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Posts Tagged ‘Bill O’Brien’

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“View from the Philly Pressbox” – Virginia 17 – Penn State 16

In College Football, Penn State Football on September 10, 2012 at 9:45 pm

It would be easy to say that this loss can be blamed directly on the NCAA for allowing All Big 10 kicker Anthony Fera to walk away from the Penn State program and immediately become a Texas Longhorn, leaving new head coach Bill O’Brien and the Nittany Lions with an inexperienced kicker, on the road for the first time, and in a tight game when they visited the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville on Saturday. The truth of the matter is that kicker Sam Ficken should’ve never been in a 1 point ball game.

Penn State clearly outplayed Virginia for the entire ball game and deserved to win that game. It would’ve helped if  Ficken would have made a few of the 4 field goals he missed and didn’t have an extra point blocked, but again, it shouldn’t have come down to field goals. Here are a few facts buried in the game:

  • ·        Penn State forced 4 Virginia turnovers, giving the offense the ball at the 17, 17, 19 and 29 yard line but gained a total of 6 offensive yards after those turnovers and scored only a field goal.
  • ·        Penn State was 1 for 5 in the red zone.
  • ·        Penn State had only 2 defensive three-and-outs all afternoon.
  • ·        Virginia’s final drive was 12 plays, 86 yards and took 6:36.
  • ·        The Cavs had only 295 yards total offense for the game.
  • ·        Virginia was 9-15 on 3rd down conversions and 3 for 3 on the game winning drive.
  • ·        Penn State held Virginia to 32 yards rushing on 25 carries and 2 rushing 1st downs.
  • ·        Penn State averaged only 2.9 yards per carry on 42 carries.
  • ·        Allen Robinson had 10 catches for 89 yards and a TD.
  • ·        Penn State led 7-3 at halftime but lost the game in the 2nd half for the second straight week.
  • ·        Virginia had 10 penalties for 70 yards, PSU 3 for 24.
  • ·        Penn State ran 85 offensive plays to Virginia’s 61.
  • ·        Penn State had the ball for 20:03 seconds of the 1st half to Virginia’s 9:57.
  • ·        Virginia had the ball for 18:16 seconds of the 2nd half to Penn State’s 11:44.

As we discussed last week in the “View from the Philly Pressbox “ – Ohio 24 – Penn State 14, link is attached,  https://phillypressbox.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/view-from-the-philly-pressbox-ohio-24-penn-state-14/, the only statistic that matters are the numbers on the scoreboard. Penn State outplayed and outworked Virginia and should’ve won the game. Matt McGloin played well, passing 19-35 – 197 yards and 2 touchdowns. McGloin battled through an elbow injury and showed solid leadership. The defensive front 7 that was pushed around last week by Ohio was rock solid until the last drive of the game. Michael Mauti led the way with 9 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Gerald Hodges followed with 8 tackles and a fumble recovery.

At the end of the day the ball game fell on Fickens’ shoulders and he didn’t deliver this time. However, as stated a lot of things happened on both sides of the ball that should’ve taken this game away from Fickens and been an easy Penn State victory. Unfortunately that’s not where Penn State football is today.

Next up, the Midshipmen of Navy come to Beaver Stadium for a 3:30 kickoff. This will be the first time Penn State has played Navy since 1974. The Middies opened their season in Dublin Ireland, taking a 50-10 whipping from Notre Dame. They had last week off to lick their wounds and will be looking to get on the winning track. For Penn State this is a “must” game if they’re going to salvage this season.  We look for them to be fired up and ready to play well against Navy and get their first win.

Feel free to click the COMMENT/RESPONSE button below and leave your thoughts as well as click the FOLLOW button on the bottom right of this page, input your email address, and receive your Philly Pressbox posts directly in your email.

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“View from the Philly Pressbox” Ohio 24 – Penn State 14

In College Football, Penn State Football on September 6, 2012 at 9:40 pm

After watching the season opener of the “new era” of Penn State football one couldn’t think that they saw much good on the field for the Nittany Lions. Ohio University came to Beaver Stadium with a good ball club that was expected to put up a good fight, but this was Ohio University of the MAC Conference not Ohio State University of the Big 10!!

