Penn State
Nittany Lions
Preview 2009
By
Pete Fiutak
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2009 CFN Penn State Preview
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2009 Penn State
Offense
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2009 Penn State
Defense |
2009 Penn State
Depth Chart
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2008 PSU Preview
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2007 PSU Preview
|
2006 PSU Preview
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Head coach: Joe Paterno
44th year: 383-127-3
Returning Lettermen
Off: 17, Def: 18, Spec. 2
Lettermen Lost: 20 |
Ten
Best PSU Players
1. LB Navorro Bowman, Jr.
2. LB Sean Lee,
Sr.
3. DT Jared Odrick, Sr.
4. QB Daryll Clark, Sr.
5. RB Evan Royster, Jr.
6. C Stefen Wisniewski, Jr.
7. WR
Derek Moye, Soph.
8. WR Chaz Powell, Soph.
9. OT Dennis
Landolt, Sr.
10. RB Stephfon Green, Soph. |
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2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
10-2
2009 Record: 0-0
9/5 Akron
9/12 Syracuse
9/19 Temple
9/26 Iowa
10/3 at Illinois
10/10 Eastern Illinois
10/17 Minnesota
10/24 at Michigan
10/31 at Northwestern
11/7 Ohio State
11/14 Indiana
11/21 at Michigan St
11/28 OPEN DATE |
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2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
8-4
2008 Record:
11-2
8/30
Coast.
Carolina W 66-10
9/6 Oregon St W
45-14
9/13 at Syracuse W
55-13
9/20 Temple W 45-3
9/27 Illinois W 38-24
10/4 at Purdue W 20-6
10/11 at Wisconsin W 48-7
10/18 Michigan W 46-17
10/25 at Ohio St W 13-6
11/1 OPEN DATE
11/8 at Iowa L 24-23
11/15 Indiana W 38-7
11/22 Michigan St
W 49-18
Rose Bowl
1/1 USC L 38-24 |
In the last four years, Penn State has won 40
games in the last, won two Big Ten titles, won an Orange Bowl, beat an
SEC team (Tennessee) in an Outback Bowl, won an Alamo Bowl, and went to
a Rose Bowl. Over that span, only USC, Texas, Boise State, Ohio State,
Florida, West Virginia, and LSU have better winning percentages, and
while the success has been at an elite level on the field, it's also
been strong in the classroom earning an Academic Progress Rate score of 976,
putting the program in the 80th-90th percentile.
And you want Joe Paterno to move on, why?
Alright, maybe you don't, but year after year there
are articles and commentaries from those who feel it's time for Penn
State football to figure out where it's going next. Here's the answer:
Nowhere.
Who cares how the program is succeeding with results
like Penn State has come up with over the last four years? Who cares if
Paterno has to limp up to a press box to see games from time to time?
Fine, so maybe Paterno isn't part of the new-wave of young,
micromanager head coaches, but you never, ever, ever
mess with what's working. How many programs would like to have been
within a last-second field goal of playing for the national title last
year? Exactly.
Sure there have been widely publicized
off-the-field character issues to put a minor taint on what's been going
on in the win-loss column, and while Paterno hasn't handled all of the
controversies as cleanly as some would like, at least he responds with
punishments and isn't afraid to duck the controversies. What has
happened with some of the Penn State players, from DUIs to a marijuana
bust, happens at every school and with every team, but you don't hear
about it. Actually, you do, but it's cloaked in the ever nebulous
Violation Of Team Rules catch-all.
As great as the last four years have been, it seems like the fun is
about to slow down. The offensive line has to replace three all-stars,
the four-year starting trio of wide receivers are gone, the entire
secondary has to be replaced, the defensive line loses all of its ends,
and ultra-reliable PK Kevin Kelly is being replaced by an untested
walk-on. So it's back to the days of 2004 with the program rebuilding
and with too many problems to overcome and a possible losing season on
the horizon.
And Paterno is about to switch to contacts.
The talent level
remains ridiculously high with new stars about to replace the old ones.
Gone are Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood from the
receiving corps, and up will step 6-5 Derek Moye and Derrick Williams
The Sequel, Chaz Powell. Gone is pass rushing terror Aaron Maybin, and
in comes Jack Crawford. While there will be problems in the secondary
and Kelly will be missed from the kicking game, the new starters are
good enough to keep the production rolling, while there are some major
positives to keep things on an even keel.
The backfield is
loaded, led by Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Daryll Clark at
quarterback and potential top five overall pick Evan Royster at running
back. The linebacking corps goes from being a major question mark before
last year to one of the best in the nation thanks to the return of Sean
Lee from a knee injury and with Navorro Bowman an All-American who'll do
even more.
The schedule is beyond manageable, there's as much
overall speed and athleticism as the program has had in years, and the
potential problems really aren't that awful. It's all in place for yet
another big run and another great year for Paterno. Enjoy it while it
lasts, and while you're at it, ask Michigan how much fun it is for a
mega-power to go through a change.
