D'Anton Lynn doesn't not blame Paterno's obstinacy

Joe Paterno has morphed over the last few seasons, from a coach that used to micromanage nearly every working part of his team, to one that delegates control to his coaching staff. Overall, it's worked very well. But there's one part of this team on which Paterno still rests an acutely stubborn, heavy hand -- the punt return team.

In a conference call with reporters (BWI) yesterday, D'Anton Lynn was asked about the punt return unit, of course including its problems this season. You might remember that Lynn actually got the call last season to return a few punts, taking his only non-fair catch back 10 yards. So this guys knows what fielding punts can be like. Take a look at this exchange with reporters yesterday:

Q: Do you and other guys wish that you could have a crack at punt return? Is it a desired position and something guys hope to get before the season starts?

Lynn: Yeah, I returned punts in high school so returning punts in college is something that I'd definitely love to do.

Q: Is it something that just comes down to who is catching it in practice? It seems like that is the overriding priority is just to be able to field the ball.

Lynn: Yeah, that's how coach Paterno is. He definitely wants people back there that will catch the ball and Drew and Zug do a great job of catching the ball for the most part so that's part of the reason why they're back there.

Q: Does that mean you were having trouble fielding punts in preseason camp?

Lynn: No, I don't have trouble catching punts, I just think that Joe trusted Zug and Astorino more maybe because I know traditionally the free safety is always back there like Scirrotto was in punt safe, so that'd be Drew, and then Zug is our receiver, so he has sure hands. So, I guess they just trusted them more.

"Sure hands"... "Great job"

Those two phrases don't belong anywhere near an evaluation of Graham Zug's or Drew Astorino's ability to return punts. But I get it, Lynn can't bash his own teammates. I'm cool with that. However, how about the dig -- intentional or not -- he takes at Joe Paterno?

"Yeah, that's how coach Paterno is."

I didn't hear him say that, so it might have sounded different than it reads. But the overall gist of the interview leads anyone with half a brain to think that the rest of the team is growing tired of Paterno's last bastion of stubbornness -- special teams. He no longer has the offense. He hasn't had the defense for a while. The only thing left for Paterno to stick his ladle into is the special teams coordination. And it's starting to show.

Remember this spring, when I projected the depth chart? I had put down Zug as the backup/safe punt returner, behind Lynn. There were a few rather funny comments about my assertion that Paterno "usually likes to have one white guy with good hands available."

Unfortunately, I was only a quarter-correct. Zug ended up being the first-team punt return specialist, while Astorino -- as one commenter suggested -- became the safe man.

Sorry folks, but neither one of those players would exactly strike fear into opposing punt coverage teams.

Lynn? Chaz Powell? Devon Smith? Stephfon Green? Are their hands any better than what we've seen from Zug or Astorino this season? After fumbling three punt returns, and losing two of them, you can figure that one out.

Much of this has been chalked up to Penn State's horrid return blocking, as we've seen even when guys like Evan Royster were back fielding punts. But I'm not buying that as any excuse for the lack of simple ball-handling skills displayed by the two guys Penn State has back there right now.

When 107,000 people cheer your team because it successfully fair-caught a punt, it's no longer a "little thing" that can be worked out with more practice. This isn't a matter of just being careless with the football, as Paterno loves to put it. The season is two games from ending. If Penn State can't even safely field a punt with the supposed "hands guy," it's time to look elsewhere.

It doesn't look like that will happen, at least, not this season. Joe Paterno is sticking to his guns on this one, even if they're misfiring in his face.

*Paterno's press conference will be available shortly. I'll be very interested to see if/how this subject is brought up, and whether Lynn's name is invoked or not. Stay tuned.