Reports from the scrimmage

Penn State put on a full scrimmage this weekend, and the reports coming out of it aren't evoking images of last year's offensive juggernaut. Actually, one point is making me a bit sick to my stomach:

"Overall the offense looked "improved," but disappointed at times. "They'd drive right down the field and stall in the redzone and have to settle for a field goal, but the coaches were putting in some new elements." - Scout.com

Is this 2009, or 2007? Because that sure sounds like the Anthony Morelli Special. Granted, this is just the first time the entire squad has scrimmaged itself in full pads, in Beaver Stadium. I get that much, but if you asked me prior to the 2008 season which one offensive aspect the team had to improve on, I would have told you "finishing drives."

Daryll Clark and the offense did finish drives in all but one game, and that just happened to be the only one the lost during the regular season. Field goals won't cut it this season, no matter how good the overall red zone percentage.

Other notes from the scrimmage: Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin look as good as one would expect for young quarterbacks. Also, Derek Moye is emerging as a go-to receiver. Definitely something Penn State needs before the summer. AJ Wallace is still out with the hamstring injury, and D'Anton Lynn is filling in, but the coaches still want more from the young corner. The secondary remains an issue.

*Have something to say about this post? Let your voice be heard, in the ZN Message Forum!

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Review, Game 10: Iowa 24, Penn State 23

The Nittany Lions laid a big, fat, rotten egg at Iowa. I really don't want to do this review, as this is the most painful loss since Michigan 2005. But, I intend to do my best. I’ll go through each unit and the coaching, sizing up how each one performed in Iowa City.

OFFENSE :: D

Line – How many times have we heard the phrase, "It all starts up front," when analysts spoke of Penn State's success this season? Well, it has to stand true in losses, as well. This loss began in the trenches, on the very first drive. The Iowa defensive line, especially the interior linemen, had no problem scorching through Penn State's front wall. There's been a lot of talk about Rich Ohrnberger and Stefen Wisniewski swapping spots, and the disaster which ensued shortly thereafter. The middle of the Penn State offensive line was the force and strong point of attack all year, but in one single outing, it all came crashing down. With it, so did the Penn State offense as a whole. Just to illustrate how poorly the offensive line performed last week, let's look at the "Opponent TFLs." Games 1-9: 3.7 TFL per game; Iowa: 7 TFL! That's nearly double the number off negative-yardage plays made by a Penn State opponent.

Receivers – I'm going to leave Derrick Williams out of this. He was used as a utility player, not a pure receiver. Now, on to the group of Penn State football players who claim to be wide RECEIVERS! It's one thing to struggle to break coverage, or get open, or gain a lot of yards after catch. But it's an entirely different monster when the receivers can't even make the catch. Daryll Clark received a lot of undue heat for his play, when really, no one else helped him out. This was very evident on the perimeter and downfield. Was there a more painful play than the Jordan Norwood drop on third down? I don't think so. Another surprisingly pivotal display of incompetence was Andrew Quarless. It wasn't so much his receiving that sucked–even though it really did last week–but rather his blocking was horrendous, mainly on the goal line.

Quarterbacks - Clark took all the blame, as most leaders do for their team's loss. But I really think Clark played a decent game. He had no protection, ridiculously bad play-calling, and receivers that wouldn't catch the ball. Would I have liked to see Pat Devlin come in for a series, considering Penn State wasn't running the quarterback at all? Of course, but I'm not sure it would have mattered. After the first three plays–all passes, into the wind, with horrible blocking–Clark was never in a rhythm, something he thrived on in the previous nine games. Even during the Ohio State game, Clark played a clean game, even if it wasn't impressive. Iowa got to Clark, and Clark got to himself. I think the critics look too deeply into the interception, as it was he only real mistake Clark made in the passing game. I know, it was at the worst time. But you can't blame this loss on Clark, and neither should he.

Rushers – Give these guys credit, they had less help than did Clark and the passing game. Evan Royster was recently named a Doak Walker Semifinalist, and the Iowa game just reinforced why he's viewed as one of the best. Again, I don't mean to harp on this, but with virtually no blocking help, Royster did a fantastic job Saturday, managing to gain 90 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. His lost-yardage total was a season-high 17 yards lost. And what's with Stephfon Green? He's averaged 9 yards per carry the last two games (6/54), but the offensive staff hasn't given him more touches (season-low, 7 tot. touches, last two games). With two of the best running backs in the conference, Penn State sure knows how to waste their talent. Now on to Williams. I loved the game-plan the staff installed for him, but I wish it was incorporated into the Spread HD, rather than push it aside. The "Williams Factor" was one we've all been waiting for, but didn't expect it to smother the rest of the regular offense. Combine those two, and these next two games (and bowl game) will look more like the first nine.

