Preview: No. 13/15 Penn State at Illinois

Kickoff/TV: Sat., Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET/ESPN or ABC (Mike Patrick, Craig James and Heather Cox)
Weather Forecast: Cool, showers.
Series Record: Penn State leads Illinois, 13-3

Host: Illinois Fighting Illini
Record: 1-2 (0-1, Big Ten)
Last Game: Lost at Ohio St, 30-0
Injuries: LB Martez Wilson (neck - out ssn), CB Miami Thomas (ACL - out ssn)
Key Players: (offense) QB Juice Williams, WR Arrelious Benn; (defense) DE Clay Nurse, DB Tavon Wilson, DE Corey Liuget
Head Coach: Ron Zook, 5th season at UI, 19-32; 0-1 bowl record; 8th season overall, 42-46; 1-3 vs Penn State
Season Statistics:
Offense - 192.0 rush/155.7 pass/18.0 points per game
Defense - 132.3 rush/253.7 pass/28.0 points per game
TO Margin - (-2)/(-0.67) per game

Illinois, on paper -- Last week's game at Ohio State really skewed Illinois' statistics, as the Buckeyes did not attempt a pass before halftime, and only 13 after the break. Even with the 82 allowed passing yards to Terrelle Pryor, the Illini are still giving up an average of 254 pass yards per game. But in Columbus, the defense wasn't at all helped out by the offense, which imploded as the game went on. Illinois finished with 170 total yards, and only four completions to Arrelious Benn for a mere 33 yards. The Illini have played a very difficult schedule so far this season, even with the Illinois State game on there. Missouri has turned out to be much better than anyone anticipated, and Ohio State looks like it could run the table after nearly defeating USC. The most anyone can say about this Illini team is that we don't really know what kind of team they are, even after three games.

Many in Illini country have pointed to a shift in offensive philosophy this season under new coordinator Mike Schultz as the reason for the inconsistency on that side of the ball. While Illinois still third in the conference in rushing per game, most of that was piled on in the Illinois State win. Juice Williams use to be asked to run the zone-read runs and down-field bombs. Now he's asked to run a more West Coast offense, with shorter, accurate passes. That's not what he's built to do. Just look at his last two trips to Columbus, and you'll see the difference.

On defense, Illinois has struggled mightily the last two seasons. Add in the loss this year of star LB Martez Wilson, and this unit is in serious need of some stability. Illinois has only totaled four sacks this season, and is allowing opponents to score on 90 percent of all red zone trips, including seven touchdowns in 10 attempts. Worse, opponents are converting 47 percent of all third downs against the Illini. This is still a dangerous team with a lot of talent, but without any sort of breather to regain its composure, Illinois could struggle for a while longer this season.

Visitor: Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 3-1 (0-1 Big Ten)
Last Game: Lost vs Iowa, 21-10
Injuries: LB Navorro Bowman (groin - probable), LB Sean Lee (knee - possible), LB Nate Stupar (ankle - possible), DT Brandon Ware (ankle - out), DB Jacob Fagnano (ankle - out), FB Josh Matzkin (foot - out), DE Pete Massaro (ACL - out ssn), LB Mike Mauti (ACL - out ssn)
Key Players: (offense) The entire offensive line; (defense) DL Jared Odrick, CB D'Anton Lynn, LB Josh Hull
Head Coach: Joe Paterno, 44th season at Penn State, 386-128-3; 23-11 bowl record
Season Statistics:
Offense - 127.2 rush/247.5 pass/25.0 points per game
Defense - 75.5 rush/158.2 pass/10.2 points per game
TO Margin - (-4)/(-1) per game

Penn State, on paper -- The Nittany Lions are dead last in Big Ten turnover margin, a statistic that screams loudly when looking at Penn State's loss to Iowa last week. The five turnovers -- counting the blocked punt for a touchdowns -- made all the difference in the game, particularly considering Penn State's defense played well enough to win without the offense working against itself.

As has been the case most of the season so far, the Penn State offense hasn't been able to move the ball at will against even inferior opponents. Most of the Lions' offensive woes have been a direct consequence of sub-par line play. Penn State's offensive line has struggled in one facet or another in every game this year, whether it be run blocking against Akron and Syracuse, or pass protection against Temple and Iowa. Two linemen so far have lost their starting jobs; LG Matt Stankiewitch was replaced by Johnnie Troutman before the Temple game, and DeOn'tae Pannell was pulled from RT during the Iowa debacle, with Nerraw McCormack coming in and probably starting this week. Nearly every question mark going into the season has been answered, from the secondary to the receivers, except for the offensive line. If Penn State can't get it together here, it could be a season full of performances like that against Iowa.

