Bleachers College Sports Penn State Football 09 Preview
| 03 September 2009
Written by my good friend Michael Miller
It's almost that time of year again, Football is just around the corner and it is time for my annual Penn State Football Preview. Again, before I start this is based on information gathered through several media sources including rivals.com, scout.com and ESPN.com and ESPN television. I used all of these sources to provide information and formulate an opinion on the upcoming 2009-2010 season.
I have seen Penn State picked anywhere from #5 to #12 in the rankings and I feel like 5 is too high for a team with many holes that will be discussed below and 12 may be too low for a team that has as much talent as it does and with an out of conference schedule as weak as ours. Suffice to say, we deserve to start in the 8-10 range. This team returns the Big Ten offensive player of the year, the League's best running back and potentially three All Americans in the defensive front seven. We play Akron, Temple, Syracuse and Eastern Illinois out of conference and we have home games against Iowa and Ohio State (possibly the two other best teams in the conference). I expect this team to be anywhere from 10-2 to 12 -0 based solely on potential talent and strength of schedule. Anything less would be an extreme disappointment.
Offensive Overview-
I think with holes to fill offensively at key offensive line positions and the wide receiver position we are bound to see a more conservative offense to start the season depending on a potent run game and great leader at quarterback. Hopefully as the offensive line gels and the inexperienced wide receivers gain experience we will see much more of the HD Spread as the year progresses and we start conference play. We have the ability stay conservative with our weak out of conference schedule and gradually work a more detailed game plan when we start the Big Ten Season. There is a ton of talent in the backfield and we have reliable possession receivers mixed with young exciting wide freshman receivers and great TE depth. Look for the Tight Ends to be more of a focal point of the offense as the young receivers learn how to run precise routes. The offensive line has talent, but again we are replacing two NFL draft picks and an offensive tackle who has an opportunity to make the Carolina Panthers.
The following is a position-by-position breakdown of the offensive side of the ball.
QB-
Darryl Clark (#17) is the returning starter and returning Big Ten Offensive player of the year . Clark is the key to this offense. Last year he was in a battle during fall practice with Pat Devlin for the starting job.
Devlin has since transferred to the University of Delaware and this is Clark's team. We don't have much depth behind Clark so it is imperative that he stays protected and stays healthy. You may see him in the pocket more and using his feet less, but it is hard to keep Clark in the pocket when his legs can be such a huge asset to his game. He still possesses the ability to run for a first down in a third down situation where coverage is tight and the pocket breaks down and he can keep a defense at bay with his ability to run the option effectively in goal line situations. Clark has proven that he can be a very effective passer and last year he had the luxury of throwing to three of the all time great Penn State wide receivers.
This year his receivers are very green and it will be up to Clark to lead and guide them and check down to the running backs and tight ends when an inexperienced wide receiver can't get open in time. I expect Clark to be improved and determined this year. If you haven't heard, he was snubbed by the media and coaches when they chose Terrell Pryor of OSU as the pre-season Big Ten offensive player of the year and he wasn't even named as one of the two best returning QB's in the conference. He played with a chip on his shoulder last year and I think he still has a ton to prove in his final college season. He has a chance to be drafted and lead us to another BCS bowl. This is his team and his health and the way he performs in big games will take us a long way. We do not have much depth behind Clark, due to the loss of Devlin, but we have talent. Kevin Newsome, a true freshman has won the backup job this fall, and he is pretty much a hybrid of Clark and Michael Robinson. He is much faster than Clark and has that Michael Robinson mobility and power in his running game and he is a much better passer than Robinson and Clark at this stage in his career and has the potential to be as efficient as Clark in the passing game. He is still raw, but has progressed greatly since enrolling early in January. He still needs to work on staying in the pocket and avoiding trying to use his legs instead of remaining patient and waiting for a wide receiver to get open. Newsome will see time as a true freshman, especially in mop up duty (hopefully not yet in key situations) and getting him game experience is imperative for next year and beyond. Matt McGloin starts the season as our third string QB. McGloin is a walk on B, but for now he adds much needed depth. He is not quite the athlete that we have recruited at the QB position lately, but he is said to have a more than adequate arm and the knowledge to adequately run our offense. McGloin will see time as a mop up QB and for our sake we can only hope he doesn't play in important games. It is not so much a knock on him as it is hope that nothing happens to either Newsome or Clark.
