The fall from the mountain top: A Penn State dynasty

[John Comey]

(From "The Lions' Den" Magazine, 2008 End of Season Issue) Penn State, a team who had fallen on tough times for so long, reclaimed glory four years ago. The Nittany Lions went undefeated, but were shut out of the BCS. They watched fellow Big Ten mate Iowa win the national title, and figured, with their talent, they would get back. Unfortunately, that class never would. The nation's toughest schedule induced some heartbreaking losses, and Penn State fell to 8-5, including a loss to Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. The next year, a somewhat subpar recruiting class, and major injuries, caused the Lions to slide to 7-6, after a stellar start. A return trip to the Alamo Bowl resulted in another loss, this time to Texas. Coach John Comey struggled to put the pieces together. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lion faithful tried to cut him to pieces, and spread his ashes over Happy Valley. But he came through with his best recruiting class yet, and the result was nearly magic. The team went undefeated in the regular season, seizing the top ranking early on, and never letting go. The end result was a birth in the national championship game, against SEC champ LSU. (Account of the game, with insight from Coach Comey) 2008 NCAA Championship Game #2 LSU (12-1) vs #1 Penn State (12-0, my team), Orange Bowl Game is back and forth, back and forth...with 4:08 left, we tie it at 24 all, after a 14-play, 81-yard drive down the field. LSU gets the ball back, gets it to midfield...and then, senior linebacker Idrees McClendon picks it off, and takes it to the LSU 45. On the next play, junior QB Nijrell Strom completes a 44-yard strike to sophomore wideout (and Biletnikoff winner) Wally Shirk. We have the ball, first and goal, at the 1, with 2:09 left. We take our time...and then, we lose it. Strom gets nailed on a playaction fake, fumbles it, and LSU recovers. They drive down the field with ease. We can't stop them. We have no shot. LSU tries a 50-yard field goal with :19 left to win it. I can hear the call: "Dickerson lines up...this for the national championship. Snap is good, kick is away. It looks good...NO! It hits the crossbar! NO GOOD! NO GOOD! The wind must've knocked that down, because it looked good on impact! We're still tied! I don't believe it!" We go to overtime, where Big Ten first-team kicker Kimo Carney gets his try: "Carney kicking into the same end zone Dickerson was a minute ago. 47 yards. Snap good, hold good, kick on the way...OFF THE CROSSBAR! Carney, who has made 5-of-9 from 40-49 yards, hits the crossbar, and we're still tied! Now LSU will get their shot!" They got their shot. Micky Namath, who I'm sure is related to Joe somehow...took them home. "LSU at the 4...Namath settles his line, and audibles. PSU showing blitz. Namath drops back, here come the Lions. Namath dumps it off over the middle...TOUCHDOWN, LOUISIANA STATE! Rogers Seal with a national championship-winning touchdown for the Tigers of LSU! What a game!" And, with that, Penn State's dream died...30-24, at the hands of LSU. Of course, there's always next year. And, for a team that starts just four seniors, including just one on an offense that was seventh in the nation...I think we'll be back. Four seasons ago, we went undefeated and got snubbed. We fell on some tough times, but came back with two solid recruiting classes, including the #4-ranked class this year. It was that talent that got us to this game...but it was also that inexperience that cost us. We'll be back. And we'll be hungry. --- I thought we would. Then it all came crumbling down. Now...I wonder...what lies ahead?

[John Comey]

"He's what?" I sat, watching the television. ESPN, in fact. There, Trey Wingo was discussing three Penn State players going pro. I knew of two; I knew tackle Dale Ricks and linebacker Verron Philcox were going. But...three? "You've got to be kidding me. He didn't even tell me he was going to do it! He's not even ready!" "The surprise is junior quarterback Nijrell Strom," said Wingo. "He said in a statement: 'Now is as good a time as any. I have talked to numerous scouts and agents, and they have said I will go in the first round. Therefore, now is the time to take my game to the next level. I thank Coach Comey and the Penn State community for their support an...' I turned off the television. Stunned, I went to the fridge, looking for nothing in particular. I grabbed items. It didn't matter what they were. I just grabbed them, took some bread, and started making a sandwich...in a daze. "He won't even get drafted," I muttered to nobody in particular. "He was hurt every year he was in school. He put up some decent numbers, but he needed this year. He *knew* he needed this year. I showed him the reports. Jabar was going to have a hard time as it was, and he was a senior QB with as much talent! And now... "...crap." I stopped at the realization that I had a junior and two senior QBs on my roster last year. That means...I suddenly have no quarterbacks in this program. I am going to be the laughingstock of the country. That doesn't concern me. What I'm concerned about is that we have the best defense we've had in years, and suddenly we're not going to have an offensive leader. Our march to the national championship seemed more like just steps in motion, now. I picked up my peanut butter, ritz cracker and mayo sandwich, and looked at it. "Yeah, that looks like us right now," I said, throwing it away. And so, I went to the office...ready to get hit with the inevitable.

[John Comey]

National Collegiate Football Report Top 10 Recruiting Classes, 2009 1. USC 2. Auburn 3. Minnesota 4. Washington State 5. Penn State 6. Iowa 7. Kentucky 8. Miami 9. LSU 10. Kansas State 5. Penn State - Back-to-back top-five classes for Happy Valley have the Nittany Lion faithful thinking about a repeat trip to the national championship game. There's only one problem: Who is the quarterback? Coach John Comey and his staff failed to land Vince Brackens, the nation's top QB recruit (he went to Virginia Tech). Instead, the club signed two solid but unspectacular prospects. Joe Williams (Ronaoke, VA - William Fleming) is the #14 QB prospect in the nation, and a lot will be asked of him as a freshman. He's a tough kid, but I'm not sure he can handle the pressure of leading a team that went to the national championship game last year. Larry Upchurch, a 6'5 freshman (Allentown, PA - Parkland) has good makeup, but he'll need time to grow. The catch of this class, offensively, is 6'8, 317-pound tackle Ahmad Polsfoot (Newport, PA - Newport). The #4 OT nationally is a beast, can do anything asked of him, and may very well be the best lineman in the nation by the time's just a junior. That's how good he is. DT Jim Jones (Chesterfield, VA - Matoaca) is another massive attacker for PSU's defensive line. The 6'8, 282-pound tackle is the #4 DT in the nation. He, along with the best player in this class, LB Ron Monk (Belvidere, NJ - Belvidere), will form the groundwork for PSU's next great defense. Monk is rated as the second-best linebacker in the nation. He has solid speed, incredible intelligence, and can already get to the QB. He may contribute heavily this season. CB Jim Seay (Elizabeth, PA - Elizabeth Forward) and FS Charles Kennedy (Athens, PA - Athens Area) will also see a lot of action for the Lions this year. One wildcard in the bunch: WR/CB Ricky George (Woonsocket, RI - Woonsocket). George was not even on the radar of a lot of schools, and is more a basketball talent than a football one. He came to football his senior year of HS, and was All-State as a wide receiver. He's 6'6 and has been timed at 4.39 in the 40. Comey will redshirt him and begin to work him as a cornerback, saying that George may be a new prototype of two-way player. If they can turn George into a force at corner, PSU will have a heck of a weapon on its hands. This is the deepest recruiting class in the nation, though they don't have any stars at marquee positions. There's a lot to build on, and three straight top recruiting classes for Comey and the Nits give PSU fans a lot to be happy about. Top Player: LB Ron Monk Overall: Lots of depth, great players in the trenches and on defense. Lack of top QB will hurt this team, though.

