The Penn State Football Show

• 1.      High character:  I’m not basing this off of anything I’ve read or heard him say in his press conference.  I’m basing this off of personal conversations I’ve had with college athletic administrators that have all told me that Franklin is very highly regarded throughout the industry and is considered to have very high character.  Perhaps the most telling is the way he handled his exit from Vanderbilt.  Conducting a team meeting so he could address his players in person like a man.  He didn’t run off and inform them via twitter from a private jet like Todd Graham did to Pitt.  I think that speaks volumes about the kind of person he is. 
• 2.       High energy:  Bill “Worm” Lippert is most grateful to Bill O’Brien not for his success on the field, or guiding the program through it’s darkest times, but for finally bringing some exciting football to State College.  Whether they won or lost, Penn State was a lot more fun to watch these past two years than they had been previously.  I can’t speak to the style of offense and defense Franklin will use, so I have no idea whether or not the football on the field will continue to be exciting and fun to watch.  But anyone that watched yesterday’s press conference can tell that Franklin himself, will be very entertaining for fans.  And that’s a good start.
• 3.       Recruiting:  Believe me, opposing coaches (especially at Pitt and Maryland, but far beyond that as well) are scared to death of what Franklin is going to do in recruiting at Penn State.  Just look at what he was able to do at Vanderbilt.  Listening to him speak, it’s easy to see why he is such a good recruiter.  He’s very positive, full of energy, and perhaps most importantly, fully of confidence.  Then, when you consider his PA ties, combined with his recruiting base that he established in SEC country, and you have the perfect storm.  I truly believe, as he put it, Penn State is going to DOMINATE in recruiting.  I love that he threw down the gauntlet and straight up challenged Pitt.  They don’t stand a chance, as they shouldn’t. 

There are a lot of Penn State fans that are angry with Bill O’Brien for bolting for the NFL after two years in State College. I am not one of them. I don’t blame Bill O’Brien for leaving Penn State. I really think O’Brien would have stayed if the working environment was a better one. Having an interim athletic director and President is not a very stable situation for a head football coach. I have spoken with multiple people that work in the Penn State athletic department that have complained of a lack of leadership in the department. Combine that with the fact that a large portion of Penn State donors and fans haven’t been able to get over the Sandusky scandal and are more determined to defend Paterno than to support O’Brien, and you have a very difficult position for a head coach to be in.

I think this quote from Mike Mauti is the most telling: "Let's lay it out there: he's the reason we did all this. They hire anyone else, this season doesn't happen- and who knows where the program is? He's it. If O-B leaves in the next three, four, five years, it's their fault, not his fault. It's not because of him. It would never be. It's because they didn't do their jobs and do what's right."

I will be rooting for O’Brien to succeed in Houston, and I’m interested to see if he does. I think he is a good coach, but I also didn’t see anything in the last two seasons to indicate that he’s ready for a head coaching position in the NFL. He was clearly a coach that is still learning. The team still seemed unorganized this season and struggled with clock management issues. Yes he did a good job at Penn State given the circumstances, but let’s not get carried away. In his two seasons, the team went 8-4 and 7-5. Good, but not great. There is a misconception out there that these records were attained with a lack of talented scholarship athletes due to the sanctions, but that is simply not true. Only a few starters ended up transferring after the sanctions were handed down. The 8-4 team was nearly a full roster of scholarship athletes recruited by Paterno. I think he has a bright future but I expect some struggles in his first year or two as he continues to learn.

So where does Penn State go from here? They are in a really tough spot given the fact that the coaching hire will need to be made by the interim AD and President, meaning whoever takes the job won’t even know who they will be working for in six months. That could scare some candidates away. It’s also unfortunate for whoever is named the new AD, since he/she will be stuck with a brand new football coach that he/she didn’t hire. A lot of the same names we heard two years ago are resurfacing: Schiano, Munchak, Franklin, Golden. But O’Brien emerged out of nowhere two years ago, so I expect some new names to come up soon, unless they act fast to hire Franklin or Schiano in the very near future. Here are my thoughts on these names: 

Schiano: I honestly don’t know a whole lot about Schiano. Most of the people I’ve heard from are strongly against hiring Schiano. He did an admirable job at Rutgers, and a lot of people thought he would be Paterno’s successor after they had that one big year in 06. But after that it was a bunch of 8-5, 9-4 seasons. To me, he’s just kind of a blah hire. It would be somewhat of a safe hire since I don’t see him going back to the NFL any time soon, and I don’t see him leaving Penn State for another college job. So he would probably be around for a while. But I have a feeling it would be many years of what Penn State fans would consider to be mediocrity.

