PSU Volleyball: Greatest college dynasty ever?

Penn State just had to stress us all out last night. The Nittany (Lady) Lions went down 2-0, facing No. 2 Texas in the Women's Volleyball National Championship; but Penn State, like all great teams, found a way to win. Senior Megan Hodge (pictured above), AVCA Division I National Player of the Year, used her patented death stare to stun the Longhorns, and led Penn State to a wild comeback win.

It is Penn State's fourth national title, third in a row. The Lions also extended their current record win streak to 102, while giving coach Russ Rose his 1,001st career victory. This can only beg the question: Is Penn State Women's Volleyball the greatest college championship dynasty in Division 1-A history?

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Coverage Maps: Ohio State at Penn State

Seventy-two percent of the nation will get this week's game on ABC, while the rest of America will get it on ESPN2. Ohio State vs. Penn State is becoming a ratings giant, as we can see from this week's coverage map for the 3:30 p.m. kickoffs. The Nittany Lions have not only locked up the New York City, Chicago, and L.A. markets, but also Miami and half of the SEC territory. For three and a half hours this Saturday afternoon, the eyes of the college football world will be focused squarely on Beaver Stadium.

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Fathers' Day is Penn State day on BTN

How great is this?

"Sunday, June 21 – PENN STATE DAY
6:00 a.m. The Big Ten’s Greatest Games: 2001 – Penn State @ Michigan State [B]
8:00 a.m. Outdoor Track & Field: Outdoor Championship (5/17/09)
11:00 a.m. Campus Programming: Making the Blue Band
12:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer: Big Ten Championship – Penn State vs. Minnesota (11/9/08)
2:00 p.m. Big Ten Short Stories: Penn State Nittany Lions
2:30 p.m. Penn State Basketball Story
3:00 p.m. Campus Programming: Cooking Camp
3:30 p.m. Conversations with Dave Revsine: Suzie McConnell Serio
4:00 p.m. Campus Programming: Penn State Impact – The Economy and the Graduate
5:00 p.m. The Big Ten’s Greatest Games: 2008 – Michigan State @ Penn State [B]
7:00 p.m. The Big Ten’s Greatest Games: 1983 Sugar Bowl – Penn State vs. Georgia
10:00 p.m. Big Ten Short Stories: Penn State Nittany Lions
10:30 p.m. Penn State Basketball Story
11:00 p.m. The Big Ten’s Greatest Games: 1984 – Boston College @ Penn State [F]
1:00 a.m. Friday Night Tailgate: Penn State
2:30 a.m. Big Ten Short Stories: Penn State Nittany Lions
3:00 a.m. Campus Programming: Conversations from Penn State – Mind Wars
4:00 a.m. The Big Ten’s Greatest Games: 2008 – Indiana @ Penn State [B]"

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First Look '09: Akron Zips

Penn State kicks off 2009 with a familiar opening day foe, the Akron Zips. The Lions have hosted the Zips three times since 1999, winning by an average score of 51-17. But what do we know about the 2009 Akron Zips? Let's find out, in today's First Look.

Akron @ PSU 2004:
Click HERE for more Penn State football photo galleries from Zombie Nation.

"Hart" of the Zips – A 27-33 record as head coach doesn't usually earn you an "underrated" title in college football. But I beg to differ with Zips head man J.D. Brookhart. Akron has only posted two winning seasons under his guidance, but he's been able to recruit enough of his own players that things are coming around. This could be his best season. Much of his offense returns, and if the defense can make up for a bad secondary, things will really pop in 2009. The defense under Brookhart has always been an issue, but last year's offensive point total of 360 was 57 points more than any previous season in his system.

Throwing with Zip – Ok, so the "zip" puns are already getting old. But they're just too easy. Too the point of the pun, Akron returns a third-year starting quarterback in Chris Jacquemain, which is always a winner factor in the MAC. Seniors Deryn Bowser (785 yds '08) and Andre Jones (678 yds '08) return, supported by senior Jeremy Bruce (345 yds '08). While it's no USC pitch-and-catch combo, Penn State will be very inexperienced at defensive back, especially early in the season. I'm just sayin'.

Mighty MAC – Looking at Akron's schedule, there is no reason to expect fewer than six wins. Games @Penn State, @Central Michigan, and Ohio for homecoming in the first five games are the only games I wouldn't give Akron a good chance to win. The other nine are very winnable games. If the Zips develop and learn from the early losses, they could finish up the year on a seven game win streak, with @Buffalo, @Syracuse, @Northern Illinois, Kent State, Temple, @Bowling Green and finishing up with Eastern Michigan. Even with a loss or two in there, that would still be seven or eight wins. Overly optimistic? Maybe. Totally possible? Absolutely.

From enemy territory:

I asked Mike Rasor, Rasor on the Zips blogger, about the 2009 team. The tone was cautiously optimistic. Rasor pointed to the offense as the Zips' strongest suit this year.

"An experienced passing attack should keep Akron in most games. Chris Jacquemain is playing his third year as starting quarterback," Rasor told me, adding, "The Zips have loads of talent at receiver, [and] the veteran offensive line has been very dependable."