[John Comey]

2009 Outlook For the first time in four years, we won't play Notre Dame. We've had four classic contests with them, and we requested another home-and-home for the next two. They said no. Oh well. We'll try next season. We also have just eleven games on the schedule, for the first time in my tenure. I've always tried to get twelve, including a late-season non-conference game against a nationally competitive opponent. This year, we were unable, which is surprising. But, I guess when you get to the national championship game, some teams don't want to face you. 2009 Schedule 1. at Pittsburgh 2. Maryland 3. OPEN 4. at #6 Purdue 5. at Northwestern 6. Minnesota 7. #9 Ohio State 8. at #2 Michigan 9. OPEN 10. at Michigan State 11. Iowa 12. Illinois 13. OPEN 14. OPEN 15. at Southern Miss

[John Comey]

Offensive Overview System: Run N Gun. We thought it over, and we decided to put this in because we have two running backs who can punish a team, six receivers who can do it all, and an offensive line who can push any D-line around. So, we're going to open it up for the freshman, and see how he responds. Quarterback: Williams is our guy. He's had a stellar camp, and may actually be a very solid player this year. Considering there are no expectations here, anything we get from him is a big bonus. Junior Gabe Feagles is the primary backup. He has yet to throw a pass in his collegiate career. He has a good arm, but he hasn't distanced himself from frosh Larry Upchurch that much that I won't be afraid to use the rookie. Ranking (out of 10): 4. Williams can do the job, but as a whole, I'm not sold on this group. Running Back: Smith Rae is ready to be The Man. Luckily, he won't have to go it alone. Harold Budde has gotten his grades figured out, and he'll contribute heavily. He rushed for 994 yards in nine starts. I think we have a very, very good 1-2 punch. Add in bowling ball Damione Rademacher, and that's a three-headed monster not many teams can match. Sophomore Ty Hubbard will start at fullback once again. He's a tough blocker and can run the ball well. Raynoch Blye (junior) will be the back up. Ranking: 9. We are so talented here, with two #1 backs and a fullback who can run. This is a major strength of our team. Receivers: All-American and Biletnikoff winner Wally Shirk is back for his junior year. We're excited at the things we can have him do. He changes the game, just by his presence. Redshirt senior Leon Benford has shown flashes of brilliance, and has a lot of leadership capabilities. He'll start on the other side for us. We have a lot of big wideouts that will help. Anthony Bahnsen (6'6 Jr), Brendon McQuicken (6'5 Jr) and Osi Wells (6'4 RS FR) will all get solid playing time. We have the best wideout grouping in the Big Ten, in my estimate. At time end, we return 6'2 redshirt junior Emile Shockey, a second-team All-Big Ten selection. He will be the starter, though he will split time with 6'6 redshirt freshman, Brooks McClendon, and 6'6 sophomore, Donald MacPherson. McClendon has All-American written all over him. Ranking: 9. Shirk is the best receiver in football. Binsford keeps defenses honest, and all of the size we have with the other wideouts makes the passing game easier. Offensive Line: We lost All-American OT Dale Ricks, but we have players who can replace him. it starts with 6'6, 328-pound redshirt freshman Val Chadwick, who slides into Ricks' spot. RT Boobie Rasmussen, who has been moved all over the line the past two years, may slide to center if we need him there. The reason wouldn't be true freshman Jamie Newland's inability to hold the spot; rather, it would be the massive ability of Ahman Polsfoot, a 6'8, 317 pound monster of a tackle. It is very likely that he'll be moving Rasmussen inward by the time we get into Big Ten play. At the guard spots, Torrie Ruegamer is a preseason All Big-Ten pick. He's a future first-round pick. Alonzo Howry, a sophomore, is the weak link of this line...but he's also very capable. We're not deep here. An injury or two and we're hurting. We do have a couple capable backups in senior Erric Binn at guard, freshman Steve Bukaty at tackle, and Kelly Odom at center. Ranking: 9. This is quite possibly the best unit in the Big Ten. Again, we aren't deep, but what we have starting can push around anyone. Strengths: I think we can do anything with this group. The receivers offset our shortcomings at QB, and the line can give Williams time. We could have two 1,000 yard rushers, too. Weaknesses: If Williams either gets hurt or can't do the job, we're in a lot of trouble.

[John Comey]

Defensive Overview Alignment: We're going to do a 4-2-5 most of the time. We're very talented in all areas, but we're young at linebacker. So we want to maximize our talent, especially in the secondary. This will help us do that. Defensive line: We're young. There's no mistaking that. We start one senior, end Dante' Wiley. The rest of the starters are very talented, and very...well, young. Dantonio Clayton will start opposite Wiley, as long as he can keep his grades up. He's an incredible player, and may lead the conference in sacks...or may get sacked in the classroom. Asante Green and Kim Johnson, two fantastic freshmen, will be the primary backups...though Johnson is having a tough time adjusting to college. Junior LJ Cloman has started every game of his collegiate career, and has been named to the All-Big Ten team twice. Buster Irons, a sophomore, is a big body. He's a run stuffer, and damn good at it. Freshman Jim Jones, all 6'8, 282 pounds of him, is the primary backup. Altroy Linton, a sophomore with a lot of potential, will also see a lot of time. Ranking: 8. Lots of potential, lots of youth. Wiley hasn't quite realized his potential yet, and neither has Cloman. This can be the most talented group in the nation...or the most erractic. Hopefully they'll be more the former. Linebackers: Another group oozing with talent and youth. Sophomore Drew Gedney takes over at the ILB spot, as the team gets ready to move to a 3-4 next year behind Gedney and his backup this year, Ron Monk. Both have a world of potential, and both are going to go through growing pains this year. Rodrick Tercero, a junior, is the elder statesman of this group. He is someone who can be an All-American, if he can realize his potential. Redshirt freshman Lennox Glass will be the primary backup or 4-3 linebacker. D'Wayne DeMulling and freshman Fran Hilgenberg will be two guys who also see time. Ranking: 7. Tercero is the only player who is currently able to be a solid player on a consistent basis. Gedney and Monk certainly have the ability, but whether or not they can do it all the time remains to be seen. Secondary: I am more excited about this unit than any I've ever had. Redshirt junior Marc Don was named Second Team All-Big Ten last year, and he gets better with every practice. Hardy Hunter, a true sophomore, will be a breakout star. He's ready to become a shutdown corner. Our nickel corner, Rondell June, is just behind these guys in terms of talent. Throw in two freshmen, Jim Seay and Frank Hinton, and you have a physical, talented group. Just wait until 6'6 redshirt Ricky George converts from being a wide receiver. This is what champions are built around. Of course, then you have the safeties. Markus Gaffney transferred here after his freshman year. Osi Claitt was a superb safety, a guy who was always making plays, always around the ball. Gaffney will be even better, right now as a redshirt sophomore. He's that good. Freshman Charles Kennedy, a big masher, will be the primary backup. Junior Bethel McCall is one of my favorite players. He flies all over the field, making plays and disrupting the other team. He's also a heck of a hitter. Grades have become a concern, as he's had some family issues. If he suffers any more, we won't falter. Watts Lucier, another punishing hitter, is ready to step into the spot. Ranking: 10. I can't say enough about the talent of this group. This is a shutdown group, and if they play the way I think they can play...the way I know they can play...we're going to create a lot of headaches for opposing offenses. Strengths: We're solid up and down the defense. We have serious playmakers in every level, and we are deep enough that we can do it for half the game. Weaknessess: I would like this group to be very aggressive and get to the QB a lot. The secondary can take the pressure. But with as young a line as we have, that may not happen. But, we'll give it a go.

