Back in the days of unheralded recruiting radar screens and non-existent star rating services, Curt Warner was courted from Pineville, West Virginia, to play football at State and became a Lion the old fashioned way. No press conference hats to toss or wear, no last minute text messages from rival coaches to try and sway him elsewhere etc. He simply joined the roster like so many before him did. Little did anyone know Curt would explode and literally dominate the college football world despite the Penn State way of doing things, all buisness, no frills or PR fan fare.

As early as his freshman year, Curt was anchoring the ground game duties for the Nits in big ways, and only continued that dominance throughout his career. With 18 100-yard games, Warner also had incredible single game statistics, like 341 all purpose yards vs. Syracuse, 256 of that on the ground and 280 total yards against Rutgers as a couple examples. In his career amassed 4,982 total yards from scrimmage, 3398 on the ground—both Penn State records.  With Cat like elusiveness, whiplash wrenching shifty moves and breakaway speed, Curt is the only Nittany Lion to ever rush for 1,000 or more yards in each of his four years. In the last two seasons, he was an All-American.

The shining culmination and perhaps most famous moment for Curt was the Nits first (recognized) National Championship victory over Georgia in the 83′ Sugar Bowl outshining Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. Warner rushed for 117 yards and scored two touchdowns that memorable and magical night.

It was the capper on a memorable career, that saw him rewrite the history books, setting 42 Penn State records during his college careers.

From there Curt Warner went on to the NFL and  Seattle Seahawks carving out AFC Rookie of the Year honors, All Pro accolades, and a stellar pro career that saw him make his mark on the NFL just as he had done the NCAA.

But as for me, Curt’s NFL career led him on a direct course right into my life.

In 1986, I was receiving an experimental treatment—a bone marrow transplant for my leukemia.  Being one of the few Nittany Lion fans in Seattle, it was nothing more than serendipity that Warner had been drafted by the Seahawks three years earlier. But luckier for me, one of the social workers noticed the Penn State football merchandise lining the room and worked her magic, scheduling an early-season visit from the Seahawks to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Unfortunately, though, that group didn’t include Curt. The players that showed up were gracious and boosted my spirits for sure but I couldn’t help but ask them were Curt was. They covered for him, saying that he was tied up with some football related matters but promised they would pass along my regards.

It was a few hours after the team members had left and all was calm, relatively speaking. But that all changed when I heard a cluster of growing noise and distant chitter chatter in the hallways, getting closer and closer to my room. I never knew whether those sounds would translate into good news or bad, so I was wary of impending drama.

But lo and behold it was Curt himself, stopping in to visit me for a spell!  I was totally blown away to say the least that he was able to break away and take some time for me one on one, and just talk. We spoke mostly about Penn State football of course, but also some about his years in the NFL, and some funny JoePa stories.  But we also just shot the breeze, and it’s a memory I’ll always cherish, as simple and thoughtful as it was.

We all know how rare it is these days to actually see something like this happen. After what seemed like an entire afternoon Curt ended his stay and we wished each other well, off on our own paths but still both Nittany Lions like many of us.

Now, Curt was just honored into the College Hall of Fame this past July, and currently runs his own car dealership in Vancouver, Washington. He still keeps himself active in football, coaching running backs of course on the high school level. And he’s the president of Curt Warner’s Autism Foundation, working to help treat and support families who’ve been affected by autism.  That’s very fitting for a guy who came from a small town to come full circle so to speak. After all the greatness and touching of so many people’s lives, he stays humble and grounded, making Nittany Lion fans Penn State Proud. Curt Warner, a legend and a class act.

To read more about John’s incredible battle with cancer, you can read his book Does the Sun Shine in Heaven: One Man’s Battle with Cancer. Our sincere thanks to John for sharing this story.

Last year: Jared Odrick was the only defensive lineman to start all 13 games, and he led the unit with 43 tackles and 7 sacks. Jack Crawford added 14.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. Eric Latimore’s 3.5 sacks ranked third. Ollie Ogbu started 12 games and made 8 tackles for a loss.