But Rasor isn't sold on the defense, as one would expect in the MAC. He said the defense could be this team's Achilles heel.

"In the MAC, every defensive coordinator dreams of having an experienced secondary," Rasor said. "Akron is thin. It will struggle on third down."

The biggest story by far this year will be InfoCision Stadium, which will replace the old Rubber Bowl, Akron's home since 1940.

"Akron will open InfoCision Stadium vs. Morgan State, the week after the Penn State game. Indiana comes to town the week after. This stadium was much needed. Its predecessor, the Rubber Bowl, was 15 minutes from campus and was literally crumbling," Rasor said, adding that 2009 should be "the most highly anticipated season in the program's history. If the Zips can put a scare in Penn State, it will only heighten the hype."

For more on the Akron Zips:

2009 Akron schedule

Spring Game Review

New stadium construction, Webcams

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In other news...

◊ The news quality is so horribly boring the past few days (CFB news, that is), that I'm going to devote an entire post to non-football Penn State sports. It's alright though. You see, it's the people like me that cause Penn State's other sports to suffer from being smothered by the football team. But that's life in Happy Valley. I really like the other sports, even if it doesn't show in my coverage. I just don't know enough about them to cover them with any sort of authority here. Despite all that, I've decided that today was the perfect day to give the other sports the spotlight.

•Wrestling - Fresh off two Big Ten road ties against ranked teams, the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will put its No. 16 national ranking to the test this weekend when it hosts two Big Ten rivals in Rec Hall. No. 10 Minnesota comes to town on Friday, Jan. 30, for a 7p.m. dual and No. 17 Wisconsin visits Rec Hall on Sunday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m.

•Men's Gymnastics - The fifth-ranked Penn State men's gymnastics team will seek consecutive wins over Big Ten opponents when it visits Minneapolis, Minn. for a dual meet with No. 7 Minnesota this weekend. The conference clash is scheduled for Sat., Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. ET at the home of the Golden Gophers, the Sports Pavilion. Minnesota head coach, Mike Burns, is a Penn State graduate and former Nittany Lion gymnast. Junior Brandi Personett was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 26. It is the fifth career honor for Personett and the first of the season for a Nittany Lion women's gymnast.

•Women's Gymnastics - The 17th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team travels to No. 12 Nebraska on Friday, Jan. 30 for a 7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET) meet with the Cornhuskers. Live scoring will be available via a link at www.GoPSUsports.com. Penn State returns home to host its first quad meet of the season when it welcomes William & Mary, Cornell and Pennsylvania to Rec Hall on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m.

•Men's Basketball - When the Nittany Lion basketball team returns to the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday, Feb. 8 to take on Wisconsin, fans will also be able to enjoy the Philadelphia Phillies World Series Trophy Tour presented by Teva and Comcast. The game will also be "Coaches vs. Cancer Day" at the Jordan Center with special events and an opportunity for fans to join the fight against cancer, including a silent auction of sports memorabilia on the concourse.

•Men's Volleyball - The top-ranked Penn State men's volleyball team crushed Juniata in three games (30-14, 30-12, 30-27) Wednesday night at Rec Hall to improve to 5-0 for the season. Penn State travels to Saint Francis on Friday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 p.m. before returning home to host Springfield on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:00 p.m. at Rec Hall.

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ZN's CFB Top 25 2008 :: Final

Close the book on 2008...

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Florida (3), [13-1, Won vs Oklahoma 24-14]
2. Utah (6), [13-0, Won vs Alabama 31-17]
3. USC (8), [12-1, Won vs Penn State 38-24]
4. Oklahoma (1), [12-2, Lost vs Florida 24-14]
5. Texas (2), [12-1, Won vs Ohio State 24-21]
6. Penn State (5), [11-2, Lost vs USC 38-24]
7. Ohio State (7), [10-3, Lost vs Texas 24-21]
8. Alabama (4), [12-2, Lost vs Utah 31-17]
9. Texas Christian (12), [11-2, Won vs Boise State 17-16]
10. Oregon (13), [10-3, Won vs Oklahoma St 42-31]
11. Boise State (9), [12-1, Lost vs TCU 17-16]
12. Georgia (20), [10-3, Won vs Michigan St 24-12]
13. Iowa (21), [9-4, Won vs South Carolina 31-10]
14. Virginia Tech (22), [10-4, Won vs Cincinnati 20-7]
15. Missouri (24), [10-3, Won vs Northwestern 30-23]
16. Mississippi (NR), [9-4, Won vs Texas Tech 47-34]
17. Texas Tech (10), [11-2, Lost vs Ole Miss 47-34]
18. Cincinnati (14), [11-3, Lost vs Virginia Tech 20-7]
19. Oregon State (25), [9-4, Won vs Pitt 3-0]
20. Michigan State (16), [9-4, Lost vs Georgia 24-12]
21. BYU (17), [10-3, Lost vs Arizona 31-21]
22. Northwestern (19), [9-4, Lost vs Missouri 30-23OT]
23. Georgia Tech (11), [9-4, Lost vs LSU 38-3]
24. Oklahoma State (15), [9-4, Lost vs Oregon 42-31]
25. West Virginia (NR), [9-4, Won vs North Carolina 31-30]