[John Comey]

Special Teams Overview Kicking: Junior Kimo Carney was 27-for-36, including 3-of-4 from beyond 50 last year. He earned First Team All-Big Ten honors for his efforts, and should repeat that this year. Alfonso Sowell will handle kickoffs. He's decent, but nothing spectacular. Ranking: 7. Carney is as solid as they come, but he's not very good at kickoffs. Sowell isn't either. So we may be giving up some field position. Punting: Last year's starting punter, Alyn Vigorito, is being redshirted, as transfer Tre Kragen, a potential All-American, steps into the starting spot. Ranking: 10. Kragen's the best in college football. We should win the field position battle every time in this regard. Returning: Leon Benford will be the man on both kickoffs and punts. He returned a punt for a touchdown two seasons ago, and with more reps, he could bust another couple. Anthony Bahnsen and Marc Don will be the primary backups. Ranking: 7. I'm not sold on Benford, who has a history of injuries, returning full time. But I'm not sold I want my top corner doing it, and I'm not sold on Bahnsen being a gamebreaker at this spot. So, we'll roll the dice.

[Pronk]

Looking good coach! ;)

[John Comey]

The 2009 PSU roster. (PS, does anyone know how to format this to show up the way I've seen it in other places, with it ordered and everything in place?) [code] Quarterbacks # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 15 QB Gabe Feagles 6-2 211 Jr 3.68 54 83 OK Chattooga (Summerville, GA) 2.5 3.0 17 QB Larry Upchurch 6-5 193 Fr 2.92 51 63 OK Parkland (Allentown, PA) 2.0 3.5 06 QB Joe Williams (S) 6-1 180 Fr 2.64 82 70 OK William Fleming (Roanoke, VA) 3.0 4.0 Running Backs # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 40 RB Harold Budde 6-0 191 Jr 2.22 44 42 OK Meade (Ft. Meade, MD) 3.5 4.5 33 RB Wayne Dawson 5-10 183 (Fr) 3.41 56 77 Redshirt Chesapeake (Pasadena, MD) 2.0 3.5 32 RB Tauras Don 5-8 197 Sr 3.23 85 86 OK Milton Hershey (Hershey, PA) 1.0 1.5 34 RB Charlie Antwine 5-11 192 Jr 1.70 64 59 OK Bentworth (Bentleyville, PA) 1.0 1.0 46 RB Damione Rademacher 5-9 215 (Sr) 2.37 99 61 OK Cochranton Area (Cochranton, PA) 2.5 3.5 39 RB Smith Rae (S) 5-8 180 So 2.10 91 58 OK Boiling Springs (Boiling Springs, PA) 3.5 5.0 37 FB Robert Calico 6-0 209 (Fr) 3.17 56 73 Redshirt Bald Eagle Area (Wingate, PA) 2.0 3.5 24 FB Raynoch Blye 6-0 214 Jr 2.39 85 62 OK Cape Coral (Cape Coral, FL) 2.5 3.5 25 FB Tyler Hubbard (S) 5-10 209 So 2.07 56 48 OK Turner Ashby (Bridgewater, VA) 3.0 4.0 28 FB Brenden Kellar 6-1 232 Jr 3.62 77 69 OK Freeport (Freeport, PA) 1.0 1.5 Receivers # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 80 WR Dane Gresham 5-11 198 (Jr) 2.95 71 64 OK Conneaut Lake (Conneaut Lake, PA) 3.0 4.0 70 WR Laveranues Haddix 6-1 177 Jr 2.44 71 67 OK Ellwood City (Ellwood City, PA) 1.0 1.5 82 WR Leon Benford (S) 6-1 183 (Sr) 2.11 96 52 OK Gilman School (Baltimore, MD) 3.0 4.0 87 WR Gary Martin 6-4 208 (Fr) 2.47 67 54 Redshirt McKeesport Area (McKeesport, PA) 2.0 4.0 81 WR Brendon McQuilken 6-5 196 Jr 1.89 71 55 OK Northwestern Lehigh (New Tripoli, PA) 2.5 3.0 86 WR Wally Shirk (S) 6-2 193 Jr 2.95 64 62 OK W.T. Woodson (Fairfax, VA) 4.5 5.0 83 WR Anthony Bahnsen 6-6 184 Jr 3.63 70 69 OK Christiana (Newark, DE) 2.5 4.0 89 WR Osi Wells 6-4 185 (Fr) 3.43 57 76 OK Anacostia (Washington, DC) 2.5 4.0 88 TE Bryce LeVias 6-4 235 Sr 2.32 74 67 OK Academy Park (Sharon Hill, PA) 1.0 2.0 55 TE Donald MacPherson 6-6 234 So 2.96 60 72 OK Mt. Tabor (Winston-Salem, NC) 2.5 4.0 85 TE Brooks McClendon 6-6 233 (Fr) 3.72 40 84 OK Mattamuskeet (Swan Quarter, NC) 3.0 4.5 84 TE Emile Shockey (S) 6-2 235 (Jr) 2.25 86 56 OK Woodland Hills (Pittsburgh, PA) 3.0 4.0 Offensive Lineman # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 65 OT Val Chadwick (S) 6-6 328 (Fr) 2.47 82 46 OK Dwight Englewood (Englewood, NJ) 3.5 5.0 79 OT Ahmad Polsfoot 6-8 317 Fr 2.16 40 48 OK Newport (Newport, PA) 2.5 5.0 71 OT Robert Price 6-7 299 (Fr) 1.89 57 47 Redshirt Neshaminy (Langhorne, PA) 2.0 4.0 74 OT Boobie Rasmussen (S) 6-0 324 Sr 2.65 43 68 OK Lampeter Strasburg (Lampeter, PA) 3.0 4.0 75 OT Steve Bukaty 6-2 305 Fr 3.92 32 73 OK Cinnaminson (Cinnaminson, NJ) 2.5 3.5 61 OG Alonzo Howry (S) 6-2 311 So 2.49 77 43 OK Strath Haven (Wallingford, PA) 3.0 4.0 67 OG Wendell Iwuoma 6-5 293 (Fr) 3.92 51 73 OK Conneaut Valley (Conneautville, PA) 2.0 3.5 63 OG Kitrick Johns 6-0 298 Sr 3.69 99 89 OK Blue Mountain (Schuylkill Haven, PA) 1.0 1.5 60 OG Erric Binn 6-1 277 Sr 1.71 51 54 OK Bucksport (Bucksport, ME) 3.0 3.0 68 OG Eugene Owen 6-4 330 Sr 1.96 71 57 OK Hempfield Area (Greensburg, PA) 1.5 4.5 66 OG Torrie Ruegamer (S) 6-7 290 (Sr) 2.33 33 48 OK Bulkeley (Hartford, CT) 4.0 5.0 73 OG Saleem Gibbons 6-4 295 Jr 2.92 77 70 OK Littlestown (Littlestown, PA) 1.0 1.0 62 C Jamie Newland (S) 6-8 298 Fr 3.95 82 75 OK Trask (Rocky Point, NC) 2.0 4.0 64 C Kelly Odom 6-2 303 So 2.16 59 43 OK Watertown (Watertown, NY) 2.0 3.5 69 C Devin Rooths 6-1 282 Jr 2.53 63 67 OK Blackhawk (Beaver Falls, PA) 1.0 1.5 Defensive Lineman # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 93 DE Kim Johnson 6-1 271 Fr 1.66 31 57 OK Beaver Area (Beaver, PA) 2.5 4.0 90 DE Asante Green 6-6 281 Fr 2.02 58 39 OK St. Stephens (Hickory, NC) 2.0 4.0 98 DE Cie Bolling 6-8 256 Jr 3.47 58 89 OK Delone Catholic (McSherrystown, PA) 1.0 1.0 99 DE Earnest Brandon 6-4 271 Sr 2.21 58 59 OK Strong Vincent (Erie, PA) 1.0 2.0 97 DE Dantonio Clayton (S) 6-4 267 So 1.99 60 63 OK Fairhaven (Fairhaven, MA) 3.0 5.0 92 DE Dante' Wiley (S) 6-0 279 Sr 3.52 66 88 OK Penn Manor (Millersville, PA) 3.0 4.0 96 DT L.J. Cloman (S) 6-4 281 Jr 2.13 61 56 OK Norwin (North Huntingdon, PA) 3.0 4.5 94 DT Jim Jones 6-8 282 Fr 2.50 85 60 OK Matoaca (Chesterfield, VA) 3.0 5.0 91 DT Buster Irons (S) 6-7 302 So 3.92 91 74 OK Nashoba Regional (Bolton, MA) 3.0 4.0 95 DT JoJo Stabler 6-0 279 Sr 3.85 82 80 OK Ellwood City (Ellwood City, PA) 1.0 1.5 59 DT Altroy Linton 6-3 278 So 3.57 81 87 OK J.E.B. Stuart (Falls Church, VA) 2.5 4.0 Linebackers # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 51 ILB Ron Monk 6-2 234 Fr 3.71 31 97 OK Belvidere (Belvidere, NJ) 2.5 5.0 58 ILB Drew Gedney (S) 6-2 237 So 3.47 64 86 OK Lewistown Area (Lewistown, PA) 3.0 5.0 54 ILB Roosevelt Stouffer 6-2 236 (Fr) 3.87 98 87 OK Steelton Higpire (Steelton, PA) 2.0 3.5 56 ILB LaMarcus Hadnot 6-1 229 Sr 3.95 78 96 OK Southmoreland (Alverton, PA) 1.5 2.0 45 ILB Anthony Barnett 6-0 224 (Fr) 3.77 90 94 Redshirt Marist (Bayonne, NJ) 2.5 4.0 48 OLB Lennox Glass (S) 6-0 231 (Fr) 2.60 75 60 OK Glen Mills (Concordville, PA) 2.5 4.0 44 OLB D'Wayne DeMulling 6-2 254 Jr 2.22 46 57 OK Eastern (Washington, DC) 2.0 3.5 57 OLB Fran Hilgenberg 6-1 238 Fr 3.69 98 71 OK Spring Grove Area (Spring Grove, PA) 2.0 4.0 43 OLB Rodrick Tercero (S) 6-1 237 Jr 2.30 49 53 OK Whippany Park (Whippany, NJ) 3.5 4.5 53 OLB Moran Blackmon 6-1 231 Sr 2.70 81 63 OK Huntingdon Area (Huntingdon, PA) 1.0 1.5 Defensive Backs # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 21 CB Jim Seay 5-11 190 Fr 2.46 36 43 OK Elizabeth Forward (Elizabeth, PA) 2.5 4.5 30 CB Marc Don (S) 6-1 182 (Jr) 2.96 32 68 OK Colonial Forge (Stafford, VA) 3.5 4.5 35 CB Frank Hinton 5-9 192 Fr 1.98 66 44 OK Winston Churchill (Potomac, MD) 2.5 4.0 23 CB Hardy Hunter (S) 6-0 192 So 2.77 77 64 OK St. Mary's (Annapolis, MD) 3.5 5.0 27 CB Ricky George 6-6 183 (Fr) 1.91 73 42 Redshirt Woonsocket (Woonsocket, RI) 1.0 1.5 38 CB Rondell June 5-10 174 Sr 3.82 46 77 OK Lisbon (Lisbon Falls, ME) 3.0 4.0 34 FS Markus Gaffney (S) 5-11 183 (So) 2.11 42 54 OK Rice Memorial (South Burlington, VT) 4.0 5.0 36 FS Charles Kennedy 6-1 198 Fr 3.07 52 70 OK Athens Area (Athens, PA) 2.5 4.5 42 FS Leland Odle 5-10 200 (Jr) 2.45 96 61 OK Mount Hebron (Ellicott City, MD) 2.5 3.0 22 SS Bethel McCall (S) 6-2 201 Jr 1.88 57 51 OK Mapletown (Greensboro, PA) 3.0 4.5 29 SS Watts Lucier 6-2 181 So 2.16 93 49 OK Triton Regional (Runnemede, NJ) 3.0 4.0 Special teams # POS NAME HT WT YR GPA WE INT STATUS High School OVR POT 08 K Alfonso Sowell 5-9 201 Sr 2.27 92 64 OK Middletown Area (Middletown, PA) 2.0 2.0 20 K Kimo Carney (S) 6-4 203 Jr 2.37 91 64 OK St. John's (Washington, DC) 4.0 4.0 01 P Tre Kragen (S) 6-3 197 (So) 2.97 77 62 OK Poland Seminary (Poland, OH) 5.0 5.0 07 P Alyn Vigorito 6-1 192 (So) 3.87 80 83 Redshirt Northwest (Germantown, MD) 5.0 5.0 01 P Lennie Theismann 5-10 179 Jr 1.77 85 56 OK West Scranton (Scranton, PA) 1.0 1.5 [/CODE]

