Penn State Phryday

Yinzers,

Here we are on the eve of the Penn State spring football game. State College is starting to fill up with alumni and friends making the trek back to the Mecca of college football to see what is in store for the upcoming fall season. There are some big games on the schedule this fall, including a trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take on the Crimson Tide on September 11. That game could be a launching or sinking point for the Nittany Lions. If they could pull off the HUGE upset of beating the defending national champs, there will be no doubt in the team's abilities. However, since this year's team is so young, you could still expect it to be a huge embarrassing failure. Other key games on the schedule will be October 2 at Iowa, trying to make up for last year's embarrassment on national TV, October 30 at home versus Michigan and November 13 in Columbus against Ohio State.

Technically, this will be a "rebuilding" season for the Nittany Lions, losing quarterback Daryll Clark, linebackers Navarro Bowman, Josh Hull and Sean Lee and defensive tackle Jared Odrick, who was taken in the first round of the draft yesterday by the Miami Dolphins, punter Jeremy Boone, tight ends Mickey Shuler and Andrew Quarless and cornerback A.J. Wallace. Those are some big shoes to fill, so we'll have to look to the young, untested talent to take this opportunity to shine. Returning players like running back Evan Royster, wide receivers Graham Zug, Chaz Powell and Derek Moye will have to buck up and lead their team through thick and thin. The biggest shoes to fill will be Daryll Clark's. Kevin Newsome has attempted less than 10 passes in the last two years, doing most of his damage on foot. His advantage will be an offensive line that has played together all of last season. The Penn State defense may not be as stout as it has been in the past due to the loss of all three starting linebackers, but there are some tremendous athletes in the mix.

It's going to be an interesting season, but all of us here in Happy Valley are optimistic and looking forward to the 2010 Nittany Lion season. Have fun this weekend. Tailgate hard, it's practice for that, too. As always, be safe and fight on, State.

For the Glory,
B Brog