The Penn State Football Show

With the NFL draft slowly approaching the "experts" come out with drafts of Mock Drafts to tickle our fancy or maybe to just piss me off. Todd McShay (who I feel like we can all agree is a buffoon who would make a better doorstop than a sports analyst) and many others have both Odrick and Bowman much lower than I would expect because of "off the field issues". This is what bothers me about these idiots. A human being with common sense would see that the infractions that Odrick and Bowman committed, while not trivial, were really nothing so great in magnitude as to worry an NFL team. The New England Patriots drafted Brandon Merriweather (reallllly should have taken Poz!) with their first round pick....the same Brandon Merriweather who took part in the infamous UMiami-FIU slugfest where he did some head-stomping. Navarro Bowman is the kind of guy that I would have babysit for me, and Jared Odrick may have beat the piss out of someone, but whatever. Is that so wrong? Are these guys going to pull a Plaxico Burress and shoot themselves in the leg? NO! But McShay wants to prove to everyone that he knows how to read, and pretend that he knows what he's saying. Bowman is the best outside linebacker in the draft, and if he isn't taken in the first round, it won't be because of his character or any other "issues". Odrick is also a sure thing in the first round. He was not a flashy player, but the fact that the Big Ten coaches named him the defensive player of the year really speaks volumes about how they had to gameplan against him. He demanded double teams and was very effective both against the run and the pass. There has been talk that Minnesota would like to grab him, and the Patriots would also be a likely candidate to take him in the first round.

As for other Penn Staters in the draft, Sean Lee will go anywhere from the second to the fifth round with a lot depending on his performance at the combine. Josh Hull might even get drafted, which would be a great thing to see. He is the definition of a hard worker, and although he will never be a starter in the NFL, he is a kind of guy that can play effectively on special teams for a lot of years, something that many take for granted. Some also criticized Lee for not taking part in the Senior Bowl, but with that game it seems that very few players improve their stock. Tim Tebow for example absolutely ruined his chances of getting drafted with his agonizing performance (ok....I liked it). Andrew Quarless will be an interesting pick as well. He will get drafted, but where? Tough to say at this point, but I could see him going as high as the third round, and who would have imagined this a year ago?

Daryl Clark isn't a guy I see getting drafted in the first three rounds, but there really aren't many capable quarterbacks in the draft, and QB's usually get drafted higher than they should. Some analysts said that Clark had a bad Shrine game performance, but he performed pretty well. I think he will have a career in the NFL for a few years at least. The rest of the Penn State class will most likely sign with a team, but getting drafted might not be in the cards. Jeremy Boone is one of the better punters in the class. AJ Wallace, despite his five stars as a high schooler, had a lackluster career. He's athletic, he's fast, but just not a great football player. Someone might take a chance on him in the seventh round. Lastly, Dennis Landolt. He's a good player, and will get his chance in mini-camp, but I don't see him getting drafted.

All in all there is a lot of talent from PSU in the draft, and I fully expect both Bowman and Odrick to go in the first round. And McShay will still have his stupid job, and next year will roll around and we'll have this same bitch session about his unqualified, talentless ability to analyze sports. I hope he develops an allergy to hair gel.

For those who do not follow the fight game former Nittany Lion national champion Phil Davis scored a decision victory in his UFC debut, moving his record to 5-0. Davis notched a dominating 30-27 win from all judges over UFC veteran and former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann. For those unfamiliar with scoring this means Davis won all three rounds.

Stann is a decorated Marine and an all around tough SOB. He is by no means a top 5 fighter but he has fought and beaten a who's who of mma fighters. This was a very stiff test for Davis. I am very excited at the prospect of Davis's career as he is not your traditional wrestler trying to learn the fight game. Most wrestlers in mma are stout and stiff with their movements. They rely on their ability to take their opponent down and "ground and pound" him in to submission. This is a rather boring fight to watch. Davis, on the other hand, is an extremely athletic guy who was always more comfortable on the mat then on his feet which lends itself well to the jiu-jitsu style grappling necessary in the fight game. He is also very tall and lean for his weight class which should help tremendously in his striking.

Keep an eye on your tv guides for a replay on Spike TV. Congratulations to Phil on which should be a long and promising career. You can also join his facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/philmrwonderful. There is usually a link to some shady Ukranian website where you can watch the fight for free.

National Letter of Intent Day was on Wednesday, and Penn State finished with a very good recruiting class. Most publications rank them around 10-12 nationally, and pretty much everyone has them as the top class in the Big Ten. The Big Ten as a conference was down in recruiting this year, mostly due to a very rare down-year by Ohio State. The Buckeyes have consistently recruited top 10 and often top 5 classes, but this year they were ranked around 20. Michigan had a top 25 class once again. Their recent struggles haven't seemed to hurt their recruiting.