Dropped Out:
Pittsburgh (18), [9-4, Lost vs Oregon St 3-0]
Ball State (23), [12-2, Lost vs Buffalo 42-24]
Boston College (25), [9-5, Lost vs Vanderbilt 16-14]

On the Cusp:
Nebraska (NR), [9-4, Won vs Clemson 26-21]
Florida State (NR), [9-4, Won vs Wisconsin 42-13]
California (NR), [9-4, Won vs Miami 24-17]
Pittsburgh (18), [9-4, Lost vs Oregon St 3-0]
Ball State (23), [12-2, Lost vs Buffalo 42-24]
Boston College (25), [9-5, Lost vs Vanderbilt 16-14]

Notes: I was very tempted to place Utah at the No. 1 slot, but that would have been out of pure bias. I'm not a fan of the SEC, but Florida did stake its legitimate claim as No. 1. I really liked what Utah had done this season. But from top to bottom, the level of competition was a little bit weaker (very little) than Florida's. It was almost too much to get over when the Gators lost to Ole Miss in the Swamp. In the end, though, clamping down on Oklahoma was enough for me. I also wanted to put USC at No. 2, but the loss to Oregon State still sticks out like a sore thumb. I still believe that USC could beat any team in the country, but they didn't. Texas was less than impressive in its win over Ohio State, which seemed too be the first real good defense the Horns faced all year. I won't get into my rah-rah speech about how Penn State played better against USC than most think, but I will say that the Lions are a much better team than the final AP/Coaches Polls show. Alabama, TCU and Oregon (kind of) barely looked like real top-10 teams, especially the Tide and the Frogs, but really, who else is going to go there? The Ducks are probably legit. The rest of the top 25 teams stunk it up this bowl season. The worst game of all being the 3-0 "win" by Oregon State over Pitt. And with that, on to 2009!

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ZN's CFB Top 25 2008 :: Pre-Bowls

Who's better: The No. 1 team, or the No. 2 team that beat the No. 1 team? Wow, my head hurts.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Oklahoma (2), [12-1, Won vs Missouri 62-21]
2. Texas (1), [11-1, DNP]
3. Florida (3), [12-1, Won vs Alabama 31-20]
4. Alabama (4), [12-1, Lost vs Florida 31-20]
5. Penn State (5), [11-1, DNP]
6. Utah (6), [12-0, DNP]
7. Ohio State (7), [10-2, DNP]
8. USC (8), [11-1, Won at UCLA 28-7]
9. Boise State (9), [12-0, DNP]
10. Texas Tech (10), [11-1, DNP]
11. Georgia Tech (11), [9-3, DNP]
12. Texas Christian (12), [10-2, DNP]
13. Oregon (13), [9-3, DNP]
14. Cincinnati (15), [11-2, Won at Hawaii 29-24]
15. Oklahoma State (17), [9-3, DNP]
16. Michigan State (18), [9-3, DNP]
17. BYU (19), [10-2, DNP]
18. Pittsburgh (25), [9-3, Won at UConn 34-10]
19. Northwestern (20), [9-3, DNP]
20. Georgia (21), [9-3, DNP]
21. Iowa (22), [8-4, DNP]
22. Virginia Tech (NR), [9-4, Won vs Boston College 30-12]
23. Ball State (16), [12-1, Lost vs Buffalo 42-24]
24. Missouri (23), [9-3, DNP]
25t. Oregon State (24), [8-4, DNP]
25t. Boston College (14), [9-4, Lost vs Virginia Tech 30-12]

Dropped Out:
(None this week)

On the Cusp:
Mississippi (NR), [8-4, DNP]
West Virginia (NR), [8-4, Won vs South Florida 13-7]
North Carolina (NR), [8-4, DNP]
Nebraska (NR), [8-4, DNP]
Florida State (NR), [8-4, DNP]

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Lions and Hoosiers and JoePa, Oh My!

As part of this week's "Moving On" theme, let's get to it with our guest blogger. John from the Hoosier Report was good enough to come on down and talk about the game and season so far. I answered some of his questions, so please stop by Hoosier Report to see his interview with me! Enjoy.

1. How would you label this season for IU? Why, and what were your expectations going in?

HR: Not surprisingly, I consider this season a major disappointment. Certainly, success in football is never a sure thing at IU, but considering the schedule, eight home games, and the number of returning contributors, I expected to contend for another bowl bid, with a slim hope of perhaps doing a bit better. I knew there were no guarantees, but I expected to be a couple of games better than 3-7 at this point.