The defense, probably the second-biggest question mark heading into the season, has performed well beyond expectations, particularly in a losing effort last week. The defensive line has been able to stuff the run, leading the conference in rush defense (75.5 ypg). The entire front seven has combined to lead the conference in sacks (12). While the secondary is leading the conference in yards allowed and has a superb TD/INT ratio at 2-5. The Penn State defense currently leads the Big Ten in run defense, pass defense, total defense, sacks, first downs allowed, 3rd down conversions allowed, 4th down conversions allowed, red zone scoring percentage, and tied for first with Iowa for total touchdowns allowed. Not all bad for a unit that had to replace four senior starters in the backfield, a first-team All-America defensive end, and two other veteran defensive ends.

On the field -- While the Penn State offense will garner much of the attention this weekend from analysts and fans, it could be the defense that makes or breaks the Nittany Lions in Champaign. Illinois has consistently put up big offensive numbers the last three meetings, and could very well do it again. If Penn State can take a few pointers from what the Ohio State-Illinois tape shows, the Lions have a great chance to shut down a potentially potent Illini attack. But for both offenses, it will be all about the turnover margin in this game. The team that commits the most mistakes, as in any game, will have a serious chance to lose this one. For Penn State, it will be efficiency in the red zone and pass protection for Daryll Clark. For Illinois, it will be staying on the field to keep Penn State's offense on the bench.

But the defenses aren't nearly close to each other in terms of production and talent. Penn State has been able to reload the past few years, rather than completely rebuild, something Illinois doesn't have the luxury of doing. This could turn out to be a sloppy, dreadful game for both teams, but I just don't see Illinois as having the firepower on offense, or the speed on defense to come out on top.

Extra points -- Since joining the Big Ten, Penn State has only lost twice to Illinois, both times in Champaign... The PSU-UI series has borne many memorable moments in Nittany Lions' history, including the "LaVar Leap" in 1998 and "The Drive" in 1994... Penn State's last trip to Memorial Stadium was a 27-20 loss... Attendance prediction: 62,400

Prediction: No. 13/15 Penn State, 27 - Illinois, 23

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Friday Night Linkage is considering a wingback

Going over Joe Paterno's press conference transcript from Thursday's media day, there are a few things to notice -- JoePa's comments on the offensive line, the running backs, injuries, and pretending that he doesn't know what the media is talking about, ever.

We'll have all that and more in tonight's inaugural Friday Night Linkage.

• Joe Paterno hinted that we could see more Evan Royster and Stephfon Green on the field at the same time.

"Green can be a really good running back. Green has got explosive speed. You know, we would have the ability to play Green at tailback and Royster as a slot back. Royster is a good receiver. He's an excellent athlete, an all around athlete... [we could] put Royster at slot or put him as a wing or do something with him."

• I called this months ago, and some had the gall to doubt my infinite wisdom. Well, looks like Paterno is looking at Graham Zug as a potential punt return specialist.

"We have (Graham) Zug back there catching punts. And, there again, we have eight or nine guys catching punts every day, trying to figure out which guy is going to be the most consistent... But we know Royster can do it, Zug could do it."

• The biggest news on the offense is up front, as Dennis Landolt will go left side, and Deonte Pannell will go right side. Paterno knows experience could mean the difference between Daryll Clark surviving this year.

"Landolt is a better tackle now. Landolt is a pretty good tackle. Pannell is just a kid; was a true freshman last year. He didn't play that much either. Played some. I mean, it would be foolish to put Pannell over there. We had him there last year, but we had him there because we didn't have anybody behind Cadogan."

• I was sorry to hear earlier this week about Devin Fentress (graduated this spring), but more so about J.B. Walton. So was Paterno.

"[Walton]'s got a learning disability that we can't do a good job with here. We looked all over for a place where he could go where they could help him... But we couldn't do the job for him academically that I think he's entitled to. And we had to bite the bullet there."

You have to respect Walton, and Paterno, for putting academics first.

• There's really a ton more of juicy info in the transcript, so you should all go and read it through. But I'll wrap up this transcript rundown with some good ole JoePa.

Reporter: You have a high number of big time players returning on this team. Do you remember another season where you've had that type of talent return, yet have so many holes to fill at key positions?

Paterno: Well, I don't know. I'm not sure I know where you're coming from with, what did you call them? Big play what?

It wouldn't be a Joe Paterno press conference without a little gamesmanship with the media folks.