Early in the game it appeared that Matt McGloin may have improved under the coaching of Bill O’Brien as he ran a fairly efficient offense and took PSU to the locker room with a 14-3 halftime lead. As the 2nd half started it was very evident that the losses of Silas Redd and Justin Brown were significant. When starting tailback Bill Benton went down with an ankle injury there no weapons left on the offensive side of the ball. As a result the Penn State offense was limited to 115 yards in the 2nd half. The limited talent on this team was shown early when O’Brien made the decision to use 6-foot-2, 237-pound linebacker Gerald Hodges returning kickoffs and punts. Hodges is an outstanding athlete but has no business returning kicks at Penn State. As a result, he returned one kickoff to the 12 yard line and fumbled a fair catch that led to an Ohio field goal. This is a clear indication of limited talent.  

More importantly was not having Tom Bradley calling the defense in the 2nd half. I’ve seen a few times over the years where the defense was beaten up by better teams, but it wasn’t often. Ted Roof’s defense had no answers for the Ohio offense that rolled up 301 yards in the 2nd half alone, converted 11of 12, 3rd   down conversions, gave up drives of 82, 70, 50 and 93 yards and turned a 14-3 lead in to a 24-14 loss. The front 7 of the Nittany Lions are considered the strength of the team. This group was pushed all over the field in the 2nd half. There are two ways to look at this, either the players were outmatched or the coaches didn’t put them in a position to be successful. Either way, the result was ugly!!

At the end of the day, this coaching staff got severely outcoached by Frank Solich and his Ohio staff. Solich has been around the block and is a quality football coach that’s done a nice job at Ohio. As for Penn State, the importance of having a staff that had been together for so long may have been taken for granted. Very rarely was a Penn State team ever outcoached. It was even more unusual for them to not make the proper adjustments at halftime.

Our analysis of games at the Philly Pressbox is not usually based on stats. Stats can be misleading and often are. After all, the only numbers that matter are the ones on the scoreboard. However, there are always several stats that tell the story of the ball game. Obviously, one is turnovers. Ohio created 3 turnovers, 2 fumbles and 1 interception, and PSU none. Time of Possession is important because it allows teams to wear the opponent down and unless you’re playing against a quick striking high powered offense, if one team has significant time of possession over the other they usually win. Ohio led in time of possession 33:10 to 25:05. This also resulted in Ohio running 88 plays from scrimmage while PSU ran 70. Last is 3rd (and 4th) down efficiency. If the defense can’t get off the field because they can’t stop the opponent in 3rd and 4th down situations they usually lose. Ohio converted 14 of 22 while PSU converted 10 of 19.

As a Penn State supporter this was a very sad day. I was very proud of the fans for their support and for the players for their dedication to the cause. However, as I watched the replay on TV and heard the comments from the ESPN broadcast team that as they worked in State College during the week they found very little indication or recognition of Joe Paterno saddens me to know end.

As far as Penn State football, the feeling here is that this is only the beginning of a slide that will be very difficult to stop. This weeks game at Virginia was going to be difficult with a fully stocked lineup. The players can say that they will be better and that what happened against Ohio won’t happen again but the real question is this; do they have the talent on the field to keep it from happening again?

Feel free to click the COMMENT/RESPONSE button below and leave your thoughts as well as click the FOLLOW button on the bottom right of this page, input your email address, and receive your Philly Pressbox posts directly in your email.

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2012 Penn State Season Preview

In College Football, Penn State Football on August 30, 2012 at 8:26 pm

With the college football season upon us we asked our friends at College Football Coverage to provide Philly Pressbox with an update preview of the upcoming 2012 season. As usual, they have provided in-depth position player analysis and game by game win-loss predictions. With all of the turmoil of the last year, a new coaching staff and the loss of several key players it looks like rough times ahead for Nittany Lions in 2012.

Feel free to leave your comments below. Also, you can follow all of college football, including weekly breakdowns of the top five games of the week, as well as order a nice college football preview at www.collegefootballcoverage.com. The website is free and the preview is available for only $2.99. The preview doesn’t cost much but it’s full of great information for the college football fan.

CollegeFootballCoverage.com

2012 Preview

Penn State Nittany Lions

 2011 Review

 Last season was a very disappointing year for the wonderful fan base, alumni and of course the storied football program of Penn State. Joe Paterno, the legendary coach of 61 years, was caught up in a very difficult situation that eventually led to his dismissal. With everything going on around the program, the team rallied and fought hard, but it was still another subpar season on the football field for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State finished the season at 9-4 and lost 3 of the last 4 games including a blowout loss to Houston in their bowl game. The offense really struggled in 2011 ranking near the bottom of the FBS in total offense averaging 342 yards per game. They also had a hard time scoring points averaging below 20 point per game. In fact, they were ranked 110 in scoring offense. The running game was really mediocre as well ranking 46th in the FBS with only 165 yards a game. Silas Redd is a very good player, but teams really stacked the box with the inability of the QB’s to distribute the football effectively. The passing offense ranked near the bottom at 96th in the FBS and only generated 177 yards a game. It was a very tough year across the board for the offense and the only positive was the offensive line which only allowed 1 sack a game and ranked 18th nationally in this category.