2. Is there one player that could really help IU keep it close at PSU? Who, and what can he do?

HR: I'm not sure that any single player can make the difference. Marcus Thigpen, if his ankle isn't injured too badly, may be the fastest guy in the Big Ten and can cause some trouble if he gets into the open field or on a kick return. Already this season, he has touchdown runs of 78, 77, 67, and 31 yards and 79 and 77 yard TD receptions. Still, like so many key contributors, he may not be healthy on Saturday.

3. If Kellen Lewis was healthy/not-in-trouble this year, how different could IU's season have gone?

HR: IU's problems seem to run deeper than Lewis's problems. James Hardy was a bigger part of Lewis's success as a passer in 2006 and 2007 than we might like to admit. Still, Lewis missed plays in IU's close loss at Minnesota, didn't play in the 3 point loss to CMU, and missed part of IU's mostly competitive 13 point loss to MSU. Turning one or more of those games would have given IU some hope. But every lousy team can point to a few games in could have won. The Hoosiers are what they are.

4. The last two IU/PSU games have actually been close ones (22-18 in 2004 and 36-31 in 2007). Although IU has never beaten PSU, they've kept things remarkably interesting during the run. What do you expect from the 2008 edition?

HR: I expect an angry Penn State team to take an injury-riddled and disheartened IU team to the woodshed. I wish I could say otherwise, and I'll talk myself into a bit more optimism before I sit down to watch the game on Saturday, but I expect a blowout by halftime. You are right about the overall series. The first meeting in 1993 was close, the 1994 game was marginally competitive, although not nearly as close as the 6 point final margin. IU had its chances in 2000 (a game that Cam Cameron stupidly moved off campus to the RCA Dome), and you mentioned 2004 and 2007. Quite a few could-haves, but I am now resigned to the fact that we will never beat JoePa.

*Ed.- and yes, I'm still procrastinating with that Iowa review. I'm forcing myself to finish it before I do the Indiana preview, which will be up tonight.

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ZN's CFB Top 25 2008 :: Week 12

If parity was the goal, then I think college football has achieved it. The bottom half of the top 25 is just a nightmare. Anyway, Rose Bowl here we come. Well, hopefully.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. Alabama (1), [10-0, Won at LSU 27-21 (1OT)]
2. Texas Tech (4), [10-0, Won vs Oklahoma St 56-20]
3. Florida (3), [8-1, Won at Vanderbilt 42-14]
4. Texas (6), [9-1, Won vs Baylor 45-21]
5. Oklahoma (5), [9-1, Won at Texas A&M 66-28]
6. Penn State (2), [9-1, Lost at Iowa 24-23]
7. Utah (8), [10-0, Won vs TCU 13-10]
8. USC (9), [8-1, Won vs California 17-3]
9. Boise State (11), [9-0, Won vs Utah St 49-14]
10. Ohio State 12), [8-2, Won at Northwestern 45-10]
11. Oklahoma State (7), [8-2, Lost at Texas Tech 56-20]
12. Texas Christian (10), [9-2, Lost at Utah 13-10]
13. BYU (13), [9-1, Won vs San Diego St 41-12]
14. Missouri (14), [8-2, Won vs Kansas St 41-24]
15. Georgia (15), [8-2, Won at Kentucky 42-38]
16. Ball State (16), [9-0, Won vs Northern Illinois 45-14]
17. Michigan State (17), [9-2, Won vs Purdue 21-7]
18. North Carolina (18), [7-2, Won vs Georgia Tech 28-7]
19. Oregon State (NR), [6-3, Won at UCLA 34-6]
20. Florida State (25), [7-2, Won vs Clemson 41-27]
21. Pittsburgh (NR), [7-2, Won vs Louisville 41-7]
22. Cincinnati (NR), [7-2, Won at West Virginia 26-23]
23. LSU (19), [6-3, Lost vs Alabama 27-21 (1OT)]
24. Oregon (NR), [7-3, Won vs Stanford 35-28]
25. Tulsa (NR), [8-1, DNP]


Dropped Out:
West Virginia (20), [6-3, Lost vs Cincinnati 26-23]
Georgia Tech (21), [7-3, Lost at North Carolina 28-7]
Northwestern (22), [7-3, Lost vs Ohio St 45-10]
Minnesota (23), [7-3, Lost vs Michigan 29-6]
California (24), [6-3, Lost at USC 17-3]

On the Cusp:
Virginia Tech (NR), [6-3, Won vs Maryland 23-13]
Air Force (NR), [8-2, Won vs Colorado St 38-17]
West Virginia (20), [6-3, Lost vs Cincinnati 26-23]
Georgia Tech (21), [7-3, Lost at North Carolina 28-7]
Northwestern (22), [7-3, Lost vs Ohio St 45-10]
Minnesota (23), [7-3, Lost vs Michigan 29-6]

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Back Tomorrow

It's been a rough Sunday. That's ok, though. Penn State beat Michigan.

Yeah, Penn State beat Michigan.

And did I mention, Penn State beat Michigan?

See you all tomorrow with Penn State in the Polls, the Full Review of Penn State's win, and maybe even my top 25! But for today, no such luck. I'm feeling really lazy.

P.S. - Penn State beat Michigan...