Key losses: Jared Odrick graduated and was drafted in the first round by the Miami Dolphins. Also graduating was Jerome Hayes.

Overview: Heading into the 2009 season, there were some serious questions surrounding the Penn State defensive line. All three of the top defensive ends from the year before–Aaron Maybin, Maurice Evans, and Josh Gaines–had left the program, either graduating or declaring early for the NFL draft.  Jack Crawford had incredible potential, but he was still a raw Brit who’d only been playing the game for a few years. Ollie Ogbu was a solid enough player, but at nose-tackle, not the dynamic playmaker Penn State needed.

Ah, but there was Jared Odrick, and as it turned out, his 2008 all-Big Ten campaign was only the warm-up for a truly phenomenal senior season.  Odrick was a disruptive force last year, interrupting plays in the backfield and stopping running backs before they got started.  You often hear about a player’s motor, and I’m not sure I ever saw a defensive tackle chase so many players from behind as Odrick did in 2009.  He was the Big Ten defensive Player of the Year, and a AFCA all-American.

And though Penn State replaces starters at the other three positions on the offensive line, the loss of Jared Odrick leaves a giant question mark in the middle.

But if there’s one thing Larry Johnson has always done exceedingly well, it’s reload.  In the past decade, Penn State’s had 6 different defensive linemen named all-Americans, and so many of them have come out of nowhere to break out.  This year, the chief candidate to continue that grand tradition is Jack Crawford, who was enough of a monster before adding 15 pounds in the offseason.  I’m not sure there’s going to be a more terrifying sight than a 6-5, 270 pound athletic freak, a hairless Englishman without a pound of fat on his body.  Crawford’s a notorious hard-worker in the film room, too, and for someone who lacks the experience playing the game, that will certainly aid in his development.  But I see Crawford as stouter against the run than as a true pass-rusher, which requires a little more polish than pure athleticism.

Across from Crawford is the player I’m expecting to step up just as much. Eric Latimore was solid last year, splitting time with Jerome Hayes. Hayes was more of an edge rusher, while the larger Latimore stayed in during running downs.  But now it’ll be Latimore’s position to himself, and by all reports he enjoyed a fine spring.  During the Blue-White game he looked like Penn State’s best defensive lineman, consistently getting into the backfield.

Should Latimore struggle, though, it’s not like Penn State doesn’t have options.  Larry Johnson loves to have depth along his line, and you’ll see four players rotate through at defensive end, all getting significant playing time.  Sophomore Sean Stanley has had trouble getting his weight up, but looks like a pass rusher in the making.  He provided a nice spark off the edge when he played last year.  And Kevion Latham, who battled Hayes and Latimore for playing time last year, should get reps as well.

At defensive end, it’s a similar set of circumstances.  Ollie Ogbu was named a captain of this team, so he’s certainly gained the respect of his teammates.  Sooner rather than later, he’ll gain the appreciation of the fanbase, too.  Ogbu plays the one-technique, which isn’t flashy. His job is just to hold the line of scrimmage, eat up space, and occupy blockers, and he’s quite good at it.  Very stout at the point of attack, it’s tough to push Ogbu around.

The question will be whether Penn State can get production out of the three-technique, the kind of disruptive defensive tackle that Odrick was a year ago.  Devon Still, who’s battled injuries his first few years, has some huge shoes to fill.  But at 6-5, 311 and plenty athletic, Still might just be up for the task.  As Penn State’s chief reserve at the position last year, Still managed 2 sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss while playing sparingly, and is poised to break out in a big way with increased responsibilities.

Behind those two is sophomore Jordan Hill, who looked solid in a garbage-time role last year.  Given LJ’s propensity for rotating through his unit, Hill will be seeing Still-like playing time in 2010.  There’s also fan favorite Brandon Ware, who seems to have finally worked his way out of Joe Paterno’s doghouse.  His grades are up, his weight is down, and he’s poised to finally see the field in his third year at Penn State.  James Terry could also figure in, and so could freshmen DaQuan Jones and Evan Hailes.