Even though Penn State's class ended up being very good, I was not very happy with how the recruiting season ended for the Lions. They started out on fire, with a very impressive list of early commitments. They were ahead of the game from the start, getting lots of high quality commits early. A lot of people, including myself, were thinking it would finish as a top 5 class. They ended up losing two verbal committments in wide receiver Adrian Coxson and Defensive Lineman Dominique Easley, both switched to Florida, who finished with the consensus #1 class. A lot of people were hoping to land top running back recruit Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina and were dissapointed when he chose the Gamecocks over the Lions. In my opinion though, this was not that big of a loss, and it was a longshot anyway since he was from SC. With Royster, Green, and Beachum on the roster, and 4-star recruit Silas Redd coming in with this class, there was no need for another running back.

Notes from this class:

-Interesting that the top two prospects in this class were both from Connecticut. Don't see that very often.

-Quarterback was a big time need and Penn State got two great ones in Jones and Bolden. I've seen Jones play a few times. He is a physical specimen, a huge dude with a big arm, a lot like Clark. But he is far from being ready to play quarterback in college. His mechanics need a ton of work and he is very raw. Enrolling early will help him for sure. I've also seen some video of Bolden, who has much better mechanics. He has a real quick release and a strong arm. He is extremely skinny though. He definitely needs to put on some weight. He did not enroll early. Even though the quarterback position is wide open for next year, anyone who thinks that either of these two true freshman have a shot at being named the opening day starter has clearly not followed Joe Paterno for very long. It will be Newsome or McGloin or maybe even Brackett, but that doesn't mean one of these two won't win the job eventually.

-Excited to have another Norwood on the team.

-Most important observation on recruiting: Notice that Florida State had a top 5 class after Bowden retired. I think Paterno retiring will have the same effect on PSU recruiting. Not to say that he is holding them back, but when Joe Pa decides to leave, that will be the start of something new and exciting at Penn State and will attract a lot of recruits. Especially since the top two recruiters on the staff are Bradley and Johnson, and they will most likely become the head coach and defensive coordinator.

Overall I'm very happy with this class and excited to see what they can do.

NEW YORK, December 2009 — The NYC Hope Gala recently announced football star and Penn State Alumnus LaVar Arrington as Master of Ceremonies. The second annual Hope Gala, taking place on January 22, 2010 at New York City’s legendary Capitale, is designed to help raise money for Penn State’s Dance Marathon, benefiting pediatric cancer.

“Penn State has been a huge part of my life and I am so glad that I can give back by helping out with this event,” said Arrington. “THON is a Penn State tradition right up there with football and the Creamery.”

During his football career at Penn State, LaVar Arrington earned several awards for his defensive skill. He was an All Big-Ten selection, a two-time first team All-American, and won the 1999 Chuck Bednarik, the Dick Butkus and the Lambert Award awards. After leaving Penn State, he played six seasons for the Washington Redskins and one season for the New York Giants.

“We are so excited for LaVar to be involved with this year’s Hope Gala,” said Overall Chair Meghan Day. “He embodies all of the qualities that the Four Diamonds Fund is based on; courage, honesty, wisdom and strength.”

The Hope Gala was created to expand philanthropic efforts beyond Penn State for one of the school’s most unifying traditions, its 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping Dance Marathon, more commonly known as THON. As the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, benefiting the Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, PA, students have raised over $50 million for the cause since 1977 and have helped thousands of children and families in their fight against pediatric cancer. Last year alone THON raised over $6.6 million.

Tickets for the 2009 Hope Gala can be purchased for $175 at:

www.psunyc.org/store.html

For event and sponsorship information, please visit:

http://www.nychopegala.com

About the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON)

The mission of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) is to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers, and staff of The Four Diamonds Fund. THON is fundraising over a year-long effort involving thousands of students and culminating in a challenging, two day, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon. THON is changing the lives of students and children, reinforcing the importance of caring for one another, and inspiring the determination needed to beat cancer. THON is helping to conquer pediatric cancer through strategic investments in hospital bills, research efforts, and a new family-centered Pediatric Cancer Pavilion at the Penn State Children's Hospital. Together we will find a cure.

About the Four Diamonds Fund

The mission of The Four Diamonds Fund is to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children treated at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital and their families through superior care, comprehensive support, and innovative research. Any family with a child being treated for pediatric cancer at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital is automatically eligible for support. The Fund has helped more than 2,000 families since 1972. Approximately 100 new families receive support each year. The Fund offsets the cost of treatment that insurance does not cover, as well as expenses that may disrupt the welfare of the child, such as car repairs, rent, or household utilities. The Fund supports the medical team that cares for the children and funds pediatric cancer research through start-up grants and the Four Diamonds Pediatric Cancer Research Institute.