Golden: Good coach that would be a good hire but I don’t think he would leave Miami right now. Why leave a school finally recovering from sanctions for a school still in the midst of the some of the strictest sanctions ever handed down.

Munchak: I like Munchak and wanted him to get the job two years ago, but not so much any more. He’s been in the NFL his entire coaching career, and even worse, it’s been with the same franchise the whole time. Which means his connections are limited, which would make things a little more difficult when putting together a coaching staff. Plus he doesn’t have any experience recruiting. I like Munchak but don’t think it’s a good fit for Penn State right now. Plus it looks like the Titans are keeping him. I doubt he would leave a franchise he’s been so loyal to for so many years after they showed faith in him by giving him another year when he could have been fired.

Franklin: Franklin has done a great job at Vandy and is highly thought of by many. It seems inevitable that he will leave for a bigger program, and given his ties to PA, Penn State makes sense. Texas is interested as well, and that would probably be a more enticing opportunity for him, unless he truly wants to get back to PA. I would be happy with this hire. But keep in mind, he and O’Brien coached at Maryland together, so I’d imagine they have a relationship. Franklin would obviously reach out to O’Brien before accepting the job. What would OB tell him about the environment at Penn State? Given what just transpired, I can’t see him recommending to Franklin that he take the job.

Roman: I’m a Niners fan and I think Roman has done a great job as the OC in San Francisco. But I don’t like him as the next head coach at Penn State. He too would be a likely candidate to bolt for an NFL job. Plus he seems like more of a great offensive mind/x’s and o’s guy than a college head coach to me.

I’m sure other names will emerge just as O'Brien's did two years ago. The timing is really tough here given the lack of stability in the Penn State administration. I understand that for recruiting purposes, it is important that a new coach is named relatively soon. However, they should not rush with this decision, as this next hire will hopefully remain the head coach at Penn State for many years. If they identify a top candidate or two, and fail to get either one, would it be beneficial to name Larry Johnson Sr. as the interim coach for a year? Then let the new AD and President handle the search for the next head coach after next season? I would prefer that over reaching for someone just to fill the position. He is well liked by the players and he is their best recruiter, so you might not see as much attrition as some might fear. I also think it would be ideal for the incoming AD to be able to hire the football coach.

Alright that’s my blog post for 2014. Happy New Year to all!

The Syracuse game was a little closer than I had expected, but it was not a result of the on-field talent, but caused by mental mistakes and turnovers by Penn State. Allen Robinson's fumble, Fergy's fumble, and some costly interceptions game Syracuse some great field position and a short field to work with against a defense that lost one of its top players early in the game. All in all, the defense played very well. There were some missed tackles by the defensive backs and a few long pass plays, but the rush defense was great overall and I really liked what I saw from Trevor Williams and Jordan Lucas at corner. These two played the most physical corner defense I have seen from PSU in a while, and these guys like to hit. The entire defense is full of head hunters, and they play very physically. This is why guys like Obeng-Agyapong are able to move up to LB from safety and make an impact. That was great to see, but it really outlined the depth issues at linebacker. Mike Hull was a huge loss during the game, but it appears that he will be good to go this week (though I do not expect him to get into the game unless something goes very wrong).

Although the Penn State running game did not produce much against the Orange, I really liked what I saw from Zwinak. I will admit, I was frustrated with him watching the game live, but after watching the replay on TV, he ran with a lot of power and got a lot of extra yards after contact. The Orange defense is stout and physical in their own right, and I feel like they are very underrated as a team. Expect them to make some noise this week against Northwestern....seriously...look at my upset special....and keep in mind, I picked Washington over Boise last week. I've got the magic touch.