Three Questions:

How good is Jack Crawford? I don’t think it’s just me. It really feels like Penn State fans are expecting huge things from Crawford, and that it just seems almost inevitable that he’ll live up to the hype.  But Crawford is a different sort of defensive end than Penn State is used to, not a smaller pass rusher, but a stout monster who won’t let anything past him.  That much is almost certain, but if the Nittany Lions are going to lean on Crawford to replace some of Odrick’s sacks, he’ll need to become a more complete end in 2010.,

Will we see some 3-4? Penn State has the perfect personnel to go with three down linemen if they should choose–Devon Still and Jack Crawford are prototypical 3-4 ends, and both Ogbu and Ware could hold down the middle.  Penn State’s got a glut of talented linebackers, and getting an extra one on the field and giving other teams a look they haven’t seen before could be a useful change of pace, especially in the tough road games where Penn State will need every advantage they can get.

Is this Larry Johnson’s last hurrah? Larry Johnson might be the best position coach in the country, and he’s also  Penn State’s best recruiter.  It should come as no surprise that other schools have looked to poach him away from State College.  It wasn’t too long ago that Joe Paterno was making promises to keep LJ here, but if Joe leaves after this season, you wonder whether Larry would be less committed to working under another coach, especially if Graham Spanier doesn’t give him a fair shot at the head coaching job.

Extra bonus question: Who leads the team in sacks?

But there are a few other things I’d like to discuss.

First, the 44 for 44 series. It was an ambitious undertaking, and it was something I really enjoyed working on.  I only hope you learned as much and had as positive an experience reading them as I did writing the articles.  But I didn’t realize just how time-consuming writing each profile was, and how difficult it would be to keep up each day as the summer came to an end.  As the season goes on, though, we will continue the series when we’ve got a slow day and some free time on our hands. Tomorrow, we’ll have our first fan submission, an incredible personal story about how one of those 44 players touched his life during a very dark time.

I’ve also saved the best for last: NittanyWhiteOut has been lucky enough to receive press passes for this week’s season opener against Youngstown State, as well as for a couple other matchups later in the season. Now, I’m not a journalist (at least in the conventional sense), and I’m not going to be on a deadline to produce a story, so I can take full advantage of the media experience. Let us know what you’d like us do to with that access, what features you’d like to see. I’m hoping we can take that access, which is something few fans ever get to experience, and use it to really pass along that sense to you.

Last year: Dennis Landolt held down the left tackle spot for Penn State, starting all 13 games. The same was true for Stefen Wisniewski at center, and Lou Eliades at right guard.  The right tackle and left guard spots weren’t so solid, with Ako Poti, De’Ontae Pannell, and Johnnie Troutman rotating through, each starting 8 games.

Key losses: Landolt and Poti both graduated, along with Nerraw McCormack, who started 1 game.

Overview: On the surface, it looks like Penn State’s offensive line was pretty good in 2009.  Penn State quarterbacks were sacked just 17 times–the second fewest in the Big Ten (behind only Michigan State). And Penn State ran for nearly 170 yards per game–ranking a respectable 41st in the country.  But simply looking at the statistics doesn’t tell the whole story.

2009 was a difficult year for Penn State’s offensive line, especially when you consider the players they were replacing.  A.Q. Shipley was the reigning Rimington Award winner as college football’s top center. If that wasn’t enough, both Gerald Cadogan and Rich Ohrnberger were 1st team all-Big Ten selections, too.  Sure, Stefen Wisniewski returned, and Landolt was steady enough, and had started each game at right tackle, but there were major question marks there.

In retrospect, we should’ve known it was going to be rough early on.  Penn State’s offensive line struggled mightily even in early season games against overmatched opponents like Akron, Syracuse, and Temple. When the out-of-conference slate gave way to Iowa, well, the results weren’t pretty.  Failures on the part of the offensive line led to a safety of Daryll Clark, and a punt-block-return touchdown by Adrian Clayborn.  Penn State tweaked the line after that–removing DeOn’tae Pannell from the starting lineup, and it worked well, until that unit took on a more talented Ohio State defensive line, which simply dominated the line of scrimmage.