The defense was very strong in 2011, really driving the Nittany Lions to their 9-4 season. They ranked 5th in scoring defense at just over 16 points a game and 20th in total defense in the FBS. The rush defense wasn’t great ranking 42nd and giving up 165 yards a game, but the pass defense was strong ranking in the top 20 at number 17. They were also able to get pressure on the opposing QB’s ranking 26th in sacks for the season with over 2 sacks a game. The defense was the glue that held things together in this very difficult and tumultuous season for PSU.

Longtime assistant coach Tom Bradley filled in admirably when Paterno was let go, and he provided a glimpse into the kind of head coach he could be, but the Nittany Lions were just not talented enough to overcome their deficiencies on the offensive side of the ball.

 2012 Preview

  Penn State is looking for a fresh start as they embark on the first season without Joe Paterno on the sidelines. There were some people out there, including alumni, that didn’t particularly like the direction that the school went when they hired an outsider with no Penn State ties. Bill O’Brien, a first time head coach, and former offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick in New England, was hired to replace the long time legend in Happy Valley. We at CFC actually feel this was a great move by the school and not just a stopgap to something else in the future. This hire has the potential to be a monumental move and one that could save the program and actually propel it into the new age of college football. It will be tough with the hand that they were dealt by the NCAA, but he has handled himself very well and done a great job holding things together. O’Brien will implement more pro-style elements to the offense, he will develop the QB’s and the smartest thing he did upon being hired, was keep assistant coaches Larry Johnson, one of the best recruiters in the country and LB’s coach Ron Vanderlinden.

Before the sanctions came down, things looked positive for this new staff. They were recruiting well, there was a new buzz around the program and there was true optimism about what the future could hold.

Then came the very unique and uncharacteristic ruling by the NCAA, after the Freeh report was released, hitting the university with major sanctions including a 4 year bowl ban and the loss of scholarships over the next 4 years. This matter has been discussed and covered in this very forum, so we won’t get into the particulars of the validity of the report or the sanctions, but the NCAA was very heavy handed with the sanctions and it changed the entire dynamic for the 2012 season.

With ten players transferring including some of the very best on the roster in Silas Redd, Justin Brown and Khairi Fortt, this left PSU with a huge void in terms of depth and the offense will simply not be very dynamic with loss of such playmakers.

Penn State will now return two starters from last year’s offense that really struggled to be consistent. McGloin will be the starting QB and look for him to play better under the tutelage of O’Brien, but he has a very limited skill set.

The running game will look different with Redd at USC, and look for Bill Belton, Derek Day and freshman Akeel Lynch to get the bulk of the carries. This could be a serviceable group for PSU and Lynch is exciting, and could be the future at the position for the Nittany Lions.

The wide receivers will need to step up with the loss of Smith and Brown in the off season. Players like Shawney Kersey, Alex Kenney and Allen Robinson will have to produce. This is an inexperienced group, but they do have some talent.

The offensive line was pretty good last season, but they only return one starter from that group. Now, they do have some players coming back that have played before, so there is some experience. They will need to be the foundation for the Nittany Lions in 2012, and they have recruited well in this area, so we don’t expect a huge drop-off. This could actually be the best position group for PSU in 2012.

The defense will need to replace four of the front seven and two of the back four, but they have been able to recruit very well on this side of the ball, so we don’t expect a major drop-off in terms of production. A lot of the players that will fill-in next season have played for the Nittany Lions in the past. Players like LB’s Mike Hull and Glenn Carson.

Look for DE Deon Barnes and DE Sean Stanley to have a big years and DE Pete Massaro is back from an injury and he will provide depth. At defensive tackle PSU is pretty healthy with the likes of DaQuan Jones and Jordan Hill playing at the Nose and 3-Technique.

The second level will be solid with the above mentioned Carson stepping in. LB Michael Mauti is back and his leadership will be needed and of course the Nittany Lions return a tremendous player in Gerald Hodges at OLB.

If there is one area of concern for Penn State on defense though, it has to be the secondary, as they don’t have much depth. They will have two new starters pairing up with Stephen Morris and Malcolm Willis, who are back in 2012 for PSU. Corner Back Adrian Amos and Safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong will have to step up and fill the void of the departing seniors from last season. Unlike up front on the defensive line, they just don’t have the bodies to feel comfortable if any injuries occur.

