The Nittany News

TCFA update ...

2005-09-08T19:31:00.000-04:00

Hey all, if you're checking in looking for some news about the Nits, you may want to check over at my original site, The College Football Athenaeum.

It's The Greatest Thing Ever!

Except for tailgating.

The O-line is terrible

2005-09-07T09:18:00.000-04:00

David Jones, the oft-critical but oft-correct columnist for the Harrisburg Patriot-News, sums up the problem with Penn State's offense in today's paper.

Says Jones: The line can't block, and the schemes don't work.

He writes: "This program hasn't really had a good O-line since the mid-'90s. The 2002 group was passable, effective against bad teams, decent against decent ones, impotent against the best defenses.

With even that group, this team could go 9-3 this season. But, based on the USF game, this OL is a long way removed from that one. If they couldn't get a push on USF's relatively tiny D-line, they won't be moving anyone of any worth in the Big Ten.

That means it should be up to the offensive strategists to go with a scheme that takes the line out of the game as much as possible. Lots of first-down passes. Quick one- and three-step drops. Lots of one-back or even no-back sets.

Get the ball onto the edges or the flanks to State's new speedster wideouts or the short middle zone between the hashes to the backs as quickly as possible. Spread the defense with threat rather than try to hammer it with brute force. Then maybe the Lions will find some room to run the ball.

Joe Tiller did it in 1997 at Purdue when he had a lousy line and went 6-2 in the Big Ten his first season in the league. Randy Walker did it in 2000 at Northwestern when he couldn't even field a tight end and went 6-2 in the Big Ten. You can't tell me those teams had better athletes than Penn State does now. It's just not true."

Penn State does have better athletes, Dave. Unfortunately, I'm not so sure they have better coaches (on offense).

And so we're gonna be stuck with 6-5.

Oh well.

The Official Nittany News Penn State Preview

2005-09-02T08:39:00.000-04:00

And so we find ourselves once again on the cusp of another Penn State football season.

Life is good, folks.

But we'll see how long that lasts.

Overview

The 2005 Nittany Lions, like their predecessors in 2004, are littered with question marks. At quarterback. At receiver. Along the offensive front. The kicking game.

And the coaching.

More than any other season in his half-century career at Penn State, the 2005 campaign is the season that may finally make or break Joe Paterno. What the man has accomplished to date is unquestioned--Your Editor believes, all things considered, he is the greatest college football coach of all time, and one of the great men of the 20th Century.

It's just that the 21st Century hasn't gone quite as good for old Joe. Just one winning season in the last five has left the Nittany Nation wondering if this once-dominant program can simply be "good" again. Which brings us to our preview--and our answer to that lingering question.

Offense

We'll leave the best--the defense--for last. For now, though, we have to address (unfortunately) the Penn State offense.

To say that this unit needs to improve for Penn State to win would be an gross understatement. But will they improve?

Your Editor says: Yes. But only slightly.

Leading the way for the Nittany Lions offense will be fifth-year quarterback Michael Robinson, who finally takes over the job after four years of--quite honestly--being the consummate team player. Don't think for a second Robinson didn't consider transferring in years past--he did. The fact he has been so loyal to the program--and, of course, his considerable athletic skill--make him the obvious choice for starting quarterback. I do wonder, however, how long he'll hold onto it. Sophomore Anthony Morelli has a gun for an arm and--like Robinson two years ago--is not taking his backup role well. We'll see how this shakes out. In the meantime, we can all once again lament Joe's mishandling of Morelli last year--Joe wasted the kid's redshirt for no reason.

At wideout, hope arrives in the form of three standout freshman. By now, everyone has heard of Derrick Williams, the top recruit in the nation last year, and Justin King, the stud cornerback/wideout who also was considered a top 10 recruit nationally. Both Williams and King will make an impact immediately: Williams is listed as a starter on the depth chart, and King will see snaps at both receiver and cornerback. Another freshman to watch, however, is Lydell Sargeant, a speedster from California who earned MVP honors in last year's California-Florida All-Star Game. Sargeant figures to get a few touches a game, and should contribute on kick returns. Also look for contributions from third-year wideout Terrell Golden, senior Ethan Kilmer and, especially, tight end Isaac Smolko, who could be in store for a breakout year.

