USC/Rose Bowl update, Dec. 30

Just a quick rundown of issues we're looking at right now, regarding the Rose Bowl and USC Trojans:

• Penn State Live has a very good slideshow of the team in its last days on campus. It's worth the look:

On with the update...

• The CDT's Jeff Rice updated us today on Joe Paterno vs. The Sideline. Joe said it's about 50-50. We'll see.

• David Jones at the Patriot News took a good look at USC's Butkus winner Rey Maualuga. But even better is that we now know how USC plans to use him... not much differently than they have his entire career.

"Though middle linebackers have a lot of duties, it's been dispensed by USC that Maualuga's been "assigned" to the PSU quarterback."

• Bernard Fernandez at the Philadelphia Daily News wrote a very nice piece on Penn State's career backup quarterback, Paul Cianciolo. But don't down play how important he is, or how much he can help this team. I mean, he did give Penn State its only touchdown against Michigan in 2006.

"I'm one play away now instead of two," said Cianciolo..."

And against a defense like USC (hey, they may not be the all-time best, but they're still really freakin' good), Paul may get one more shot. But let's hope it's not in relief, but rather, mop-up duty.

• Of all people to ask, Bill Plaschke poses the question many in LA are wondering, "is USC overlooking Penn State?"

"The Penn State players spent Tuesday's 30-minute Rose Bowl media session sitting upright, quiet, attentive.

The USC players lounged. Some buried their heads in their hands and slept. Some talked on cell phones. Others bounced to iPods.

One player spent nearly the entire session stretched out on the floor underneath his table. A couple of others used their hands to pound out rhythms on top of the table.

As a giant clocked ticked off the final moments of the interview session, many of the Trojans chanted "3 . . . .2 . . . 1 . . . Happy New Year!"

Hmmm. Will it be?"

Plaschke goes on to say how Pete Carroll tells his players every day that Penn State was one point away from the national championship game. But just like Plaschke points out, we all know what happens to USC at least once a year...

"Yeah, well, Carroll also told them to stop celebrating the Ohio State victory and concentrate on Oregon State, and how did that turn out?

Once or twice a year, it seems, this Trojans monster takes on a life of its own.

No matter what their creator preaches, they hear only an inner voice that reminds them of their incredible skill. They interpret this to mean their immortality. A humbling loss usually follows."

Let's hope the humbling comes early and often.

Quick Outs:
• Not much has changed in the USC injury front. It's still looking like this: RB Stafon Johnson (knee - probable), WR Damian Williams (shoulder - doubtful), S Kevin Ellison (knee - doubtful), RB Allen Bradford (hip - out), TE Thomas Herring (ankle - out), FB Stanley Havili (academics - out)*

• Depending on how many other PSU bloggers pitch in, I'll try to have a short round-up tomorrow of the Blue & White Roundtable.

• Also tomorrow morning, look for my Rose Bowl preview. I can't believe that in less than two days, we'll know who won.

*note that Havili is now academically ineligible for the Rose Bowl, so his ankle injury has become a moot point.

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Evans and Koroma return

Both Rivals.com and Scout.com are reporting today that Penn State's All-American Defensive End Maurice Evans, and one-time starter at defensive tackle Abe Koroma returned to practice Monday. This is fantastic news for Penn State's beleaguered defensive line. From Scout.com:

"Yeah, both Mo and Abe were back today," one observer said. "Who knows how much action they'll see this week [against Illinois]? Depends on the shape they are in and how the coaches — or at least one coach — feels about it."

From Rivals.com:

"Two separate sources confirmed with Blue White Illustrated on Monday evening that both Evans and Koroma returned to practice on Monday, and were running with the second team."

Second team, huh? Looks like these guys aren't so far into Joe Paterno's dog house as we thought. Usually, suspended players get thrown to the foreign team, and forced to work their way back. I'm guessing this is due to the fact that this was Evans' and Koroma's first offense for anything. Now the trick is for EVERYONE to stay out of trouble. Illinois is in for a world of hurt now.

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Evans and Koroma: Early Reactions

Well, the message boards are exploding since Maurice Evans and Abe Koroma were charged with misdemeanor pot possession today, and the bloggers are slowly--myself included--getting their posts out. Mike over at Black Shoe Diaries, and Adam Rittenberg at ESPN have some of their initial thoughts up, but like the rest of us, are reserving judgment until the real decision gets made--Joe Paterno's punishments. This has the potential to fizzle by the Illinois game, or explode like an atom bomb. Penn State's defensive line has been skating on thin ice, and now with the injuries mounting, the attrition is reaching critical mass. I happen to agree with what others are leaning to, that Paterno won't go so hard on Maurice Evans and Abe Koroma. But right now, it's a wait-and-see game.

Mike at BSD voices basically what every PSU fans is asking themselves right now.

"The big question now is, what will be the fallout? It's just a misdemeanor, so the legal fallout should be a few hundred dollars in fines and community service. Judicial affairs may step in, but for something this minor for first time offenders I would think a slap on the wrist is in order. Maybe attend a class on substance abuse and put them on probation for a year. But what we really care about is how Joe Paterno will react. Will he sit them a few more weeks or the rest of the semester to show he means business in the face of the ESPN headlines sure to be scrolling across the ticker in time for Sportscenter tonight? Or will he sit them this week and bring them back in time for Illinois and consider it time served?"