That’s why, looking ahead to 2010, the line really isn’t that much of a question mark.  This is a team that went 11-2 with a suspect corps at the position last year, and you wonder, with the talent clearly there, how much worse it could be?  Consider that Penn State went from the beginning of the offseason to the end with the same starting line intact, there’s at least some consistency here.

Stefen Wisniewski is set to move back to his more natural guard position, which should allow him to anchor this unit, even if he’s not in the middle.  Wisniewski was solid last year–named a 1st team all-conference selection–but you could tell he looked uncomfortable at times–and he struggled snapping out of the shotgun.  Lou Eliades might have been Penn State’s steadiest lineman–and best run blocker–so moving him over one slot to tackle seems a natural enough fit.  And between Pannell and Troutman, who have plenty of experience and raw talent between them ought to be able to hold down the left guard spot.

But the most important position is the one with the most pressing concerns. Quinn Barham, an unknown to most casual fans before this spring, was tabbed as the starter, protecting the quarterback’s blind side.  He saw snaps in just 6 games, and all were at guard, mainly behind Lou Eliades.  Barham is a little on the small side–at under 300 pounds–and though his footwork and technique has drawn rave reviews, you wonder whether he’s got the raw strength to hold his own against such defensive ends as Adrian Clayborn and Thaddeus Gibson, especially without a dominant inline blocker like Mickey Shuler to take the pressure off.

The other new starter is Doug Klopacz, at center. Klopacz has had trouble seeing the field in his career thus far, stuck behind all-conference standouts in Shipley and Wisniewski at center, but as a fifth-year senior he’ll finally get his shot.  He wasn’t a big time recruit out of high school, but he’s locked up the position and held it throughout the spring and summer, even despite the whispers that Wisniewski was set to move back there if need be.

Three Questions:

1. Can Quinn Barham be effective? The left tackle position is easily the most important along the offensive line. Protecting the quarterback’s blind side and shutting down your opponents top pass rusher requires a significant talent.  When those pass rushers are Adrian Clayborn, Thaddeus Gibson, and Marcel Dareus, shutting them down takes a miracle. Barham doesn’t need to be the second coming of Michael Oher, but with a freshman quarterback who’s going to struggle making his reads, every split second counts. The offensive line had better hold up if Robert Bolden is going to survive the season.

2. Just how good can Stefen Wisniewski be? Wisniewski is following in a grand tradition in his family.  His uncle, Steve, might be the best guard Penn State’s ever had, and he’s ready to anoint his nephew as even better.  Little Wiz is so good that even playing out of position a year ago he was still Penn State’s best lineman, and the best center in the country.  I don’t think it would shock anyone if he held down that right guard spot with aplomb, and found himself an all-American in addition to all-Big Ten selection.

3. Will we see any of the youngsters? Penn State’s depth along the offensive line is very underclassman-heavy, with such former highly touted recruits as Eric Shrive, Adam Gress, and Matt Stankiewitch backing up the starters.  Penn State has been reluctant to break in some of these raw kids except in garbage time, but if Quinn Barham and Doug Klopacz struggle, there really won’t be much of a choice.

Extra Bonus Question: How many different alignments do we see along the offensive line? Last year, Penn State used 7 different starting sets in their 13 games.

According to Jim Delany, the divisions were determined by factoring in three qualities, ensuring competitive equality, maintaining rivalries, and securing geographical boundaries.  These divisions will only exist for football, and no other sports.  The official names for these divisions, divisional championship trophies, and the new conference logo will be announced in the coming months.

Delany also announced that each team will play five games against the other members of their division, that there will be one protected crossover game, and to rotate through two crossover games. By 2015, Delany hopes to add a 9th conference game.

Penn State’s protected crossover game will be Nebraska. Every season Penn State will play two biggest draws in the conference, both Ohio State and Nebraska.  The year-ending matchup will come against Wisconsin.  Reports are that the game will feature a new trophy: a keg. Fitting, for two of the best party schools in the country.