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ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 5 2008

The top didn't move much again. Doesn't anyone else realize that USC has had two bye weeks so far? Just thought I'd mention that. Oregon shouldn't have lost at home, even without a quarterback. Auburn choked big-time. And Colorado is emerging as a real threat in the Big XII North. But this week will tell us a lot about which teams are legit, as most of the cupcakes are gone.

Rank. Team (LW), [Record, LW Result].

1. USC (1), [2-0, DNP]
2. Oklahoma (2), [3-0, DNP]
3. Georgia (3), [4-0, Won at Arizona St 27-10]
4. Missouri (4), [4-0, Won vs. Buffalo 42-21]
5. Penn State (5), [4-0, Won vs. Temple 45-3]
6. BYU (6), [4-0, Won vs. Wyoming 44-0]
7. LSU (9), [3-0, Won at Auburn 26-21]
8. Florida (8), [4-0, Won at Tennessee 30-6]
9. South Florida (12), [4-0, Won at FIU 17-9]
10. Ohio State (10), [3-1, Won vs. Troy 28-10]
11. Wisconsin (11), [3-0, DNP]
12. Alabama (20), [4-0, Won at Arkansas 49-14]
13. Wake Forest (18), [3-0, Won at Florida St 12-3]
14. Texas Tech (14), [4-0, Won vs. UMass(AA) 56-14]
15. Utah (15), [3-0, Won at Air Force 30-23]
16. Texas (16), [4-0, Won vs. Rice 52-10]
17. Kentucky (17), [3-0, DNP]
18. Clemson (21), [3-1, Won vs. South Carolina St(AA) 54-0]
19. Auburn (13), [3-1, Lost vs. LSU 26-21]
20. Texas Christian (23), [4-0, Won at SMU 48-7]
21. Boise State (NR), [3-0, Won at Oregon 37-32]
22. Fresno State (22), [2-1, Won at Toledo 55-54(2OT)]
23. Colorado (NR), [3-0, Won vs. West Virginia 17-14]
24. Oregon (7), [3-1, Lost vs. Boise St 37-32]
25. East Carolina (19), [3-1, Lost at NC State 30-24(OT)]

Dropped Out:
West Virginia (24), [1-2, Lost at Colorado 17-14]
Nebraska (25), [3-0, DNP]

On the Cusp:
Vanderbilt (NR), [4-0, Won at Ole Miss 23-17]
Illinois (NR), [2-1, DNP]
Michigan State (NR), [3-1, Won vs. Notre Dame 23-7]
Virginia Tech (NR), [3-1, Won at North Carolina 20-17]
Georgia Tech (NR), [3-1, Won vs. Miss St 38-7]

*Coming Wednesday: Check out my chat with Paint The Town Orange, an Illini blog kind enough to cross enemy lines.

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Name That Nittany Lion!

I got an email from Zombie Nation reader Aaron. He had some fine pictures taken with Penn State football players last week. One of them was Derrick Williams. The other, well, he wasn't quite sure who it was. Understandable. I'd say nine out of ten PSU fans couldn't tell you who the players were without the uniform numbers. So we are going to leave it up to all of you, the readers. Name this Nittany Lion!

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Royster named POW

No, Evan Royster wasn't captured in battle. From the Big Ten's site:

Evan Royster, Penn State
SO, RB, Fairfax, Va./Westfield
Despite playing less than three quarters, Royster set a career high with 141 rushing yards on 17 carries and tallied three touchdowns in a rout of Oregon State. The sophomore running back averaged 8.3 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns for the second straight game, becoming the first Nittany Lion to register six touchdowns in the first two games of a season since Lydell Mitchell in 1971. Royster broke loose on scoring sprints of 15, 28 and four yards in the first half to help the Nittany Lions produce a 35-7 halftime lead . This marks the first weekly laurel for Royster.
LAST PSU OFFENSIVE POW: RB Tony Hunt on Nov. 13, 2006

Wow, the last one was in 2006? Doesn't that say something about the Penn State Offense, B.C. (Before Clark... yeah, I just came up with that)

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Big House? What Big House?

Today was the first time that both Michigan and Penn State played home games on the same day, and Penn State had the bigger crowd.

Miami (Ohio) (0-2) vs. Michigan (1-1)
Date: Sep 06, 2008 • Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. • Stadium: Michigan Stadium •
Attendance: 106,724

Oregon State (0-2) vs. Penn State (2-0)
Date: Sep 06, 2008 • Site: State College, Pa. • Stadium: Beaver Stadium •
Attendance: 108159

Just thought I'd mention that.

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Now Tennessee thinks they're "Linebacker U"

I promise, I'll have ZN's draft coverage up later today. But until then, sink your teeth into this little piece by Drew Edwards of GoVolsXtra. He's trying to make the argument--as so many other schools have for themselves in recent years--that Tennessee is more deserving of the "Linebacker U" reputation than Penn State. Maybe the Vol Nation is still sour that the Nittany Lions absolutely embarrassed them in the Outback Bowl two years ago.