[John Comey]

[B]Florida Consensus #1 to Open 2009[/B] [I]Gators open both polls in top spot; SEC, Pac Ten well-represented[/I] The Florida Gators are ready back what they lost last year. With a birth in the national championship staring them in the face, the Gators looked away last year. LSU whipped Florida 52-22 in the SEC Championship Game, then went on to upset top-ranked Penn State 30-24 in overtime to win the Orange Bowl, and the national title. One can't help but think that that's been on Florida's mind. The voters in both the media and coaches' poll may have recognized that. Well, that and the amount of talent returning in Gainesville, of course. Florida received the top billing in both polls, released on Monday. The Gators received 1,596 votes in the media poll, 51 ahead of Michigan, and 1,496 points in the coaches' poll. Michigan received the #2 nod there as well, with 1,447 points. For the first time in four seasons, the top five in both is the same, with Florida, Michigan, USC, Georgia and Auburn holding the top spots. The Bulldogs return much of their offense from a team that surged in the second half last year, and Auburn has a top-five recruiting class, ready to do damage in the deep SEC. The defending champs, LSU, are sixth in the media poll. Rounding out the top ten in that poll are Purdue, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Ole Miss, giving the SEC five teams in the top ten. That has not been done since the Big Ten did it two seasons ago. The Pac-10 litters the rest of the top 25, with five teams. Oregon State is #11; Washington State 19th, Washington 22nd, Arizona 24th, and UCLA 25th. Penn State, who many thought would be among the top teams in the nation, are 18th in both polls. They have to replace three All-Americans and every one of their quarterbacks. As a result, freshman Joe Williams takes over for a team loaded with talent, and loaded with questions. After Oregon State in 12th is Miami, Tennessee, Florida State, and Notre Dame. Notre Dame will open their season at home against USC in the Kickoff Classic. The game marks the beginning of redshirt senior Morgan Dickey's reign as Irish QB. The team had been led by Cleveland Sapp for the past four years. Now, Dickey, who has thrown 44 passes in three years, takes over. "He's ready," notes ND coach Jimmy Fulcher. "He's been ready for the past three years. We just had a once-in-a-lifetime QB in front of him. Morgan's emergence as the starter will be seamless." Oklahoma is 16th in the polls, followed by Texas, Penn State, Washington State, and Alabama. The Crimson Tide were 2-9 a year ago, but two top recruiting classes have paid off, and this team is loaded with talent. QB Al Munoz and RB Nashville McGeoghan will lead the Tide, who are looking for their first winning season since 2005. Rounding out the top 25 are Boston College, Washington, Virginia Tech, Arizona, and UCLA.