Initial reaction: I love it.  Penn State’s path to the Big Ten title game won’t be easy, but it never was.  Going forward, as it always has been, for Penn State to win the Big Ten, they’ll have to get through Ohio State.  And adding a protected yearly matchup with Nebraska offers the ability to foster a new rivalry with one of the most tradition rich programs in the country. The other four games aren’t terrible, either–Illinois and Indiana are the bottom feeders of the conference, and offer two should-be gimme wins every season.  Purdue hasn’t been great lately, but I won’t pencil them in for a win before the season.  Wisconsin is a big time opponent, and playing them every year should be fun.

The negatives: It’ll be difficult to give up the Land Grant trophy, but somehow, I think I can survive.  The biggest loss is that Penn State will only be able to play Michigan twice every six years, but as Rich Rodriguez and that program circles the drain, that might not be so bad.

I think I’m missing the biggest positive, though: Penn State doesn’t have to play Iowa 4 out of every 6 years. God, I hate those guys.

The other disappointment comes in the new schedules to facilitate these divisions:

Penn State’s 2011 schedule was set up to be pretty incredible, with Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Alabama all at home.  It loses some of the luster, as Ohio State and Wisconsin become road tilts.  Still, Penn State will face Nebraska and Iowa in Beaver Stadium, along with Purdue and Illinois. Not terrible, but not the greatest home schedule ever it was set up to be.

And for a 2011 squad set to compete for a Big Ten and national title, could you imagine a tougher end to the season than Nebraska, @Ohio State, @Wisconsin?

Lastly, Since Penn State plays at Ohio State this year, the Beaver Stadium crowd will never again have a shot to rattle Terrelle Pryor.

Last note: the conference has absolutely laid itself down in sacrifice to Michigan and Ohio State.  Not only will those teams be separated, to give them a chance to meet up in the Big Ten championship game, but they’re also playing the last game of the regular season.  The possibility of seeing OSU-UM two consecutive weeks is alive and well…Yippie!

It’s a brilliant decision by Joe Paterno to let this leak out tonight, when the announcement will be buried beneath reports of the Big Ten’s divisional alignment.

According to the Patriot-News, Bolden, along with sophomores Matt McGloin and Kevin Newsome, was informed of the decision at practice today.  Bolden impressed onlookers throughout the summer, though the hype didn’t reach a critical mass until the Big Ten Network visited Penn State as part of their summer preview program.  Dave Revsine gave most Penn State fans their first glimpse of Robert Bolden, and boy, was he impressed.

Bolden impressed not only reporters, but also the coaching staff, overcoming tremendous odds in the process to get to this point.  Matt McGloin has been in the program for more than two years, Kevin Newsome was an early enrollee in the spring of 2008, and even Paul Jones, the forgotten man in all of this, graduated early to join the Penn State team in the spring.

And yet Robert Bolden, who joined this team less than 3 months ago, proved to be the best option. Bolden became one of the most highly touted quarterbacks in the nation despite playing in a run-first offense, at St. Mary’s Prep in Orchard Lakes, Michigan.  In his senior season, Bolden threw just 152 passes–completing a mere 72–for 1013 yards and 7 TDs.  But most importantly, in that season, as he had the year before, Bolden led his team to the state championship game.  And after the season, Bolden got the opportunity to work with Daryll Clark at the ESPN Elite 11 quarterback camp, where he received rave reviews.

Penn State’s schedule this year isn’t the most becoming to a true freshman.  In 10 days, Penn State will travel to Tuscaloosa, to take on the #1 team in the country under the lights.  Three weeks after that, it’ll be another night game at another top ten opponent, in Iowa.  And then a month later, Penn State will head to Ohio State, yet another tilt against one of the best teams in the country.  But if Joe Paterno, who’s notorious for holding his youngest players back, can put his faith behind Robert Bolden, then who am I to disagree?

Penn State took as long as possible to deliberate before making this move. They had more scrimmages than any other program, as far as I can tell.  This is not a rash decision. Robert Bolden gives Penn State their best chance to win a Big Ten title this year and down the line.

Bolden’s performance in a tune-up game this Saturday will be heavily scrutinized–perhaps moreso than any other quarterback’s performance against a 1-AA team could be.  But it is these circumstances from which greatness arises.  Should Bolden rise to the challenge, steadily improving throughout his four years at Penn State, he could leave Happy Valley as one of the best passers Penn State’s ever had.