"Type the phrase "Linebacker U" into Google, and you'll find thousands of articles and Web sites extolling Penn State as the preeminent school for linebackers.

Type that same phrase into Wikipedia, and Penn State's football page immediately appears on your computer screen via the Internet's version of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Come this weekend, though, that entry might need a little editing.

When Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo becomes the first Vol taken in Saturday's NFL draft (ESPN, 3 p.m.), he'll be the 11th Tennessee linebacker selected since 1999."

I never bought into, nor will I ever buy into the argument that a school deserves "Linebacker U" because of how many NFL players it's produced at that position. But Edwards tries to use both angles for his story, throwing in this number about how many All-America selections UT linebackers have been awarded.

"That dream came from Chavis' two years playing under Lon Herzbrun, who coached four Tennessee linebackers to a total of five All-America honors 1969-76.

"You look at that wall in the complex and see the number of All-Americans he coached at Tennessee," Chavis says. "Back then, Tennessee was known as Linebacker U. When I had the opportunity to coach linebackers here at Tennessee, one of my goals was to put Tennessee back in a position where it was known as Linebacker U. I think we've made some progress."

You can't go "back" to something you never were in the first place. Sure, plenty of other schools have tried to award themselves "Linebacker U"--Ohio State, USC, Miami--but none have been successful. The main reason is that none of those schools, including Tennessee, have maintained the longevity or consistency of excellence at the position.

Since Joe Paterno was hired as an assistant in 1950, the list of All-America linebacker selections goes something like this:

Robert Mitinger (1961), Dennis Onkotz (1968, 1969), Jack Ham (1970), Charlie Zapiec (1971), Bruce Bannon (1972), John Skorupan (1972), Ed O'Neil (1973), Greg Buttle (1975), Kurt Allerman (1976), Shane Conlan (1985, 1986), Andre Collins (1989), LaVar Arrington (1998, 1999), Brandon Short (1999), Paul Pozluszny (2005, 2006), Dan Connor (2006, 2007).

In case you don't know this, those were just the First-Team Al-America selections. That list didn't include the many second and third-team selections. Plus, if you really want to get into it, Sean Lee was a sure-fire selection for 2008, after gaining third-team recognition in 2007. Oh yeah, and Penn State has won the last THREE Bednarik Awards (2005, 2006, 2007) and the 2005 Butkus Award.

There usually isn't such an impenetrable argument in sports as this, so I personally welcome and encourage anyone to take a shot at challenging that Penn State is "Linebacker U." Sorry, but you'll get blown out of the water.

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Blue White Post Game

Stephon Green, Stephon Green, Stephon Green. Ok, so I'm not as excited as the rest of the Penn State fan base, but it was really nice to see someone break a long touchdown run for once. However, things weren't quite as crisp as I hoped it would be.

There were no interceptions, which, after last season was a big positive. But it seemed like the defensive line, as talented as those guys are, got through to the quarterbacks a bit too quickly. I really hope it wasn't a problem with the offensive line, but rather that Penn State's defensive line is just that good.

The wide receivers were as good as advertised, with a standard spring game double reverse wide receiver pass (as I predicted). I was very pleased to see Andrew Szczerba's performance. It should make us all that much more comfortable, should Andrew Quarless not return.

And finally, a brief comment on the quarterbacks. Penn State needs to use both Clark and Devlin in 2008. Clark still needs a lot of work on his arm, but offers the running ability every one's talking about. Devlin has twice the touch Anthony Morelli ever had, and can actually survive a post-game interview without saying "...you know?" 50 times. Again, no interceptions was a huge stat.

So that's it. Now all we can do is wait for the preview magazines to hit the shelves in a few weeks. I hate this time of year. It's the farthest point from football. Let's hope the team gets its act together over the next three months, hits the books and the weight room, and stays out of trouble.

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Blue White Game Preview

Here's your pretty lame excuse for a game preview. I'm not really expecting much from the coaching staff tomorrow. Sure, they'll throw in the usual double-reverse wide-receiver pass to get the crowd excited. But don't look forward to anything resembling the real offense Penn State will use in 2008. With that, here's some names and units to look out for in the 2008 edition of the Blue White Game.

Some big names you want to see play, but won't: Sean Lee, Phil Taylor, Knowledge Timmons, Andrew Quarless, Jerome Hayes, Jared Odrick, and Chris Baker. I'm not even mentioning Chris "The Chef" Bell for obvious reasons.

A unit that will disappoint: The linebackers.

A unit that will surprise: The secondary.

The 2008 Aric Heffelfinger* Award will go to: Ryan Gmerek. This selection was based on no research, data or even a hunch. I just picked a no-name schmo from the roster who will probably never see the field again. No offense to him, I hope he does someday.

*Aric Heffelfinger burst onto the scene in the 2002 Blue White Game, as he rushed for 92 yards, highlighted by a 51-yard jaunt. He out shined some guy named Johnson, and then was never heard from again.

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Blue and White Roundtable :: Bootleg Edition

I'm pretty sure no one would have a problem with this. So here it is. ZN will take on the latest Blue and White Roundtable, we'll call it the "Bootleg Edition."