[John Comey]

2009 Preseason All-American Team QB: Micky Namath, LSU RB: Eddie Voigt, Boston College (Jr) FB: Obafemi Turnbull, Florida State (Jr) WR: Wally Shirk, PSU (Jr) WR: Izzy Sayers, USC (Jr) OT: Ricky Summerall, Utah OT: Akil Dickey, Michigan State OG: Rex Rypien, California OG: Shamar Wood, Purdue C: Keena Foley, Virginia Tech DE: Yatil Fasani, Boston College DE: Anquan Sipe, Oklahoma DT: Dainard Santiago, Wake Forest DT: Lynaris Soward, Wisconsin ILB: Rian Conley, Nevada ILB: Rufus Weese, Ohio State OLB: Sterling Veal, Bowling Green OLB: Ahmaad Howton, Florida CB: Arlie Setterstrom, UNLV CB: Jamar Boselli, Kentucky FS: Richard Cipa, LSU SS: Duval Flagler, Texas K: Sultan McKay, Washington State P: Tre Kragen, Penn State (So) Top 10 Heisman Candidates 1. Micky Namath, QB, LSU 2. Derrick Bannan, QB, USC (Jr) 3. Wally Shirk, WR, PSU (Jr) 4. Eddie Voigt, RB, BC (Jr) 5. Nicolas Baldwin, QB, Georgia Tech 6. Cloyce Jacoby, RB, Georgia 7. Roshaun McInally, QB, Kansas State 8. Dokie Kadela, QB, Michigan 9. Deke Sinceno, RB, Navy 10. Rock Ferguson, QB, Oklahoma (Jr)

[John Comey]

2009 Media Day Big Ten Predicted Order of Finish 1. Michigan 2. Purdue 3. Ohio State 4. Wisconsin 5. Penn State 6. Iowa 7. Michigan State 8. Minnesota 9. Northwestern 10. Illinois 11. Indiana Clips from Media Day Joe Williams, QB: "Yes, it's going to be difficult stepping in after the job some of the past quarterbacks here have done. Yes, it's going to be even more difficult doing it as a true freshman. Even Nijrell (Strom) had problems as a freshman. But I have a great team around me, and the team is going to win. Not me. I'm going to do my part." Smith Rae, RB: "I expect that Harold (Budde) and I are going to form the best 1-2 punch in the Big Ten. We've got the kind of playmakers that are going to make defenses go crazy. We're gonna go nuts on offense this year." Harold Budde, RB: "I'm not ashamed to not be starting this year. Grades are important, man. I didn't do my job in the classroom, and Coach Comey showed me that those are just as important. I used to take the NFL as a bygone conclusion, yo. Now? I gotta work my butt off, just to get carries on this team. Smith's the real deal, you know what I'm sayin? We go'n be tight this year. You wait and see." Wally Shirk, WR: "I said it a million times. I want to win a championship. I'm not going pro until I've either done that or exhausted my chances." Emile Shockey, TE: "..." Dante' Wiley, DE: "You know, these freshman...they aren't kids. They're men. Look at some of these guys. You should see what they eat. Tuition has doubled since they found the cafeteria. But they can use that energy up...look at Ol' Iron Ass over there (pointing to OT Ahmad Polsfoot). That boy is going to be GOOD. I can't get by him now, and I can get by any tackle in our conference." Rodrick Tercero, LB: "We're gonna make a lot of plays. I think we can saw the field in half. Have you seen our secondary? How are teams going to pass on them? We're good. I mean...GOOD." Marc Don, CB: "The title's the thing, you know? I was sick for weeks after losing to LSU. Yeah, they were good, but we should've won that game, y'know? First and goal at the one, and...well, you were there. But we want that title. And we're gonna get it." Emile Shockey, TE: "..." Coach John Comey: "We've got a lively bunch, don't we? Our practices have been a joy, and they've also been some of the most competitive sessions I've ever had. If this team can unleash what they have on other teams...you're gonna see a whole new program. I don't think we've lost much, even with the great players that have moved on. In fact, I think we're going to be better this year." Emile Shockey, TE: "...what?"

[John Comey]

Cup O' Joe Week 1 Preview By Joe Simpson, College Football Weekly Some big games open up the 2009 season. We'll find out right away if some teams are contenders, or pretenders. We'll also get to see some Heisman hopefuls get their first crack at showing their mettle for voters. Top Game: #3 Southern Cal at #15 Notre Dame. Morgan Dickey begins his one-season opportunity of a lifetime. He has a tough act to follow as Notre Dame's starting QB: Cleveland Sapp was a college legend, and his four years at Notre Dame were very successful for the Irish. First up for Dickey: a tough Trojan defense, led by junior corner Irving Huff and linebacker LaDairis Groman. Unfortunately, one thing coach Jimmy Fulcher has never had is a tough defense. They were much better last year, under Benji Coffey; they ranked ninth in yards against, and 34th in scoring. But this is an extremely potent USC offense. Three of their quarterbacks could start anywhere in the country. Three of their running backs could start anywhere in the country. WR Izzy Sayers is as good as they come. And their line can push the undersized Irish D-Line all over the field. As a result, I think Dickey's first start as the Irish QB will come up short. Pick: USC 45, Notre Dame 31 Other games: #18 PSU at Pitt: The backyard rivalry has been one-sided lately. Penn State has won the last three, including a 45-21 mashing last year in State College. What is forgotten, of course, is that the game was tied after a quarter, and true freshman threw three touchdowns against PSU, before they turned around and began to rout the young Panthers. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and it's PSU, a bit unsure of its offensive situation, that has to come to Pitt. This one smells like an upset. The Panthers have stolen a lot of recruits from PSU the past two seasons, including Groce, RB Noland Hector and Ferrell Hawkes, WR Jerramy Cushing, and star linebacker Daleroy Smiley. Like I said, I smell an upset. But, thankfully for PSU, that's why we don't sniff the game. We play it. Pick: PSU by 1 ***** Other Big Ten Games This Week: Ohio at Minnesota Syracuse at #9 Ohio State Kansas at #7 Wisconsin Illinois at #11 Oregon State Michigan State at #21 Boston College

[John Comey]