In summary, the score and the turnovers tell a story that hides how well some of the Penn State players played last week. This team is going to be good as they get into the season. Hackenberg is the real deal, and he made some great throws last week, went through progressions, and improvised a few times. He also has a cannon. On one play that was supposed to be a screen to the left, he recognized that it wasn't there, rolled to his right, and while moving away from the line of scrimmage, threw a laser to Moseby-Felder on the right sideline. It was beautiful. He's going to start making better reads, his second interception was on a zone blitz, and the first one was just a bad decision throwing a corner against cover-2 off of play-action where the safety didn't bite on the run. I'm not concerned, and I expect him to get some serious confidence this week against a sub-par Eastern Michigan team. Allen Robinson should actually play in the first half (man-beast), and if EMU does what 'Cuse did, and force PSU to throw the ball by putting 8 and 9 guys in the box, it's going to be a air-attack field day.

Penn State rolls, 38-10

It's that time of year again. It's better than Christmas and Thanksgiving multiplied by the 4th of July. Penn State football is back. Every year bring new stories, new players, and new excitement. Players graduate and move on to careers in and out of football, and the remaining players have to be the next man up.

The most marked losses from last year lie at quarterback and linebacker where experience and depth are exceptionally thin. Matt McGloin is chasing the impossible with the Oakland Raiders, while two young guns battle out the starting QB role without a single NCAA snap between them. At linebacker the loss of Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges (both now Minnesota Vikings) leaves a lone returning starter in Glenn Carson.

Many around the nation wait in suspense to get a glimpse of Christian Hackenberg, the highly touted true freshman quarterback. He has all the tools to be a great quarterback, but regardless of how good he was in high school, facing a tough defense like that of Syracuse is going to be a challenge for him. He and Ferguson, who has impressed me thus far (though I think he will be relegated to the backup role even in Week 1), have the great fortune of being coached by one of the best and also having arguably the best skill position players in the Big Ten. With so many weapons on offense, it will be an easier transition for Hack or Ferg into big time college football than most true freshman would have to endure, and they are setup in a position to succeed.

Linebacker worries me the most of any position, and it's not because of the starters. Carson is an underrated player, but will get some accolades this year as he is no longer overshadowed by Mauti and Hodges (both finalists for the Butkus award last year). Hull is another great player that is going to have a breakout season. I expect 100+ tackles, 5 interceptions and at least one defensive touchdown. He is a dynamic player with tremendous work ethic, and he is going to be unleashed this season. The other outside backer will be Nyeem Wartman, a true sophomore who is an absolute load. He looks like he should fit in fine, but after these three, there is little depth. Kline is coming off of some injuries, though he is very capable, Wooten doesn't seem ready for the big stage yet after a pretty lousy performance in the Blue White game, and Bell, a true freshman will likely be getting most of his reps on special teams. O'Brien will likely move Amos or Obeng-Agyapong down from safety to be a hybrid linebacker in certain situations to help out with the lack of depth.

The defense as a whole could be very dynamic this year, but lack depth at almost every position besides defensive back (who would have thought we'd be saying this a year ago?). I honestly believe that the secondary may be the backbone of the defense. The pass rush will be solid, and if the unit can stay healthy, they should be one of the Big Ten's top defenses. Oh, yea....Deion Barnes...watch yourselves...he's coming.

Offensively there really isn't much to say. If the QB can limit mistakes, they are going to be explosive. That's kind of a weird statement, but it's true. The offensive line is the best it's been since 2008, the running backs are fantastic with power (Zwinak) and speed (Belton) and the combination (Lynch), and we all know what the receivers and tight ends are capable of.