Chip shots...

• Bob Flounders has a nice one-on-one with Navorro Bowman.

• Bernie Fernandez spoke at length with the wide receivers in a basic rundown of that position, while Joe Juliano talks to Penn State's resident Brit, Jack Crawford.

• Eric Thomas looks at the safeties (warning: premium content), Andrew Dailey and Nick Sukay, in what could be a very underrated position race the next few weeks.

• Yes, Penn State cares about academics.

Have a great weekend!

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PSU lands No. 10

Johnson City offensive guard Daquan Jones (☆☆☆☆ Scout; ☆☆☆ Rivals) joined Evan Hailes this weekend, committing to play for the Nittany Lions in 2010. Jones became the tenth recruit to solidly verbal to Penn State. He was recruited by many major Mid-Atlantic and Northeast programs, including Pitt, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland and NC State. Jones is yet another Larry Johnson special.

Off topic

Red Meat Monday will be up later today. That could be all until tomorrow, as I'll spend most of my blogging time updating the recruiting board and other housekeeping items.

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Blue White Game Preview: Offensive Line

Penn State lost three first-team All-Big Ten offensive linemen after this past season. Today, we continue our position by position breakdown, leading up to this weekend's Blue White Game. The offensive line is probably the toughest position to evaluate, even for the professional scouts. There are no stats in the box score, nothing to go by. But that doesn't mean we can't look at which guys should contend for the starting slots this season, and what they need to do on Saturday.

For those of you wondering where the defensive line analysis is, I'll try to have it done by the end of today. If not, then it will be up first thing in the morning. I had to break this day up into two posts, mainly because there are 19 offensive linemen on the spring roster, and 15 defensive linemen. Too much for one post, unless you wanted to wait until midnight for one big post. Keep in mind that not all of the offensive linemen stay in one position, especially the very young ones. So, for logistical reasons, I'm only discussing those who are in real competition for starting or backup spots. Also to note, the assignments I'm using are reflective of those used during Penn State's full scrimmage from last weekend.

TACKLES

• No. 50, DeOn'tae Pannell. Sophomore. Starter LT.

What we already know: Pannell played in eight games last season, primarily as a reserve left tackle. Going into this spring practice session, it was a dead head between Pannell and fifth-year senior Nerraw McCormack. But then McCormack injured his knee, giving Pannell the green light. Pannell is a prototype left tackle, with great height (6'5") and very good weight (315).

What to expect: There were plenty of reports circulating that the offensive line was struggling to find its cohesion, even though that's to be expected with so many new guys. But now Pannell is becoming more comfortable at his position, and will be assigned the tough task of protecting Daryll Clark's blind side this weekend. If Pannell can go the whole game against guys like Jared Odrick, Ollie Ogbu and Abe Koroma, and not give up a sack, call it a great, if not fantastic Saturday.

• No. 73, Dennis Landolt. Redshirt Senior. Starter RT.

What we already know: Landolt was named honorable mention All-Big Ten right tackle last season, and is the most experienced returning offensive lineman in 2009. He's started 25 of the last 26 games. There has not been a whole lot of buzz around Landolt, and that's a good thing. He has a great attitude about the team and the game. Look for him to crack the second or first team All-Big Ten this year.

What to expect: I want to see him be a senior leader on the line. Cohesion starts with the more experienced players helping out the young bucks, and Landolt has seen plenty of action to help the rest of the line adapt. I already know he can do his job well enough, so he won't be one of my main focuses this weekend.

• No. 79, Ako Poti. Fifth-year Senior. Backup RT.

What we already know: Poti was one of those rare transfers to Penn State, coming to Happy Valley in 2007 from San Fransisco Community College. He's played well as a regular backup for Dennis Landolt the past two seasons. Poti has good size (6'3") and has a lean build (305).

What to expect: Poti will most likely duke it out with redshirt frosh Mike Farrell the remainder of this off-season. If he wants to get in as much playing time as possible this year, he'll have to come out and finish off spring practice with a bang. The mental mistakes usually committed by backups will have to be set aside this Saturday.

• No. 78, Mike Farrell. Redshirt Freshman. Backup RT.

What we already know: While he's not mammoth by any means (279 lbs.), Farrell has the towering height (6'6") to keep the defensive linemen in front of him. His lean build gives him the opportunity to add weight as time goes on, which is great at Penn State, where the coaches like to mold players from the ground up.

What to expect: As much as I have a soft spot for seniors like Poti, Farrell's potential can't be ignored. I would love to see him have a breakout game this weekend, specifically going up against the first-team defensive front.