DEFENSE :: D

Line – The down linemen couldn't shed run blocks to save their lives at Iowa, and it completely killed any chance at stopping Iowa's Shonn Greene. But it wasn't just the run defense, as the pass pressure never materialized when Penn State needed it most. Aaron Maybin was a non-factor in this game. It was one of only two games (the other being Illinois) in which he didn't record a sack, and it really hurt the defense. I thought things were going to turn around when Jared Odrick blasted his way through the line so fast, Iowa's Ricky Stanzi was sacked before he even completed his drop. This was the first game all season where the defensive line looked really tired in the fourth quarter. Could it be that all those losses up front have finally come crashing down on Penn State? Maybe not, but maybe so.

Linebackers – Penn State wasn't getting any pressure up front with just four rushers. So they rushed five and six, yet still couldn't get pressure. This has quickly become a disturbing pattern for the 'backers. Not only that, but Josh Hull, Navorro Bowman and Tyrell Sales were frequently jammed up by the tackles and tight ends, sealing off the edge for Iowa's Greene. One of the few bright spots was Sales coming up with a pick, but we have to remember that Stanzi threw that ball into about four defenders. If one of our guys didn't pick it off, it would have been truly pathetic. And what the hell happened to Bani Gbadyu? He wasn't a world-beater at linebacker (he did lose his starting spot to Bowman), but he hasn't registered a single stat or played a down in three weeks.

Secondary – Like Clark on offense, the secondary has been taking a lot of unjust heat for the Iowa loss. Three plays stick out, all in the fourth quarter. Lydell Sargeant dropped a sure-interception. One play later, broken coverage allowed an Iowa touchdown. Then, on the final drive, Anthony Scirrotto went up over the receiver's head, trying to intercept the ball, but was flagged for interference, keeping the drive alive. Yes, they were all horrible plays at the worst times. But overall, the Penn State secondary played up to it's own talent level. In the beginning of this year, many worried about the secondary and the linebackers. So we shouldn't be surprised when either of those two groups fail to win games for Penn State. No single unit, or player can be blamed for this loss, especially the secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS :: A

Kickers – Kevin Kelly probably wishes he only had to kid PATs, but he came through on every kick. He could end up as a Groza finalist. Jeremy Boone had a so-so night, averaging 33 net yards per punt. He did his job.

Returners – Boy, Penn State could have used a spark. But there was none to be found in the return game this week. Although this group of Williams and Chaz Powell didn't do anything good, they didn't do anything bad, either.

Coverage – Penn State gave up one big return, a 27-yarder, but overall did a good job. I'll throw the kick-block unit into this part, just because I had to have it somewhere. But looking at the final kick by Iowa, it was eerily similar to the Minnesota 1999 game. It looked like Penn State had the height, the leverage and the speed to block it... but no.

COACHES :: F

I don't even know where to start with the coaching staff. I said after the game that this loss had "Joe Paterno written all over it." I might have been a little off with that angle. This game had Fran Ganter written all over it. I remember hearing Ganter say years ago, "We don't do a lot, but what we do, we do well." You know what that translates into? We don't adjust. That evil reared its head once again Saturday. It brought back horrible memories of the Michigan 2006 game, when Penn State seemingly refused to call screen plays to combat the UM pass rush. Then, when a screen was finally called, Tony Hunt takes it for a touchdown. Where was that at Iowa? If there was ever a need for screens–inside, outside, bubble, whatever kind–it was last week. Royster didn't catch a single pass, and Green grabbed only one, out on the flat. These two guys were built for screens, but none were called. Damn, I'll even take those dreadful bubble screens to the wide receivers. I don't mean to drag on about screen passes, but I really believe it could have made a significant impact on the offensive production last week. On defense, I have nothing to really say. Penn State bent. Penn State broke. That's not Penn State.

*Ed.- Now that this is done (finally), I'll have the full Indiana Preview up later today.

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P.S. I know U., 2008 – Part 2, Offense (cont’d)

I’ll go over the two and three-deep this week for the Penn State offense, defense and special teams. Then on Friday, we’ll look at the coaching staff. This won’t be full of messy stats (even though I do love them, oh so much), but it also won’t be straight opinion. This is just to get everyone in the loop when it comes to the key figures for 2008. Hope you enjoy P.S. I know U., 2008.

