From the crew here at NittanyWhiteOut we would like to extend our gratitude to the fighting men and women both home and abroad including a special shout out to John and the 56th Stryker Brigade.

Glad to see the Penn State flag flying proudly half a world away in Iraq. Here’s hoping for John’s safe return along with all the other service men and women based around the world.

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Lake The Posts

Big Ten Coach of the Year: Tim Brewster, Minnesota

Minnesota finished the 2007 season with just one win, and that came at the hands of the lowly Miami of Ohio.  They finished 0-8 in Big Ten play. Needless to say, Tim Brewster didn’t make much of an impression in his first season at the helm of the Golden Gophers.  But last year brought a return to respectability for Minnesota–a 7-6 season punctuated by a loss in the Insight Bowl to Kansas.  The 7 wins match Minnesota’s highest win total since 2003.  While that seems like a bitter pill to swallow, especially considering Minnesota’s 7-1 start and regular season-ending 55-0 loss to Iowa in their last Metrodome game ever, it’s still a step in the right direction.

Why Brewster makes sense as the Big Ten Coach of the Year lies with Minnesota’s potential to finish the year near the top of the Big Ten.  An 8 or 9 win season would almost certainly rank Minnesota near the top of the conference standings, and with the phenomenal QB/WR duo of Adam Weber and Eric Decker, Minnesota sure won’t be lacking for offense.  The defense won’t be great, but any improvement from last year would have to be considered a success, and Brewster will be the one getting credit.

Also considered: Ron Zook, Illinois and Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern

Big Ten’s Best Heisman Candidate: Juice Williams, Illinois

The Heisman Award is supposed to be awarded annualy to “the most outstanding player in collegiate football.”  Recently, though, the criteria seems to be “the best quarterback on a really good team.”  And while the Big Ten doesn’t boast the same stable of quarterbacks as, say, the SEC with Tim Tebow and Jevan Snead, or the Big XII with Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford, there are a few solid contenders.

Daryll Clark and Terrelle Pryor are the obvious choices: both high profile players on top-10 teams.  But Paterno’s classiness will prevent Clark from piling up the statistics in garbage time, and having Evan Royster  stealing some of the spotlight with what is sure to be another 1000+ yard season won’t help Clark’s chances either.  As for Pryor, I don’t see him putting up the kind of stats that would warrant Heisman consideration, especially with a shaky run game and wide receiver corps.  And that noodle arm of his.

All that pretty much leaves Juice Williams as the best candidate.  With a questionable stable of running backs behind him, Williams is sure to lead the team in rushing.  And with Arrelious Benn, perhaps the best wide receiver in the nation, catching his passes, he’ll be sure to have great passing statistics.  And if Illinois can pull off an upset or two, he’ll be thrust into the national spotlight.

Also considered: Evan Royster, Penn State and Daryll Clark, Penn State

Sleeper Team To Crack The Upper Tier: Illinois

Well, if you’ve read this far, you know that I’m extremely high on Juice Williams and Rejus Benn.  Frankly, I’m pretty much convinced that Illinois has the best offense in the country.  Sure, last year they had some bad stumbles (seriously, losing to Western Michigan in Detroit?) and missed a bowl game entirely, which is an even worse fate when juxtaposed with their 2007 Rose Bowl appearance.

But this team will knock off at least one of their high profile opponents.  As a Penn State fan, I fear our game in Champagn, which might be under the lights, more than our home games against Ohio State and Iowa.  With high-profile out of conference games against Cincinatti, Missouri, and Fresno State, too, Illinois has some chances to jump high into the top-25 rankings.

Given that they’re still weak on defense, a loss in a game they should win is a probability.  But they’ll win one of the games they shouldn’t.  This is a team that should go at least 5-3 in conference, but it wouldn’t at all surprise me to see them run the table.  Yes, I’m that high on Illinois.

Also considered: Minnesota, Northwestern

Most Likely to John L. Smith (Lose it): Rich Rodriguez, Michigan

RichRod has already had some Smith-ians moment in his short tenure at the University of Michigan (wouldn’t a 3-9 season do that to anybody?) but expectations were low in that first year.  Still, low expectations by Michigan standards sure as hell doesn’t make up for the abomination of a season Rodriguez put up, a season which prompted him to tell unruly fans to “get a life” and in which he excused himself for the struggles, saying “I’ve been here 10 months.  Ten.”  Mike Gundy-esque, isn’t it.

