Blue White Roundtable wrap: Spring edition

A few months ago, I pitched a Blue White Roundtable to the guys, but there wasn't a whole lot of interest until we all actually had something to talk about. So, now that spring practice is over, and we really don't have anything to talk about, let's do this thing!

This editions usually unusual suspects: (TINNOMJ was supposed to be in on this too, but he's probably passed out in a drunken haze under the BJC loading docks. And I guess BSD, all three of them over there, are too cool for this kids stuff. I'm sure during the season, though, they'll all be back. *Late note: I also forgot to invite HHV, but I promised to get him on board next time.)
Y. F. Yurasko
The Nittany Line
We Want the Lion
Nittany Whiteout (Devon, Kevin)

1. Ok, so the Blue White Game and spring practice is done. Whether you just read the reports, or actually watched the game... (a) What's one glaring team/unit/player issue you're still concerned with? (b) What are you most pleased with?

I loved WFY's answer. After running through his concerns, he mentioned that although he's always a bit worried about the offensive line, its track record of late is worth its weight in confidence:

"With a decent offensive line, even Anthony Morelli can lead you to New Year’s Day bowl wins."

Kevin (NWO) dug right into the dimlema facing all of us - evaluating the secondary.

"In the Blue White game there were four touchdown passes and 17 first downs by passing... On the flip side I guess I could credit the entire passing unit from quarterbacks to wide receivers."

Fellow NWO'er Devon must be thinking about the same hit I saw. You know, by that No. 6 kid in the secondary. But still, concerned like all of us.

"Gerald Hodges did look awesome, so there’s that. This is a position I’m not calling a glaring weakness just yet but I do want to see something from the position before I proclaim it solid."

He also really liked the receiving corps, all of it. You can't blame him. The tight ends haven't been this strong in, well, almost ever.

"When you consider the ability of Quarless and Shuler to add some catches, there shouldn’t be too precipitous of a drop-off from last year."

WWTL say it's all about the O-line.

"...the area we're probably most concerned with is the offensive line. The popular answer will be the secondary, and yes, that's a concern, but it was a poor secondary last year and the Lions still managed to win the Big11Ten. If the O-line can't mesh by the time the conference slate hits, it could be a long season."

Over at TNL, things are looking up, at least to them, for the quarterback situation. They liked that No. 6, too.

"Gerald Hodges may knock a few guys unconscious this year. Newsome looked great, all the reports were he was getting eaten alive in practice, if that’s the case he’s already grown leaps and bounds in a very short time."

2. Navorro Bowman was held out of the game for probation violation. He did admit his mistake to Joe Paterno, and took responsibility. But he still shouldn't have done it. What punishment do you think will be appropriate, and why?

WFY compared it to Dan Connor's punishment in 2005 (ZN - Oh yeah, remember how we were all freaking out about that? Was it really that long ago?), and gives Bowman 2-3 games.

Kevin (NWO) thinks Bowman can completely avoid the wrath of Paterno, as long as he flies straight this summer.

"If Bowman makes a significant dent in his service in the summer (and honestly he should complete all 100 hours easily) I think he will avoid any sanctions from Paterno."

Devon (NWO) reminds us of the really tough year Bowman's been through, and while he did make the mistake, it's something that has to be taken into consideration.

"Considering what he’s gone through, losing his dad and his high school coach, who was a father figure to him, I don’t want to see anything bad happen to Navorro."

He also said that if Anthony Scirrotto can coordinate a mob assault on someone, and not miss a game, Bowman should be fine.

TNL doesn't see it as a big problem, although...

"...the overall stupidity is inexcusable."

On the other hand, WWTL took a more hard-line approach. I'll give you an extended cut, because it's so different from everyone else's.

"We like the judges decision because he has zero wiggle room to make a mistake and we're really tired of the "boys will be boys" or "well they're just kids in college" excuse. We were kids in college in the not-so-distant past and we turned out fine. Playing on this team is a privelage so we wouldn't be at all disappointed to see Navorro or anyone who makes similiar mistakes sent off the team. Everyone in the world has problems in their personal lives and we're all youths at one point or another, we don't think either of those give someone an excuse to be an idiot."

They adde that he'll probably get 2-3 games on the bench.

3. Penn State's offensive staff said after the game that things were kept pretty simple. Do you think this year's returning offense will be able to handle an offensive scheme with the same complexity as the 2008 version? Why or why not?

Pointing to the loss of the receivers, particularly all-purpose D-Will, WFY:

"...it will look fairly similar to last year, just a little less gimmicky."