Overall we expect the defense to still be very good and they will likely keep PSU in a lot of the games in 2012.

 Prediction Time:

 The schedule will be tough on Penn State in 2012, even with 7 home games. There will be some highs and lows, but with us projecting inconsistent QB play again, the Nittany Lions will once again struggle in some of the bigger games. We expect the offense to really struggle with big plays in the pass game and the run game will be more serviceable than explosive. The defense will keep the Nittany Lions in some ball games, but it won’t be enough.

We believe that the Nittany Lions will play inspired ball early in the season, but once the schedule starts to get difficult, the season will turn for the worse and we expect to see a very tough run through late September all the way through the end of the season. Below is our forecast for the season with game predictions.

  Schedule and Prediction for 2012 Season

 CFC predicts that Penn State will go 4-8 in 2012

 9/1 OHIO AT PEN STATE –- WIN

9/8 PENN STATE AT VIRGINIA – LOSS

9/15 NAVY AT PENN STATE — WIN

9/22 TEMPLE AT PENN STATE — WIN

9/29 PENN STATE AT ILLINOIS – Loss

10/6 NORTHWESTERN AT PENN STATE – Loss

10/13 OPEN DATE

10/20 PENN STATE AT IOWA – Loss

10/27 OHIO STATE AT PENN STATE – LOSS

11/3 PENN STATE AT PURDUE– Loss

11/10 PENN STATE AT NEBRASKA — LOSS

11/17 INDIANA AT PENN STATE – WIN

11/24 WISCONSIN AT PENN STATE — LOSS

Feel free to click the COMMENT/RESPONSE button below and leave your thoughts as well as click the FOLLOW button on the bottom right of this page, input your email address, and receive your Philly Pressbox posts directly in your email.

We would like to thank our sponsor for their support. Click the following link to check out the latest 2012 Penn State football items.  http://www.shop.com/trends/ul-71235-WE+ARE-+ONE+TEAM

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“View from the Philly Pressbox” – Penn State Blue-White 2012

In Penn State Football on April 22, 2012 at 10:21 pm

I have to say watching the 2012 Penn State football Blue-White game without Joe Paterno, Tom Bradley, Jay Paterno, Bill Kenney, Dick Anderson, and Galen Hall on the sidelines, or in the pressbox, was a very unusual site.

The Bill O’Brien era is under way. The crowd of 60,000 had a beautiful, sun drenched, day for football in Happy Valley.

Obviously, O’Brien and his staff have a great deal of work ahead of them. They’re installing new systems on both sides of the ball, as well is in the strength program. They need to learn the returning player’s strengths, weaknesses and personalities. All the while, O’Brien, in his first head coaching position, must learn all of the responsibilities of a head coach, off the field as well as on the field, while getting to know the new staff he has put together.

Once the game started I’m not actually sure what I saw, or think I saw, about the 2012 version of Nittany Lions. With the understanding that the new staff wasn’t planning to show much of their new schemes, we’re trying to filter out what we think we saw. The QB play seemed as erratic as it has been in the past. Matt McGloin, 22 plays, Paul Jones, 22 plays, Rob Bolden, 21 plays and Shane McGregor, 11 plays, saw the action. Combined the group completed 23 of 48 passes for 343 yards, 2 touchdowns and 5 interception, 3 by Bolden. The passing game was very simple and was somewhat successful with short passes. Where they had problems was throwing the ball down the field or in to tight spots. Overall, there seemed to very little difference in the top three guys so the competition will continue.

As far as the running game, Silas Read played only one series in the game. Read is a top notch running back and one of the best in the Big 10. With Read out of action it was tough to determine what you were watching. Overall, the offense rushed for 144 yards. Bill Belton, being converted from wide receiver/shotgun quarterback to running back rushed for a game high 52 yards. Fullback Zach Zwinak added 37 yards and a touchdown.

The receivers played well overall. Allen Robinson and Shawney Kersey led the team with 3 receptions each.

On the other side of the ball the defense collected 8 sacks to go with their 5 interceptions. The starting seven of Jordan Hill, DaQuan Jones, Sean Stanley, Pete Massaro, Mike Hull, Glenn Carson and Gerald Hodges appeared strong as a group. The defensive backs on the other hand were questionable. The DB’s and LB’s allowing 343 yards, mostly underneath, but did have the 5 interceptions and 8 sacks. There were times when it appeared the offense could run the ball at will.

That brings us to the offensive line, with only one returning starter. At times they looked good and at other times, looked adequate at best. They put up yards but they gave up sacks. They are surely a work in progress.