NOTE: We have secured the verbal commitment of two big time QB commitments in the 2010 class. Paul Jones is a four star QB from Western PA and Robert Bolden is a four star QB from Michigan. Jones is more of a drop back QB, but he does not lack athletic ability to run. Think of Clark when you think of Jones. Bolden is a bit taller at 6'4 and lankier. He has great athletic ability but he also is said to have a great arm. He is the total package and both guys add much needed depth and competition at the QB position for Penn State.
RB-
This is the deepest position for Penn State on the offensive side of the ball. Evan Royster is the Big Ten's returning leader in rushing yards. He is hands down the most complete back in the league. Royster has great vision and balance and he credits his background in Lacrosse as the reason for having this skill set. He is a big back and he has deceptive speed. If the offensive line holds up for Royster look for him to be heavily relied upon and for him to produce. He is only a junior right now, but if her performs up to his expectations or beyond that he may very well leave early for a shot in the NFL. He is going to be used in a more versatile role this year due to the loss of a key guy like Derrick Williams. You may see Royster and Stephfon Green used on the field at the same time this year, with Royster lining up as a slot WR creating a huge mismatch for defenses. He may take direct snaps and he will definitely be used as a receiver directly out of the backfield. Royster is a key part of the offense and he must stay healthy for our offense and our team to be successful. Stephfon Green returns from an ankle injury as Royster's backup, but the good news here is that he appears to be 100% recovered and there is no loss of speed. Green adds a dynamic to our offense that we all had a glimpse of last year. He is a true game breaker and he can take any given to the house. Green has had trouble holding on to the ball and it is imperative that he fix that problem or he will remain on the bench. Green is a huge weapon though, and with the lack of experience at WR expect to see him used more as a WR and as single back in the backfield. He is a guy a defense has to pay attention to and a great weapon to have. Backing up Royster and Green are sophomore Brandon Beachum (#3) and Brent Carter (#32), who is returning from an ACL injury. Beachum is an excellent inside runner and has a chance to contribute in possible short yardage situations. He is a very compact guy and does not lack in speed and athletic ability. The wildcard in this group is true freshman Curtis Dukes. Dukes is 6'2 240 lbs and runs sub 4.5 forty's. He has to learn the offense but many compare him to Larry Johnson and Curtis Enis. He may be the next great PSU running back but it is unclear if he even sees the field this year based strictly on the depth we have at the position. Just thought I would throw it out there that this kid is a complete athletic freak and sooner or later he will impact our program. Fullback is a position that PSU still utilizes in certain situations and look for Joe Suhey to man the starting spot. Suhey can catch the ball of the backfield and as all PSU fullbacks do, he is a very capable blocker.
NOTE: We have also secured the verbal commitment of Silas Redd a four star rb from CT. He is 5'10 and 195, has great speed and elusiveness and could definitely fill the Stephfon Green role in our offense in the future.
WR-
This is a huge question mark for Penn State. While there is lack of experience, there is definitely not a lack of depth and potential. Penn State returns #5 Graham Zug, #83 Brett Brackett, #2 Chaz Powell and #6 Derek Moye. PSU will use a 6 or 7 wr rotation and these four guys will definitely be involved in that rotation. Brackett is built like a TE and came to PSU as a quarterback. Brackett is a possession receiver and due to his size and hands he creates a great mismatch for PSU in third down and goal line situations. Graham Zug is another guy who will definitely contribute this year. He has earned a scholarship at Penn State and is an excellent route runner. He is more of a possession guy and could be utilized in the slot position. He will be one of the guys that Clark will look to when the season starts and a guy that will most likely play a Jordan Norwood type role in our offense. With the loss of #2 Derrick Williams, we see another #2 coming to the forefront. Chaz Powell adds the same type of dynamic that Williams added to our offense. Powell can be used in the Wildcat Formation and line up at the QB position and in many other positions to help utilize his excellent speed and athletic ability. He has struggled a bit in learning the offense, but he showed flashes early last year and has the potential to meet and even surpass the production of Derrick Williams. He may even have more acceleration and elusiveness than Williams. Derek Moye is the 6'5 speedy wide receiver that Penn State has been missing for many years. He is a tall, lanky guy that adds game breaking ability to the WR corps. He will be in the Deon Butler role of our offense with his ability to stretch the field and go deep. He played minimally last year but showed great potential. Look for Moye to quickly gain the trust of Clark and have a breakout year. That leaves 2-3 spots and about 5 incoming freshman fighting for the job. I will start with the highest rated Freshman in Justin Brown, a 6'3 210 WR from Delaware. He has had a good fall practice session and has shown great size and the ability to catch balls in traffic. He may not be the fastest guy, but he has excellent hands, he is very smart and he has the body to contribute right away. Look for him and Curtis Drake, a former high school QB to be the main freshman contributors in our offense. Drake is a 6'0 ft WR from Philadelphia. He dominated the BIG 33 game this summer from his QB position, but PSU has made it their mission to convert him into a slot WR. He has the ability to run the Wildcat and has great speed and elusiveness. He is