Look, this season may be riddled by freshman mistakes. But that’s what the learning process is all about.  If Robert Bolden truly is so good that he was bound to earn the starting job sooner or later, then the more experience he gets, the better.  This season figures to be more of a rebuilding year for Penn State, and to get a freshman quarterback 13 games of experience sets up the Nittany Lions for success as he matures in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

And there’s the JoePa factor. Joe Paterno will either leave Penn State after this season or after the next.  Whoever inherits this program is getting one with a starting quarterback–and, in all likelihood, a pretty darn good one.

There remain some obvious questions, like: what will happen to Kevin Newsome? Will he move to running back, or safety, or Delaware?  But for now, let’s get excited.  Joe Paterno has picked the best man for the job.  And after months of waiting, we’ll get to see just what impressed so many.

To quote Airplane: Good luck, kid. We’re all counting on you.

UPDATE: Penn State confirms the news. It’s official!

“Based on what we have seen to this point, Bolden has a slight edge right now, but we are confident all three quarterbacks are ready to go and hope to give them an opportunity to play until we settle on the one that gives us the best chance to win,” Paterno said.  Paterno said his three young quarterbacks: Bolden, sophomore Matt McGloin (Scranton, Pa.) and sophomore Kevin Newsome (Portsmouth, Va.), would be listed 1A, 1B and 1C on the depth chart at this point and all still have the opportunity to earn the starting nod on a regular basis.

Last Year: Josh Hull started all 13 games, and led the team with 115 tackles (47 solo), 8.5 for a loss. Navorro Bowman started 11 games and racked up 93 tackles (52 solo), 17 for a loss, and scored 2 touchdowns. Sean Lee started 8 games, and accumulated 86 tackles (47 solo), 11 for a loss.

Key Losses: Lee and Hull graduated and were drafted in the 2nd and 7th rounds, respectively. Navorro Bowman left after his junior season to the NFL draft, and was picked in the 3rd round.

Overview: For Linebacker U, this is a rare conundrum. With the departures of all three starting linebackers, each of whom found themselves either on the first or second teams all-Big Ten a year ago, Penn State finds itself in a tricky spot.  But Penn State’s been put in similar positions before. Two years ago, Dan Connor’s graduation and Sean Lee’s knee injury left Tyrell Sales as the only linebacker who’d had significant experience. A walk-on was forced into the middle.  And before Navorro Bowman forced his way into the starting lineup, the third starter was someone who’d made 6 tackles the year before.

And yet, Penn State’s defense that year was one of the best in the country.  Bowman burst onto the scene as one of the best linebackers in the conference, if not the nation, and Hull and Sales held their own.

This time around, there’s almost assuredly even more talent.  So don’t cry for Linebacker U, because if you don’t expect this unit to be one of the best in the Big Ten, you’re severely underestimating them.  Penn State won’t be rebuilding at the linebacker position, they’ll reload, and come back just as strong in 2010.

Nate Stupar and Bani Gbadyu combined for 7 starts and 68 tackles in the wake of the injuries to Bowman and Lee, and provided terrific depth. Now that they’re pushed into the limelight, big things are going to be expected from the pair.  Gbadyu, whose incredible upbringing was chronicled beautifully by Rich Scarcella in the Reading Eagle has faced plenty more pressure in his life than living up to the expectations of Linebacker U–try fleeing a war-torn Liberia and trying to hold together a family as a mere teenager. And Stupar impressed so many of us in his freshman season of 2008 with his balls-to-the-wall mentality, especially on special teams, where his reckless abandon made him an instant fan favorite. (And on a personal note, I was in a class with Stupar last spring, and he’s a very nice kid.)