• No. 70, Andrew Radakovich. Redshirt Freshman. Backup LT.

What we already know: Radakovich is a little taller (6'5"), but leaner (296) than Eliades, so it should be an interesting battle to see who prevails this off-season. Although he's a freshman, Radakovich has garnered enough attention from the coaches and the media to warrant consideration for the backup left tackle spot.

What to expect: Sometimes the young guys fight harder when it means the difference between getting on the field in the third quarter, or the last 20 seconds. If Radakovich is as talented as they're saying he is, he should have no reason not to push ahead of the pack for the backup position. He and Eliades could split time this Saturday.

• No. 77, Lou Eliades. Redshirt Junior. Backup LT (also starter at RG, see later entry).

What's his deal: Eliades has played in 19 games over two years, including all 13 last season. His main position will be at right guard, but he's also had extensive work at the left tackle spot. If Pannell goes down, and Radakovich isn't quite ready for prime time, then Eliades will shift over.

GUARDS

• No. 74, Johnnie Troutman. Redshirt Sophomore. Possible starter LG.

What we already know: Troutman played in six games last season, including the first four. Like Eliades and co-left guard Matt Stankiewitch, Troutman is a bigger guard (6'4" 315), which reinforces the idea behind Penn State's new emphasis on size on the offensive line, compared to decades of "small and quick." With guys like Troutman, it's now "big and still quick."

What to expect: He has a very difficult job this weekend, along with the other two interior linemen, going up against some of the best interior defensive linemen in college football. It might be a real war inside, and I'm very interested to see how Troutman, Eliades and Stefen Wisniewski work together on pass plays. On the flip side, Troutman will probably do some pulling on runs, so keep an eye out for that.

• No. 54, Matt Stankiewitch. Redshirt Freshman. Possible starter LG, backup RG.

What we already know: Stankiewitch has really impressed the coaches, but hasn't been assigned a permanent spot on the interior of the line. Since he is only a redshirt freshman, it won't be an issue later on. Right now, his progress is about gaining experience. He could overtake Troutman at left guard, but so far, nothing has changed.

What to expect: Stankiewitch has gotten some attention since coming to Penn State last year. He has the talent to perform well as a member of the second team this weekend, but he will have to face the first team defensive line. It could be Stankiewitch's time to shine.

• No. 77, Lou Eliades. Redshirt Junior. Starter RG (also backup at LT, see earlier entry).

What we already know: He's an experienced player, as we already covered, and should be a real force on the inside this year.

What to expect: You'll probably hear me say this a lot, but I'm really looking forward to seeing this new interior offensive line in action. Eliades should be able to use his size and strength to hold up against the defensive line, but don't be surprised if he becomes a little winded later in the game.

CENTERS

• No. 61, Stefen Wisniewski. Junior. Starter.

What we already know: Wisniewski came to Penn State with a legacy older than he was. His father was one of the Lions' all-time great linemen, and young Wisniewski had a lot to live up to. So far, he has. Wisniewski's redshirt year was left by the wayside, as he made his first start in 2007, eventually earning the position over a senior. Wisniewski started every game last year at guard. This year, he's moved over to center to replace Rimington Trophy winner AQ Shipley.

What to expect: All news so far has been good news about Wisniewski's switch to center. No matter what, he's the new leader of this offensive line. Luckily, I think he has everything it takes to be that leader. This weekend, I'm really looking forward to see how he handles his new role. I wouldn't be surprised, either, if the defensive coaches send some tricky looks Wiz's way, just to test him.

• No. 67, Quinn Barham. Redshirt Sophomore. Backup.

What we already know: Barham appeared in six games last year, after suffering from an ankle injury his redshirt season. He originally played guard, but after backup center Doug Klopacz sustained another injury, Barham was moved to backup Wisniewski for 2009.

What to expect: As the leader of the second team line, I'm hoping Barham shows some promise. We haven't heard too much about him, although that could be a good thing. There is so much more to learn at center, particularly calling the blocking schemes, but I'm confident in Barham.

• Out with injuries: No. 65, J.B. Walton. Redshirt Sophomore. He was the leading candidate for a starting guard spot, until suffering a leg injury. He should be fine for the season.

• • •

Later today... (might be delayed until tomorrow morning)
The Defensive Line

Previously...
Monday: Quarterbacks and Running Backs
Tuesday: Receivers and Tight Ends

Next up...
Thursday: Linebackers and Defensive Backs.
Friday: Special Teams. Last minute updates.
Saturday night: Report from the game, photos, etc.