probably the biggest hidden gem of this class considering he came to school as only a two-star prospect. Many people think he will be a major contributor by the middle of the season. Next is Shawney Kersey, a wr from New Jersey standing at 6'1 195. He is said to have excellent speed and ability, but with all the depth we may see Kersey redshirting this year and poised to contribute in next years reloaded offense. Finally, the wildcard, the kid I can't wait to see, Devon Smith. Smith IS the fastest player on our team and quite possibly the fastest player in the Big Ten if not the country. One problem Devon Smith is 5'5 140 lbs. He crushed Maryland State 100 Meter track records in high school and oooooo's and awes have followed reports on his fall practice sessions. The kid is small but he can move and his incredibly quick. He may be too small to play, but his speed may too valuable for him to be kept on the bench. He is currently fighting for a special teams spot on the kickoff and punt return teams, but the major question is whether or not Joe will entrust a freshman to return kicks and punts. Smith is electric and can only hope we get the opportunity to see him contribute early.
NOTE: We have secured the commitment of WR Adrian Coxson from MD but rumors are swirling that he is going to be looking around before he signs his letter of intent. This could potentially be bad news. However, Coxson is currently enrolled at former Nittany Lion WR Bryant Johnson's high school and he compares quite well to Johnson. He has great size for a high school kid at 6'1 200 lbs and has sub 4.5 speed. Here's hoping he sticks to his commitment to Penn State, you can bet your ass LJ Sr. will be on his case to do so.
TE-
This a position, as I mentioned above that will most likely see an increased role in our offense this year due to the loss of three very important WR. Both #82 Mickey Shuler and #10 Andrew Quarless return. Quarless has all world talent but has had a two cent head for most of his Penn State career. He has had several off the field issues in the past but finally (fingers crossed) seems to have his act together and is dedicated to this team. He provides Clark with a huge mismatch for any team. Quarless is 6'5 255 lbs and has excellent speed for a guy his size. He is extremely athletic and reminds me a lot of Kellen Winslow of the Tampa Bay Bucs. If he can finally put it together this year he may actually catapult up draft boards and provide us with a great weapon this year. Mickey Shuler returns as well. Shuler is no slouch either. He had an excellent year last year and showed an ability to block as well as stretch the field like Quarless can. Shuler ad Quarless will be vital to the offense, especially early and it looks like we could see them both on the field at the same time in both running and passing formations. Andrew Sczczerba and Mark Wedderburn provide excellent depth. Sczczerba has great hands, but suffered a minor injury this fall. He should be fine and with his excellent size and hands he makes me feel pretty comfortable that we will be ok if someone (knock on wood) goes down. Lastly, Wedderburn is there and provides good athletic ability at the position. He needs to add weight and get experience, but I imagine he may see some mop up duty in early season blowouts.
Offensive Line-
As of today (August 31, 2009) the starting line is as follows RT- De'Ontae Panell RG- Lou Eliades, C- Stefwn Wisnewski, LG Matt Stankiewitch and LT Dennis Landolt. Wisnewski is the anchor of this line. He moves to center replacing A.Q. Shipley and will be in his more natural position. He has All American potential and certainly has the pedigree as both his dad and uncle are former PSU stars and NFL players. Wisnewski is incredibly smart has excellent size and takes over as the leader of the group even though he is only a Junior. Landolt is the only other returning starter and he moves from Right Tackle to the left tackle spot basically because of his experience and his athletic ability. He is not the biggest left tackle in the Big Ten but he is smart, athletic and will play a huge role in protecting Darryl Clark's blind side. Eliades has battled injury but he has a lot of potential. He has a mean streak and if he can put it together he can be a very effective player on this line. Stankiewitch pretty much stole this spot away from Johnny Troutman who had a bad summer session and ate his way out of playing time. Paterno was pissed off at Troutman and Stank outworked him. Stank was an ESPN All American and has good size to play guard for Penn State. With Troutman behind him it is one of the few OL positions we actually have depth at. Finally, Pannell was slated to be the LT, but his inexperience and Landolt's versatility will allow the coaches to ease Pannell into the game and he can excel in the run blocking department as he already does and learn more about how to be a great pass protector. He has all of the tools to be a great tackle and if he learns and progresses this year, look for him to move over to the LT spot next year. Depth is a concern on the line as their lack of experience. Every great Penn State team has had a more than solid O-line that gelled together and dominated games late. The starters are said to be gelling in practice, but until they get in the trenches during a game, it is hard to judge what kind of line we have. Talent is there and so is youth, but key injuries could really hurt our chances of progressing overall as a team. True freshman Eric Shrive, Adam Gress and Nate Cadogan (Gerald's younger brother) add much needed size and athleticism to this group but most freshman lineman redshirt and need time to put on the proper weight and learn the system. Ako Poti drank his way into Joe's doghouse and Troutman ate his way there. There is not much talent behind the starters and again, I can't say it enough, but staying injury free is imperative. The starters must bond as a group and protect our most important asset. Our season will depend heavily on the development of this group.