Another bad season and the wheels could totally come off for Rodriguez.  Another losing season could mean losing his job.  Another 9 loss season could mean losing his reputation.  Sure, he doesn’t have the pieces that Michigan typically boasts, but that’s no excuse for someone who replaced the perfectly acceptable Lloyd Carr, who’s only problem was not beating Ohio State.  Looks like Rich Rodriguez can’t beat anybody.  Let the pressure build for a while, and he’s due for an eruption.

Also considered: Bret Bielema, Wisconsin and John Lynch, Indiana

Shonn Greene Award (Player to come from nowhere to forefront): Jack Crawford, Penn State

I hope I’m not coming off as a homer, here, but it certainly seems that Crawford is going to be the next in line of great Nittany Lion defensive ends, from Aaron Maybin to Maurice Evans to Tamba Hali to Michael Haynes to Courtney Brown.  Sure, the British import is yet to start a game in his career, and is extremely raw as a true sophomore.  But when you consider the incredible depth inside for Penn State on the defensive line-Odrick, Ogbu, Koroma, et al. will be the strongest group of defensive tackles if not in the country than certainly in the conference-it’s clear that Crawford will be 1-on-1 with most offensive linemen.

Considering his freakish strength (Crawford is listed at 6′5, 262 and not a pound of that is fat), and the rave reviews he’s been garnering from coaches and observers alike, it’s not hard to imagine Crawford breaking out, just as Evans and Maybin did before him, as a sophomore.  Plus, just look at his face.  He looks like he’s about to kill somebody.

Also considered: Jewel Hampton, Iowa; Duane Bennett, Minnesota and Mike Kafka, Northwestern

Most Likely to Be Highest NFL Draft Pick: Arrelious Benn, Illinois

Of all the players in the Big Ten, Benn might just be the best at his position.  He’s one of the best receivers in the country, and is an absolutely dynamic playmaker, whether it’s catching balls, running sweeps beside Juice Williams, or returning kickoffs and punts.  He accrued 67 catches and over 1000 yards as a true sophomore, and those numbers should just keep going up as Benn matures as a player.

He’s also a physical freak, with the great size (6-3, 215) and blazing speed (he’ll run around a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash) that teams look for.  Put those two together and you’ve got an early first round pick, no doubt.  It’s also worth pointing out the relative weakness of the receivers who are draft eligible for the 2010 NFL draft: Dez Bryant and Damian Williams are the only names of note.

I think by now I’ve made it clear.  I am really high on Illinois this year.

Also considered: Navorro Bowman, Penn State and Bryan Bulaga, Iowa

Must See Game of the Year: Ohio State at Penn State

Like there was any question.  Seriously, this game will once again be the de facto Big Ten Championship Game, barring something completely unforseen, and though it won’t be played under the lights at Beaver Stadium, the November 7th matchup between these two teams will have State College brimming with enthusiasm all week.

Consider, too, that this has become the marquee rivalry in the Big Ten.  The two teams play every year and with the two sides relative dominance over their league-mandated rivals (Ohio State is 5-0 in their last 5 against Michigan, and Penn State has lost to Michigan State just once in that time frame) this game has been circled on the calendar months in advance by both Joe Paterno and Jim Tressel.  And by ESPN, too, whose College Gameday truck has been to Columbus or State College for each of the last four matchups.  The series, too, has been even, with the teams splitting the last 4.  Put it all together and you’ve got one hell of a ballgame coming up.  All it needs is a cool nickname.  I propose the Swing State Showdown.

Big Ten Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Penn State (7-1)
2. Ohio State (6-2)
3. Illinois (6-2)
4. Michigan State (5-3)
5. Minnesota (5-3)
6. Iowa (5-3)
7. Northwestern (4-4)
8. Wisconsin (3-5)
9. Michigan (2-6)
10. Purdue (1-7)
11. Indiana (0-8)

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Hope you’re having a great 4th of July weekend. In keeping with the patriotic theme, moment number #64 pictured here happened as Joe Paterno and his championship team visits the White House.

President Reagan presided over both of Penn State’s national championships in ‘82 and ‘86. Here’s a classic picture of Joe Paterno awarding Reagan a Penn State jersey emblazoned with the number 1 marking Penn State moment #64.