I would be very surprised if this is dealt with in the same manner as Phil Taylor and Chris Baker. Those guys got into a lot more trouble over the last 18 months. Oh yeah, and they hurt people! Let's hope Joe Paterno takes his time with this one, and makes a fair, prudent decision.

Adam Rittenberg is more credible than half the ESPN editorial staff combined, and gives a pretty straight forward assessment of the situation.

"After all the off-field problems at Penn State, this was an unbelievably dumb thing to do by both Evans and Koroma. They should remain suspended for a while longer. Dismissing them from the team seemingly goes too far, especially when similar transgressions merit one- or two-game suspensions at other schools.

But it's up to Paterno, who has taken his share of heat for the rash of disciplinary problems. He might want to come down hard, as he did with Baker and Taylor. My prediction: They'll be back on the field when Penn State visits Wisconsin on Oct. 11."

Earlier today, Rittenberg gave a somewhat scary--for PSU fans--rundown of the defensive line problems as a whole.

This is some scary stuff right now.

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Bell Still Trying to Get Kicked Out, Pulls Knife in Pollock

I don't know if he's finally done it or not, but it just seems like Chris Bell is trying to get his ass thrown completely out of Penn State. Apparently, he pulled a knife this weekend in Pollock commons. But, mind you, this was no pocket knife or switch blade. This was an eight-freaking-inch knife.

Something a bit more interesting, but less conspicuous, was how the Collegian referred to Bell.

"The former Nittany Lion wide receiver is facing charges of terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment."

I know. He is technically not on the team, but--pending Paterno's decision on this incident--it's only a suspension. He was never kicked off the team, officially. I'm probably just reading to much into this. Looks like Moye, Cousins and McDonald will get a lot more work next season. By the way, "terroristic" isn't a real word. Sorry, couldn't let that one go, even if the Collegian's copy editors did. is a real word. (Thanks PennSt)

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Hardly Quarrel-less

This team just can't seem to get its head on straight, especially Andrew Quarless. Oh well. If Joe Paterno can't prevent this program from winning another championship, the players can fill that gap nicely.

Football program suspends Quarless
By Kevin Horan Collegian Staff Writer

Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless has been indefinitely suspended from the football team for the second time in seven months, a team spokesman said last night, declining to offer specifics.

When reached by phone and told of reports about his most recent suspension last night, Quarless said, "That's not true." Pressed further, Quarless said, "Well, I'm going to talk to the coaches about that."

Team spokesman Guido D'Elia would not comment specifically about Quarless' most recent violation, only saying the sophomore would be out for "an indefinite period of time."

Quarless had a breakout first year in 2006, finishing fifth on the team with 21 receptions. Afterward, he was named to 2007's preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, which is given to the nation's top tight end.

But Quarless was cited for underage drinking only two weeks before the 2007 season began. Coaches kept him off the field for the team's first two games.

Even after his return, Quarless faced competition for his old starting spot from fellow sophomore Mickey Shuler, who established himself as a solid alternative at tight end during Quarless' suspension.

"Shuler's a pretty good football player," Paterno said during an Oct. 16 press conference. "And Quarless better realize that."

Paterno also indicated during that press conference that he felt Quarless needed to work harder on the practice field. He ended up starting the team's last four regular season games.

Outside of Quarless and Shuler, the Nittany Lions have six tight ends listed on their current roster. Collectively, the six players totaled 11 games played in 2007; none of them started a game.

With his suspension, Quarless becomes the seventh player to be indefinitely suspended from the team since August. Running back Austin Scott, defensive lineman Phil Taylor, wideout Chris Bell, defensive lineman Chris Baker, linebacker Navorro Bowman and cornerback Knowledge Timmons are all currently suspended or removed from the team for several reasons.

All but Quarless and Bell are facing criminal charges; however, Bell has been implicated in court documents as having a role in an on-campus fight in October that involved several football players.

Email: ZombieNationPSU@gmail.com

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Tight End Turbulence

Great thanks go out to Andrew Quarless. We Penn State fans are thrilled you've been able to work hard enough and concentrate on football enough to find time to go out drinking. I'm sure you were just done with your homework early, probably ahead for next this week's studies. That must be the reason you saw it necessary to stroll back to your Nittany Apartment at 2:50 in the morning wasted out of your mind.

Now, I know he wasn't the only one, as backup defensive back Willie Harriot and another female accompanied Quarless Friday night. But let's be realistic, who is the only one we care about? Of course, the starting TE. Over the last few games of the 2007 season, Quarless was easily the best offensive player on the field. Now, he's just being offensive.

We can only be so lucky that JoePa will suspend him for the first few games. Not like Penn State needs him against the Irish's oh-so-talented secondary. But if the Nittany Lions line up for the first snap at the Pig House, and any TE starts ahead of Quarless, he can only hope to start later in the game. (Think: Dan Connor, Northwestern 2005)

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