The other presumptive starter, though, has more question marks surrounding him. Through Chris Colasanti looks the part, at a stout 6’2, 241 pounds, and though he came to Penn State with an impressive,  all-state pedigree, he’s never really put it all together, and been anything more than a backup.  Last year, the plan was to redshirt Colasanti–as a junior–in the hopes that an extra year of seasoning could help get him over the hump.  But that was burned following the injuries to Lee and Bowman, when Penn State desperately needed an extra linebacker.  Even so, he managed little playing time, still benched behind the underclassmen.  But he’s had a good offseason, according to reports, and even if he struggles early, Penn State won’t be in such a bad situation.

That’s because of Michael Mauti, who comes roaring back after a knee injury forced him into a redshirt season last year.  Mauti proved himself to be more than a legacy recruit almost from day one, when the high school all-American matched Stupar in his temerity on special teams.  Against Michigan, he replaced an ineffective Josh Hull for much of the first half, and made 7 stops, helping to shut down what had been an effective Wolverine running game.  Before last season, he was slated to replace Hull as a starter, but the ACL tear shut down that plan.  Still, Mauti–more than any other Lion–has the ability to pick up right where Lee and Bowman left off, and inheret the Linebacker U title that’s been passed down through the years.

After that, you have “depth” players who would be starting at 100 other schools.  Gerald Hodges is an athletic freak, at 6-2, 228, who’s come down from safety to linebacker and may well take the role of special teams ace.  Mike Yancich will back up the middle, and he’s another one of those Lions who was a very highly touted prospect out of high school. For years, Penn State’s gone with a deep rotation along the defensive line to keep everyone fresh. With six linebackers who have legitimate NFL talent and potential, you may well see Rod Vanderlinden do the same with his crew. And that’s not even considering Mike Hull and Khairi Fortt, both true freshmen, who have all the talent and athleticism in the world.  But with 6 great linebackers ahead of them, a redshirt season might best serve the youngsters.

Three Questions:

1. Can Chris Colasanti hold down the middle? Of all the linebackers who figure into the rotation, Colasanti is probably the one we know the least about.  Sure, we remember that he was a big get for Penn State four years ago, but we’ve never really seen him get substantial playing time.  It certainly seems like he’s been passed over, at least in the collective minds of the Penn State faithful, by younger, more dynamic linebackers. As a senior, it’s his last time to shine. Still, I see his upside as Josh Hull, circa 2008.  Is that going to be enough?

2. Where will Michael Mauti fit in? It’s funny, with all the hype that’s been thrust on Mauti, it really feels like he had more than just 26 tackles in his freshman season, back in 2008.  But it’s almost been unanimously decided that he’s the one to pick up where Lee left off, and Connor and Posluzsny before him. Still, he was listed behind Nate Stupar in Penn State’s first official depth chart release.  Then again, that also had Chaz Powell starting at cornerback, so take that depth chart with a grain of salt.  Mauti’s best chance might be to take over in the middle, if Colasanti isn’t up to the task.

3. Which freshmen see the field? In Khairi Fortt and Mike Hull, Penn State secured the commitments of two of the best linebackers in the country. Two all-Americans, two entirely different players, but two future studs nonetheless.  Fortt was the only one of the two listed on the preseason depth chart, as a 3rd-team outside linebacker, but Mike Hull has received the even more impressive reviews from onlookers.  Hull also received the “practice at safety” treatment that Hodges and Mauti got before him, to try and work on his cover skills.  The ability is unquestionably there, but the question is whether it’s worth wasting a year of eligibility when there’s so much talent in front of them.

Extra Bonus Question: In what game does Chris Colasanti lose his hold on the middle linebacker position? Or does he not?

I'm most concerned with Penn State's offensive line

1.This offseason seems to have more storylines than usual. Quarterbacking issues and Joe’s age aside, what is the first thing you’ll be looking for come Saturday?

The biggest thing for me heading into the Youngstown State game will be the performance of the offensive line.  Sure, it’s only a 1-AA opponent, but we’ll know that Penn State can succeed if they push the Penguin linemen around like they should.  Last year, the unit struggled in tune-up games against such powerhouses as Akron, Syracuse, and Temple.  If they can’t dominate the line of scrimmage against Eastern Illinois, we can only imagine how severely they’ll struggle against Alabama.  Evan Royster is a running back who relies on the offensive line to get a good push and open up holes, and the worst thing for a young quarterback is to be hurried in the pockets.  It might not be a glamor position, but the offensive line is probably the most important for Penn State this year.