PSU Bends, Does Not Break Pitt dominates everywhere but score in Nits' 23-20 OT win Kimo Carney had been here before. Overtime. Field goal and an opportunity for a lead, or, in this case, a win. Why, it was just last game that he was in this position. That last game, as it were, was the national championship game. And Carney hit the crossbar, missing a crucial field goal that swung the momentum to LSU. They won 30-24, taking the national title from the Nittany Lions. So, was his chance to win--a 25-yard field goal attempt--against Pitt just as big? "Oh, they're always big," he said after his boot preserved a hard-earned 23-20 victory. "Yeah, missing that one (last year) was tough. But losing to Pitt...you just don't do that." Penn State does not do that, at least. The Lions' scored their fourth-straight win over the Panthers, though if one had looked at the statistics, it would paint an entirely different story. Pitt outgained PSU 484-222. It generated 25 first downs to the Lions' 11, and racked up 248 rushing yards, compared to 87 for Penn State. Joe Williams, 10-of-12 for 124 yards in the first half of football he played in college, stumbled to go 11-of-24 for 135 yards, and an interception. However, while Pittsburgh moved the ball against the young Penn State defense almost at will, two big plays kept Penn State around, and actually had Pitt playing catch up. After a Tre Kragen punt pinned Pitt at their 1, Buster Irons recovered a Farrell Hawkes fumble at the Panther 5. One play later, Smith Rae took it in for the second of his two touchdowns, giving Penn State a 20-9 lead. Pitt would come back, scoring on an 11-yard pass from Brenden Groce to Jim Bailey. A two-point conversion brought Pitt to within three, at 20-17. After Penn State punted, Pitt took the ball at midfield. But Groce threw his second interception to Rodrick Tercero, with 1:44 left. All seemed lost for the Panthers. However, they stuffed the Lions, forcing a punt. And Groce, frustrated for most of the day, went to work. With the ball at their 20, he hit Juston Wise on a 34-yard pass. Then, he hit Jim Bailey on a 43-yard bomb with :28 left, putting Pitt at the Penn State 3. They would take one shot at the end zone, throwing a quick flare out to true freshman Jerramy Cushing. But he was stuffed at the 1, forcing Pitt to kick a field goal. Vern Manley hit from 19 yards, and Pitt had tied it, 20-20. It had stunned Penn State. Fortunately for those in Happy Valley, one of their players snapped out of it, and did so quickly. Watts Lucier, a backup safety, intercepted Groce to open Pitt's overtime possession. That gave Penn State the ball and a freeroll on the game. Rae, who rushed 30 times for 93 yards and two scores, ran twice for 18 yards. After Williams threw two incompletions and Harold Budde was stuffed, Carney came out for his game-winning try. There were no theatrics this time. "After what I went through (in the Orange Bowl), this was as calm as I could be," said Carney. "I knew I'd be tested again. I didn't think it'd be this early. But I'm glad to get over this hump." All in all, it was Penn State forcing four Panther turnovers, and Vern Manley's two missed field goals, that kept the Lions in the game. "We don't win the game without those," said coach John Comey. "Those turnovers were huge. We had some major problems moving the ball. That's as much a credit to that tough defense over there. We had some chemistry issues, but they definitely didn't help us whatsoever." The teams traded field goals in the first quarter, leaving the quarter at a 3-3 tie. Penn State took a 13-3 lead at the half, on Rae's 10-yard touchdown and Carney's short field goal with :09 left in the half. Pitt came back behind a pair of Manley field goals in the third, putting them down 13-9 going into the fourth. Wuerffel led all rushers with 132 yards on 20 carries. Hawkes rushed 19 times for 89 yards. Most of both rushers' yards came in the first half. Groce went 20-of-37 for 236, a TD, and three picks. Last year's Biletnikoff winner, Wally Shirk, led Penn State with five catches for 63 yards. He also had one rush for 12 yards. Harold Budde, last year's starter, had three rushes for two yards. Wise registered eight receptions for 104 yards to lead Pitt. Pitt defensive end Cooper Sykes registered two sacks to lead Pitt's defense. Bethel McCall registered Penn State's other interception, while Alfred Greene picked up Pitt's takeaway.

[John Comey]

Penn State Recap Week 1 2009 W, 23-20 (OT) at Pittsburgh Record: 1-0 Offense: Joe started out so well. But the bottom fell out from under him. He got happy feet in the third quarter, and the pic he threw won't be thrown when he's a junior. Smith took too long to get going, but when he did, he was tough. Harold didn't really show up, you know? I'm not really sure what happened there. The receivers did a great job, though Osi's drop was a sure touchdown. I get more and more impressed every time I watch Wally play. I can't believe how good that kid is. The line missed too many blocks. Jamie Newland isn't ready at center. He gave up two sacks. I'm going to let Land Mass (Ahamd Polsfoot) start at RT, and move Boobie Rasmussen to center against Maryland. We'll see how that goes. Overall Effort: D+ Defense: LJ Cloman may finally make that jump to All-American status this year. He's a two-time All-Conference pick...but he really burst out of the gate, registering a sack and getting three hurries. One of those led to Bethel's interception. The rest of the line was awful. They let Pitt control the line, and their running backs had a field day. We couldn't stop them. The linebackers played very well. I'm very pleased with Drew Gedney's play. He was all over the field, and alleviated a lot of tension for me on defense. I was really worried that Rodrick would be overloaded with duties as the team's top LB. But Drew really, really played well. The secondary got stuck on playaction a lot, which Pitt did a really good job of after they started off running the ball so well. But they stayed aggressive in coverage, and in the end, they were the difference. They did give two many plays. But it's early. I don't expect Marc Don to give up two big plays in a game the rest of this season. Overall Effort: B Special Teams: Our punt coverage lacks. We gave up an average of 10 yards a punt return, and that doesn't fly. Benford did a good job on returns. And, as I've come to expect, our kicking game was more than solid. Overall Effort: B+ We sucked. We really, really stunk it up. There's no denying that. But we inexplicably came out with the win. How? We got the turnovers, they got the penalties, and we had a short field most of the time. Watts' pick to open up the overtime was a play that may have already saved our season. But we're not going to win in the Big Ten with this kind of offensive display, and run defense. We have to shape up. Or we're not going to win. It's as simple as that. Overall Effort: C

[John Comey]

Week 1 - Top 25 Teams in Action #15 Notre Dame 23, #3 Southern Cal 20 #5 Auburn 37, Marshall 6 #7 Wisconsin 30, Kansas 6 #9 Ohio State 31, Syracuse 22 #10 Ole Miss 46, Toledo 17 #11 Oregon State 44, Illinois 25 #12 Miami 32, Akron 13 #16 Oklahoma 44, Southern Miss 20 #17 Texas 26, BYU 16 #19 Washington State 46, Baylor 26 #20 Alabama 52, Rutgers 22 #21 Boston College 47, Michigan State 9 #22 Washington 22, Central Michigan 13 #23 Virginia Tech 44, Western Michigan 31 #24 Arizona 52, Florida International 10 Other Big Ten teams in action: Minnesota 24, Ohio 16 Offensive Players of the Week: QB JC Ringo, Arizona: 29-33, 381 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT vs FIU RB James Martin, Boston College: 28 car, 284 yards, 2 TD vs MSU (Div 1 debut) Garrick Conlan, Middle TN State: 6 catches, 162 yards, 2 TD vs Tulsa Defensive Players of the Week: Dokie Geri, Missouri: 4 sacks vs LaTech Nu Carmichael, NC State: 3 sacks, 1 stuff, 3 TFL vs Memphis Kenoy Pierson, Cent Mich: 16 tackles, 3 sacks vs Washington Brentson Buie, Wisconsin: 2 INT, TD vs Rutgers Special Teams: Kaulana Edinger, Alabama: 2 KR, 188 yards, 2 TD (99, 89) vs Rutgers Arnie Giammona, Oregon State: 3 PR, 177 yards, 2 TD (90, 79) vs Illinois Grady Knorr, Miami: 6-7 FG, 41 long vs Akron