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Penn State 15, Kansas 14

The Jayhawks stopped the Nittany Lions’ two-point try, only to be penalized for having 12 men on the field. Former Kansas All-American defensive end John Zook: “The thing that people don’t realize is that after they completed a long pass down inside the 5, we put in a goal-line defense. When we checked the film, we played three plays with 12 men. They scored on a busted play, a broken play, against a 12-man defense.

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Maybe that’s why I’m so conflicted about this announcement.  Levi Norwood is, in recruiting circles, a nobody.  Especially when you compare him to Penn State’s other recruiting targets at the wide receiver position: Adrian Coxson, who’s committed already, and Kenny Stills and Alex Kenney, each of whom are highly rated by the recruiting services.  Scout.com doesn’t have him evaluated yet and Rivals doesn’t even have a football recruiting page for Norwood.  But hey, on the bright side, he is their 115th ranked basketball prospect from the state of Texas in the Class of 2010!

It’s not hard to find a silver lining in this equation.  His brother was great, for all the reasons I outlined above, and his other brother, Gabe, was a starter on the George Mason basketball team that had that phenomenal Final Four run a few years back.  And at 6-2, he’s got more size than his football-playing brother.  No matter what, you know he’ll be a classy individual because he’s a Norwood.  And given how the coaches have scouted the lesser prospects in recent years (see: Butler, Deon; Ogbu, Ollie; Scirrotto, Anthony), it’s tough to take them to task for extending a scholarship to young Levi at their recent prospect camp.  And I sure as hell don’t fault Levi for jumping on this offer as soon as it came in.

But there’s a lot not to like, too.  I’ve been saying all along that with a class this small, we can’t afford to spend a scholarship on someone who isn’t an impact player.  The bus has been filling up quickly with nationally ranked prospects.  There was no need to spend one on Norwood, especially with Alex Kenney in the crosshairs.  Kenney, of course, is the State College product (his father teaches at PSU) who has 4 stars next to his name and offers from BC, Michigan State, and Illinois.  Norwood, on the other hand, has no other offers–not even from Baylor, where his father is defensive coordinator.  Sure, he’s 6-2, but he’s also 170 pounds soaking wet, and, well, look at the picture.  He’ll need to put on some serious weight to avoid getting killed by Big Ten opponents.  Now, with at most 7 scholarships left in this class, there’s little room for the coaches to play with, especially when you consider the big names–Khairi Fortt, Sharrif Floyd, Marcus Lattimore, and Robert Bolden who are reportedly high on Penn State.  If Levi Norwood were to take a grayshirt year, in which he pays his way for a season before the scholarship kicks in, it would certainly help the cause.  He’s the perfect grayshirt prospect, too, and if the staff asks him too, there’s little doubt he would.  Considering the incredible depth at the wide receiver position in the Class of 2009 (at least 7 players could project to the position), I would hope he does.

Do I hope Levi Norwood continues the trend of little-known prospects making it big at Penn State?  Of course.  Do I expect him to?  No.  You can only catch lightning in a bottle so many times, and in doing so year-in, and year-out the staff is truly playing with fire.  Let’s be honest, here.  If Levi’s last name weren’t Norwood, he wouldn’t be a Nittany Lion commit to the Class of 2010.  And that sort of nepotism is not something that our coaching staff should embrace.

This dancing monkey comes with a caveat.  I sure hope Levi’s as great as his brother, but I still don’t approve this fully.

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With the 21,500+ student section sold out this past week, here’s a current look at Penn State ticket prices in the second market.

Current demand for the non-conference portion of the schedule is simply nonexistent. The Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois games cost an average of $77 on secondary markets, barely an increase from the actual cost of the tickets.

Compared to some of the other marquee out of conference games this season:

$54 for Oklahoma / Miami (FL)? The same Oklahoma Sooner squad that just played in the National Title game? Does that mean at $65, people expect higher demand for the Penn State / Temple game than the Oklahoma / Miami matchup?

As expected, the USC / Ohio State clash will demand some of the highest prices this season with USC / Notre Dame not far behind.

If you have any inclination to attend a Penn State game this season, buy your tickets now. Prices will only increase from this point on as the season looms closer.