At running back, the steady, hard-running (but fumble-prone)Tony Hunt will get the start after earning his stripes as a workhorse last year. But look for the promising Austin Scott to finally live up to the substantial hype he garnered coming out of high school in Allentown: Reports are Scott has slimmed down and shaped up. The kid has all the talent in the world. It's time he showed it. Other backs to watch are fullback BranDon Snow (who has suffered from repeated position changes, but has promise) and multi-use back Matt Hahn, who has good hands but may be a bit undersized for fullback.

The offensive line is, frankly, a mess. There are a couple reliable stalwarts in weakside offensive tackle Levi Brown and left guard Charles Rush, but the rest of the lineup is a mess. This is a serious, ongoing issue with the Penn State program--and it's got to be rectified if the team is to return to prominence.

In sum, the offense has promise in the youth of Williams, King and Sargeant, a reliable tight end in Smolko, and some good runners in Hunt and Scott. But the weak offensive front may render Robinson ineffective, especially if he's unable to get comfortable in the pocket. He's a natural runner, but he needs to throw if the Nits are going to score. And I just don't see it happening. At best, this unit may be good for two or three touchdowns a game. Super.

Defense

Two months ago, would have told you this Penn State defense was the best in the nation--and among the greatest in Nittany Lion history.

Today, I'll tell you only that this defense is very good.

Attrition along the defensive front--the Lions have lost the services of playmaking DT Ed Johnson (suspension) as well backup defensive ends Lavon Chisley (academically ineligible) and Amani Purcell (transfer) and may be without the services of starting DT Scott Paxson, who has been exiled to Joe's doghouse (from which few return). And sophomore linebacker Dan Connor, the team's second-leading tackler last season and probably the best underclassman linebacker in America, has been suspended indefinitely for making prank phone calls.

These are significant losses, and the defense will suffer for it.

The only untouched unit on this find defense is the secondary. Anchored by senior cornerbacks Alan Zemaitis (a guaranteed first-round NFL pick this spring) and Anwar Phillips (set for an All-Big Ten breakthrough), this unit also boasts the services of two fine senior safeties: Calvin Lowry, a four-year starter, and Chris Harrell, a three-year starter.

Such a fine secondary will all but force teams to run the ball, but that won't be easy either. Even with the losses along the front eight, Penn State boasts maybe the Big Ten's best rush end in Tamba Hali and among the nation's best linebackers in Paul Posluszny, who is the latest in Penn State's long history of great 'backers. He plays with fire and a certain level of anger, and registered more than 100 tackles last year as a true sophomore.

In sum, the defense is very good. Ten starters return from last year's defense, which as we all know, was the only defense in the nation not to allow more than 21 points in any game all year. Expect more of the same this year, with just one change: Tom Bradley, we expect, will turn up the heat on opposing offenses. That means more blitzes, as Bradley will rely on Zemaitis and Phillips to lock down opposing wideouts. Add promising youngsters such as King (who will be the team's nickel back) and freshman linebacker Tyrell Sales (who will ably step in for Connor), and this defense has a chance to be special. The only question is depth: A few injuries could turn a fine defense into an average one.

Special teams

One of the most troubling aspects of Paterno's coaching of late has been his stubbornness. There are a few things the man won't change.

Take the idea of a special teams coach. Paterno says Penn State doesn't need one--even though the on-field results clearly indicate they do. For two straight years now, Penn State's special teams (with the exception of the field goal block team) have been awful. Kickers have been off-target. Coverage has been pourous. And the return teams have not generated any excitement at all.

That should change somewhat this year, as Williams, King and Sargeant take turns returning kicks: These kids have speed Penn State has not had since Bryant Johnson in '02, and are probably faster than Johnson anyway.

Jeremy Kapinos is a fine punter and should be among the Big Ten's leaders. Place-kicking duties, however, will either fall to freshman Kevin Kelly (highly recruited out of Neshanimy, Pa.) or freshman Patrick Humes (not highly recruited). Call me crazy, but the fact that Paterno said this week that neither kicker had won the job yet makes me nervous.