As I did in P.S. I know U., 2008 - Part 1, Offense, I’ll describe each player in one of three ways - Great, Good, Decent. ‘Great’ indicates that player is a sure starter, and should get all-conference or All-America. ‘Good’ means that player is a solid starter, someone the team can rely on to do the job. ‘Decent’ goes to many of the backups who will see time in the rotations. I figure there isn’t a player on the two or three deep that is below decent, or PSU is in real trouble.

Offense – Part 1 (cont’d), Tight Ends and Linemen

:: Tight Ends :: Mickey Shuler, Jr., Andrew Quarless, Andrew Szczerba, Jon Ditto

No. 82. Mickey Shuler, Jr. [TE, RS Jr., 6-4/250] – Good. The first time we really saw Shuler was against FIU last year, where he grabbed four passes for 54 yards and a score. With doubts about Andrew Quarless getting out of the dog house any time soon, Shuler provides a fantastic second option to start for PSU. Shuler’s father was a great TE for PSU in the 1970s, and went on to start for the Jets and Eagles. Mickey Jr. fits the TE mold that PSU is looking for, as he is strong in blocking schemes, but is also a good receiver. The coaches want to get the TEs involved more this season, and I’m looking for a really good year from Shuler. 2007: 7 rec, 91 yds, 1 td.

No. 10. Andrew Quarless [TE, Jr., 6-5/250] – Good. If only Quarless could stay out of trouble, he might have been off to the NFL following 2008. This guy is bursting with talent, has perfect size, but just can’t get his act together. When the season starts, he’ll likely be Shuler’s backup. But that could change quickly if he works hard to impress Paterno. As good as the PSU passing game can be this season, it could be even better with Quarless in the lineup. He’ll probably get spotty playing time early, but watch for the coaches to work him in more as the season goes on. 2007: 14 rec, 205 yds, 2 tds.

No. 80. Andrew Szczerba [TE, RS Fr., 6-6/262] – Decent. Think of Szczerba as the receiver-version of Stephfon Green. Andrew impressed many in the B/W Game. But we have to remain grounded on guys like them. That’s not to say he won’t do well this season. Szczerba is a great size for the position, and from what we saw in April, he also has great hands. He’ll surely get playing time this year, but more likely than not, it will be sparse. 2007: No Stats Accumulated, but had 5 rec, 65 yds in the B/W Game.

No. 88. Jon Ditto [TE, RS Fr., 6-3/227] – Decent. Ditto has been flipping between TE and WR since arriving at PSU in Jan. ’07. I’ll go with TE this time. After his recovery from shoulder surgery which caused him to redshirt 2007, Ditto seems ready to contend for the lead backup behind Shuler and Quarless. Jon has been a Nittany Lion for two full workout cycles (winter/spring ’07, and winter/spring ’08), and has a significant edge when it comes to knowing how the team operates. I don’t see Ditto in the lineup much this season, outside of mop-up duty. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

:: Offensive Line :: [1st Team] Gerald Cadogan (T), Dennis Landolt (T), Rich Ohrnberger (G), Stefen Wisniewski (G), A.Q. Shipley (C), [2nd Team] Nerraw McCormack (T), Lou Eliades (T), Johnnie Troutman (G), J.B. Walton (G), Mike Lucian (C)

[1st Team]
No. 76. Gerald Cadogan [LT, Sr., 6-5/314] – Great. I don’t believe Cadogan gets enough praise for the job he’s doing. This could be PSU’s best offensive line since 1994, and Cadogan is one of the leaders. He played four sports in HS, football, track and field, swimming (yes, swimming!) and some basketball. In his first season as a starter, the offensive line averaged 193 rushing yards per game. Most of those yards were to the left side. He was also Academic All-Big Ten for the third time. 2007: Played 998 snaps, tied for second-most on the team.

No. 73. Dennis Landolt [RT, RS Jr., 6-4/303] – Good. Prior to 2007, Landolt was AA Levi Brown’s backup, until Cadogan took over that spot. In high school Dennis didn’t allow a single sack in three years, earning a top-20 rating from Rivals.com. Landolt should excel again on the line, and will could be one of only two returning starters in 2009. 2007: Played 998 snaps, tied with Cadogan for second-most on the team.