What to watch for on offense: The new receivers. The Nittany
Lion top three receivers, Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, and Jordan
Norwood, combined for 132 catches for 1,932 yards and 17
touchdowns last season. So good were those three that the passing game
all but ignored the tremendous tight ends and didn't throw to the backs
enough. While the new receiving corps will need time to be as good. Chaz
Powell is a sub-4.4 runner with tremendous quickness and No. 1 target
capability, and Derek Moye is
a sub-4.4 runner with tremendous quickness and No. 1 target capability,
but he's 6-5. The tight ends, Andrew Quarless and Mickey Shuler, are too
good not to be more involved, and their reemergence will allow the wide
receivers to create matchup nightmares.
What to watch for on defense: The secondary. This could be
the Achilles heel. There will be production and the stats will be fine,
but oft-injured corner A.J. Wallace has to suddenly use all his NFL
tools and be a good college coverman. The safeties are promising, but
untested, while Knowledge Timmons is a senior who has yet to put it all
together at corner. This group will all hit and they'll all make big
plays against the run, but if it has to deal with a top-shelf receiving
corps, watch out. That's why ...
The team will be far better if … no one notices that
there's no one on the schedule who can throw the ball. Illinois and
Juice Williams threw the ball well last season, but that was about it as
far as the top passing attacks the Nittany Lions faced. The stats were
tremendous, allowing just six touchdown passes and picking off 16 in 12
games with just two 200+ yard passing games allowed. And then came a
trip to Pasadena where Mark Sanchez decided he was ready to play like a
No. 5 pick in the draft throwing for 413 yards and four touchdowns. This
year's Penn State secondary will once again put up great stats
considering there's absolutely no one outside of Illinois and maybe,
don't laugh, Akron who can throw a forward pass. Keep this in the back
of your mind come bowl time.
The Schedule:
The schedule is so light and
breezy that the team should be able to throw on the helmet and win
ten games without breathing hard. The only down side is missing
Purdue off the Big Ten slate, but missing Wisconsin is a
positive. The non-conference slate is a jaw-dropping
embarrassment for a superpower playing Akron, Syracuse, Temple
and Eastern Illinois. The trip to Illinois is as tough as it
gets on the road until the regular season finale at Michigan
State. The battle with the Spartans could be for the Rose Bowl,
and even more, if Penn State can beat Ohio State in the Big Ten
game of the year on November 7th.
Best Offensive Player:
Junior RB Evan Royster. Daryll Clark will be the one in the hunt for
league MVP honors, but it's Royster whose name is being thrown around as
a possible top ten overall pick if he decides to come out for the 2010
NFL Draft. He has it all with size, speed, and hands, but he'll have to
prove he can be more of a workhorse and he'll have to show he can be
durable. If he can prove he can handle 250 carries of work, which he
won't have to do unless Stephfon Green's broken leg doesn't heal as well
as expected, he'll answer all the questions.
Best Defensive Player: Junior LB Navorro Bowman. Sean
Lee will make his triumphant return to the linebacking corps after
blowing out his knee, and tackle Jared Odrick is a sure-thing
All-American and one of the best interior defenders in America, but it's
Bowman who'll be the team's most disruptive force. With Lee able to
clean up everything in the middle, Bowman should be able to freelance a
bit more and do more in the backfield. Extremely fast, he has better
range than Lee and will have the better year.
Key player to a
successful season: Sophomore OT DeOn'tae Pannell. The offensive
line will be fine no matter what the configuration is, but the
combination has to be set as soon as possible this fall. The key part of
the puzzle is Pannell, a 6-5, 313-pound next-level talent who has
superstar potential if he can prove to be a consistent pass protector.
The coaching staff really doesn't want to move Dennis Landolt from right
tackle to left, but that's what might have to happen if Pannell can't
handle the work protecting Daryll Clark's blindside.
The season will be a
success if ... Penn State wins 11 games for
the third time in five years and goes to the Rose Bowl for the second
year in a row. There are just enough holes and just enough concerns to
forget about a national title shot. Even if the team goes unbeaten, it
would miss out on the BCS Championship if two of the foursome of the SEC
Champion, Texas, Oklahoma and USC go unbeaten. However, the team is
talented enough, and the schedule is light enough, to demand nothing
less than another double-digit win season.
Key game:
Nov. 21 at Michigan State. The Ohio State game on
November 7th is the big one, but that's at home. Penn State will be the
decided favorite against everyone else on the slate until the regular
season finale, which could be dead even. Michigan State has the
potential to grow into a Big Ten champion, and if it's within range of a
title, Spartan Stadium will be rocking when the Nittany Lions come to
town. No matter what, if Penn State wants another conference title,
it'll likely have to close if out in East Lansing.
2008 Fun Stats:
- Third quarter
scoring: Penn State 128 - Opponents 23
- Rushing yards per game: Penn
State 205.8 - Opponents 93.2
- Penalties: Opponents 62 for 564 yards
- Penn State 49 for 408 yards (3rd fewest in the nation per game)
-
2009 CFN Penn State Preview
|
2009 Penn State
Offense
-
2009 Penn State
Defense |
2009 Penn State
Depth Chart
-
2008 PSU Preview
|
2007 PSU Preview
|
2006 PSU Preview