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Football
Big Ten Countdown - Number 3 (tie)
By Tony Gerdeman

3. (tie) Penn State Nittany Lions

Predicted Finish

9-3 (6-2)

Two-Cent Overview

An offense that returns a ton of experience, but also a reshuffled offensive line and no quarterback to speak of. The defense will have to replace three linebackers and defensive tackle Jared Odrick, but when has that really been a problem around here before? Cornerback D'Anton Lynn returns after a solid 2009, and new starting corner Stephon Morris was last year's nickel back.

Schedule

Sept. 4 Youngstown State (W)
Sept. 11 at Alabama (L)
Sept. 18 Kent State (W)
Sept. 25 Temple (W)
Oct. 2 at Iowa (L)
Oct. 9 Illinois (W)
Oct. 23 at Minnesota (W)
Oct. 30 Michigan (W)
Nov. 6 Northwestern (W)
Nov. 13 at Ohio State (L)
Nov. 20 Indiana (at Landover, MD) (W)
Nov. 27 Michigan State (W)

Team Motto

“Get off our lawn, you kids!”

Goal

A Big Ten Championship. A national championship would be a stretch in 2010. Maybe in 2011 or 2012 they can get back to shooting for the stars.

Best Case

Eleven wins. This team can't be expected to go to Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State and come away with three wins—even in the most positive of scenarios. But we can probably tweak our sense of realism and believe that two wins would be possible.

Worst Case

Five or six wins would probably be about the worst that could happen. Youngstown, Kent and Temple are all sure wins. Indiana and Illinois could probably put in that group as well. Other than that, they would probably have to be upset four or five times to reach worst case status.

Five Questions Looking For Answers

1. Who will be the starting quarterback?
2. Will somebody take the quarterback job, or just win it because they sucked less?
3. Reshuffling the offensive line...crazy or brilliant?
4. How do you replace Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Jared Odrick?
5. Will the safeties be better in their second year of starting?

Something To Look For

The offensive line returns experience, but finds nearly everybody with new homes. All-Big Ten center Stefan Wisniewski moves to right guard; Lou Eliades, who started 13 games at right guard last season, moves to right tackle this season; left tackle Quinn Barham has played in eleven games in his first two seasons, but all at guard or center; and the left guard spot is a two or three-man battle, though Johnnie Troutman, who started eight games in that position last season, seems to have the upper hand.

Returning Starters

Seven on offense, five on defense and the place-kicker.

Best Player

Running back Evan Royster. Royster needs just 481 yards rushing to become the school's all-time leading rusher, besting Curt Warner's 3,398-yard career mark. He should have the record at midseason. He is exactly what a new quarterback needs. He's reliable and consistent, and can catch the ball out of the backfield. The threat of the running game will allow the play-action passing game to make a young quarterback more effective.

Second-Best Player

Defensive end Jack Crawford. Crawford got all 13 starts last year as a true sophomore, and produced 5.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. A relative newcomer to football, he will begin his third season as a Nittany Lion and should begin to employ as much savvy and football knowledge as natural athletic ability. When the two are combined for him, he could be a darkhorse candidate to lead the Big Ten in sacks.

Best Chance For a Big Loss

At Alabama. Nick Saban may not choose to run up the score on Joe Paterno, but it will still likely be a stifling affair nonetheless. Penn State will be led by a quarterback making just his second career start against a Saban defense, and he won't be ready for it. The final score may read Alabama 30 – Penn State 10, but the Nittany Lions will have never posed a threat.

Most Important Game

At Iowa. The last two times these teams have met, Iowa has come away with two wins over a Penn State team that was ranked in the top five, all the while being unranked themselves. The tables will be turned this season and if Penn State can kick off the conference season with a win, the Rose Bowl will officially be in their line of sight.

Best Road Game To Pack Up The Family Truckster And Travel To

At Alabama. Who wouldn't want to take their kids to the birthplace of football, and the only place where football is truly played, or matters, or excels, or counts. Also, if you'd like to rekindle the fires and remarry your sweetheart, Nick Saban is ordained in the state of Alabama to perform marriages. (Interestingly, he can also perform divorces by coming into your home and placing the wife's belongings on the outside of your house.)

Best Reason They Won't Be Undefeated

A freshman quarterback is always worth at least one loss—and that's without traveling to Iowa City, Tuscaloosa or Columbus.

Best Reason They Will Be Undefeated

Coaching stability? There's really no good answer, but the way Tom Bradley has kept his staff together should be commended. If anything will lead to an undefeated season, it's the consistency of the teachings of Bradley and those who work for him.

Game They Shouldn't Lose, But Could

Indiana. This would be even more likely had Indiana's athletic director not sold a home game because he could make more money from a road trip than a home game. But regardless of where the game is played, the Hoosiers will still bring with them a very good offense that can do a variety of things. Of course, by the time they play, the Nittany Lions will probably have found a quarterback and the offensive line will have jelled fairly well.