I wonder if he talked to Kevin (NWO):

"I am not sure who could replace the versatility of Derrick Williams so we won’t see as many wide receivers sweeping behind the line of scrimmage and bursting up field for 20 yards. As the season progresses though, so will the offense."

Devon (NWO) isn't so worried about D-Will's replacement (most likely Chaz Powell, No. 2, coincidentally). Rather, the team needs to find a suitable replacement for Deon Butler (ZN - I couldn't agree more).

"Chaz Powell might be able to fill the role of Derrick Williams-lite, but I don’t see anyone filling in the role in a dynamic downfield passing game that gave Deon Butler something like 20 yards per catch."

WWTL said a few cupcakes will always make you feel better.

"Hopefully they can work the kinks out against the cupcakes, and then we'll probably see things open up more."

TNL isn't concerned with the offense, as many others are, and points to the leaders. You know, like that first team All-Big Ten quarterback we got coming back. Then again, it's easier to wind up an offense when playing local JV squads.

"Take into account the tune up out of conference schedule and don’t look for much, if any, drop-off."

4. Five Penn Staters were drafted, while 10 more signed free-agent contracts. Was there any pick/signing that surprised you the most, either positively or negatively? What did this 2009 NFL Draft say about the Penn State football program?

WFY's answer really reflects my own view on this issue, where even though we enjoy seeing Penn Staters do well in the draft, it's not a major factor for the program.

"I don’t really feel the need to validate Penn State by how it does in the NFL Draft."

Kevin (NWO) sees it as a bigger plus for Penn State.

"Five picks scattered through out the draft shows that Penn State has NFL talent that is both highly sought after and the kind of players that are expecting to pick up some reliable players."

Devon (NWO) went down that same line.

"We know about those with immense physical talents like Aaron Maybin and Williams, and even for those who don’t, like Norwood and Scirrotto, we know how hard working and dedicated they are."

WWTL remembers back only a few years ago, and just how bad things were around these parts. The connection between college production and success in the draft can't be ignored.

"...the coaches have done a better job recruiting since 2005, because these guys are just better athletes than the ones we saw in 2003 and 2004. ...We also were surprised that our entire secondary was signed after the shellacking they took on a national stage against USC."

TNL looks at the flip side of the draft, which makes a whole lot of sense.

"The downside is more guys leaving before they should, because they get convinced their stock is far higher than it is."

Hmmm, wonder who he was talking about.

Shooting from the hip...

1. Average PSU offensive PPG/defensive PPG in 2009?
Devon (NWO): 36-16
Kevin (NWO): 33 offensive ppg/ 15 defensive ppg
WWTL: 35/21
TNL: With our schedule this year? 40/18
WFY: Hmmm, someone didn't read the directions. You failed pre-school. Although, he has a good projection for yards per game next season, of 430 on offense, and a surprisingly low 270 on defense.

2. USC's Mark Sanchez (5th overall - Jets): Too high?
WFY: No.
Kevin (NWO): Yes, but the Jets did need him.
Devon (NWO): As a Jets fan, I sure hope not. (ZN - Me too, but purely as a Jets fan)
WWTL: Not if you're a Jets fan.
NTL: Yes, he had several disturbingly pedestrian efforts last year, but can thank Penn State for their defensive Rose Bowl performance that no one remembers them

3. How many Lions drafted in 2010?
WFY: 4.
Kevin (NWO): 3.
Devon (NWO): 7, but there are a lot of draft eligible juniors on this team.
WWTL: 3.
TNL: Just looking at the seniors – 5, but also points to juniors possibly leaving.

4. List you're top three Big Ten teams, as of today.
WFY: Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa
Kevin (NWO): Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois
Devon (NWO): Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois
WWTL: 3.) Iowa, 2.) Ohio State, 1.) Penn State; We're the champs until someone proves otherwise.
TNL: Ohio State, Penn State and since the Big Ten has a surprise team pop up the last few years, let’s go with Northwestern. (ZN - Hear that LTP?!)

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

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The triumphant return

It will take me most of the day today to get things rolling again, but I'm back, and there shouldn't be any more interruptions until the Blue White Game (only 13 days!!!). The unfortunate thing is that the next three work days will be terribly full for me, you know, with all that real world reporting crap. But don't despair, as I'm committed to this run up to the game and the draft. If I have to pull all-nighters to post stuff, so be it.

It's going to be fun, folks, so don't miss a thing!