Fine Penn State blogs that participate in the BWRT:

http://www.nittanywhiteout.com/
http://www.blackshoediaries.com/
http://thenittanyline.blogspot.com/
http://gloryofoldstate.blogspot.com/
http://www.yurasko.net/wfy/
http://tangledupinwhiteandblue.blogspot.com/
http://thebigeleventh.blogspot.com/
http://mvn.com/ncaa-pennstate/
http://runupthescore.wordpress.com

1. The announcement Wednesday is that contract talks are on hold until the conclusion of this season, and that Joe might not even need a contract to coach, how do you see this saga ending? Is this the final year for Joe Paterno?

ZN: If Penn State wins more than 10 games and notches a January bowl victory, that’s it for Paterno. He, the administration and the other powers want him to get—as left-field as it sounds—one more double-digit season before he goes. Ideally, he’d want an undefeated season. Paterno’s said that before. As messed up as this off-season has been, it is still possible. So I’ll go with yes, it’s his final year. Bradley will be named, and everyone will be screaming “why didn’t they f***ing do that when we still had a shot at Terrelle Pryor?”

2. Joe will clearly not be on the sidelines in 10 years time. Whether he is awarded another extension or is forced out against his will, a new face will inevitably be on the sidelines for the Lions in the years to come. Which candidates would top the list when it comes to a coaching search? Should it be an in-house hire or should we start off with a blank slate?

ZN: I’m selling my self out to the idea of giving Bradley a shot. I know it would still leave the door open to Jay Paterno staying, but it’s a risk I think Penn State should take. If there were a short list of candidates—Penn State will have to do this, just to make it seem like someone else has a chance—it would be Scrap, Greg Schiano, and Al Golden. Throw in a Randy Edsall or Brian Kelly for the outside shots. Other than that, it’ll really be between Scrap and Schiano.

3. It almost seems as if we find another athlete in trouble with the law each morning when we read the newspaper. What has gone wrong with the once pristine image of the Penn State program?

ZN: Not as much as people think. It’s not the program. The recent run-ins with the law are just exacerbated by the rest of Penn State’s problems. Face it, more college football players are getting in trouble, not just at Penn State, everywhere. Penn State is still a clean program. Arrests have not as much to do with a program’s reputation as recruiting scandals, gambling scandals and academic scandals. Penn State’s had none of them. Hey, it’s not like Joe Paterno is allowing Chris Bell to play, or Chris Baker to play until his fate is decided. Then we’d be in trouble.

4. After 14 years in the Big Ten, Penn has not dominated the conference in football as most presumed when we joined winning only 2 Big Ten titles in that span. In 1994, Joe Paterno’s undefeated Nittany Lions were also backstabbed by its Big Ten brethren when most conference members voted for Nebraska instead of Penn State. Is the Big Ten the right home for Penn State? Or would Joe Paterno’s dream of an all-eastern conference be a much more ideal conference for the Nittany Lions?

ZN: Go back to 1989, and the eastern conference would have still worked like a dream. But now, it’s nearly impossible. With the Big East on the rise, and the ACC not going anywhere, Penn State doesn’t have the pull to lure some of those teams away. Plus, it would look real bad if Penn State backed out of the Big Ten to form its own conference. We’d never hear the end of it, “PSU couldn’t hack it in the Big Ten, so it quit.”

5. With the lack of our traditional rivals in the Big Ten conference, and our unwillingness to reschedule any of them in any consistent manner, which teams are emerging as Penn State’s chief rivals in the Big Ten? (USC-Notre Dame proves that rivalries aren’t all about geographic significance.)

ZN: I would LOVE to see Penn State and Nebraska strike it up more than twice every couple years. Get them on at least every three of four years. Both programs need a boost right now, and what better way than to have a slam dunk September match up each year? I know, there are others out there like Pitt, Syracuse, Maryland, West Virginia, but Nebraska and Penn State have more national history between them. I think this would even top Penn State vs. Miami on a yearly basis, although that would be my strong No. 2. Oh, wait. That wasn’t the question. Sorry. Ohio State is becoming a marquee game. And with Penn State having a better record vs. Ohio State than Michigan since 2001, it’s been more competitive than the conference’s “big game.” I also really like what the Penn State vs. Michigan State rivalry has become.

Bonus question: Are you going to the Blue White Game?

ZN: No. I went to five straight, and it rained for three of them. Following the 2005 game, I was doused with mug from a moron in a JEEP. Then I totaled my car on Rt. 80 West a few days later when I hit an icy bridge at mile marker 190. Four other cars hit that ice and wrecked. Oddly enough, none of us hit each other. Weird. I’m rambling a lot today.

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2008 Big Ten Primetime Football Schedule Released

Via BigTen.org:

The Big Ten Conference office released the game times and television plans for five home football contests today to appear during prime time on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. A Big Ten contest will be featured during prime time in at least five of the nine weeks of intraconference play, including four appearances by Penn State, a pair of games for Ohio State and Wisconsin and one contest each for Illinois and Michigan.