Penn State's Ten Best Players:

1) CB Alan Zemaitis, No. 21: The best lock-down corner in the country is also a fantastic open-field tackler. He could get a look at safety in the pros.
2) LB Paul Posluszny, No. 31: He's wearing Shane Conlan's number and playing like him too.
3) LB Dan Connor, No. 40: When his suspension is lifted, opposing quarterbacks will take note.
4) DE Tamba Hali, No. 91: Paterno loves this kid, and so will the pro scouts.
5) QB Michael Robinson, No. 12: A great athlete. But a great quarterback? We'll see.
6) TB Tony Hunt, No. 26: He can run, he can catch, and he can block. Not flashy, just effective--but has a tendency to fumble.
7) WR Derrick Williams, No. 2: Word is, he's every bit as good as advertised.
8) TB Austin Scott, No. 33: Can he finally live up to the hype?
9) CB Anwar Phillips, No. 11: Zemaitis gets all the pub, but Phillips is almost as good.
10) SS Chris Harrell, No. 27: Nicknamed "The Assassin," Harrell is a physical presence in the mold of former Lion standout James Boyd.

Prediction Time

The conventional wisdom last spring was that if Michael Robinson and the Penn State offense could just score 20 points a game, Penn State--aided by an easy schedule--could win nine games this season. That was before two starters on the offensive line and a slew of major contributors were suspended or kicked off the team. The team we'll see take the field tomorrow is not the same team that we saw at the Blue-White Game in April, and so my predictions--around then, I would have gone for 8-4--have changed as well.

The fact is, Penn State's coaching staff is not getting the job done, at least on offense and special teams. My fear--and my prediction--is that Tom Bradley's defense will by mid-season be so thoroughly exhausted and frustrated by the offense's inability to score that they may begin to wear down and weaken. The special teams, I fear, aren't going to do their part. The newcomers--King and Williams especially--will add some excitement, but they can only do so much. There remain endemic problems with this team's offensive line and offensive gameplanning, and there's no reason for me to believe that has changed.

A fairly easy schedule should make things better, but this is not a Rose Bowl team. This is not a Citrus Bowl team, either. And I pray they're a Sun Bowl team.

Your Editor predicts 6-5.

Kinlaw injured

2005-08-30T21:49:00.000-04:00

The oft-injured Rodney Kinlaw is injured again.

Penn State's No. 2 tailback suffered a knee injury at practice on Tuesday and will be out at least two weeks, according to the good folks at Fight On State magazine.

Angry Joe!

2005-08-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

Joe Paterno had one of his always-happy news conferences today. He yelled at several reporters for having the temerity to ask about the playing status of one of his star linebackers.

He also snapped at Jerry Kellar from the York Daily News for "putting words in my mouth."

You can listen to the love fest here.

One week away

2005-08-27T09:26:00.000-04:00

Just one week, folks.

In one week, the 2005 Penn State football season begins.

And what does that mean for today? Not much, actually. Your Editor will spend several hours today laying a tile floor in my new basement bar/TCFA Headquarters. Hopefully, by the end of the day, the floor will be down, a sure signal that, within two weeks time, the room will be fully operational.

Why is this important for you? It's not, really, unless you actually know me, in which case you might actually get to spend some time down there, drinking fine beers and enjoying a fine football game.

The point of this post? There really isn't one. I just want my basement bar.

On with today's news:

* The Harrisburg Patriot offers a somewhat sobering review of yesterday's quick media chat with Joe Paterno.

* Still no word on the severity of punishment facing sophomore linebacker Dan Connor, says the The Daily Times of Delaware County.

* The Carlisle Sentinel has an interesting story about Penn State's questionable offensive line. Are they good enough?

King and Williams

2005-08-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

See, folks, it's not just me. Sports Illustrated tabs Penn State freshman Derrick Williams and Justin King as the top newcomers to watch in 2005.

In other news, Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny has been named to the Butkus Award watch list.

The kid is a stud, folks. Think Shane Conlan 2.0.

And to be honest, his linebacking partner, sophomore Dan Connor, is probably even better. Of course, whether he actually sees the field before October remains to be seen.

Finally, a shamless plug: For the greatest college football site ever, click here.

Is Mandel a changed man?