If this team stays healthy, I swear to God, they could go undefeated. Why not? Where's the weakness? The schedule is set up nicely with the first six contests being very favorable, and by then hopefully whoever is playing quarterback has developed a rhythm to carry into the Ohio States and Michigans. I'm always pathetically optimistic, but these guys are going to be good. I'm going to predict a 10-2 record, and they're going to start that off with a 31-13 victory over a Syracuse team that thinks they have a chance. HA

For the past fourteen months I have refrained from commenting publicly about the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the related actions by the Board of Trustees, Louis Freeh, the President of Penn State and the NCAA. There have been many times, of course, when I wanted to speak out, but I needed time to deal with the loss of Joe and I believed also that this was a situation that demanded careful, thoughtful, objective analysis. The last thing Joe would have wanted is for me to become just one more voice making claims and assertions that were unsupported by the facts.  

The crimes committed by Jerry Sandusky are heartbreaking. As a mother of 5 and grandmother of 17, it is incomprehensible to me that anyone could intentionally harm a child. I think of the victims daily and I pray that God will heal their wounds and comfort their souls.

As this story unfolded, Joe and I believed strongly that the first priority must be to uncover the full truth. Despite the Board of Trustees' rash and irresponsible decision to fire Joe without ever speaking with him, we remained hopeful that the investigation they initiated with Mr. Freeh, along with simultaneous investigations by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Second Mile and other entities, would produce a clear and comprehensive record of what transpired. We also hoped that these investigations would result in an actionable set of lessons that other institutions could use to help prevent similar tragedies from unfolding. Sadly, neither outcome has developed.

When the Freeh report was released last July, I was as shocked as anyone by the findings and by Mr. Freeh's extraordinary attack on Joe's character and integrity. I did not recognize the man Mr. Freeh described. I am here to tell you as definitively and forcefully as I know how that Mr. Freeh could not have been more wrong in his assessment of Joe. I knew Joe Paterno as well as one human being can know another. Joe was exactly the moral, disciplined and demanding man you knew him to be. Over the years I watched as he struggled with countless personal and professional challenges. Never - not once - did I see him compromise his principles or twist the truth to avoid bad publicity or protect his reputation. Joe was tough, sometimes difficult, always opinionated and extremely demanding. He was also scrupulously honest, rigidly moral and absolutely unafraid of the consequences of doing the right thing.  

After the Freeh report was released I knew immediately that the situation demanded further review. Unfortunately, the Board's response was to panic again. They embraced the report without reviewing it. They never met with Mr. Freeh or his investigators. They asked no questions and challenged no assertions. Although they never officially voted to accept the report, they endorsed its findings and allowed the NCAA to impose unprecedented sanctions. To claim that this ill-considered and rash process served the victims and the university is a grave error. Only the truth serves the victims. Only the truth can help prevent this sort of crime from occurring again.  

Although it was not something I ever imagined doing, I directed my lawyer, Wick Sollers, of the King & Spalding firm in Washington DC, to undertake a review of the Freeh report and Joe's actions. I told him to engage the best, most respected experts, to take whatever time he needed and to go wherever the facts led. Sunday morning at 9am we are releasing the full Report by Wick and his team of experts. The report and additional information will be available at Paterno.com.  

I will not attempt in this letter to summarize the Report of the experts except to say that they unreservedly and forcefully confirm my beliefs about Joe's conduct. In addition, they present a passionate and persuasive critique of the Freeh report as a total disservice to the victims of Sandusky and the cause of preventing child sex offenses. I hope you can take the time to review the report and share it with friends and family.  

In closing, I want to address two issues that have come up frequently over the last year. First, some critics say it is no longer appropriate for me or my family to comment further on this case and that the Freeh report and the actions of the NCAA should close the book on the Sandusky scandal. This cannot happen. The Freeh report failed and if it is not challenged and corrected, nothing worthwhile will have come from these tragic events.  

Second, there has been endless speculation about what my family and I ultimately want to achieve. Is it the return of the statue? The restoration of Joe's wins? His name on the football stadium? On this point I also want to be clear. Joe Paterno's legacy wasn't a statue, a winning record or public adulation. He was grateful for the many accolades he received but he never believed they defined his life. His legacy is his family and you his players. How you live your life speaks louder than any report. The great fathers, husbands and citizens you have become fulfill the dreams Joe had. All that we want - and what I believe we owe the victims, Joe Paterno and everyone who cares about Penn State - is the full record of what happened. On this point, I know the advice Joe would give. Don't give up. Don't be afraid. Do the right thing. And make sure your actions serve the greater good. This is the path I will continue to follow.