Player People Are Expecting Too Much From

Quarterback Robert Bolden. Since he was the backup as a true freshman last season, Kevin Newsome was expected to be the quarterback in 2010, but he has failed to secure the job despite being the only candidate with any semblance of on-field experience. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the regular season—Robert Bolden impressed everybody who has seen him practice. Of course, when a true freshman starts to make a buzz, things can get a little bit out of control. Even if he ends up starting and playing well, there will be a point in the season where something bad happens and the excitement comes to a screeching halt.

Player People Will Be Pleasantly Surprised By

Defensive tackle Devon Still. Still tore an ACL before he got to play in his first game as a Nittany Lion in 2007. Then broke his ankle before the 2008 season, costing him all but the season finale. Last season, he played behind Jared Odrick and finally got minutes in every game. This year the spot is his, and while nobody expects him to be Odrick, don't be surprised to see him realize the potential that had folks in Happy Valley excited about him since the day he committed back in January of 2007.

Best Newcomer

Running back Curtis Dukes. Dukes (6'1” 242) could battle for the back-up job, and in this offense that equates to 7-10 touches per game. While he hasn't played in a single game yet, he has impressed in both the spring and the summer. In fact, he already injured starting cornerback Stephon Morris this preseason, giving him a stinger.

Something They Do Well

Replace linebackers. The State College conveyor belt spits out linebackers like button candy, and while that button candy rarely goes on to NFL success, they do do pretty well in the Big Ten. There are about six linebackers vying for the three spots, and any of the six should be expected to excel. Sophomore Michael Mauti was slated to start last year before tearing his ACL, so if he's full-go, he should be expected to land somewhere in the lineup. Senior Bani Gbadyu started five games last year, and is also a likely starter. But all of the jobs are still up for grabs as Tom Bradley and staff search for their three best linebackers.

Something They Don't Do So Well

Get interceptions from their safeties. Last season, starting safeties Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay combined for just three interceptions. For comparison's sake, Ohio State's Anderson Russell and Kurt Coleman combined for eight; Iowa's Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood combined for nine; and Wisconsin's Chris Maragos and Jay Valai combined for five. Tom Bradley will need more than just three interceptions from his safeties this season if they are going to contend. (Heck, they'll need three just to stay in it against Alabama.)

What's Improved?

The running backs—though we may not be able to notice right away. Everybody of note returns, and freshman running back Silas Redd may be too good to redshirt. Junior Stephfon Green is also expected to return to the freshman form that saw him rush for nearly 600 yards, as opposed to the 319 yards last year. Junior Brandon Beachum (6'0” 218) and redshirt freshman Curtis Dukes provide the heft a Big Ten offense needs, and Evan Royster will provide the stability.

What's Gotten Worse?

Playmakers at linebacker. You can't lose Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee and expect to make more plays in the backfield than you did the year before. The pair combined for 28 tackles for loss last season, and there aren't two linebackers on this team who are going to be able to duplicate that. That doesn't mean there aren't impact linebackers on the roster this year, it just means they won't be Bowman and Lee.

Anything Else We Should Know About?

Aside from tight ends Mickey Shuler and Andrew Quarless, everybody who caught a pass on this team last year is back again this season. Although receiver Chaz Powell, who caught 28 passes last season, did move to the secondary this spring. The fact that they even moved Powell tells you how they feel about their receivers. They did lose exciting sophomore receiver Curtis Drake to a leg injury, though there is a possibility he could return later in the season. Keep an eye on Brett Brackett, who at 6'6” 232 pounds will finally move from receiver and play a modified H-back/slot receiver this season. In the absence of Quarless and his 41 receptions last season, Brackett could fill that role nicely in 2010.

Anything Else?

The special teams could be an issue this season. Penn State will be replacing punter Jeremy Boone with either sophomore Anthony Fera, who has already been suspended in his short time on campus, or two freshmen walk-ons. Place-kicker Collin Wagner returns, but he was only 4/10 on field goals 30 yards and beyond last season. Add in an incredibly lackluster return game, and the Nittany Lions may not be able to turn the field as easily as most teams. In fact, they may be having it turned on them quite a bit—which is a death knell with a freshman quarterback.

One Prediction

This will be Joe Paterno's last season at Penn State doing whatever it is that he does.

Quote Mistakenly Attributed To Lindsay Lohan During An Appearance On Oprah

“The problem I had was not having control of some things, and I had to be careful that I didn't get myself in a position where I would embarrass myself.” – Joe Paterno

Coach Speak

“I have tremendous amount of respect for not only Tom [Osborne] but the University of Nebraska. So I think it's a really good addition to the Big Ten. And we're looking forward to their being part of it.”

Translation

“I love the addition of Nebraska! Together, we will single-handedly be responsible for the end of Michigan and Ohio State overshadowing the entire Big Ten conference. It's a great, great day to be a carpetbagger!”

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