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

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Penn State Verbals for 2009

Here's who Penn State landed so far, for it's 2009 class. I'll have another post today or tomorrow, listing the Nittany Lions' top prospects who have not yet given verbals to any schools.

Name___________________	Stars	Committed	HT/WT/40	Hometown/School
OL Eric Shrive	5/4	5/15/08	6'7"/290/5.1	Scranton/WestScranton
LB Glenn Carson	4/3	9/29/08	6'3"/220/4.6	Manahawkin(NJ)/Southern
DB Darrell Givens	4/4	5/10/08	6'1"/178/4.5	IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
OL Mark Arcidiacono	4/2	4/30/08	6'5"/285/--	Philadelphia/St.Joe's
RB Curtis Dukes	4/3	7/2/08	6'2"/235/4.5	Philadelphia/IndianRiver
K Anthony Fera	3/3	10/22/08	6'2"/230/--	Houston(TX)/PiusX
OL Ty Howle	3/3	3/23/08	6'2"/290/5.4	Bunn(NC)/Bunn
DL Sean Stanley	3/4	Soft	6'1"/247/4.81	Gaithersburg(MD)/Gaithersburg
TE/DE Gary Gilliam	3/2	11/13/08	6'7"/245/4.80	Hershey/MiltonHershey
CB Derrick Thomas	3/4	5/12/08	6'0"/173/4.48	Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB Stephon Morris	3/3	5/26/08	5'9"/175/4.4	Greenbelt(MD)/E.Roosevelt
CB/QB Curtis Drake	3/2	6/11/08	6'0"/170/4.68	Philadelphia/WestPhila.Cath.
OL Adam Gress	3/3	7/2/08	6'7"/290/5.22	WestMifflin/WestMifflin
DB Stephen Obeng-Agyapong	3/3	5/9/08	5'11"/185/4.5	Cheektowaga(NY)/JFK
WR Brandon Felder	3/3	5/27/08	6'3"/165/4.5	OxonHill(MD)/OxonHill
DB Malcolm WIllis	3/3	4/29/08	6'1"/185/4.65	IndianHead(MD)/Lackey
OL Nate Cadogan	3/3	7/11/08	6'6"/250/5.0	Portsmouth(OH)/Portsmouth
WR Devon Smith	3/3	10/1/08	5'8"/145/4.34	Waldorf(MD)/Westlake
OL Frank Figueroa	2/2	5/15/08	6'4"/275/--	Alexandria(VA)/Edison
WR Christian Kuntz	2/2	7/4/08	6'4"/190/4.46	CampHill/Trinity

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Clark's Heisman quandary; JoePa's presser

Clark and the Heisman

If Daryll Clark gets the invitation to New York City as a finalist–I don't believe he can win it this season, unless several players have complete meltdowns–it could set him up to be labeled as a huge disappointment in 2009. Right now, a few people are tabbing Clark as a legitimate contender for the Heisman. That's great and all, but what will it mean next year, when Penn State loses its best ever trio of wide receivers, and probably the best offensive line in college football?

Gerald Cadogan, AQ Shipley and Rich Ohrnberger will all leave Penn State after this season. Another former starter, and top backup, Mike Lucian, will also move on. Sure, the underclassmen will have the talent and the skills to fill in. But Penn State will not have the kind of dominance up front offensively its enjoyed this year. That could give Clark, and even Evan Royster/Stephfon Green, some trouble next year.

On the perimeter, Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood will all not return next year. Through seven games this year, they've accounted for 60 percent (1024 yds) of Penn State's total (1729 yds) receiving yardage. Barring injuries, that percentage will undoubtedly rise by season's end. But it's not just the yardage. Those three receivers' value came to the forefront at Wisconsin, where on several occasions, Clark was forced to make bad throws, only to have a wide out come back and grab the pass. I'm not saying that the backups, like James MacDonald, Kevin Cousins, Brett Brackett, Graham Zug, Derek Moye and Chaz Powell, won't be great wide receivers. You just can't replace Williams, Butler and Norwood overnight.

Clark will most likely enter 2009 as a Heisman favorite, regardless of what happens this year. But when the pundits start hyping players, they always seem to forget about rationality. Penn State will lose a bunch of great players this year, players who were vital cogs in the Nittany Lion offensive machine. And let's not forget about the possibility that Penn State could win a BCS Bowl, or even the National Championship this year. That would send Clark's stock through the roof. But I think the best way to gauge just how good a player is, is Joe Paterno himself. If he starts plugging for Clark, as he did for Larry Johnson, Tamba Hali and Michael Robinson, then we'll know. For now, we can only enjoy watching Clark tear up the opposition.