As we prepare for the off-season and the dead period for college football, I thought it would be interesting to look into the crystal ball and see what the future might have in store for Penn State football. Here is what I have come up with...

1. Daryll Clark will start NFL games at QB. I think an NFL team will take a chance on Clark as a mid to late-round draft pick and work to develop some of his fundamental flaws. DC17 has definitely shown he has some of the desirable traits NFL scouts look for, i.e. size, vision, arm strength, mobility, ability to throw on the run, and most of all, leadership in the huddle. Give the NFL coaches a year or two to work out the kinks in his footwork and pocket presence and he could have a shot. If Dennis Dixon can play in the NFL, Daryll Clark can too.

PS…The PSU player in the 2010 NFL draft with the highest ceiling might be Andrew Quarless.

2. Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti will be the next star LB duo at Penn State. Like I have said before, this is the one position at PSU that reloads rather than rebuilds so we know there are some stud LB’s waiting in the shadows. We have heard about how Mauti would have competed with Josh Hull for the MLB job this year had he not gotten injured in camp and Hodges is a big and quick physical presence with a lot of expectations and a high ceiling. Frankly, I don’t know why he didn’t see more action this season with the second unit or even with the first. You could presumably throw Khairi Fortt’s name into this mix too but I am hesitant to anoint any player with a label before he even steps foot onto a college campus (Plus, he doesn’t even have an initials/jersey number abbreviation yet!). Either way, the tradition and excellence at Linebacker U continues…

3. Curtis Drake will be the next Derrick Williams. CD7 might be one of the most versatile and athletic players we have seen in a while at Penn State. He’s not as strong as D-Will and I don’t know if he is quite as fast, but he definitely has the skills to be a big time player. We know he can play WR and in the slot. With Beachum out for 2010, Drake could be in the backfield. If Newsome doesn’t pan out, Drake could even play QB. Regardless, I think the coaches must find ways to get this kid the ball, much like they did with Williams. If they get him the ball in space, he can make things happen. With a dual-threat QB in Newsome, Drake will be an essential component of the Spread HD as we move forward. I think we can run an offense similar to Oregon’s or Georgia Tech’s with all of the athletes we will have in the backfield. I’m going out on a limb here, but…could Drake be the first player in PSU history to score a TD via five different avenues (Run, Catch, Throw, Punt Return and Kick Return)? He already has the toughest one in the bag!

4. Penn State will compete for a National Title in 2011. I am already considering 2010 a rebuilding year (9-4 at best), but come 2011, things begin to heat up. A senior-laden secondary and receiving corp, a rebuilt offensive line with 2-3 years of cohesive experience, re-loaded LB’s, Beachum leading the running attack with Stephfon Green playing his typical supporting role, and Curtis Drake simply being "The Man." The biggest question mark will be the development of the QB. Will Newsome be the guy or will one of the incoming 2010 recruits win the job and, furthermore, how will he develop in 2010 and into 2011? The fact of the matter is the talent is there, the schedule is favorable (Alabama, Ohio State, Iowa, and Wisconsin at home), Guido will be spitting out new pump-up videos, and Beaver Stadium will be filled with a brand new, filthy rich, excited fan base! Start getting psyched!

5. Joe Paterno will sign another contract extension. This idea is somewhat predicated on point #4. With Penn State back in the national picture in 2011 and Joe’s health at an adequate state, I can’t see him calling it quits nor being forced out by the admins after his previously signed contract extension expires. He says he feels good, he still enjoys what he is doing, and he’s about to ink possibly the best recruiting class of his career. I agree with Pete, his longevity has nothing to do with Bobby Bowden or the record. The man just loves being around football and young people. That being said, Joe stays for another 3-4 years and squashes all controversy over who is the winningest coach in college football history as he eclipses 420 wins, a record that WILL NOT be broken. The big question is…will Joe coach till he’s 90?

6. Pitt will continue to be Penn State’s little brother! No big surprise here but until Pitt consistently begins playing games in January, they take a back seat to The State University.

FOR THE FUTURE THAT WE WAIT...