2005-08-25T07:44:00.000-04:00

Our old friend Stewart Mandel, college football writer for CNN/Sports Illustrated, has been strangely nice to Penn State as of late. First, he writes a somewhat complimentary piece about Joe Paterno. Then he picks Penn State has his "team on the rise" in the Big Ten.

And today, he gives props (sort of) to Derrick Williams and Justin King--mentioning the two freshman in his list of the Top 10 things he's looking forward to this season.

I guess it's not true what people say: Sometimes, people really can change.

Congrats on changing for the better, Stewart.

Summer sucks.

2005-08-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

And the hits keep coming, folks.

More great news from Happy Valley.

Bob Flounders from the Harrisburg Patriot-News gives an update on the loss of defensive end LaVon Chisley and wide receiver Mark Rubin. For the season.

Here's another take on it.

And another.

Meanwhile, the Centre Daily Times discusses the "untapped potential" of wideout Terrell Golden. Well, I bet it gets tapped now.

Worst. Week. Ever.

2005-08-22T09:47:00.000-04:00

Just one week ago Your Editor was feeling pretty good about the 2005 Nittany Lions football season. And why not? The defense looked like one of the best in modern Penn State history. The offense, behind a revitalized Austin Scott and the arrival of some speedy youngsters, looked to be much improved. The schedule was more than favorable.

Then, in a matter of days, the following news:

1) Dan Connor, a linebacker on the brink of greatness, gets suspended indefinitely for making prank phone calls, which is not only stupid, but really, really lame. He's out for an uncertain period of time.
2) Rumors surface that "other players" may also be embroiled in the prank call scandal.
3) Rumors surface that defensive end LaVon Chisley may miss the season for academic reasons.
4) Wide receiver -- and only reliable, proven pass-catcher -- Mark Rubin sustains a "serious ankle injury" and will likely miss the season.
5) Freshman linebacker Sean Lee, who probably was in line to pick up some of Connor's minutes, strains his MCL and is out for at least 7 to 10 days.

Being a fan is hard, folks. I am not happy.

Dan Connor suspended

2005-08-19T18:19:00.000-04:00

Jesus, folks.

Is it too much to ask that Penn State football players conduct themselves properly?

Apparently so. In case you hadn't heard, sophomore linebacker Dan Connor, on the cusp of what should have been a breakout season, has been "indefinitely suspended" by coach Joe Paterno for making prank phone calls, along with teammates Nolan McCready and Jim Kanuch.

What were these kids thinking?

Don't they realize that they are jeopardizing my Saturday afternoon happiness here? Don't they understand it's not as fun to watch the Nits if the best players aren't out there? Don't they realize making prank phone calls is nerdy (more nerdy, even, than authoring a college football blog, I hear).

And by the way, there's only more bad news to come, so the rumor-mongers say.

I leave you with this thought: Paul Posluszny, wherever you are, please stay away from your telephone.

Hope for PSU-Pitt?

2005-08-19T09:15:00.000-04:00

It is Your Editor's long-standing contention that Penn State and Pitt should resume playing each other. The teams played 96 times before the games ended in 2000, and there remains no sign at all that the series -- once one of the great rivalries in college football -- will resume.

But now, at least, someone in the Penn State football administration is discussing it.

Longtime Penn State offensive coordinator and current director of football administration Fran Ganter told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently that he thinks Penn State and Pitt should play again.

"I'm just shooting from my hip," Ganter said. "[Athletic Director] TimCurley would have the biggest say. Well, that's not true. Joe would have the biggest say. Personally, and this might just be because I'm from Pittsburgh, but they were great games."

Sounds good, right?

Well, kind of. Ganter quickly added that Penn State "couldn't" play Pitt every year.

Which begs the question: Why not? For nearly a century, the schools managed to gulf that vast cultural divide between Happy Valley (the land of good) and the Oakland section of Pittsburgh (the land of evil). What makes it so difficult today?

Not good

2005-08-17T11:53:00.000-04:00

Chico Harlan had an interesting story in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Anthony Morelli's very uncertain status at Penn State.

Among the most ominous passages in the story was this quote, from Morelli's dad, Greg: "His goal is to start or split time as a true sophomore. Anything less would be a huge disappointment."