[John Comey]

Notre Dame Moves Into Top Ten Fighting Irish ninth after win over Southern Cal Irish eyes are smiling this week. Notre Dame is back in the top ten. The Fighting Irish are ninth this week, moving up six spots after beating Southern Cal, 23-20. The win came on Maxie Burks' 37-yard field goal as time expired, sending South Bend into a frenzy, and sending Notre Dame into the top ten for the first time since early last season. They were #1 when Penn State beat them, taking the top spot themselves. USC, who started the season ranked third, dropped to fifth. Florida and Michigan continue at 1-2 in the polls. Georgia and Purdue moved up to third and fourth, while Auburn (1-0) slid down a spot to sixth, despite USC's loss. LSU moved up one spot to seventh, while Wisconsin (1-0), with an uninspiring 30-6 win over Kansas, fell one spot to eighth. Notre Dame and Ohio State round out the top 10. Ole Miss, Oregon State, Miami, Tennessee, and Florida State each dropped one spot to accomodate the rise of the Irish. The other big mover, Boston College, moved up five spots to 16th, after beating Michigan State 47-9. The Eagles showed another weapon in JuCo transfer RB James Martin, adding to Heisman candidate Eddie Voigt to give BC a legit threat to the ACC title. Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State and Washington State finish off the top 20. Alabama is 21st, followed by Virginia Tech, Washington, UCLA, and Arizona. Nobody dropped out of the poll.

[John Comey]

Cup O' Joe Week 2 Preview Notre Dame made me look rather foolish last week. It appears their defense is for real, after shutting down a highly potent USC offense for much of the game. They really deserved the win, after the way they played. Joe Simpson's Top Ten 1. Florida (0-0) - Open "Season of Retribution" against Army. 2. Michigan (0-0) - Have Cincy at home 3. Georgia (0-0) - This matchup (Duke) would make a great basketball game 4. Notre Dame (1-0) - Will there be a letdown against a hungry Michigan State team? 5. Auburn (1-0) - Can they defeat a suddenly dangerous Boston College team? 6. USC (0-1) - Should get back on track against East Carolina 7. Wisconsin (1-0) - Big test at home against Arizona. 8. LSU (0-0) - Defending champs get Miami in Coral Gables. Some opening test... 9. Purdue (0-0) - Should handle Wake Forest at home. 10. Ohio State (1-0) - Houston has pulled some upsets in past. Buckeyes should not overlook them. Game of the Week: #7 LSU (0-0) at #13 Miami (1-0). LSU has to open their defense of their national title in South Beach, as they travel to play the Hurricanes. Miami stumbled to an 8-4 finish last year, and definitely wants to continue their good start. However, sophomore QB Lito Allred is banged up, and there are no real adequate backups for the 'Canes. The team will rely on true freshman running back Kyle Cassady. The 240-pound wrecking ball took the starting job from incumbent Benny Clark, and played well last week. The team's defense is what will give LSU some problems. They have depth on the defensive line, behind DE Lincoln Watson and Byron Verser, and true freshman DT Jonathan Clarke. At linebacker, they have three studs in Korey Andrews, Daleroy Punkett, and Kendall Griggs. LSU will have a hard time running the ball on Miami. But when you have Micky Namath, you don't truly have to run. Namath, a first-team preseason All-American, has some talented wideouts, and yes, the return of fellow senior RB, Nat Grabowski. They also have a stiff defense, led by FS Richard Cipa and DE Turk Lawrence. I think LSU has too much firepower for Miami, and even with the home crowd, the Tigers will escape with the win. They have more leadership at the right spots, and they have more playmakers. Miami's defense is top notch, but Namath's ability to manage a game is top notch. I think he's the difference, and I think LSU begins their title defense successfully. Pick: LSU 24, Miami 20 Other Games: #6 Auburn (1-0) at #16 Boston College (1-0): Boston College has a running back controversy on their hands. Last year's Heisman candidate, Eddie Voigt, didn't even generate a carry in their win over Michigan State. James Martin, a JuCo transfer, rushed 28 times for 284 yards in their 47-9 win. Maybe they wanted to break him in. But they'll need both, as well as sudden deep reserve PJ Casey, against the Tigers. Auburn brings star QB Roderick McGeorge and RB Chidi Eby to BC, as well as some national title aspirations. This will be a high scoring matchup, with both teams capable of putting up 40+ points. I think BC's trio of running backs gives them the edge, and I think they'll win. And it won't be an upset. Pick: BC by 3 Maryland (1-0) at #19 Penn State: Will Penn State be better than last week, where Pitt dominated them on both sides of the ball? The bigger question is, do they have to be? Maryland barely outlasted Temple last week, winning 20-19. PSU knows this team well; they recruited the majority of Terrapin stars, including QB Floyd Conklin, RB Cullen Tucker, WR Hunter Collins, and DE Joel Ours. Maryland was skittish running the ball. I don't think they're going to be able to pass against PSU the way they did against Temple. They're going to have to run the ball, and if they are unable, PSU will cruise. I think it'll be close, but Penn State will come out on top. Pick: PSU by 6 ***** Other Big Ten Teams in Action: #9 Notre Dame (1-0) at Michigan State (0-1) #18 Texas (1-0) at Minnesota (1-0) #25 Arizona (1-0) at #8 Wisconsin (1-0) Illinois (0-1) at #15 Florida State (0-0) Iowa (0-0) at Baylor (0-1) Cincinnati (0-1) at #2 Michigan (0-0) Houston (0-1) at #10 Ohio State (1-0) Wake Forest (0-0) at #4 Purdue (0-0) Indiana (0-0) at #11 Ole Miss (1-0) Miss. State (1-0) at Northwestern (0-0)

[John Comey]

[B]Rae, Defense Lead Lions[/B] [I]Penn State takes away Maryland's chances in 21-13 win[/I] The Penn State offense finally showed some signs of life on Saturday. But, you may not want to take that defibulator too far away. Smith Rae registered career highs with 37 carries for 181 yards, and his late touchdown iced a 21-13 victory for the Nittany Lions. The Lions utilized a change on their offensive line to make Rae go. They moved right tackle Bobbie Rasmussen to center, and started "The Land Mass", true freshman Ahmad Polsfoot, at right tackle. "He played well," said head coach John Comey. "He's an intimidating force out there. He made a rookie mistake (leading to a sack). But I think I like where we're going on this now." "I felt like there were ridiculously huge holes," said Rae. "Those big tackles really know how to block. It was a cakewalk on several of those runs." The Penn State defense continued their tough play, holding Maryland to 281 total yards and just 11 first downs. They also forced three fumbles, recovering two at key moments. One came early on on a deep pass; Buster Irons recovered at the PSU 3-yard line. "I didn't know he could get down the field that fast," said linebacker Rodrick Tercero. "I was at the 30 yard line when the ball came out, and then all of a sudden, there he was. It was unreal." The second came with 1:34 left and Penn State up 15-13. LJ Cloman recovered Floyd Conklin's fumble at the Maryland 4-yard line. Smith Rae took three tries, but scored on a one-yard plunge with 32 seconds left to ice it. Kimo Carney's extra point attempt was blocked by fullback Troy McCutcheon, giving Maryland a single attempt to score, make a two-point conversion, and tie the game. But Conklin threw an incomplete pass, ending the game. Conklin was 12-of-26 for 208 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was sacked six times. "They've been getting after the quarterback," said Comey. "We had more opportunities to get sacks. They did a great job of pressuring a good quarterback into making decisions too fast." Jazz Wiegman rushed 24 times for 84 yards and a touchdown. His 40-yard run with 3:03 left made it a two-point game, at 15-13. Up until then, Penn State control with defense. With the game tied at 3-3 midway through the second quarter, Joe Williams threw a 33-yard touchdown strike to Wally Shirk. Later in the quarter, Rodrick Tercero sacked Conklin in the end zone. The safety made it 12-3. The teams went scoreless in the third, and traded field goals before Maryland scored their only touchdown of the game. Williams completed just 11 of 25 passes for 101 yards, with the touchdown and an interception. "Yeah, I haven't been too good," said Williams. "The college game is much faster than I'm used to. I felt a lot more comfortable today, but I missed a few passes I should have made. I'll keep getting better." Shirk made four catches for 53 yards and the touchdown. Leon Benford, who starts opposite Shirk, suffered a hip injury in the second quarter. He did not return. He will be evaluated later this week, but will likely miss more than just the bye week.