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Bears eyeing Scirrotto

◊ Apparently, the Chicago Bears see something in Anthony Scirrotto. I think he'd be a good fit in that environment. The team hosted Scirrotto yesterday for a visit, but the report says he still has a lot of work to do if he actually wants to go in the NFL Draft. They point to the Rose Bowl (ugh!) as a reason for his, as well as the other PSU defensive backs, drop off in scouts' eyes.

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

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PSU pro day media wrap

◊ Here's some of the reports from Penn State's pro day.

• ProFootballWeekly.com:

Maybin shows well at Penn State pro day

Penn State DE Aaron Maybin bulked up considerably at season's end and clocked a disappointing 4.79 40-yard dash at last month's Combine. However, a 4.59 at today's pro day should alleviate concerns and maintain the third-year sophomore's status as a top-tier prospect. Further, by showing he is able to fill out his frame without sacrificing speed, the 21-year-old edge rusher is a viable option for 4-3 teams.

• PennLive.com:

He's definitely bigger, and now Aaron Maybin can officially say he is faster than he was a month ago.
Maybin, the former PSU defensive end who declared for the NFL draft following his redshirt sophomore season, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds this morning during PSU's Pro Day workout on campus.

• The Morning Call:

The Philadelphia Eagles will be on campus Friday for private workouts with receivers Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood. Butler did not run Wednesday, choosing instead to let his Combine 40 of 4.31 stand on its own... a healthy Williams ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds, nearly three-tenths of a second better than his 4.65 time at the Combine in Indianapolis.

• The Collegian on Evans:

"I wish I could have stayed at Penn State," Evans said outside Holuba Hall after competing in Penn State's Pro Day, which saw representatives from every team and Carolina Panthers coach John Fox visit. "I love Penn State. But I felt I'm ready to play in the league. I know I'm ready to play in the league, so I had to take that next step."

• The Centre Daily Times:

Safety Anthony Scirrotto injured his right leg and did not participate in the running drills. Lucian injured a hamstring during one of his early runs. ... Kevin Kelly kicked several field goals for scouts, with a group of 5-6 “right on top of me.” ... Cadogan did not participate in the running or lifting drills but added four inches to his broad jump (8-3).

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Derrick Williams at the NFL Combine

◊ How fast can he run? How high can he jump? How many times can he bench a couple-hundred pounds?

Those questions are all supposedly answered over the course of a few days, which we call the NFL Combine. College football's finest athletes– in the eyes of the NFL scouts –are invited to work out in front of coaches and staff, with a chance to plant a final, hopefully good impression in their minds.

I was out of town, and couldn't keep up on the nitty-gritty of the combine this past week and weekend, so I only heard bits here an there. One thing that stuck out to me was one NFL Network commentator's analysis on Derrick Williams and his poor 40-yard dash times. Williams ran a 4.58 and a 4.67.

"Williams has been suffering a bit from the flu, but [those 40 times] are sure to hurt his draft stock a bit," he said.

I don't usually watch the NFL Network, or the NFL for that matter. So I don't know who it was, as they didn't show their faces or give names. Understandably, it was all about the players.

Still, I was shocked to hear his "expert" analysis of Williams' performance. Maybe I just don't understand how pro football scouting works. Do NFL teams really base much of their draft decisions on this event? I hope not, and from what I hear, they don't.

Ah, but the NFL Network wants you to believe otherwise. If we were to gauge the amount of combine coverage, compared to the amount of coverage dedicated to equally important draft events, like schools' pro days, it would seem that the combine is second only to the draft itself.

Back to Williams. He ran the 40, against his agent's advice, with a considerable bout with the flu. The scouts knew he had the flu. Everyone in the world knew he had the flu, mostly due to the sports networks' ridiculous amount of coverage. So then when Williams turns in a few very poor 40 times, everyone acts surprised?

I'm not going to defend Williams. He needs no defending. Nor will I suggest the television coverage should be "nicer" to the players. Sports is not a nice business, and I understand that.

It would just be refreshing to see more than just a hand full of "experts" think about what they say, before they say it. Did two poor 40 times, while suffering the flu, really hurt his draft stock among the NFL teams that are seriously interested in him? Probably not.

Have most NFL teams been spending every waking moment analyzing four years worth of game tape from Williams'– and the rest of the combine invitees –college careers? I would say definitely. The television coverage, and the NFL Network commentator I'm using as an example, are essentially dumbing down the draft process.

Why? Are they trying to lure in a few non-die hards, by making coverage more novice-friendly? That's a pretty poor angle to take. And not only that, but by doing so, the coverage is making the NFL teams look like they're half-assing their way to the draft decisions. They don't.