At the end of the day, the biggest concern still has to be the quarterback play. First of all, who will win the job? Secondly will they be better than they were last year? If the QB play isn’t better, the O-Line will need to improve quickly to allow Read and the running game to control the football. On defense, returning coaches Larry Johnson and Ron Vanderlindin will do a great job with their groups as they have for years. The DB’s need experience, depth and repetitions. All four starters graduated from the 2011 team. There’s experimenting going on there, with possible position changes to help in that area.

Summer workouts and Fall practice will be very extremely important in the growth of this team that returns 10 total starters. The season opener is September 1st against Ohio University at Beaver Stadium. They follow the opener with a game at Virginia, before returning home to play Navy and Temple before opening the Big 10 schedule.

It’s way too early to make any conclusions, however, our take-away from the Blue-White game is that there’s plenty of work to do.

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PSU, TEMPLE, NOVA, PENN RECRUITING RESULTS

In Philly College Sports on February 2, 2012 at 12:13 am

Like new Penn State Head Football Coach Bill O’Brien didn’t already have his hands full replacing a legend in Joe Paterno and a staff that had been together for 20-35 years he also only had 3 weeks to put together a staff and to pull together a recruiting class that had already lost several very highly regarded verbal commitments and, oh by the way, prepare for the Super Bowl. Here at Philly Pressbox we asked our resident recuiting expert from College Football Coverage, Terry Howse, to provide the list of PSU recruits with a quick breakdown and his rating of the class as a whole.

“This was not your typical PSU class, for so many reasons, and there were some players that were lost because of the unfortunate circumstances that surround the program. At one time during this recruiting cycle, PSU was poised to sign a top 10-15 class with players such as Jaron Jones, Tommy Schutt, Armani Reeves and Joey O’Connor, all 4 star players as per Rivals and part of the Rivals 250 list. Jones ended up at ND and Schutt, Reeves and O’Connor all committed to rival OSU.”

“This class still has some quality players including 4 star WR Eugene Lewis, who was an all everything Athlete at Wyoming Valley. This kid could step in and provide some much needed excitement and explosiveness at WR. The other player that we feel could make an impact is Jamil Pollard from West Deptford in NJ. Great natural size at 6-5/280 and could develop into a solid player up front.”

National Rank: 50 Big Ten Ranking: 5th Our Grade: D

Name

Pos

Ht/Wt

Stars

Rank
Steven Bench

QB

6-3/206

               ***

NR
Da’Quan Davis

DB

5-11/172

               **

NR
Derek Dowrey

DT

6-3/279

               **

NR
Brian Gaia

OL

6-5/285

               ***

23
Malik Golden

ATH

6-1/185

               ***

NR
Jesse James

TE

6-7/248

               ***

NR
Austin Johnson

DT

6-4/276

               ***

NR
Jake Kiley

ATH

6-2/173

               **

NR
Wendy Laurent

DT

6-4/285

               **

NR
Eugene Lewis

WR

6-2/181

               ****

22
Jordan Lucas

DB

6-1/195

               ***

NR
Akeel Lynch

RB

6-0/205

               ***

29
Jamil Pollard

DT

6-5/280

               ****

20
Evan Schwan

DE

6-6/235

               **

NR
Anthony Stanko

OL

6-5/302

               ***

46
Jonathan Warner

WR

6-2/200

               **

NR
Nyeem Wartman

LB

6-3/220

               ***

35
Brent Wilkerson

TE

6-4/245

               ***

17
Trevor Williams

WR

6-2/190

               ***

NR

 

For Temple Head Coach Steve Addazio this year he actually had a full year to get his recruiting house in order. At this time last year it was Addazio who was trying to play catch up. The Owls coming off 2 bowl games in the last 3 seasons, and should’ve gone the third year, are in a pretty nice position to bring in a good class. They have some major needs on the offensive line and must replace running back Bernard Pearce. Here’s Terry’s rundown:

“Temple signed 29 football players for the 2012 recruiting cycle. None more important than Jamie Gilmore, a 3 star RB from Citra Florida. Jamie had offers from some pretty good schools including South Florida, Maryland and Cincinnati. He’s an all-purpose back and ranked #9 in his segment by Rivals.com. Another quality player that Temple added to the roster was 3 star CB Nate Smith. A Philadelphia product that had offers from Michigan State and West Virginia. Nate is the #21 ranked CB in the country by Rivals.”