[John Comey]

Penn State Recap Week 2 2009 W 21-13 vs Maryland Record: 2-0 Offense: The change along the line was a positive one. Polsfoot didn't look awful out there. And Rasmussen's move inside was seamless. We're going to get better as the season goes on. I'm a little concerned by Val Chadwick's inability to pick up any key run blocks and giving up sacks. We have Joe Williams as throwing three bad passes. That may be selling him short. He probably had a couple more we decided against counting. He's just been off. I'm not ready to shelve him; we'll give him the Purdue game, and if he doesn't perform in the first half, we'll give Gabe a shot. Smith Rae had a fantastic game. Teams have to prepare against him, and running his plays to Wally's side is really opening up the playaction. We get Harold going, and Joe starts figuring things out, and we're going to be *really* hard to beat. Against Maryland, we did just enough to take it. Overall Effort: B- Defense: We got two more turnovers. We forced a safety. We gave up one big play that went for a touchdown. We forced Conklin into several bad decisions. The defensive line was much, much better this past week. The secondary, led by Markus Gaffney's 12 tackles, was tough. They were stiff the entire game, and the effort reflected that. If this defense is going to play that well every game, we're going to be right there at the end of every game. Just think if they get better. Remember, this is a very young group. Overall Effort: B+ Special Teams: Tre Kragen is really doing a great job for us. He booted a 59-yard punt that led to the safety. He averaged 47.8 yards per punt. What's bad is that he did it ten times. I don't think we've had that many punts in a game. But we're winning the field position battle. Kimo nailed two field goals, but a slipped hold cost him an extra point at the end. That almost came back to hurt us. The returns were nothing special. Bahnsen will handle all returns against Purdue, if Leon isn't ready to come back. Overall Effort: B This was a better effort, and even with the score 15-13, I never felt like we were going to lose the game. The defense was dominant, and the running game was tough. Smith had his breakout game, and Joe didn't lose it for us. We put it in the hands of our defense, and they did the job. I'd rather be up by ten with two minutes left, but I realize, with this offense, it just won't happen that much. We forced turnovers, bad decisions, and did enough on offense to control the game. This showed we could win in the trenches, something I was afraid of after the Pitt game. Now, we head to Big Ten play rested, and ready for what may be the toughest season of conference play we've ever had. Overall Effort: B+

[John Comey]

Week 2 - Top 25 Teams in Action #1 Florida 61, Army 10 #2 Michigan 59, Cincinnati 31 #3 Georgia 27, Duke 0 #4 Purdue 32, Wake Forest 13 #5 USC 39, East Carolina 10 #16 Boston College 32, #6 Auburn 20 #7 LSU 30, #13 Miami 9 #8 Wisconsin 35, #25 Arizona 28 Michigan State 23, #9 Notre Dame 17 #10 Ohio State 31, Houston 0 #11 Ole Miss 34, Indiana 10 #12 Oregon State 31, Rutgers 20 Texas Tech 33, #14 Tennessee 27 #15 Florida State 52, Illinois 14 #17 Oklahoma 50, NC State 9 #18 Texas 29, Minnesota 26 #19 Penn State 21, Maryland 13 Nebraska 27, #20 Washington State 16 Louisville 34, #21 Alabama 20 #22 Virginia Tech 33, Kansas State 19 Georgia Tech 19, #23 Washington 17 #24 UCLA 31, Kentucky 24 Other Big Ten Teams in Action: Iowa 38, Baylor 24 Northwestern 27, Mississppi State 23 Offensive Players of the Week: QB Dokie Kadela, Michigan: 23-32, 487 yards, 3 TD vs Cincinnati RB Kimo Townsell, Iowa: 31 rushes, 248 yards, 3 TD vs Baylor WR Simeon Salata, New Mexico: 6 cat, 181 yards, TD vs Mid TN St WR JP Meinert, UTEP: 6 cat, 171 yards, 2 TD vs Navy Defensive Players of the Week: LB Ahmaad Howton, Florida: 11 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 stuffs, FF, INT vs Army LB Gannon Brightful, Texas Tech: 16 tackles, sack, stuff, INT vs Tennessee LB Daleroy Smiley, Pittsburgh: 7 tackles, 3 INT vs Idaho SS Duval Flagler, Texas: 11 tackles, 2 INT vs Minnesota Special Teams Players of the Week: KR Shurron Ford, Rice: 6 KR, 266 yards, TD (98) PR Jamin Whalen, Florida Atlantic: 4 PR, 180 yards, 2 TD (94, 80) K Germaine Zgonina, UCLA: 5/6 FG, 53 long vs Kentucky

[John Comey]

[B]LSU Jumps, BC Continues Climb in Top 25[/B] [I]Tigers 3rd, Eagles 12th after big wins [/I] Florida and Michigan held the top two spots in the media poll for the third straight week. But Monday's poll has another team quickly climbing up, ready to give them a fight. Their new rival is an old rival, too. Louisiana State, the defending national champions, moved up four spots to third this week. This came after their 30-9 blowout in Miami, where they dominated every facet of the game. Micky Namath's two touchdown passes in the first half led to a 27-3 lead at the break. Their dominance in a tough enviornment was apparently the key in their moving up. "They were unbelievable," said one head coach. "They looked much better than when they beat Penn State last year. I wouldn't be surprised if those (Florida) coaches look at this tape and get an Excedrin headache." The Tigers also took the top spot from Florida in the Coaches' Poll. Georgia and Purdue slid down one spot, to fourth and fifth. The SEC has three teams in the top five. USC is sixth, moving down a spot to accomodate LSU's rise. Wisconsin, off a 35-28 win over then-ranked Arizona, moves up one spot to seventh. Auburn, who lost to then-16th-ranked Boston College, fell two spots to eighth. Boston College moved up to twelfth, continuing their rise. Ohio State and Ole Miss round out the top ten. Notre Dame, 23-17 losers to Michigan State, dropped two spots to 11. They are followed by Boston College, Oregon State, Miami, and Virginia Tech. The Hokies are this week's biggest risers, moving seven spots after beating Kansas State 33-19. Tennessee is 16th, followed by FSU, Oklahoma, Texas, and Penn State. UCLA moved up three spots after their win over Kentucky. Washington State and Alabama, losers last week, moved down two spots each. Joining the poll for the first time this year is Nebraska, who beat Washington State 27-16, and Clemson. The Tigers beat Oregon 37-34. Washington and Arizona dropped out.