No. 64. Rich Ohrnberger [LG, RS Sr., 6-2/296] – Good. Rich has come a long way since he took over in October ’06. Down against Ohio State that season, Ohrnberger made a critical false start on 4th-and-goal on the OSU 1-yard line, forcing PSU to settle for a FG. That memory is burned into my mind. But now, all I have is admiration for Rich, as he’s matured into one of the best guards in the Big Ten. Like Evan Royster, Ohrnberger played lacrosse in HS. 2007: Started 12 of 13 games, only missed Michigan start.

No. 61. Stefen Wisniewski [RG, Soph., 6-3/294] – Great. If you listen to the coaches and the media, Wiz sounds like the next Marco Rivera. He might be. Unseating starter Mike Lucian last season nearly shook the ground in Happy Valley, as we all know that doesn’t happen often. The best part about Stefen is that he’s one of the smartest football players at PSU, and his physical abilities are far beyond the average sophomore. Wisniewski’s father and uncle both played at PSU and the NFL. His uncle, Steve, was selected All-Pro guard with Oakland eight times. 2007: Became first freshman to start on the O-Line since 1999.

No. 57. A.Q. Shipley [C, RS Sr., 6-1/300] – Great. This will be Ship’s third season as PSU’s starting center, and he was elected captain for 2007. A All-Big Ten selection last year and this preseason, A.Q.’s value is immeasurable. He came to PSU as a standout defensive lineman, winning nearly every central-PA football honor his senior HS season. Shipley first saw time in 2005, and in 2006 moved to center. He should repeat as an All-Big Ten selection, and should also contend for the Rimmington Award and All-America honors. 2007: Played 997 snaps, started 26 consecutive games (‘06/’07).

[2nd Team]
No. 75. Nerraw McCormack [LT, Sr., 6-5/292] - Good. McCormack has a distinct advantage in that he came to PSU with a ton of playing experience at Nassau CC, in NY. The coaches like his swift and fluid blocking ability, which should earn him some playing time. Nerraw went to HS with Stephfon Green and LB Shaine Thompson. 2007: Played 31 snaps against FIU, Wisconsin and Temple.

No. 77. Lou Eliades [RT, RS Soph., 6-4/309] - Decent. Eliades was highly recruited out of south Jersey, and has earned praise from the staff and Joe Paterno himself. He was forced to sit out the final half of 2007 with a stress fracture in his foot that required surgury. I can see the staff getting him much more playing time this year, as he’s a possible candidate to move to LT next season to replace Cadogan. 2007: Played 68 snaps against FIU, and Buffalo through Wisconsin.

No. 74. Johnnie Troutman [LG, RS Fr., 6-4/318] - Decent. A member of the vaunted 2006 recruiting class, Troutman enrolled early in 2007, and has two full workout cycles with PSU. Johnnie fits the new mold for PSU OLs, as he’s tall and big. That’s not to say slow, but during the early 2000s, PSU came under scrutiny for its small OL. Many blamed that for all the losses. Even though it wasn’t true, PSU started gobbling up bigger, faster OLs. Troutman was one of them. He’s a definite future starter. 2007: Redshirt season.

No. 65. J.B. Walton [RG, RS Fr., 6-3/293] - Good. Walton had a tough time getting to PSU, as he enrolled at the Milford Academy for one year. But now that he’s off his redshirt season with PSU, he should compete right away from playing time behind either of the starting guards. J.B. was highly recruited out of Maryland, where he was a highly decorated defensive player. The coaches have spoke highly of Walton’s strength in workouts and on the practice field. 2007 Redshirt season.

No. 50. Mike Lucian [C, RS Sr., 6-2/290] - Good. Lucian was the victim of Wisniewski’s amazing ascension to the starting RG spot. Mike earned the starting job after John Shaw got injuried prior to the Buffalo game last season. Unfortunately, he was also brought down by injury, a mild concussion against Wisconsin. Should something happen to Shipley, Lucian is more than capable of filling in without the line missing a beat. Midway through 2006, he shifted from defense to offense. 2007: Played 552 snaps.

Coming Tomorrow: Defense

Last time in P.S. I know U., 2008:
Part 1, Offense

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P.S. I know U., 2008 - Part 1, Offense

This is a new feature I wanted to do, since the season is coming up so fast. I’ve decided to go over the two and three-deep this week for the offense, defense and special teams. Then on Friday, we’ll look at the coaching staff. This won’t be full of messy stats (even though I do love them, oh so much), but it also won’t be straight opinion. This is just to get everyone in the loop when it comes to the key figures for 2008. Hope you enjoy P.S. I know U., 2008.