 Conference Rank: 1st –  Our Grade: B

Name

Pos

Ht/Wt

Stars

Rank
Shahbaz Ahmed

DE

6-3/200

       **

NR
Samuel Benjamin

ATH

6-0/190

       **

NR
Romond Deloatch

WR

6-4/213

       ***

NR
Rob Dvoracek

RB

6-1/215

       **

NR
Avery Ellis

LB

6-2/225

       **

NR
Mike Felton

WR

6-0/200

       **

NR
Kyle Friend

OL

6-2/275

       **

NR
Jamie Gilmore

RB

5-8/185

       ***

9
Nathan Hairston

WR

6-2/180

       **

NR
Khalif Herbin

ATH

5-8/165

       **

NR
Matt Ioannidis

DE

6-4/245

       **

NR
Michael Kalaman

LB

6-3/197

       **

NR
Raymond Korang

OL

6-8/285

       ***

NR
Stephaun Marshall

DB

6-1/186

       **

NR
Tyler Matakevich

LB

6-1/213

       **

NR
Brendan McGowan

OL

6-4/267

       **

NR
Shakur Nesmith

WR

6-4/200

       **

NR
Bret Niederreither

DE

6-3/250

       **

NR
Bryan Osei

DE

6-2/230

       **

NR
Brandon Peoples

ATH

5-10/180

       **

NR
Averee Robinson

DT

6-1/265

       **

NR
Damiere Shaw

WR

6-0/170

       **

NR
Brandon Shippen

DB

5-10/170

       **

NR
Nate Smith

DB

5-11/176

       ***

21
Kiser Terry

DE

6-3/220

       ***

NR
James Whitfield

WR

5-10/180

       **

NR
Alkwan Williams

LB

6-1/210

       **

NR
 

 

 

 

 
Avery Williams

LB

5-11/200

       **

NR
Tavon Young

DB

5-10/160

       **

NR

For Villanova Head Coach Andy Talley 2011 was a tough season. The defending 1-AA National Champions struggled with youth all over the field but Talley has been around a long time and will get on top very quickly. Here’s the list of Wildcat recruits”

Committed – Not Yet Signed

 

Name

Pos

Ht/Wt

Stars

Rank

Mike Burke                        WR                 6-3/205      ***                           NR

Austin Calitro                    LB                 6-2/220       ***                           NR

Mark Clements                 DB                 5-11/170                                       NR

Nico D’Angelo                    OL                6-4/270                                         NR

Corey Majors                    LB                 6-1/230         ***                          NR

Cameron McCurry           LB                 6-0/215         **                            NR

Aaron Wells                       RB                  5-8/185        **                            NR

TJ Wells                                LB                 6-2/225        **                           NR

 

The Penn Quakers are coming off a 5-5 season under Head Coach Al Bagnoli. The Quakers had been coming off back-to-back Ivy League Championships and struggled a bit with youth but Bagnoli has been in the coaching business a long time and will bring the Quakers back as he always has. They’ve adding a couple of QB’s in this class as they look toward the future.

Name

Pos

Ht/Wt

Stars

Rank

Nolan Biegel                                LB       6-1/215                                     NR

Cameron Countryman              WR      6-0/170                **               NR

Tyler Drake                                 LB       6-2/206                **                  NR

Andrew Lisa                                QB       6-2/200                                     NR

Danill Lysenko                            OL       6-3/270                                     NR

Alex Mathews                             QB       6-3/205                   **                NR

Kenny Thomas                            DB       6-0/170                                      NR

Jack York                                     OL        6-2/259                 **                NR

Tyler Roth                                    LB       6-1/215                                       NR

 

A final recognition goes out to the former Temple coaching staff members now with the Miami Hurricanes. The “U” finished with #8 ranked recruiting class in the nation. Hats off to Al Golden, Mark D’Onofrio, Jethro Franklin, Paul Williams, Billy Furman, Tom Deahn, Sean Desei and Ryan McNamee. Great job in taking the Hurricanes back to national prominence.

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Quotes about Joe Paterno

In Joe Paterno on January 23, 2012 at 3:23 pm

“He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far-reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.” — Paterno family.

“He was a tremendous teacher not because he knew all of the answers but because he challenged us to find the answers for ourselves. … His spirit will live on in all of us who had the great honor of knowing him and running out of the tunnel with him on so many autumn Saturdays.” — Paterno assistant and former Penn State interim head coach Tom Bradley.