Now that student tickets are paperless and attached to ID cards, scalping them will be a near impossibility. Students no longer have to deal with those shady scalping-for-a-living dealers that circle Beaver Stadium like vultures looking for students to rip off.

Just a few years ago, I had to deal with one of them in order to buy a student ticket for a friend who lost hers on the walk to the Stadium. It was less than 30 minutes til kickoff, and this scalper simply would not cave despite being offered over a $100 for an Akron ticket. Sure, student tickets have rocketed in demand in recent years due to the popularity of the student section, but to blatantly milk the students for pure profit was a disgusting sight especially when this scalper and his posse were clearly not students. Luckily I saw a group of student headed towards the stadium with a student ticket raised up high. Both the scalper and I dashed towards him and as the scalper attempted to low ball the student by offering $40 for a ticket he wouldn’t sell for over $100 just two minutes earlier, I interrupted him and offered the kid $110, the same amount I was willing to pay the scalper earlier.

It was never about money, I had plenty, and was willing to spend it. I was simply disgusted at how these scalpers operate and leech onto students in recent years. I’m glad the $110 ended up in another students’ hands. Its about time Penn State finally dealt with student ticket scalping, and not a moment too soon. For future tickets, I’ll stick to the secondary market or deal directly with students and fans themselves.

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A new WPSU special on the Blue Band and what it takes to “Make the Blue Band”. Never knew anyone who was actually part of the Blue Band, but always thought it was a great deal to be able to travel to various away and bowl games.

Plus, it wouldn’t be the “Greatest Show in College Football” without the Nittany Lion and the Blue Band.

Thank you Blue Band.

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Had pass interference been called on the exact same play with the players’ jerseys reversed, it would have possibly gone down as one of the worst officiating calls in Nittany Lion lore. Luck it seemed, favored the team from Happy Valley instead when officials threw a yellow flag on Morelli’s fourth down pass to Deon Butler that was broken up.

This, after the Gopher’s PAT on Minnesota’s offensive possession in overtime bounced off the uprights, gave Penn State a chance to steal a victory in the Metrodome.

Tony Hunt punched the ball into the endzone for Penn State before Kevin Kelly made the PAT to give Penn State a 28-27 overtime victory.

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When the senior season tickets did not sell out when they went on sale on Monday, it raised a few eyebrows. But people forgot that the same thing happened last year when senior tickets did not sell out until late in the afternoon of the sale. This year however, the athletic department put a time cap on the end of each sale early in the afternoon which might explain why the seniors never got to sell out their allotment of tickets. (Shame on you seniors)

With each season pass directly attached to the student ID’s this eliminated a large portion of those who used to buy with the sole intent of scalping tickets for profit. So once again a reminder to those freshmen out there who might begin to panic once fall rolls around demanding why paper tickets haven’t been mailed home yet, the tickets are on your ID cards this year.

But as predicted, all 21,000 plus students will be in force again to White Out our opponents this season as all season tickets have officially sold out. And with an increase in prices this year, that is quite a feat in this economy.

“The sale for each class took place on its own designated day, with 90 percent of the tickets for each class sold within the first 15 minutes of each sale.”

Considering that we have won 27 of the last 29 home games, this does not bode well for the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes who will surely be walking into yet another hornets nest this fall.

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Just thinking about the 2004 season causes my stomach to knot up. It was almost impossible to think of a happy moment from that season other than the season ending victory over the Spartans that denied them a bowl bid.

Deep in a 6-game losing streak, the Lions simply could not find an answer to its inept offense. But moment #68 not only defined the rest of the season, but marked the turnaround for a program that saw rock bottom.

On the road, the Nittany Lions took a 22-16 lead with just under 5 minutes remaining in the game before Indiana drove to the Lion’s 1-yard line.

On three downs, Penn State’s defense led by Paul Posluszny and Derek Wade made critical stops to prevented the Hoosiers from penetrating into the endzone. On fourth down, Indiana made their intentions crystal clear when they lined up in a stacked I-formation with 3 running backs behind the quarterback.

Indiana’s Chris Taylor got the call and tried to carry the ball up the middle where he met Paxton, Posluszny, Chisley, Cronin and Zemaitis who stopped him cold saving the victory for the Lions marking the program’s turnaround. Penn State has won 42 of the 53 games since Indiana 2004.

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