I’ll describe each player in one of three ways - Great, Good, Decent. Great indicates that player is a sure starter, and should get all-conference or all-america. Good means that player is a solid starter, someone the team can rely on to do the job. Decent goes to many of the backups who will see time in the rotations. I figure there isn’t a player on the two or three deep that is below decent, or PSU is in real trouble.

Offense - Part 1, Backs and Wide Receivers

:: Rushers :: Evan Royster, Brent Carter, Stefon Green, Brandon Beachum, Dan Lawlor (FB), Larry Federoff (FB)

No. 22. Evan Royster [TB, RS Soph., 6-1/212] - Great. Don’t think I’m jumping the gun on this kid. He’ll be running behind the best offensive line in the Big Ten this season, and has a great supporting cast. He reminds me of Larry Johnson. He’s a smooth runner, but will punch you in the face if he has to get the extra yardage. And as we saw against Wisconsin, Purdue and Texas A&M, he can break a game wide open on any play. Fortunately for Royster, he doesn’t have to wait until his senior season to show off, as did LJ. 2007: 82 car, 513 yds, 5 tds.

No. 32. Brent Carter [TB, RS Soph., 6-2/211] - Good. I was really impressed by Carter’s running ability against Michigan State. In fact, I’ll go so far to say that if PSU let him run more on that last drive, the team would have scored. Although Carter isn’t an every-down tailback, he’s more than capable to carry the load when needed. He’ll be a valuable asset to PSU this year. 2007: 11 car, 43 yds.

No. 21. Stephfon Green [TB, RS Fr., 5-10/189] - Decent. Fans are going to get on my case about this one, but I’m hesitant to say Green is the be-all-end-all at the position. We haven’t seen him play against real competition, but I’ll admit I’m excited about him. He’s a speedster who can out run almost anyone. More than likely, he’ll be utilized as a multi-purpose player, not unlike Derrick Williams in 2005. No stats in 2007, but had 12 car, 87 yds, 1 td in the B/W Game this April.

No. 25 Brandon Beachum [RB, GS (gray-shirt) Fr., 6-0/212] - Decent. Ok, so I went four-deep on the running backs. From what I’ve heard, Beachum is more of a power/third-down running back. And while PSU is generally getting away from the power-back style, there’s always room for a guy who can pound out four yards every time he gets the ball. I’ve only seen HS clips of Beachum, and he fits the mold of Tony Hunt. No stats in 2007, but had 7 car, 55 yds, 2 rec, 12 yds in the B/W Game.

No. 33. Dan Lawlor [FB, RS Sr., 6-2/244] - Good. Lawlor wasn’t exactly flashy on the field, but he dished out some wicked blocks for Rodney Kinlaw and Evan Royster. PSU has drifted away from the power-I, but you can’t underestimate the value of a good fullback. Lawlor’s also got a brain, as he was Academic All-Big Ten in 2007. 2007: 9 car, 37 yds, 1 td.

No. 44. Larry Federoff [FB, RS Jr., 5-11/237] - Decent. We don’t know a whole lot about Larry, except that he transferred from Edinboro University. He has been reported to have really good lower-body strength, which should bode well if he gets playing time as a blocking back. 2007: 2 car, 2 yds.

:: Wide Receivers :: Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, Brett Brackett, James McDonald, Kevin Cousins, Derek Moye, Graham Zug

No. 2. Derrick Williams [WR, Sr., 6-0/194] - Great. I won’t go into the “Big 3” (Williams, Butler and Norwood) so much, since pretty much everyone knows them thoroughly. But I have big hopes that Williams will return to his 2005 form. At the tail end of last season, the coaches moved him back to the slot, and he had 260 yards and a touchdown grab over the last four games. 2007: 55 rec, 529 yds, 3 tds.

No. 3. Deon Butler [WR, RS Sr., 5-10/168] - Great. He’ll most likely lead the team in yards for the fourth straight season. Butler has been PSU’s biggest deep threat since 2005, and as long as the staff gets him free, he’ll perform as well as always. 2007: 47 rec, 633 yds, 4 tds.