Many folks poke fun at the college recruiting season, saying how it's just a show, or how most of the prospects don't pan out. I find it ironic that we don't hear so much from that crowd once the NFL Combine rolls onto our screens.

I find that the lead up to the NFL Draft is one of the most ridiculous displays of sensationalist sports media coverage you'll find anywhere in the world. That doesn't exclude the combine.

Williams might be struck twice, though, with the same over-hype hammer.

Coming out of high school, he was rated the No. 1 recruit in the nation. Who created that ranking? The media, not the players or college coaches. Now that his college career is over, he's regarded in the media– the same media that vaulted him to the top of the rankings –as somewhat of a bust.

As we near the NFL Draft, Williams is again a victim of an unfair, if not unjust media. We all know it's not fair, and that it will never be so. But how much the media has played a role in Williams' career is astounding. Coming in, he was up. Now, he's down. Next month, he could go up again, all in the eyes of studio analysts.

So what does any of this mean? Well, for Williams, all he has to do is play his game. He once said that he is "driven by greatness." That classic quote must stick in his mind the rest of his career. Drive is an intangible trait many of the biggest draft busts lacked. If Williams can maintain it, he'll be fine.

For the NFL Combine and the draft. It means nothing. It's still the most profitable entertainment business in the country, and will continue be so. Unfortunately, the sports media has gone right along with it, under the cover of journalism.

So as we watch our college players find new homes in the NFL, just keep in mind that things are never what they seem, especially through the eyes of the media.

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The week in review

◊ Here are a few items of interest, as we wrap up the week:

• It looks like Penn State All-America center, A.Q. Shipley, is garnering some attention from a host of NFL teams going into the draft. One of those teams is the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Black and Gold might remember another long-time offensive center from Penn State, Jeff Hartings. This could work out well for A.Q.

Link: Pittsburgh Tribune Review

• Sophomore cornerback Jesse Alfreno is taking a cue from former quarterback Paul Cianciolo, by playing both football and baseball this spring. It's tough enough to manage school and football, but adding baseball is a real testament to this kid's work ethic. Even better for Alfreno, head coach Robby Wine thinks the move could be smoother for him than it was for Cianciolo, since quarterbacks have a lot more on their plate.

Link: The Daily Collegian

• In an awkward article featuring Ohio State All-America linebacker, James Laurinaitis, the Buckeye said he aspires to a better draft-day showing than his Big Ten predecessors, Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor. The odd thing in this article is that Laurinaitis' own coach, Luke Fickell, didn't do him any justice, saying how teammate Marcus Freeman has much more going for him at the NFL Combine.

Link: The Plain Dealer

• Michigan will be lowering its football ticket prices for 2009. Athletic Director Bill Martin chalked it up to the slow economy. But I'm not really sure how the price decrease will really help. The average season ticket will cost $3.57 less per game than it did in 2008, which makes this whole thing sound more symbolic than anything. If people can afford to fork out $400 for season tickets, do you really think they care whether the price is $53.57 per ticket, or $50?

Link: MGoBlue

• If you like seeing the big boys of sports blogging take a humility pill once in a while, then you have to read the absolute bitch slap put up on The Hoosier Report this week. A Deadspin writer published a nearly incoherent post about Indiana basketball, I guess figuring no one would notice or care that he pretty much bull-sh*tted his way through it. Well, John over at THR noticed, and took him to the wood shed.

Link: Hoosier Report

• Mike over at Black Shoe Diaries has been going over the scholarship outlook for the 2010 recruiting class. In the latest entry, he writes about the running back situation.

Link: Black Shoe Diaries

• It seems that Minnesota's football team has taken secretly taken over its basketball team, as the Gophers have been on a gut-wrenching slide of late. Once the hottest team in the conference at 16-1, the Gophers have gone 3-6 since.

Link: The Daily Gopher

• And in more important basketball news, Penn State beat Illinois by the absurd score of 38-33. Yes, thirty-eight to thirty-three, in basketball, not football. Hail to the Orange (formerly Paint the Town Orange, before they decided to sell out to the evil empire) wasn't too happy.

Link: Hail to the Orange

• Penn State still can't beat Michigan in one way, average stadium attendance. The difference was something like 317 people per game, but it's still annoying. Penn State should have realized that this past year's home schedule wasn't even close to the year prior; and should have scratched the Coastal Carolina game for, at the very least, an FBS (I-A) opponent.

Link: Stadium attendance

• Earlier this week, we got the results of a poll here, asking how readers felt about this year's recruiting class. The verdict was favorable, but not great. Most liked Penn State's 2009 haul, even though the Lions lost out on Jelani Jenkins.