I thank you for your support and kindness. My heart and home will always be open to you.  

Sincerely,  

Sue Paterno

The media wants everyone to think that Penn State lost to Ohio because of the sanctions. It certainly didn't help not having Silas Redd in the backfield or Justin Brown catching passes, or Anthony Fera not shanking punts. But the real issue that was exposed was the same thing that Houston went to work against in January...our secondary. None of the guys that transferred were starters on defense, and no defensive backs (except for a walk-on safety) were included in that bunch. Ohio would have had the same success throwing the football regardless of the sanctions. With the injury to Stephon Morris in the game, Ohio went right after DaQuan Davis, a true freshman cornerback, and they had some success. Penn State has also not yet installed a nickel or dime defense because of their lack of depth in the secondary. This is a huge concern, but at the same time, you also have to give Ohio and their quarterback Tyler Tettleton a lot of credit. He made some great throws, and their offensive game plan essentially neutralize Penn State's defensive line. I was disappointed in the run defense in the second half, but I think the linebackers were so concerned with the pass that their first steps were into their coverages. Luckily the next time Penn State faces a passing attack like that will not be for some time, and this week against Virginia should be a better one for Penn State's defense.

Bill Belton is out, Silas Redd is gone, and now Derek Day is the starting running back for Penn State. Thankfully, I believe that Curtis Dukes will get some significant touches this week. Last week he was relegated to special teams (where he was still making some plays). Virginia's pass defense might be even worse than Penn State's so if McGloin and Co. can take advantage, I think that Penn State can get the monkey off their back and take home a good win. I don't know what to expect this week, but I think that this team will improve greatly with each week as the coaches and players get more accustomed to the new system and correct mistakes. The team still has a lot of talent, but depth is and will continue to be the biggest concern. In the past if a linebacker got hurt, there was another to fill in adequately. It certainly was a different feeling last week.

Although I was very depressed with the outcome of the game, just being out there watching football and tailgating again felt great. The NCAA and others were quick to say that Penn State's culture was to win at all costs, but they couldn't have been farther from the truth. The entire region depends on this football team and school, and though we all know how to celebrate a big win, a loss has never been that big of a deal. It's all about having fun, watching a competitive football game, and then getting back to the fun. Let's just hope that the fan support can stay strong through these tough years....I fear that a loss to Virginia will really kill attendance for the following two home games. But I don't see either of those things happening. Lions pull out a victory 27-17

I wasn't able to watch the Ohio game live, so I recorded it and just watched the replay. Even without the scandal and the subsequent sanctions, Penn State was already going to have somewhat of a down year this year just because of who they were losing. I'll be honest though, I did not think for a second that Penn State would lose to Ohio. The first half was actually pretty good, but the second half was pretty pathetic. With that said, I think the team is capable of turning things around. The schedule doesn't get any easier though as they travel to UVA then face Navy and Temple. Here are my observations from the game: I really like Kyle Carter. Great size. Reminds me of Gronk. The way O'Brien utilizes tight ends, he could be a force for Penn State this year. For the most part I thought the defense tackled well, but the defensive playcalling and scheming was just awful. Not a good debut for Ted Roof/Graham Spanier. Why the hell is Gerald Hodges returning punts? Belton does not seem like a Big Ten running back to me. He's a great athlete, but he's not a running back. Doesn't have the size and doesn't know how to protect the football. He will fumble plenty more if he doesn't correct that. Surprisingly, Derek Day looked pretty good. Does a good job of getting North and South. I still can't figure out how Curtis Dukes can't get on the field. He's either the worst blocker in the world or he's got some off the field issues. Because he is big and he can run and he would be effective. Man I miss Silas. That was such a huge loss. Massarro and Stanely were non-factors. Lets hope that changes soon. Allen Robinson looks great. Offense much more complex than we are used too. Some crazy routes. Well thought out schemes. Mcgloin seems to have pretty good handle of it. Really impressed with o-line, especially pass protection.