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW-
This group as a whole h
as seen a tremendous amount of change since last season. The talent we have lost over the last two years, whether it be the draft or transfers, is unbelievable. Phillip Taylor is going to be an all Big Twelve player at Baylor, Abe Koroma smoked his way to Western Illinois, Maurice Evans left early and wasn't drafted, Aaron Maybin was a first round draft pick for the Bills after leaving early, AJ Wallace has skipped class now he has to face the consequences and serve a 1-2 game suspension and we have lost the entire starting secondary to graduation and the NFL. On a positive note, however, Sean Lee returns and is said to be bigger and stronger and is no longer wearing a brace on his previously injured knee. Lee is a leader and before his injury was a first team All American candidate.
We have great depth at the linebacker positions and even though we lost Koroma, we have great experience and size in the middle of our D-line. We have to replace two great pass rushers and an entire secondary. There is a balance of experience and youth on this side of the ball, but the question that needs to be answered is how will the secondary bounce back from the thrashing it took against USC and who will step up and grab the safety spots that have opened up.
The following is a position-by-position breakdown of the Defensive side of the ball.
D-Tackle-
I will start with the interior because it is the place where our stars seem to be budding and Larry Johnson continues to produce NFL worthy talent. Jared Odrick (#91) is the leader of the interior. He had 4.5 sacks last year and showed how disruptive he can be. It is his senior year and I fully expect him to break out and become a top D-lineman nationally. Ollie Ogbu is a very solid companion to Odrick. He is quick inside and has shown in the past that he can be very disruptive. Ogbu is solid and athletic and with Odrick getting much deserved double teams it will free up Ogbu and allow him to make plays in the backfield. Behind Odrick is Devon Still. He is only a redshirt sophomore and has all the talent in the world, he just has to stay healthy. He was slated to play a significant role his true freshman year but suffered a major leg injury. The same thing happened last year. This year Still is finally healthy and has potential to be a top NFL draft pick when all is said and done. He is described as incredibly strong and quick and has unreal size at 6'5 305. If he puts it together and stays healthy he will see the field plenty this year and slide right into Odrick's spot as the leader inside next year. Expect to hear his name plenty. Brandon Ware came to Penn State at 6'3 370 pounds. Even at this size he was said to have excellent feet, but Joe Paterno challenged him and has told him that if does not lose the necessary weight he may never see the field. Ware responded and is down to about 335-340. He is ready to contribute this year and will see about 20 snaps a game behind Ogbu. Ware has great feet and is still massive after the weight loss. He adds good depth especially after the loss of Koroma to marijuana. Finally you can expect to see Chima Okoli contribute in the middle. He came as a DE but has gained the required weight to move inside. He doesn't have the accolade of Odrick or Still, but with the proper Larry Johnson coaching he can be more than serviceable as a backup.
Note: We have secured the Commitment of Evan Hailes a 6'1 300 lb four star DT from Virginia. Expect him to come in and help right away next year. He is extremely athletic and strong and adds much needed depth.