Link: Poll results

Have a great weekend...

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Feb. 13

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Poll Results: Maybin and Evans should have stayed at PSU

In what has been a very heated topic over the last week, readers have spoken. According to two recent polls here at ZN, readers indicated that both Maurice Evans and Aaron Maybin should have stayed with Penn State for at least another season before entering the NFL draft. The results are very interesting, as 95 percent said that Evans made the bad move, while only 59 percent said Maybin should have stayed.

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Evans joins Maybin, turning pro

FOS has been a busy little thing, hasn't it? Now the site is reporting that Maurice Evans will forgo his senior season, and declare for the NFL draft. If you thought Aaron Maybin made a bad move, this easily trumps that. Evans season was marred from the start, and completely killed by the mary-jane incident. I'm not sure what the scouts told him, but he must like a few hundred-thousand dollars more than school. He'll probably go on the second day, especially with the "character" issues, but you know what, we can't get down with this. We can only hope he and Maybin represent Penn State well on the next level.

But I'm still really, really pissed off at this. Does this show something on the Larry Johnson, Sr. front that Penn State isn't telling us? When your two best ends take off like bats out of hell, it sends a message.

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Maybin going Pro

Admit it, there was a deep feeling inside Aaron Maybin was going to do this.

"Sources report to FightOnState.com that Penn State redshirt sophomore defensive end Aaron Maybin intends to make himself eligible for the 2009 NFL Draft... Maybin reportedly informed Penn State head coach Joe Paterno and defensive line coach Larry Johnson of his decision Thursday night... Friday morning, he was seen cleaning his personal items from his on-campus apartment."

But all the while, you were praying he wouldn't. Well, the best we can do is say "good luck" and hope he does well.

As someone with no real experience or authority on these kinds of things, I think this is a terrible move for Maybin. He's played only one really good season at the college level, and still has a lot of physical maturing to do. But we can't do anything about it now.

This also sucks, because I have to scrap the poll I just put up:

...and all three got it wrong. Go figure. But you can still vote in the new one!

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Poll Results: Mo Evans leaving early for NFL?

The rumor mill was hard at work this summer, indicating PSU All-American DE Maurice Evans might leave early for the NFL. I'm personally not so sure this will happen, but then again, PSU fans weren't sure if Justin King would stick around. By a very, very slight margin (51%-48%), ZN readers felt Evans will enter the NFL draft following this football season. We can only hope this won't happen.


*Editorial Note: This week's First Look: Michigan State Spartans will be posted tonight sometime. Sorry for the delay. And be sure to vote in this week's ZN reader poll: Leading PSU receiver in '08 will be... below.

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PSU prospects absent from CFN top 250

Very interesting list up on CFN (I know, I'm really harping on them lately) today, going over which players have a shot at the 2009 NFL Draft. Sure, there are names on there we as PSU fans expect to see, like Maurice Evans and Sean Lee. However, some names are on the list you wouldn't expect to see, and other that you would expect to see, aren't.

Here are the players who made the list:

239. Andrew Quarless - My guess is that his physical measurements will land him a free agent contract somewhere. But unless he turns his act around, he won't go anywhere.

218. AQ Shipley - This is really low, but not as low as you'd think. Pure centers rarely go high in the draft. Guards and tackles are where it's at these days.

113. Sean Lee - I still say, not bad for a guy who blew up his ACL and won't play for a full season.

22. Maurice Evans - I hope this isn't an early sign he's going to bolt early. My guess is that he'll stay an extra year and shoot up to a top-5 pick.

Now let's take a look at those who are not on this list:

Derrick Williams - This one baffles me. I know he hasn't lived up to the hype and win Heismans, but he's still fast and is a good wide receiver and returner. He just wasn't used correctly since 2005. He should at least be a 7th rounder.

Deon Butler - Another odd exclusion, he easily warrants a free agent spot, or a very late pick in the draft. He has good hands, is very tough, and will always play without saying boo.

Gerald Cadogan - This is sort of hit or miss. He's a good left tackle, and 2008 will go a long way in determining where he'll go--if at all--in the 2009 draft. If the line is as good as we think it will be, he could use that to boost his stock.

Anthony Scirrotto - With some of the names thrown into this list, I'm very surprised that he didn't get a spot somewhere in the 4th or 5th rounds. He's a monster hitter and has a knack for picking off passes just when your team needs it.

I know, where's Norwood, Sales, etc. Well, I'm just going on what the pro scouts might think. Although anything's possible between now and April, the chances are slim those guys will get picked up.

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