You can read all about it here.

Anyone else a little concerned?

The Day After Media Day!

2005-08-14T07:53:00.000-04:00

OK, folks, plenty of copy today on the Nittany Lions, thanks to yesterday's Media Day event.

The day's central message?

I think this quote from Joe sums it up: "I just hope we understand this is a big season for us. We’re part of a tradition, and I don’t think anybody here just wants to let it go. We want to hang onto it."

Here's the rundown:

* Beth Hudson from the Allentown Morning Call had the best wrap-up of the day, and the headline from the Morning Call's copy desk says it all: "Still more questions than answers for PSU."

* The York Daily News calls 2005 "a watershed year."

* The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says Penn State's young "speedy" receivers should help improve the offense. But the PG also reports that the offensive line remains a huge question mark.

* The Associated Press says Joe is asking for "patience" with his offense. No, Joe, we've been patient enough.

* The Scranton Times discusses the one thing that concerns Your Editor more than anything else about this team -- placekicking. It's a scary situation, folks.

Media Day!

2005-08-13T17:21:00.000-04:00

The annual circus that is Penn State Football Media Day was today, folks.

We'll get you caught up on all the action as soon as we get the chance. In the meantime, go here to get this year's roster and here for a depth chart, courtesy of the good folks at Fight On State magazine.

I've taken just a quick glance at the depth chart myself, and my initial reaction was not a good one: As tough as the Penn State defense is, you'll be surprised how little depth they have at key spots. Check out the guys backing up Dan Connor at OLB.

Meanwhile, on with the news:

* Some misinformed judges in Pennsylvania have decided that it's in the interest of the Commonwealth for everyone to know what Joe Paterno's salary is. Penn State is appealing. First, I say, it's a ridiculous ruling -- Joe's salary is paid by Penn State Athletics, which is a self-financed insitution. Secondly, Pennsylvania doesn't support Penn State nearly enough for the right to know ANYONE'S salary in University Park -- when lawmakers start respecting Penn State, I'll change my opinion. Finally, I'll say this: If you're Penn State, why not just reveal Joe's salary? The guy could be getting $1 billion a year for all I care. Anyone want to argue he hasn't been worth it? He's only the single most important person in the history of the university, and among the most important figures in the history of the Commonwealth.

* Kudos to the Philly Inquirer's Ray Parillo for yet another great piece. This one, published Saturday, talks about THE question for Nittany Nation: How will Joe go out? (Note: Registration is required to access this story. It's free, but it remains a pain in the ass.)

Changes ...

2005-08-12T14:58:00.000-04:00

Great story in the Philly Inquirer yesterday about the ever-changing face of Penn State football. The Inky's Penn State beat writer, Ray Parrillo, writes about Joe Paterno's decision to let his team name captains three months before the season--the first time that's been done since the Mike Reid-led teams of the late 1960s.

Said senior quarterback (and probably the key to the entire season) Michael Robinson: "I had a feeling he was going to do something to try to shock us and set the tone early. I think he was basically saying, 'You know what, we're going into summer workouts and these are our leaders. They're the guys you go to if you have any problems. I trust those guys. They're an extension of me.' It was his way of telling us that the season starts now, that we're the leaders and to start acting like it."

You can read all about it here

Linebacker U. is back ...

2005-08-08T21:07:00.000-04:00

The Nittany Lions are finally getting some much-deserved credit (at least on defense).

The Associated Press writes that, with juniors Paul Posluszny and Tim Shaw and sophomore Dan Connor manning the linebacker spots, Penn State is poised to reclaim its long-standing reputation as "Linebacker U."

You can read the story here.

Call me biased, folks. Call me unrealistic. But I'll say this: This unit of linebackers has the potential to be the best group at Penn State since the national championship team of 1986. If Posluszny isn't a modern-day Shane Conlan, I don't know who is.

Kudos to CFN

2005-08-08T09:19:00.000-04:00

College Football News doesn't boast the best writers in the country, nor does College Football News look all that great. But College Football News does deserve credit in this respect: They offer the most comprehensive coverage of college football, for free, that you'll find anywhere.