Thoughts on 2009:

For me, personally, 2009 was a pretty boring football season all around. We have been spoiled the past few years with some awesome college football filled with shocking upsets (App. State over Michigan!! Stanford over USC) and unbelievably dramatic games (Boise State over Oklahoma, Texas over USC, Texas Tech over Texas). Maybe it’s just me, but this year just seemed to be kind of lacking. Overall I found myself much less interested in college football this year than I typically am. Nevertheless, I still watched my share of college football, so here are my thoughts on the past year:

We all pretty much agreed heading in to this season that Penn State’s schedule was set up beautifully for the Lions in 2009. The two biggest games, Iowa and Ohio State, were both at home. The game against the Hawkeyes was a night game at Beaver Stadium, and it was the Big Ten opener, with last year’s crushing last-second defeat at Iowa fresh on the minds of all players and fans. It was a recipe for great revenge for the Lions. The current state of Michigan football made this year’s trip to the Big House not nearly as intimidating as usual. Penn State dodged the Badgers on the schedule this year, and the non-conference opponents consisted of four cream puffs once again. Heading in to the season, I heard many Penn State fans express the same feelings that I had: An undefeated regular season was well in reach, and anything less would pretty much be a disappointment. Realistically though, most people knew that 11-0 is a lot to ask for, and a 10-1 mark is not too shabby.

We all know what happened. The Lions handled all of the opponents that they should have, and lost in the only two tough games that they played. I guess this is why it was kind of a boring season. But a lot of people take those wins for granted, when taking care of business each week is not as easy as people assume. It’s easy to sleep against an inferior opponent at some point during the season (Ohio State against Purdue, Iowa against Northwestern), but PSU managed to avoid this, and that should be commended.
The efforts against Iowa and Ohio State were very poor and disappointing, especially on the offensive side of the football, where they couldn’t do a thing. The early non-conference wins were pretty sloppy and ugly, but the team hit full stride in an impressive performance in Ann Arbor. Overall, a solid season, but again, with the way the schedule was set up for them, you couldn’t help but be a little disappointed.

So sitting at 10-2 after the regular season, it really came down to the Bowl Game to determine whether or not this year was a success. Win, and they notch a solid W over a tough SEC opponent that has been one of the nation’s premiere programs over that past 10 years. Lose, and it’s a 10-3 season with 10 wins that they were expected to win and 3 losses in the only three difficult games they had all year. I would call that an unsuccessful season.

The conditions at the Capital One Bowl were clearly horrendous, so it’s hard to take a whole lot from the game. It’s pathetic that the field was in such poor condition, but that’s a whole different discussion. I thought Penn State was clearly the better team in the game. They could have put it away by finishing off some drives, but settling for field goals kept the game close when it shouldn’t’ have been. The defense played great, shutting down LSU for almost the entire game. The offense moved the ball all game long, and the performance by the offensive line was very impressive. Perhaps they were aided by the conditions, but they were much more successful than LSU’s o-line, so perhaps not. It was a good game, and a very big win for Penn State and the Big Ten. With the bowl victory, I think you have to say that 2009 was a pretty good year for Penn State. Maybe not what we had hoped for, but it could have been much worse. You can’t complain about an 11 win season.

I would just like to add a few points to wrap up the 2009 season...

As for the Capital One Bowl...I think it is difficult and pointless to take anything away from a bowl game. The bowl game marks the ending of one season and the beginning of the next and the only thing that matters is a win. No style points. No moral victories. That being said, Penn State did what it needed to do to cap off a good season. I think we were the better team and dominated most of the game. If we cash just one of those field goals into a touchdown, it is LSU playing late-game-spoiler rather than PSU. Most of all, I feel good for Daryll Clark. Hopefully now, his legacy will hold a little more credibility. I still think he ranks among the best of PSU QB's.

As for the National Championship...very disappointed to see Colt McCoy go down early. That really tarnished the whole game. I really felt sorry for the kid. His whole career came down to this game and to see it all wash down the drain like that must have been devastating. Hopefully, he has a successful NFL career to ease some of the pain.

I agree that Alabama should have taken a knee to end the game rather than scoring again. I thought Saban was a classy guy and did things the right way?

As for next season's Penn State-Alabama game...I dont see Penn State beating Alabama next year due to our uncertainty at QB coupled with the fact that it is the second game of the season, but I think you can make their offense one-dimensional. Defense will be a key in that game and I think Penn State will compete but we can get into all that stuff later. I view this series much like the Notre Dame series. I will give them 2010 but I am pumped for their visit to the Valley in 2011!

Note to all the Big Ten bashers out there: The Big Ten has 3 teams ranked in the Top 10 at season’s end…a season which had five undefeated teams heading into the bowl games. Additionally, each of these three teams proved to be the better team in their respective bowl game. It is clear that the Big Ten is a different brand/style of football, but can we really still call it an inferior conference?

Food for thought: Since 2005, only 11 D-IA college football teams have won 50 games. Penn State is one of them with 51 while Boise State and Texas lead with 58!