2. Penn State has a lot of depth in positions like linebacker and wideout. Considering that the game should be in hand come the second half, which of the less talked about players on the Nittany Lion roster do you look forward to seeing in action?

I’m going to give the same answer this year as I did last year: Brandon Ware.  I remember when we were both freshmen, and I first saw the dude suited up as the team went through the pre-game routine: dude was the size of a house. Last year, he’d gotten in shape, but missed the year with the broken foot. Now is his time to shine–maybe not shine, but at least get some game action.  Other than that, I’m very excited to see Justin Brown get meaningful reps. More than any other Penn State wideout in recent memory, the guy looks the part, and with significant playing time could force his way into the rotation at receiver.

I'm back on #TeamMcGloin

3. How should Penn State handle the quarterbacking situation? How would you divide the workload?

I know the popular answer is going to be to throw Robert Bolden into the fire and see what he can do.  The freshman has received rave reviews, and may well be the best quarterback on the roster.  That said, I want to protect the kid, especially if we’ll be asking him to lead this team for the next 3 or 4 years.  Penn State’s best chance to beat Alabama comes from making as few mistakes as possible, and not letting early struggles get to them.  By that metric, Matt McGloin has to be the choice.  He’s got the “it factor” and leadership ability to command a huddle, and would probably be the best game manager of the three.  I’d love to sprinkle in Kevin Newsome as a wildcat option, just as Florida used Tim Tebow alongside Chris Leak in 2006, and Ryan Perriloux complemented Matt Flynn for the 2007 LSU squad.

What’s the best case scenario for Penn State coming out of this game? How does the offense/defense look in its development, and how many people has Jack Crawford killed?

The best case scenario? Kevin Newsome gets the start, and plays like the reincarnation not of Michael Robinson, but of Troy Smith.  The offensive line bullies around a much smaller, less talented unit, and Evan Royster does the rest.  On the other side of the field, Jack Crawford breaks out in a big way–at 270 pounds of pure muscle he’s got obscene size and strength, so he should be able to have a field day with an offensive lineman who’s the same size as he is.  Devon Still fills the Odrick role and disrupts things in the backfield.  Chris Colasanti proves himself to be more than Josh Hull. Stephon Morris makes the transition from nickel to starter better than Drew Astorino did. Astorino puts the shoulder injury behind him and lays someone out.

RAPID FIRE:

Over/Under (Penn State Score)—40: I’ll take the under. PSU will score 37 points.
Going to the game? I’ll be in the PRESS BOX SUCKASSSS
Passing yardage > Rushing yardage? No, only because Penn State is reluctant to throw the ball once they get up big
Number of times Joe’s age/bowels are brought up on TV? 27.

This is so sad. But dead penguin is on the menu this Saturday.

But Penn State’s road to pulling off the upset may have just gotten a little bit easier.  Though it’s never nice to celebrate an injury, I can’t help but be a little relieved that Mark Ingram underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for an injury suffered during practice on Monday.  Reports are that he’ll miss 2 to 4 weeks, and certainly the opener for the defending champion Crimson Tide against San Jose State. ESPN:

At this point, Ingram is only being ruled out for the opener, but there’s no way Alabama coach Nick Saban will push him back before he’s ready…The Crimson Tide would love to have him back for the Penn State game the second week of the season, but that might be wishful thinking.

The only negative is that Alabama’s backup, Trent Richardson, would probably be in the Heisman conversation himself if he wasn’t at Alabama.  The former 5-star megarecruit rushed for more than 750 yards and 8 touchdowns as a freshman a year ago, and might be the more dynamic, though less consistent, back.

Still, if Alabama is forced to go without Ingram, Penn State can’t possibly be in a worse position than if he’d played.  Penn State’s got plenty of question marks heading into the season, but with Alabama’s defense returning just 2 starters, eligibility issues surrounding standouts like Marcel Dareus, and now the injury to Mark Ingram, you can’t say Alabama doesn’t have just as much to prove.