DE-
Yes the loss of Maybin and Evans really hurts. Maybin was quicker off the snap than anyone I have ever seen at Penn State. He created plays for himself and always had to be accounted for. Evans had an off year but he was a very effective DE. He had off the field problems and it was probably time for him to go. Josh Gaines was certainly not Reggie White, but he was a great leader and an excellent technician. His game experience will be missed. However, there is room for optimism. Remember this name and number, Jack Crawford # 81. Crawford is 6'6 260 lbs. He is originally from London, England and came to the US to play basketball. In high school he tried football and it turns out he was really good at it. If he had been playing his whole life, he would have been a national top 10 recruit. He has unbelievable size and strength and reminds people of Courtney Brown because of how long his wingspan is. He is raw, but he has progressed a great deal since his arrival. This is his time to shine nd I fully expect him to be the leader of the DE's. On the other side expect to see #44 Kevion Latham start. He is an athletic guy in the same mold of Aaaron Maybin but he is not quite as quick. Latham has a strong grasp on playing the run and he will be used at times in pass rushing situations. Latham was a four star recruit coming out of high school and is a redshirt sophomore. He will be splitting duties at the weak-side defensive end position with #5 Jerome Hayes. Hayes has the speed of Maybin but has been a victim of two separate ACL tears both coming from playing special teams. I can't imagine he will be on special teams this year. Hayes is sort of a hybrid DE/LB and will be playing mostly standup DE ala Tim Shaw from several years ago. He has great quickness off the line and a great motor. He is such a hard worker and a leader and he deserves this year to show what he can do. Hayes has worked his butt off to get back and I expect to see him the defensive backfield quite often this year. Other contributors for the upcoming season are Eric Lattimore (#56) another guy who has the size and ability to be a very effective backup but he just has to overcome the injury bug that has kept him out of action the last couple of years. Sean Stanley is a true freshman who has the skill set to be a very effective pass rusher in the future. Due to a lack of depth he may not redshirt and reports about him in practice have been very positive. His name and the name Gary Gilliam are guys to look out for maybe this year and definitely next season.
Linebacker-
The starting linebackers for this season include possibly the best duo ever at Penn State. Josh Hull returns to the middle almost by default because of #42 Michael Mauti's ACL tear in fall practice. Hull is solid, but he isn't Michael Mauti. Mauti was a star and still will be. When he returns he will only be a redshirt sophomore. Mauti was on the fast track to being another great PSU linebacker, but as it seems to happen every year, the injury bug bites another great PSU linebacker. Hull is serviceable and improved as the year went on, but he is mediocre in the pass rushing department and lacks the speed and athleticism that the other linebackers in the stable possess. Expect to see a lot of Bani Gbadyu, #15. Bani is short but compact. He is only about 6'0 but he is up to 230 lbs and is probably, sans Mauti, the fastest linebacker on the team. Bani is going be used a lot in pass rushing situations and coverage situations where the defense can utilize his speed in getting to the quarterback or covering backs out of the backfield. As the year goes on, I expect to see more and more of him and less and less of Hull. That is a good thing by the way. Sean Lee returns at the SAM outside linebacker spot. Lee was so disappointed to sit out last year, but he gets one last chance to play at PSU. He is a great leader and he will be back at his natural position outside. There was speculation that he would be moved inside like Poz and Connor were, but with Mauti's injury a decision was made to keep him where he was. Lee is said to be bigger than he was and has not lost a step. In fact, he wears no brace at all on his previously injured knee. Expect Lee to command a lot of attention and to team with #11 Navorro Bowman causing nightmares for offensive coordinators everywhere. Bowman will man his Fritz outside linebacker position after a breakout year in 2008. Bowman is an athletic freak and is probably our most versatile linebacker. He has tremendous speed and just seems to be all over the field at all times. Oh and by the way he is now wearing Lavar's #11. He is only a junior, but if he progresses like he did last year, I expect this to be his last year. Bowman and Lee are going to be tremendous together and we will need their leadership and abilities to help make up for a very green secondary. Keep an eye out for several highly recruited guys that have not yet made noise at Penn State. Mike Yancich #33 and Nate Stupar #34 are both behind Sean Lee and if it weren't for his return we would be talking about these two guys battling for an open spot. Both are in the mold of Lee and Poz, both have great work ethic and will see adequate time on special teams and in backup duty. Expect to hear their names a significant amount this year and even more in the future. Also keep an eye out for Mike Zordich #9, he is another of the highly recruited linebackers just waiting their turn to be household names. We have done a great job recruiting at the linebacker spot over the last several years and it is our deepest group possibly ever. There are stars in the waiting sitting on the bench just buying their time and waiting show their skills .If there is any spot at PSU that I don't worry about it is the linebacker position.