“I’ve coached around 300 college games and only once when I’ve met the other coach at midfield prior to the game have I asked a photographer to take a picture of me with the other coach. That happened in the Citrus Bowl after the ’97 season when we were playing Penn State.” – South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

“Coach Paterno was far more than a football coach. He was a molder of young people, a teacher and a leader. He showed us all through the life he led that generosity, commitment, humility, respect and loyalty matter far more than wins and losses. We didn’t always understand his teachings at the time he shared them with us, but as we gained perspective we understood the significance of those teachings. Success with honor was more than a motto; it was a way of living, taught to all of us by an honorable, decent man. – Anthony Lubrano

“History will say that he’s one of the greatest. Who’s coached longer, who’s coached better, who’s won more games, who’s been more successful than Joe? Who’s done more for his university than Joe? You’ve lost one of the greatest. He probably means the same thing up there that Bear Bryant meant down here. He’s an icon.” — retired Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

“The Penn State football program is one of college football’s iconic programs because it was led by an icon in the coaching profession in Joe Paterno. … To be following in his footsteps at Penn State is an honor.” Penn State coach Bill O’Brien.

“Penn State has lost its heart” Adam Taliaferro

“You could have become a good football player at many places but you wouldn’t have become the man you are if you didn’t go to Penn State.” — former Penn State running back Mike Guman.

“My first thoughts about Joe are not as a coach because he was well beyond that. He was an educator and a teacher. He taught lessons, some about football, mostly about life. He taught us how to treat others and how to conduct life. He did it with his life.” — former Penn State linebacker Matt Millen.

“We came to Penn State as young kids and when we left there we were men and the reason for that was Joe Paterno.” — Lydell Mitchell, a star running back at Penn State from 1968 to 1972.

“Joe’s legacy will always be intact because we won’t let Joe’s legacy die.” – Lydell Mitchell

“It’s just sad because I think he died from other things than lung cancer. I don’t think that the Penn State that he helped us to become and all the principles and values and things that he taught were carried out in the handling of his situation.” — Mickey Shuler, a Penn State tight end from 1975 to 1977.

“His influence on me personally was a lot more far-reaching than the playing field. … Coach Paterno should be remembered and revered for his 61 years of service to the Penn State community, the many games and championships he won, and the positive influence he was.” — Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny, who played at Penn State linebacker from 2003 to 2006.

“Coach Paterno had a great impact on my life, not only as a player, but as a person. He coached with an incredible amount of passion and integrity, and I am very proud to have played for one of the greatest coaches in sports. … You will never be forgotten.” – Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys linebacker who played at Penn State from 2005-09.

“He believed in me as a competitive quarterback [and] he’s taken great care of me in all five of my years at Penn State,” “I am forever indebted to him and the Paterno family because they brought me in as one of their own.” “He was a man who taught us how to be men,” “He was very constant on making sure all of the players were responsible for all of their actions.” Daryl Clark

“I feel very honored and special to be a part of what he has done for the university,” Graham Zug

“As a parent, if you had a kid, you would feel comfortable and willing and you would want him to go to Penn State once you met coach Paterno,” Mickey Shuler Jr.

“I talked to him on his birthday (Dec. 21). He was a great man and a great friend. He lived by the rules. He made sure his players got good grades. He was about more than just football.” — George Perles, who coached against Paterno at Michigan State.

”When you think of college football and its tradition, you can’t help but picture those dark glasses, black shoes and plain uniforms that were his style and mark on Penn State.” — Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville.

“Whenever you recruited or played against Joe, you knew how he operated and that he always stood for the right things. Of course, his longevity over time and his impact on college football is remarkable. Anybody who knew Joe feels badly about the circumstances. I suspect the emotional turmoil of the last few weeks might have played into it.” – Nebraska athletic director and former coach Tom Osborne.

“I talked to him on his birthday (Dec. 21). He was a great man and a great friend. He lived by the rules. He made sure his players got good grades. He was about more than just football.” – George Perles, who coached against Paterno at Michigan State.

“(During recruiting,) Paterno was the only coach that didn’t talk about football. He talked about life and what life had to offer at State College. While I did not go there and went to Michigan State, he was the only coach to call me and wish me luck.” – former Michigan State wide receiver Nigea Carter.

“When you think of college football and its tradition, you can’t help but picture those dark glasses, black shoes and plain uniforms that were his style and mark on Penn State.” – Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville.

“We have lost a remarkable person and someone who affected the lives of so many people in so many positive ways. His presence will be dearly missed. His legacy as a coach, as a winner and as a champion will carry on forever.” – Urban Meyer, new coach at Ohio State.

 “Few people are responsible for building something that will last forever. … Coach Paterno was first and foremost an educator, whose immeasurable contributions to Penn State, the coaching profession and the entirety of college sports, will be felt permanently. That is the legacy of a great leader.” – Mike Krzyzewski, Duke basketball coach.