A good example is the site's ongoing coverage of the Big Ten media week. A full week after the event ended, CFN continues to post great short interview pieces with some of the conference's top coaches and players. Some of these pieces are truly entertaining.

Check out this blurb from Joe Paterno, responding to a reporter's question about what he'll do when he retires:

"I really haven't thought about it. You pick up the paper and you hear about the hunger and the problems, and you want to do something. My wife and I are currently involved with helping out in Sierra Leone. A kid we recruited has a father over there, a kid by the name of Ryan Scott, and his grandfather died. The father became the chief. They're trying to do some things over there with the young people and the farmland. So Sue and Mr. Scott got involved in it sending someone over from the Ag department to help. We've tried to help and set up scholarships and things like that. Those are the sorts of things we'd like to be doing. But hell, who knows? I might just find a young girl and take off to Aruba."

You can see the most recent CFN Big Ten report, including interviews with Illinois coach Ron Zook, Penn State cornerback (and soon-to-be All American) Alan Zemaitis and others by clicking here.

A sad day

2005-08-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

The Nittany News today notes the passing of a Penn State coaching legend. May God bless Jim O'Hora.

High praise

2005-08-03T07:42:00.000-04:00

The skeptics may continue to be skeptical, because that's what they do, but all evidence supports the idea that Penn State freshmen Justin King and Derrick Williams are going to make an immediate impact for the Nittany Lions this fall.

Just ask quarterback/wide receiver/something Michael Robinson, who said this at the Big Ten media gathering this week: "You see the optimism we're carrying around? They're the reasons why. Those guys are electric. Those guys are going to be special. I tell them all the time, 'You've got a lot to live up to. You're supposed to restore the roar.' At first, I didn't think they'd be mature enough to handle all the attention, but now I know they are. They're not overconfident. We talk about them more than they talk about themselves."

You can read the full story from the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

Here's the rest of the news:

* College Football News talks to the Big Ten's best linebackers -- Iowa's Abdul Hodge, Iowa's Chad Greenway, and Penn State's Paul Poslusnzy.

* The Centre Daily Times reports from Chicago that, as Abdul Hodge says, the Big Ten has the best group of linebackers of any conference in America. Take that, SEC.

We're getting close

2005-07-31T14:42:00.000-04:00

OK, now it's official, folks. College football season is now ridiculously close. By my count, the Penn State opener is just 34 days away.

Which means it's pretty much time to start preparing for another season of fandom -- time to plan (aka, "clear") your Saturday schedules. Time to stock up on fine wines, bourbons and beers for gameday enjoyment. Time to mentally prepare oneself for the inevitable failures of the season. But as stressful as this August Preparation Period is most years, it's even moreso this year.

That's because Your Editor is currently in the process of rehabbing his basement and turning into an underground haven for Suburban Dads Who Write For A Living And Enjoy College Football, Fine Beer And Music. In other words, the room, when completed, will be My Place On This Earth.

Problem: The room is nowhere near complete. Much work remains to be done if it's to be ready for the season in a month. And if it's not ready, the consequences are numerous: 1) I'll have nowhere to watch football without disturbance; 2) I'll have to spend my Autumn weekends working on the room, not watching football in it; 3) Money that otherwise would be spent on fun stuff like Dortmunger Gold beer or Maker's Mark bourbon to enjoy while watching football will instead be directed toward the ongoing rehab effort.

All in all, the picture is not pretty right now, folks. Wish me well.

In the meantime, here's today's news:

* Longtime Penn State football scribe Ron Bracken wonders in the Centre Daily Times if the retirement announcement of Barry Alvarez (rrr) will provide a "blueprint" for a certain coaching legend in Happy Valley.

* Our friends at Fight On State magazine report on Penn State's latest football commit, Abe Koroma.

* Badger Nation magazine offers its Penn State season preview, including this succint analysis of 2004 team. "It was a tale of two teams for Penn State last season," Badger Nation writes. "On the one hand, there was the Big Ten’s best defense. On the other, the league’s worst offense."

Big 33 wrap-up

2005-07-24T08:18:00.000-04:00

We here at The Nittany News aren't huge fans of high school all-star games, folks. The logic of them eludes us: I mean, if you were a top-flight college recruit, would you risk injury to play a meaningless game in the sweltering heat of July?