Joe Paterno's Press Conference

It seems that all 10-gazzillion Penn State blogs are too lazy to get timely reports up about Joe Paterno's presser. Yup, I'm one of them. So, as I see them today, I'll add them here. Check back later!

Also, I'll have the Michigan Preview up tomorrow.

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Review, Game 2: PSU 45, OSU 14

Today I'll go over a few of the ups and downs from yesterday's win over Oregon State. I really don't think that Oregon State was that bad; Penn State was just too good for the Beavers. Some are already comparing this offense to the 1994 team. Not me, well, yet. Penn State "jumped on them early" as Joe Paterno said, and there was no better way to put it. After last week felt more like a glorified Blue-White Game, and then the "5204" incident, doubts began swirling around this team. Penn State answered with a complete domination over the Pac-10 visitors. Fans and the team need to stay grounded, even with a 4-0 start almost a lock. But we'll get into all of this as I review how each unit performed Saturday, and what we could expect for next week at Syracuse.

OFFENSE :: A+

Line - Another week, and still no sacks. The Oregon State D-line wasn't very good, but Penn State's O-line was even better. Daryll Clark just sat back in the pocket, had a snack, then threw when he was ready. I'll throw in the lead blockers with this, as guys like Dan Lawlor and Brett Brackett were laying out critical blocks all day. So far, the offensive line is the best unit on the team.

Receivers - There were too many receivers, and not enough passes to throw. It's a great problem to have. I was really pleased with the play from Jordan Norwood (116 yds, 1 TD) and Mickey Shuler (48 yds, 1 TD), especially coming up huge on third-down conversions in the 1st Quarter. Butler and Williams didn't get too many big plays this week, but weren't really even needed.

Quarterbacks - Daryll Clark really grew up this week. Any quarterback could have beaten Coastal Carolina, but Clark showed great poise and, at some points amazing, accuracy. We all automatically thought of Michael Robinson, but Clark doesn't throw like Robinson. Clark's better. The scariest part about Clark: He still has two more easy games to improve!

Rushers - If Evan Royster maintains this pace he'd finish with 1332 yards and 36 touchdowns! Yeah, so he won't score that many times, but the yardage is completely possible. While Stefphon Green and others didn't do much, like the wide receivers, they didn't really have to. Royster is the most fluid, smooth runner we've seen in a long time. Larry Johnson, Ki-Jana Carter, not sure yet. But so far, Royster's just as good.

DEFENSE :: B

Line - Missing three of the best linemen from 2007? No problem, we'll just make new ones. Josh Gaines is a defensive captain, and earned every part of it Saturday. He became a one-man show early, and set the tone for the rest of the defense. It's the kind of leadership Penn State needs right now. Unfortunately, the line got tired, and now with Jerome Hayes out for the season, there can be no more slip ups.

Linebackers - This group played much better this week, especially in pass coverage. Navorro Bowman seems to be out of the Paterno dog house (team-leading 10 tackles), and Josh Hull picked off a pass over the middle. Considering that OSU has much better athletes than CCU, the back seven played great. This will be an underrated unit throughout the season.

Secondary - Anthony Scirrotto had some monster hits, Drew Astorino nearly picked off a pass, and Mark Rubin came up big with his own interception. And those were just the safeties. While the corners were limited to underneath zone most of the day, the tackling was fantastic in the secondary. The only blemish was the OSU touchdown run, when half the defense couldn't bring the runner down. But overall it was a good outing by the defensive backs.

SPECIAL TEAMS :: A

Kickers - Jeremy Boone had a net punting average of 34 yards per boot, and Kevin Kelly only missed on a 60-yarder. The kicking game hasn't been a huge factor for PSU so far.

Returners - The return game didn't break anything real big, but didn't make any mistakes.

Coverage - I wasn't sure if last week's good kick/punt coverage was the result of a bad opponent. Well, Penn State has made good progress on this front. On five kick returns, OSU averaged only 25 yards. On three punt returns, OSU got only eight-per. On the season, PSU is allowing 18 yards per kick return, and six yards per punt return.

COACHES

Maybe this whole Spread HD thing will work. And after week two, PSU coaches said they still haven't let it all out? The playcalling was perfect for the personnel. We were treated to some Power-I, Shotgun, One-Back, Empty-Set and everything in between. Give Galen Hall and Jay Paterno their due, they called a great game. Let's hope they don't let Joe start calling plays next week on the road. The Syracuse trip should give us a real indicator how this team wants to play on the road. If things tighten up, it will be the same old. If we see the same as this week, look out Big Ten.