Secondary-
This is the place where we clearly have the biggest question marks. Knowledge Timmons #4 finally gets his chance to start. He has won a spot as the left corner in our secondary. He is very well put together and has consistently been one of the faster players on our team. He doesn't have great height, but he has been in the system for four years now He was a catalyst on special teams, but again he hasn't manned a starting job yet and it hard to tell what we are getting. Based on skill set alone I have to say he will be ok, but until he gets in the game and is challenged I can't truly judge him. He has great speed and I am looking forward to seeing him and Wallace opposite one another. For right now D'Anton Lynn # 8 is a 6'1 sophomore corner from Texas. He has great size and was originally recruited as a safety but due to depth he as moved to the right corner spot. He will hold down the spot while AJ Wallace sorts his off the field problems out. Lynn is more than capable though. He has the size and adequate speed to play in our scheme and the valuable experience he gets this year will only help our future. He will most likely play some Nickel when Wallace returns, but depending on Timmons and Wallace's performances he may earn a permanent starting spot. He was a big steal two years ago and the earlier he plays the better off we are. AJ Wallace #1 is running out of time. He came to PSU as a 5 star recruit but has yet to live up to that potential. He has been in trouble and injured most of his career. This is the year he MUST step up. He has all the intangible to be a great corner and even an NFL caliber corner for that matter. He has the size and the 4.4 speed, he has good ball awareness and he can tackle. He must put it all together this year and help a secondary in need of a leader and a star that demands attention. He can match up against every teams best WR and has the potential to shut them down. Here's hoping he lives up to that. Drew Astorino #28 has won the free safety spot as a redshirt sophomore. He played a significant amount of time last year and has a knack for getting to the ball. He is faster than Rubin or Scirotto but he does lack ideal safety size. There is depth behind him but again it is inexperienced. Andrew Dailey has moved over from linebacker to back up Astorino. He has good size and hitting ability but he has to learn to take better angles and read an offense a little better. Gerald Hodges is a true freshman but he comes in with some great potential and exciting upside. He is built like a linebacker, but runs like a WR. Hodges (#6) will not be redshirted this season and will be expected to contribute on special teams immediately. If he is as good as advertised, expect to see him earn time in the secondary and eventually take it over. The strong safety spot has been won by Nick Sukay #10. Sukay has been a victim of injuries but he has good size at 6'1 and speed. Sukay is athletic, and it appears he beat out Cedric Jeffries who in my opinion is a little more athletic and faster. Sukay is adequate and smart, but I expect to see a little more of Jeffries at this spot or Hodges may eventually earn some time here. The secondary is very green but the addition of some true freshman helps with the depth. Both Derrick Thomas and Stephon Morris are said to be very close being 2nd or third teamers. They have come to came and displayed great speed and cover skills. There was talk of Thomas being used on offense but the qualifying casualty loss of Darrell Givens forced the coaches hands and he was placed where he was needed most at the CB spot. Thomas has good size and speed and he an Lynn could be a great duo for years to come.
Special Teams- K-
Collin Wagner appears to have won the kicker position. He has a very good leg and is said to be accurate. He has barely any experience in games and of course that does make a difference. He beat out big legged freshman Anthony Fera for the starting sport. Fera has a great leg but needs to be more accurate in his field goal attempts. If he isn't redshirted, he may be used as a weapon on kickoffs to boot it into the end zone for an automatic touchback. Punter Jeremy Boone returns this year and the word to describe him is solid. Punter doesn't seem to be much of a problem for PSU and hasn't really been since the days of Dave Royer are gone. Boone is solid and will be a good weapon for us when we need to pin the opposing offense deep. Expect Green and Powell to be returning kickoffs for us, but if the coaches want to they have a weapon in Devon Smith in their back pockets. Smith is electric and if they think he can hold up with such a small frame, he can be a Brandon James/Darren Sproles type of threat for our special teams. The kid runs a 4.28 and is extremely elusive, if he gets a chance, hold your breath... Finally, Drew Astorino will be the token white "safe" punt returner, but again if they choose to take a risk you may see Smith, Kersey or Derrick Thomas getting a chance to create a buzz in Beaver Stadium. I hope they take that risk because the reward could be a big touchdown run.
Well that's it. I hope everyone is as excited as I am for the season to start and for the Lions to take the field against Akron. This is an exciting time for PSU and a chance to see us finally be reloading instead of rebuilding. Reloading is a sig of a solid program and we are finally on our way back to truly being a top notch program. I hope you all enjoyed this preview and I am anxious to see our talent get the proper experience and hopefully transition from good to great. Thanks for reading and any feedback can be sent to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Go STATE!
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