bani] Gbadyu needs to put pressure on Hull to excel. What absolutely has to happen by the end of the season is Gbadyu emerging as a de facto starter on next year’s squad. [and...] I am most interested in seeing Brandon Beachum. I think Stephfon Green is situational back and not able to carry a full load for an entire game. I’d like to feel secure in next year’s primary back if Evan Royster goes to the NFL." NL's Quick Hits: PSU offense over 500 yards (he says 400+ rushing)... Akron offense under 350... the students get even lazier by the paragraph... he's going to the game with his daughter. Penn Staters, always the family men.

Finally, I figured I'd leave them till last, because there's just so gawsh darn many of them... Nittany Whiteout.

Kevin on what concerns (or doesn't so much) him about this team:

"I think the success of this year’s team rests more on the wide receivers than it does the secondary. Evan Royster will only be able to do so much and without a steady crop of receivers Daryll Clark’s abilities will be limited. I do not think the wide receivers are as poor as the pre-season previews and experts seem to indicate. The worst thing going for them before week one is the fact tha they are not Derrick Williams, Deon Butler or Jordan Norwood. Those three guys cemented themselves as the backbone of the offense over the last few years, and rightly so. But that does not mean that Penn State is trotting out a bunch of stiffs." (ZN: here here!)

He also wants to see AJ Price and Gerald Hodges this week in action.

Kevin's Quick Hits: PSU offense under 500... Akron offense under 350... maybe the students aren't so lazy after all... isn't going to the game, but he'll be live blogging for your viewing pleasure.

Charlie on a second stringer this week:

"I’m really looking forward to watching Stephfon Green take more snaps with the first team offense. I know we’ve seen Stephfon Green on the field before, but with the loss of our fab four wideouts, we will be relying more on the running game and it will be interesting to see the lighting/thunder combo of Royster and Green."

On the schedule, and how it could affect a BCS Championship run:

"...the chance to award Joe Paterno one last national championship before he is carried off into the sunset is just too good to pass up. But honestly, lets cross that bridge when we beat Michigan State and actually find ourselves undefeated."

Charlie's Quick Hits: PSU offense under 500... Akron under 350... the student section comes to life... will be watching from the next best place, Hooters in San Diego.

Devon on what could get us worked up into a tussle, and invoking a little Pittsburgh Panthers action:

"Akron has Walt Harris as the QB coach, and though we can poke fun at “Wlat,” it was a good hire by the team. They’ve got a decent QB, too, in Chris Jacquemain, and as Penn State works to get their legs underneath them, we good see some big chunks picked up in the air by Akron’s passing game."

Devon was one of a few guys to mention Brandon Ware as a guy who they want to see in action. But with the news that he's injured for a month, we'll have to wait.

But Devon isn't so sure Joe Paterno will need to get into any facemasks this year:

"Daryll Clark, Sean Lee, Jared Odrick, those are the guys taking the younger players under their wings and showing them the ropes. This isn’t a team that will need to be fired up. They won’t lose their concentration. I see Joe Paterno playing more of the “Papa Joe” role with this team, explaining and teaching rather than yelling and screaming."

Devon's Quick Hits: PSU offense over 500 yards... Akron under 350 yards... ohhh, so close, but those damn college kids only think about two things... what are they? Well, you'll only know if you see it for yourself, like Devon will this Saturday when he goes to the game.

That's it for me, folks. It was a great Blue White Roundtable! We will try our hardest to get one out each week.

Later today...

Stay tuned for my full Penn State vs. Akron game preview, with everything you'll need for this weekend's action. Right here, at Zombie Nation!