Regardless of our opinions, however, some folks do seem to take the Big 33 All-Star Football Classic -- a clash of stars from Ohio and Pennsylvania -- quite seriously. And so today we felt obligated to provide a quick wrap-up of last night's action.

So here it is: Ohio won.

Now, on with today's Sunday reflection.

I was sitting on the back porch of TCFA headquarters last night, sharing a few Dortmunder Gold beers with family and friends, when discussion turned to the fast-approaching college football season.

The topic of discussion? Will Penn State once again be awful this season.

The consensus? Maybe.

More on that in days to come.

Today's news:

* The Centre Daily Times' Jeff Rice offers his thoughts on Penn State's recent announcement of a three-game series against fierce Temple. We here at The Nittany News think the series is ridiculous, considering the presence of That School In Pittsburgh.

* Incoming Penn State kicker Kevin Kelly tells the CDT that he's prepared to take over as the Nits' kicker this season. He says he's been told a good kicker can win or lose three games a year.

43 days ...

2005-07-21T10:01:00.000-04:00

It is now 43 days until the Best Day of the Year, folks. Just 43 days until the Penn State opener.

43 days until tailgating. 43 days until the Blue Band takes the field. 43 days until ESPN's College Gameday. 43 days until the greatest three months of the year -- September, October, November.

43 days until great moments like this:

Now, on with the news:

* Worried about Penn State's kicking game this season? I am. Let's hope Kevin Kelly is worth the hype.

* That paragon of urban college football excellence, Temple, has signed long-term deals with Army, Navy and Penn State. Good for Temple. Now, Owls, please build your own damn stadium.

Michigan likes Poz

2005-07-14T08:12:00.000-04:00

Despite the not-always-so-nice relations between Michigan fans and Penn State fans, I tend to believe both schools maintain a certain grudging respect for one another (a respect that, I suspect, is not shared between them and, say, Ohio State).

The most recent evidence comes from Go Blue Wolverine magazine, which recently ranked Penn State outside linebacker Paul "Shane Conlan" Posluszny as the top outside 'backer in the conference.

I've been saying since the dark days of 2003 that Poz would be a star. It appears I was right. And with Dan Connor playing alongside him, the 2005 Penn State linebacking unit has the potential to be, as some have already said, the best group since the 1999 unit that featured Brandon Short and LaVar (no last name necessary).

I'm back, for good

2005-07-11T09:24:00.001-04:00

OK, folks, the season is drawing near. In fact, it's less than two months away.

And with that in mind, I promise to keep this site updated more regularly. Every day, even.

In part, this is because I have no choice -- with each passing day, more and more college football news is hitting the newspapers, a sure signal the season is just around the corner (thank God for that). Yesterday, while poking around the Web looking for the latest Nits news, I came across this quote, from Alan Zemaitis, about Penn State freshman phenom Derrick Williams. It's reading stuff like this that can't help but get me excited for the season.

Said Zemaitis: "When there are no eyes around, there's a tendency to relax and not go out and give it your all. But (Williams) goes out and works and every day he gets better, man. The way that he plays the game is so smooth, it's fluid. and he goes after the ball. I can't wait to see him this year."

Me either.

Meanwhile, I present ...

Today's news:

* Former Nittany Lion quarterback Zack Mills is is trying his hand at poker. Good luck to Zack.

* Surprise. Nittany Lions players insist that 2005 will be different than 2004, 2003, 2001 and 2000. Haven't we heard this one before? Let's hope this year they're right.

Baltimore

2005-07-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, Your Editor and Mrs. Editor will be heading to our former home, Baltimore.

This is no small trip, folks. South Baltimore was, for two solid years, the headquarters of TCFA. More than that, it was our home.

And so we return with heavy hearts. And yet they will not be too heavy ...

... because it is only two months and one day until the Penn State opener.

In the meantime, please enjoy some music from our sponsors, the Old 97s and the Drive By Truckers.

The morning after

2005-06-09T20:39:00.000-04:00

The thing with having kids, folks, is that you feel a lot older once they're around. Because they exhaust you.