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Halftime Report: Oregon St at PSU

When has Penn State looked this dominant? I know, Oregon State lost to Stanford, but this is really impressive. 328 yards in the first half, five touchdowns, NO turnovers and NO penalties. It's not just that Penn State has racked up the yards, or that the Beavers are totally impotent. Penn State played crisp, and generally mistake-free, outside of that one pass Daryll Clark threw right into the defender's chest. If the offensive line and other blockers continue to drive opponents into the turf, this will go down as one of the best front five to play at Penn State. Of course, 9.9 yards per carry, 119 yards and three scores for Evan Royster... Larry Johnson who? Ok, not yet, at least. But this is the kind of running Penn State needed this season. Good half. No, great half.

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Quick Hits on JoePa's Presser

With the latest shenannigans hitting the ticker, I'll keep this brief. But I still want to go over Joe Paterno's press conference from Tuesday afternoon. I thought it was really positive all around, even if it took place before the "5204" incident. At first, the presser started off with real, football-related questions. Talking about this week's game with Oregon State, the play of the defensive line, and some quick hits about the Coastal Carolina win. But at the end I felt the reporters got lazy and just repeated the same old bull about retirement and hypotheticals. And we all know how much JoePa hates hypotheticals.

I thought the exchanges about the linemen's weight, and Aaron Maybin were the most interesting.

"Q. The offensive line has been playing great the last year or so. It's also one of the smaller offensive lines in the country with average height and width. How hard do you guys have to work to keep the weight down on these guys? And how athletic do you think it makes them on the field?

Well, there's a natural body weight. We take their body fat all the time. You can be 275 pounds and have a body fat percentage of 28, 29 percent, and, you know, you're just carrying dead weight. That's not going to help you.

So the people in the training room, J.T. Thomas and Jeremy (Scott) and the doctors, they'll periodically just weigh them and test their body fat.

We have a certain percentage of body fat that we think is acceptable for different positions. If you're over 22 percent let's say and I'm throwing that figure out there without being sure I've got the figures correctly if you're over 22 percent, I don't care if you weigh 400 pounds, you've got to get down. You've got to get down where your body weight, the percentage of your body fat, would be under 22 percent.

If you're a wideout and you're over 8, 9, 10 percent body fat, you're too heavy. I mean weight is not the answer. It's strength and the power that you can generate, the shot, the quickness, all those kinds of things. And excess weight does not help you. It does not help you.

We have two really fine freshmen kids and one is about 32 percent body fat. Until he gets down, he's not going to play. But he's a heck of a prospect. The other one's about 29 percent, and he's in the same boat.

So we work hard to make sure they're at their optimum weight, whatever that is. It depends on their body structure and all the things that all of us would like. If we all had our body fat taken today, all right, where would we go? We're going to go to the Mayo Clinic."

About the defensive line:

"Q. You were talking the other day about your defensive line. I know Josh Gaines moved inside for a few plays. I wonder how much that gives you versatility, and how well Aaron Maybin played on Saturday?

He played all right. Maybin's got a long way to go. We've got better players than he playing right now. Maybin some day will be good. But Gaines and (Maurice) Evans, (Jerome) Hayes, I thought those kids played really well. And I think Maybin eventually will be a good football player.

But, he's got to be a little more disciplined. Not make as many mistakes and those kinds of things. But he hasn't played a lot. He's still young. I thought overall we did all right.

I think Coastal Carolina, when they decided to do a couple things inside, they did it well. The kids ran hard. A couple of those kids are quick. Obviously, they don't have the kind of depth and the size and maybe the power that a team like Oregon State has. But I think overall we did a decent job.

We've got to be better. Because, as I said, I don't think Oregon State's going to come up and throw the ball 50 times. I would be surprised. I think we've got to be ready to stop a couple running plays."

Ok, I know that was a pretty lazy overview on my part, but hey, you all probably read about it somewhere else already. I'll try to stay on top of the "5204" story, but for now, I'll just take care of football business.

