The Penn State Football Show

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