Young Jack is now 14 months old, and Your Editor, though only 29, feels closer to 40, and nights like last night are a big reason why: Your Editor and the Nittany Wife lined up a babysitter so that we could grab dinner on South Street, meet up with some friends, and check out The Official Band Of This Website, The Old 97s, who absolutely rock.

In short, it was a nice evening. It was good to get out, have some drinks, party with Rhett and boys.

This morning, however, was brutal. Young Jack, always an early riser at around 6:15 or so, decided to up ante on his folks -- he woke at 5:15 and refused our feeble attempts to get him back down. He is now down for his nap, and Your Editor is feeling every day of 42.

Anyway, on with the news:

The titanic Penn State-Illinois clash on Oct. 22 will be played at 7 p.m., according to recent reports. Night games aren't a bad thing, folks. The question is: How many is too many?

The Nits already have an 8 p.m. game lined up that month aginst The Ohio State University, and I'm sure other late starts are yet to be announced. Joe Paterno insists these late start times aren't good for the kids, and I tend to agree. One 8 p.m. start a year is fine -- otherwise, let's stick to noon and 3:30.

The freshmen are "pretty darn good"

2005-06-05T18:11:00.000-04:00

Outsiders laugh at the hype, but for Penn State fans, Justin King and Derrick Williams -- both Top 10 recruits last fall who have enrolled early at Penn State and, according to the optimists of the Nittany Nation, will lead Penn State out of the desert -- represent A New Day For Penn Staters. Nevermind that they're freshman.

King and Williams have earned rave reviews from coaches for their performance this spring. And if the Blue-White Game was any indication, the kids can really play.

Joe thinks so, at least. At an alumni event in suburban Philly last week, Paterno told the Bucks County Courier Times that King and Williams are "pretty darn good."

"Those kids are pretty darn good," Paterno said. "No question they can do some things we haven't been able to do the last couple of years."

A rough Sunday morning

2005-06-05T07:29:00.000-04:00

7:29 a.m. on a Sunday morning. I don't mind getting up early, folks. I really don't.

As friends and family know, I am not opposed to waking long before dawn (4 a.m. is the record, I believe) to arrive at a tailgate as soon as the lots open (and is there a sweeter feeling, folks, than pulling into those Beaver Stadium lots, hopping out of the old SUV and feeling the morning dew on your feet, knowing that within a few short minutes you will commence tailgating? I think not.).

The thing is, there's no tailgate today. There is only a scheduled trip to Lowe's and Target (ugh) to pick up some outdoor essentials, and possibly a sandbox for Young Jack, who is right now driving Your Editor absolutely bonkers, and making Your Editor's early morning hours a bit of a struggle.

At 14 months, Young Jack is displaying some very linebacker-esque tendencies. OK, maybe just one--a willingness to destroy everything. Nothing is spared here in the Wissahickon Valley, folks. Young Jack is, for instance, currently eating some software. I gotta go.

This photo makes me happy

2005-06-04T09:43:00.000-04:00

The Luckeyes ...

2005-06-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

So it's 10:20 p.m. on a Friday night, and in an earlier life, at this time, I'd be at a dive bar in beautiful Baltimore City, plunking quarters into a jukebox to hear old Whiskeytown songs. But this is not That Old Life -- this is tonight, at 10:20 p.m., and I'm livin' in the 'burbs, listening to the Drive-By Truckers, and blogging for y'all.

So, what Penn State news can I offer? Not much.

I will say this, though: Those dopes in Columbus sure are confident as of late. It's always entertaining to see fans of the Miami Hurricanes of the Midwest proclaim their superiority over The Greatest Program In The Universe.

Less than 100 days until the Nits opener, y'all.

Playing Temple is stupid

2005-06-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

So what we Nittany Lion fans have known for some time now has been confirmed: Penn State has signed a three-year deal to play the mighty Temple Owls.

This exciting new series is the product, of course, of the NCAA's approval of a 12th regular season game starting in 2006. With that approval in hand, many Nittany Lion fans had hoped Tim Curley, Joe Paterno and gang would have lined up an exciting "rivalry game" to enhance the schedule. Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse, Maryland and just about any other old-time East Coast rival would have sufficed.

Instead, we get Temple. The Nittany Lions, by the way, lead the all-time series against the Owls 33-3-1.