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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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Why Notre Dame fans need to stay grounded

I like Notre Dame. In fact, it was Notre Dame that made me want to get into a big, rah-rah school. But I'm a realist before anything else. The Fighting Irish are already gaining a strong head of over-confident steam, and it's only the middle of May. I won't go so far as to say Notre Dame won't make a bowl game (I believe they will), but I get a silly feeling the Irish faithful are setting the bar way too high for 2008. 7-5? Sure. Anything more? Hold your horses.
The way Notre Dame fans are talking, you would think this team was coming off a growing pains-type season. It sounds like the offensive line just needed some tweaking. It sounds like there were only one or two turnovers that could have made the difference in the final record. It sounds like this team wasn't bad enough to cause even the most casual college football fans to wretch in pain every time Notre Dame ran out of the tunnel. Ok, that's a bit harsh, but so was Notre Dame in 2007.

Why can't Notre Dame win a lot more games in 2008?

Team maturity: I’m not saying that the Irish didn’t grow up after suffering through 2007. The defense was much improved by November, but then again, any defense would look good against Duke, Air Force and Stanford. However, Notre Dame wasn’t just the victim of bad luck. Twenty-six fumbles (16 lost), 11 interceptions and a 74 percent success rate inside the red-zone; I’d be surprised if any team reached .500 with those kinds of numbers. Getting a year under their belts will always improve the mistakes, but remember, most of the guys coming back have had plenty of playing experience prior to 2007. And even more of them were very highly rated coming out of high school. Fine-tuning is always required for younger players with lots of talent. It’s almost expected, but when you have a complete meltdown like Notre Dame did in 2007, there are much deeper issues, not easily resolved in time for the following season.

The offensive line: Fifty-eight sacks were allowed by Notre Dame’s offensive line in 2007—58! That’s an average of almost five per game. I actually find this the most curious of the three major problems most likely to carry over into 2008. One has to ask, how is it that a line with All-American center John Sullivan, and very highly regarded recruits Sam Young (13 st 2006), Dan Wegner (#3 C in 2006), Michael Turkovich (10 st 2006), Eric Olsen (8 st 2006), Paul Duncan (12 gm 2006), could be so bad? Only one of the 2007 starters came into the season with no significant playing time. I think the real answer to this question is with the next and final point.

Coaching: This is a double-edged sword for Notre Dame in 2008. First, Charlie Weis can’t seem to coach a team that doesn’t have all the tools and talent in place and ready to roll. We all saw that last season. He’s a poor motivator—other than flashing his Super Bowl rings—and has trouble dealing with adversity. However, there’s the spark named John Tenuta. I really think he can turn things around on that side of the ball, but it will take time. 2008 won’t show the results the Irish faithful are expecting.

The 2008 Irish will have some success. As I said earlier, they won’t flop nearly as bad as 2007. But people have to keep in mind that, after a complete collapse, it takes time to rebuild. It won’t take as long as Penn State did to get back on track after the Nittany Lions’ 2000 meltdown. I fully expect Notre Dame to become a BCS contender by 2009, not 2008 though. San Diego State, Stanford, North Carolina, and Syracuse are the only good chances for Irish wins. We’ll see.

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For the right Price, I'll throw in some Farrell, no charge

First off, I'm not going to make some cheesy joke about how Mike Farrell has the same name as the M*A*S*H* star. I love that show, but I won't even go this far. Everyone else has already posted the photos, so it's very old by now. OK, so now to where Penn State stands.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that AJ Price committed to Penn State last weekend. I know, he's no Vidal Hazleton or Deion Walker, but he's tall and fast. What more does Penn State want right now? And who cares that he is only rated two stars; Deon Butler wasn't even rated coming out of high school. He was a defensive back who got a "preferred walk-on" invitation. So, don't take too much stock in those rankings. Price should add some depth for the next few years at that postition. On the super-plus side of this, Price said he's totally cool with redshirting this season. Great! I love a guy that cares more about the team than himself. I think that's a smart move on his part. Unless Penn State wide receivers start dropping like Rich Rodriguez's credibility, Price won't play in 2008.

Yes, I absolutely had to throw that Rich Rod quip in there. It was too easy to pass up.

On the Farrell side of it all, it's another case of fans giving the old, "well, he's not a gread commit, but I guess he'll be an OK backup." What's Penn State's fan base complained about more than anything for the last eight seasons? The offensive line; more specifically, the lack of size on the offensive front five. We all know Joe Paterno likes to use quick, smart linemen, and if they're big, even better. But now, Penn State could have the largest front five in a long time. That's not just the starters, but from top to bottom, it could be a very formitable group. Farrell has an excellent chance to someday crack the two-deep. How soon is up to him. He's off to a good start already, as he's coming to University Park at a Paterno-friendly 6'5" 285 lbs.

Don't expect much from me on the Tyrelle Pryor front. That's a rediculous situation, and I can only see trouble for the schools in the mix. At least, it's good for entertainment.

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