No. 24. Jordan Norwood [WR, Sr., 5-11/177] - Great. Norwood made his mark by catching anything that came near him in 2005, and has been one of the most consistent members in the receiving corps. His numbers have never been amazing, but defenses have a hard time figuring him out. 2007: 40 rec, 484 yds, 5 tds.

No. 83. Brett Brackett [WR, RS Soph., 6-6/235] - Decent. After the Big 3 receivers, PSU fans seem to be at a loss. Now that Terrell Golden (unfortunately) and Chris Bell (fortunately) are gone, it will be up to guys like Brackett to step up. It’s been a while since a PSU receiver has been this tall. He’s a former three-star quarterback out of New Jersey, who came to PSU alongside Pat Devlin. He made the switch to WR last spring. The offensive staff has been raving about Brackett’s hands, and his ability to get open near the goal line. I see a lot of post patterns from the slot position for this guy. 2007: 1 rec, 16 yds.

No. 8. James McDonald [WR, RS Jr., 6-2/198] - Decent. This year’s recipient of the Red Worrell Award, given to the player who made the biggest contribution to spring ball, James is hoping to get more reps this fall. He was one of those “fast guys” from the 2005 recruiting class, but sort of fell by the wayside once the Big 3 emerged. McDonald fits the mold of a great WR, with his height and speed advantages. I’d be surprised if PSU didn’t find a way to get him catches this season. 2007: 1 rec, 10 yds.

No. 9. Kevin Cousins [WR, RS Jr., 6-3/205] - Decent. Cousins was a former sprinter turned WR, another “fast guy” from 2005. Unlike the Big 3, however, Cousins has amazing size to go along with the speed. He’s been battling injuries for a while, but has a solid shot at the backup spot behind Butler. Look for both Cousins and McDonald to shine in 2009. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

No. 6. Derek Moye [WR, RS Fr., 6-5/196] - Decent. I’m tempted to list Moye as Good, but we haven’t seen what he can do. He towers over opposing cornerbacks, and has the added benefit of speed. He’s not lightening on grass, but he has a good top speed. If PSU has one WR that looks to be the future of the passing game, it’s Moye. The staff said they want to get him on the field this fall no matter what it takes. We’ve heard that one before from them, but somehow, I believe it with Moye. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

No. 5. Graham Zug [WR, RS Soph., 6-2/196] - Decent. For some reason, I remember seeing Zug on the field a lot last year. Maybe it was because he was the only white receiver (sorry PR people, but it’s true) out there. He’s seemingly shown enough talent to get live snaps. He showed a bit in the B/W Game this year, but like so many others from that game, you can’t get a real feel for Zug from that scrimmage. He seems like a career backup, but good enough to play every game. 2007: 1 rec, 8 yds.

But who will get them the ball?

:: Quarterbacks :: Daryll Clark, Pat Devlin, Paul Cianciolo

No. 17. Daryll Clark [QB, Sr., 6-2/231] - Good. He may not be Michael Robinson, but he might be just as good overall. Clark has--from what little passing we’ve seen him do--a better arm than M-Rob, but isn’t quite as fast. His mobility has lofted him to the presumptive starter position, but it’s a tight battle right now. Clark, right now, is a senior, but he’s working things out with the NCAA clearinghouse, where he might be given another year of eligibility. 2007: 66%, 31 yds.; 12 car, 78 yds, 2 tds.

No. 7. Pat Devlin [QB, RS Soph., 6-4/222] - Of course, when I said Clark had the best mobility of the QBs, that didn’t mean Devlin can’t scoot if he has to. Well, I guess when all we have to compare to is Anthony Morelli, a bag of cement has good mobility. Devlin has a great arm, and the coaches have been gushing over him. I’d personally like to see him get a good deal of significant playing time this season, because unlike Clark, Devlin has three full seasons of eligibility remaining. Imagine what PSU could do with a steady QB for that long. 2007: 0-2, 0 yds.

No. 15. Paul Cianciolo [QB, RS Sr., 6-4/219] - Decent. Many of us remember Paul from his 43-yard screen pass to Tony Hunt in 2006 against No. 4 Michigan. After that, though, there’s not much. Cianciolo is a typical PSU guy, who goes to class (Academic All-Big Ten 2007), and patiently waits his turn to play. He may not get the chance to start in 2008, but he offers invaluable stability at the position behind Clark and Devlin. Paul also played baseball for PSU, serving as a pretty good reliever and earning one save. 2007: No Stats Accumulated.

Coming Tomorrow: Offense - Part 2, Tight Ends and Linemen

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