The Big Ten home schedule will hit prime time during the opening weekend of conference action on Saturday, Sept. 27, when Penn State hosts Illinois at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The Fighting Illini defeated the nationally-ranked Nittany Lions last season on the way to their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1984. PSU collected at least nine wins for the third straight season after winning the Valero Alamo Bowl, giving head coach Joe Paterno his NCAA-record 23rd bowl triumph.

The conference's nighttime slate continues with a pair of Wisconsin home games the following two weekends, with the Badgers hosting Ohio State on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 and Penn State on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN or ESPN2. Wisconsin is coming off a fourth straight season with at least nine wins, the longest streak of success in school history. The Buckeyes are aiming for a fourth straight Big Ten Championship and an unprecedented third consecutive outright crown after reaching the BCS National Championship game the last two seasons.

Nighttime games will continue on Oct. 18 when Penn State hosts Michigan for a 4:30 p.m. ET game to appear on ESPN or ESPN2. The Wolverines welcome new head coach Rich Rodriguez for the 2008 season after Lloyd Carr ended his time on the sidelines with a victory in the Capital One Bowl. The Big Ten's final prime-time outing on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 will feature Penn State at Ohio State on Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.

The Big Ten will hold the 2008 Football Media Days and 37th annual Kickoff Luncheon on Thursday and Friday, July 24-25, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, featuring all 11 head coaches and some of the conference's top returning players. The 113th season of Big Ten football kicks off on Saturday, August 30, with 10 of 11 schools in action.

2008 BIG TEN PRIME-TIME FOOTBALL GAMES ON ABC/ESPN/ESPN2

Sept. 27 - ILLINOIS at PENN STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 4 - OHIO STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 11 - PENN STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 18 - MICHIGAN at PENN STATE, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 25 - PENN STATE at OHIO STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

*I'll take a better look at this later, so stay tuned. I'll also have a take on the most recent Blue White Round Table.

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Moving Forward: With Lee out for 2008, NOW is it time for Penn State to panic?

All-American Sean Lee just destroyed his ACL in practice. Now he’s gone bye-bye for 2008. Although he’ll be back in 2009, this leaves a huge question mark hanging over Penn State’s outside linebacker spot. Who will fill that void? Does Penn State even have a chance now this season?

Now that the horror of Saturday night has passed, we can all take a deep breath. Not that it will help. The loss of Lee was nothing less than devastating to Penn State, not just the team, but the program as a whole. But remember, when the old farts in Old Main didn’t come up with a plan to deal with the old fart in Lasch Building, we said it wasn’t time to panic. When it seemed like Penn State football players were gaining daily recognition in the police blotters instead of the sports page, we said it wasn’t time to panic. When Chris Bell went, well, insane, we said it wasn’t time to panic. And you know what? It’s still not time to panic.

Lee’s injury was bad, but it’s not the end of the world. Why?

The Offense: No, not the offensive line, not the wide receivers, but the whole freaking unit. I don’t care when JokePa conjures up as the Spread HD crap. If this team doesn’t average 35 points per game, Penn State should just drop football altogether. When you have the best offensive line in years, a mobile quarterback to make plays when the protection (rarely) might break down, a stud running back that can break one loose any moment, and the best freaking wide receivers in the conference, you have the luxury of out-scoring the other team, if it comes to that. But it shouldn’t in 2008, because of…

The Defensive Line: This unit was the first to be hit by the injury and law bugs. But with the rest of the team’s problems, not too many people have noticed the defensive front four coming back together. Chris Baker might be gone (still not positive yet), but Phil Taylor will pay his dues, Jared Odrick and Jerome Hayes are almost done rehabbing those injuries, and the younger backups have gotten a full spring of working with the first team. This should be the conference’s best defensive line, and could actually improve on 2007’s 46 sacks. And if opposing tailbacks get through the line, or if Penn State needs extra pressure on the quarterback, there’s always…

The Backup Linebackers: It’s easy to forget how many really good linebackers Penn State has landed the last four years. Fans actually complained how many were signed, saying few would actually see the field. Well, now Penn State has a large stable of players to choose from, hopefully filling in for Lee. Nate Stupar, Cedric Jeffries, Bani Gbadyu, Andrew Dailey, and hopefully Navarro Bowman will all be ready to play on the outside. Throw in the three freshmen “Mikes”—Mike Yancich, Mike Mauti (although now he’s listed at the safety spot behind Mark Rubin) and Mike Zordich—and Penn State has possibly the best, deepest group of linebackers in the conference, if not the nation.

Don’t think I’m taking a Kool-Aid bath with this. I think Penn State is in the shit house right now, and needs to get its act together. But we all have to be as realistic about this team’s positives as we are about the negatives. There’s a load of talent heading into 2008. No one can deny that. I’m not ready to make a prediction of how many games Penn State will win, or who they’ll beat. But Penn State has a great shot to do good things in 2008, without Sean Lee, and those were just a few reasons why. So don't panic.

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