 “College football will be left with a major void because he has done so much for our game and for Penn State. … There will never be another Joe Paterno.” — Mack Brown, Texas coach

“What I remember about our days when we were both coaching is that Joe was very honest, he was a heckuva coach, and he was one of the outstanding coaches of all time. You can’t say that about every coach, but you darn sure can say that about Joe Paterno.” – Darrell Royal, former Texas coach

“We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university. His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched.” – Penn State board of trustees and university President Rodney Erickson.

“His legacy as the winningest coach in major college football and his generosity to Penn State as an institution and to his players, stand as monuments to his life. As both man and coach, Joe Paterno confronted adversities, both past and present, with grace and forbearance. His place in our state’s history is secure.” — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.

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Penn State, Bill O’Brien and Tom Bradley

In Penn State Football on January 7, 2012 at 10:13 am

Like many other Penn State fans I’m very disappointed in the choice of Bill O’Brien as head football coach. First I should say I’m probably very biased. I’ve been a PSU fan since 1968 when Lydell Mitchell, Franco Harris and Jack Ham were playing and I was a 10 year kid following an undefeated team. By the way, that’s almost as long as Joe Paterno has been head coach (1966). Following those great teams was Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti, a local guy from Delaware County and Monsignor Bonner High School. By the end of Cappy’s career the Penn State and JoePa legacy was well on it’s way to being built and the fan and alumni base was growing rapidly. I continued to follow closely as the Linebacker U legacy was being a built and tailbacks were becoming all-americans every few years. Once I became a high school coach in Florida I started attending the Penn State football camp as a coach for several weeks each summer. During that time I had the opportunity to work with and become friends with Tom Bradley, Larry Johnson, Bill Kenney, Dick Anderson, Jay Paterno, Bob White, Fran Ganter, Kenny Jackson, Joe Serra, Kenny Carter, Brian Norwood and yes Jerry Sandusky. Kermit Buggs was a high school coach when I first met him and Mike McQueary was a GA. I also had the privelage  to meet Joe Paterno on several occassions. That association lasted for 12 summers and I remain friends with Bradley, Johnson, Kenney, Anderson and White to this day. Later, once moving back to Pennsylvania I’ve been a season ticket holder to “The Greatest Show in College Football” and have thoroughly enjoyed the weekly trips to Happy Valley where I’ve met and become friends with some great Penn State Alumni and just regular fans like myself. That brings us to the hiring of Bill O’Brien and the handling of the situation by acting AD Dave Joyner and PSU Board of Trustees. Not to make light in any way of what happened to the alleged victims of Sandusky, his crimes, if proven, are atrocious and his day will come if he’s proven guilty, but that doesn’t make the PSU football program broken. JoePa spent over 60 years building the tradition that is PSU football and the developement and implementation of the “Grand Experiment”. Even this years data that was just releaed showed Penn State with the Number 1 graduation rate in all of college football. Paterno has recruited quality kids that were not only good football players (black or white) but good students (black or white) that would graduate from college and and be good people in the world outside of football. With that he passed on many great high school football players if he didn’t feel they could cut the academics required to graduate from Penn State University. To me that philosophy isn’t broken and would have been carried on by Bradley with the support of all of those that came before him. That brings us to the alumni players and fans, this is a very tight knit group of people that know that they all went through the same things to get where they are today and with that became a “brotherhood” like no other. That brings us to Bill O’Brien. O’Brien may be a fine coach and a fine person but what does he know about Penn state Fottball? The first comment I read about his hiring was that since he was from Jersey it would be great to spend the summers at the Jersey Shore. Are you kidding me!! All of the film clips you see of him on the sidelenes he’s screaming and hollering and ranting at his players. That’s one way of motivating but not one that ever worked on me. Well he’s from the Patriots and works with Tom Brady. That means nothing to me. Brady and Bill Belicheck have made a lot of assistants look good and get promoted. That doesn’t mean success. Charlie Weis, Josh McDaniels, Eric Mangini and Romeo Cremell haven’t worked out very well in their endevours after New England. It will be a long road for Coach O’Brien as he takes over a program that wants to cut all ties from the 60 year tradition that’s been built by Coach Paterno and doesn’t have the support of the Letterman’s Club and he alumni. Of course this is not Coach O’Brien’s fault, he applied for a job and got it which is great but he has his hands full. For me, I’m a Tom Bradley guy. I hope one day I will again be able to say “WE ARE PENN STATE”!!!

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